lotek 

FWIW if you go back and reread the article they retested
all the samples. 12 samples came back positive, 6 belonged to armstrong.

you figure it out.

marty

Dolomiti

Well the last few Tours started with an average more like 43 I thought.

Anyway, does anyone know if any testing changed from 1998 to 1999? I always thought 1999 was still full of EPO.

The deal with this news is they decided to use old samples to use this new test I guess. And there were at least 6 other riders (I heard?) that had a positive EPO test from that 1999 Tour.
If they tested every rider, I'm sure almost all of them would have been positive
It is/was just another part of preparation. Like diet, vitamins, or a high altitude tent.

Kind of pisses me off that it turns out that way. Not to mention it said trace amounts were found. And considering how Armstrong struggled late in the mountains compared to Escartin and the others... maybe he just took it in June.

By the way, there was no 'old test' in 1999. They had no EPO test.

Too bad they won't take samples from every major race before 2001. That would be really neat.

FXjohn

Sounds like a conspiricy from people with an inferiority complex to me.

CdCf

The solution to all these doping problems is really very simple.

1. Force all sponsors for pro-level athletes to pay for regular, independent, testing of all their signed athletes. Regular testing would be something like every 10-20 days, depending on what's needed for accurate testing.

2. Make the rules so that after the first instance of a positive test (after it's been verified as positive by independent test labs), the athlete is banned from competing in ANY sport governed by national and international rules, for a period of five years.
If the same athlete is caught a second time, he or she is banned for life, with no exceptions, and from ALL sports.

With regular testing, things like fluctuating or abnormally high (but still "natural" for the individual) levels of hormones and other substances, will no longer be a factor.

KrisPistofferson

Yep. So now everyone will get a chance to fling their handful of mud, but at the end of the day, he STILL won 7 in a row.
Yeah, but that makes all the pros who are up-front and honest about it look better...Oh, my bad, there aren't any of those!

hokie_girl

Is it possible that this was caused by a phantom twin?

squeegy200

Sad they don't get this inquisitive with Major League Baseball. Those guys are inflating like the michelin man.

Amazing that someone can testify before Congress, lie about his behaviour, then test positive a few weeks later. He's now committed two criminal offences including perjury before Congress.

His penalty - 10 days suspension.

What a joke!

But in cycling, the French keep looking.

Mr.K

What's up with Lance? L'equipe (French sports newspaper) says he used drugs in his first Tour - he says no way. I would like to take Lance at his word but remember the baseball player who swore up and down he never used steroids (until he tested positive). Is this sour grapes by the French or is Lance lying like a rug?

Dolomiti

They took samples from the 1998 Tour too. This will be interesting to hear who else was positive. Ullrich maybe? Pantani for sure. Zulle? Escartin? Guerini? Maybe some Festina riders in 1999.

timmhaan

the only thing that would matter is if he had tested positive. he never did. and now that he's retired he never will. everything outside of a positive test and a trial in a court is moot.

cc_rider

I suspect sour grapes.
Either he did or he didn't. The tests either missed it or there were no drugs.
What is the newspaper alledging? That the testing was inadequate or wrong? That the testers were incompetent?

snowy

I will not believe that he did at all!!!! Its easy for the accusations to come out now, since he is done riding. I think its all a bunch of CRAP!!!

baj32161

If this does turn out to be true...and I am hoping that it does not, where will all of the Greg LeMond haters be? This is something many should have seen coming, knowing the apparent French vendetta against Amrstrong. It would be the ultimate coup de grace to disgrace LA after his magnificent career is over.

PurpleK

The LAST thing I would believe is something I read in a French newspaper.

2Rodies

Hey I am far from a LA hater, in fact just the opposite he is one of my few hero's. If this is real, and right now we have to assume that it is, LA has let many of us down. He as catagroically denied using ANY performance enhancing drugs and EPO is a performance enhancing drug. I will however reserve final judgement untill all the facts are made public but I do believe that this will do severe damage to LA reputation.

If this is proven to be true how do you think every kid who has gotten on a bike to be like Lance will feel. I've told my daughters that LA is great man who has accomplished the impossible after nearly dying. I've told them that his example is one that show's you should never give up and always try your hardest because in the end that is what matters. If this is true (and I'm not saying it is but one has to wonder when WADA and LeBlanc are making statements like these) but if it is what do tell them when they ask if he cheated?

wrench_meister

.......

gurana

The newspapers in the US really aren't the epitome of integrety any longer either. It's a good idea to be skepitcal about any news source, even in the US.

CdCf

For those who are unaware of what EPO is and what it does, here's the Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythropoietin

Trevor98

But you should be even more skeptical when national pride is on the line. Both French and US news sources are suspect here as their markets are biased and their sales are paramount.

Smoothie104

The big names come in at 42 to 43% these days, because EPO is old school for the elite, now its HBOC's or Hemoglobin based Oxygen Carriers, Synthetic inert liquid that actually lowers the HCT count through dilution, but has the ability to transport and realease oxygen into the tissues 2 to 4 times faster than regular blood. The Police found empty bags of it at the Giro a few years ago, and Saunier Duvals DS Maruo Gianetti almost killed himself when he allegedly took too much of the first generation of it. Not only does it have zero detectable metabolites in the urine, it is expelled harmlessly through the lungs after only a few hours after administration.

CRUM

Lance and doping allegations have been around since his first Tour. There is probably no one athelete with more blood tests under their belt. He has passed all of them. It's a non-story.

Gaiamoon

I say sour grapes. I don't believe it either.

Smoothie104

More stuff to read


https://www.salon.com/health/feature/...ing/print.html

https://support.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=5575

https://au.cyclingnews.com/results/19...99/jan13.shtml

gpelpel

It seems EPO tests were not working well in 1999. However they are now. The lab did used the current testing procedures on frozen urine samples from the 1999 race. Six other riders samples have tested positive. These riders' names have not been revealed by the story.
Now about the motives of L'Equipe? They are the number one sports paper in France, without competition. They are not regarded as a tabloid type paper and are usually quite accurate.
The Lab? It seems to be a national, state owned, lab.
The story is just starting, they will be a lot of water flowing under the bridge before the case is closed, if it ever does.
One way or another.
A comment from Raymond Poulidor, the eternal TdF runner-up: "It proves that Lance was doing what everybody else was doing."

KingTermite 

If there is anything I have learned over my lifetime it is not to trust the media in any way, shape or form. Half of what is in the news is lies and innuendo. I've seen it first hand (more than once) regarding either people I knew or places I worked.