merlinextraligh

FTFY.

Ullrich was not always second. Schleck has to win one, before he can be the Ullrich of his day.

rogwilco

Technically Schleck has a long way to go to become a Poulidor too, by almost any standard Poulidor was an exceptionally successful cyclist also; Schleck hasn't really achieved all that much yet.

Bacciagalupe

Because a) there is absolutely no reason for any amount of clenbuterol to be in his body, and b) this is not a criminal proceeding in an American courtroom. Per the WADA rules, an adverse finding is considered definitive proof of doping, and it's the responsibility of the accused to convince the anti-doping authorities otherwise.


Blood doping is just one theory, and the most likely; he could have used masking agents or other techniques to eliminate various drugs from his system.

The tests involving plasticizers are less definitive. Studies indicate that the levels of DEHP in certain athletes is off the scale, far in excess of the average person, leading to the hypothesis that such high levels are associated with blood doping. However it's not like there is a highly specific compound that is only found in blood bags. As a result, right now the test is not sufficient on its own to prove that he received a transfusion. Instead, this will become one more piece of the puzzle.


Well, for one thing, it's rather difficult to "carelessly" ingest clenbuterol.

Even if it was, he'd still be responsible. E.g. Petacchi has a TUE to use albuterol, but accidentally took a larger dose than allowed during a race. If we give him the benefit of the doubt, he just screwed up and took too much; but he's still responsible for regulating his intake, and as such got a reduced suspension rather than a full 2 year ban.

More importantly is that the dopers are extremely clever and sophisticated, and may well turn any sort of "realistic" exception into a massive loophole. Similarly, the testers need to employ increasingly more sensitive tests to detect evidence of doping.


Unfortunately, athletes -- especially cyclists and track & field -- have already demonstrated a strong predilection for cheating and the ability to cover up their tracks. Sometimes the only evidence that will be left is a tiny trace amount that used to be well below the ability of the labs to detect.

I.e. if athletes weren't so good at cheating, testers wouldn't need to go to extreme lengths to catch them.

FogVilleLad

Did not know the WADA rule re burden of proof.

Hope that the DEHP metabolism issue can be resolved.

Understand the diificulty of regulatory authorities having to play catch up.

Thanks for replying.

rogwilco

Yes, that's the crux of the issue, well said.
Also, Contador had an entire month to come up with a defense before anyone bothered him. If every criminal were afforded such a luxury nobody would get convicted...

bikeride

He was smart for claiming that it was Spanish meat. Had he claimed it was French meat would have been game over for him. He gave this excuse a lot of thought, I think.

Cat4Lifer

Agreed. But I'm hoping he gets only a one-year suspension. If he quits, it would be a shame, but so be it.

Oostal

finally a word from WADA!

The World Anti-Doping Agency have dismissed Tour de France champion Alberto Contador's claims his positive test was the result of tainted meat, saying they had heard the excuse before.https://eurosport.yahoo.com/14102010/...or-excuse.html

ultraman6970

Hmmm....

https://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...nt_146292?news

SpongeDad

I wonder how many of the departures were specifically because Contador was coming. They all had the best of both worlds - a lot of opportunity to pursue their own victories with the understanding that they would be super foot soldiers come July for someone had a shot at winning the whole thing (not just AS, but Sastre as well). I don't know, but I'm guessing Contador would want more of that 24/7 dedication that Armstrong demanded.

Bacciagalupe

Very few. Most riders split because the Schlecks were setting up their own team, and others were rumored or discussing leaving before Contador was signed on.

I really can't imagine Contador being any more demanding of a team than any other GC rider. Heck, he's probably easier to deal with than Cavendish.

daytonian

psssst......hey Pat......ummmmmmm

MAKE A DECISION already on Bert's status

My money is on Riis signing the Chicken for a year while Bert does purgatory in Pinto

merlinextraligh

Works on a couple of levels. One, there are published reports of clebuterol tainted meat in Spain, albeit a decade ago.

Two, the bit about the freind bringing the meat from spain in a cooler covers any testimony from witnesses claiming to have seen delivery of Contador's "boost". i.e. it was meat in the cooler, not blood.

ultraman6970

What contador had in the cooler was a morcilla made with his own blood.

Morcilla=blood pudding


ps: The rumor says that contador will spend his life as a livestock farmer now.

Hezz

Ya, it now seems that the possibility of tainted meat is rather low. Ten years ago it was a high possibility for Spanish meat. In truth, if their was accidental ingestion it would have more likely come from a supplement contamination since clenbuterol traces are still a problem in many athletic supplements. However, if this was the case AC would have likely been able to track down where the clenbuterol came from. But unfortunately it's beginning to look more like traces of blood doping in spite of the messed up plasticizer results. I don't think that the plasticizer test will hold much sway but the clenbuterol even in nano traces is going to bite AC simply because of the way the anti-doping code is written.

colombo357

I eat meat tainted with drugs all the time. Hell, I take drugs straight up. Mosquitoes racing in the TDF-Insect Divison have been known to test positive after sipping my blood.

It happens.

ultraman6970

lol, well the one that it must be pissed off is contador because besides the suspension he has to pay a fee to the UCI, the 70% of this check with astana and thats about 3.1 million euros. Wonder if this is before or after taxes hehehe

Hezz

With this kind of a fine the rider is almost forced to stay in cycling and come back using dope to get to a high level again so they can recoup the losses. Once again the system just feeds itself. Reinforcing the doping.

daytonian

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/saxo...-to-team-staff

one might deduct from these signings that Bjarne and Saxo are confident they will have Bert back next year. I totally think Bert's gonna walk on the meat excuse and a warning to be more calculating on future pre-tour transfusions. he will have as they say in Europe "tanquility"

rogwilco

If he does get off the hook, Saxo better hire a couple extra PR managers instead of more DSs imo...

Cat4Lifer

Spain’s Guardia Civil arrested 34 people connected to an alleged trafficking ring involving clenbuterol in the Canary Islands that could bolster the argument by Alberto Contador that his positive test during this year’s Tour de France came from eating contaminated meat.

ultraman6970

That's in canary island, that is in the middle of nowhere, closer to africa, doubt the piece of meat came all the way from canary island to france hehe. At this point I'm even thinking that the spanish authorities and the UCI are figuring out the best way to get off this so i just wonder if this is true 100%. The cattle farmers in spain are pissed off because of the situation and are demanding measures, now this and in the middle of nowhere like in canary island? just too weird.

Grumpy McTrumpy

Interesting that I am unable to find this news from any sources in Spain. Seems to be mostly american, german, french and dutch sports agencies.

Grumpy McTrumpy

"Among those arrested were 13 pharmacists, eight pharmacy assistants, nine veterinarians, a cattle-breeder, a pharmaceutical salesman, a bodybuilder and a cyclist."

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/34-a...-investigation

1200cycles

Wow, monumental news for Contadors case. Was he telling the truth?