Doping Question

No, it won't (unfortunately). There have been, yet again, some interesting performances at the Tour. Some of the riders on CSC were mighty impressive in the mountains (I mean Cancellara, not Sastre)... makes you wonder. And he was not even spinning light gears a la Lance.

Again, the anti doping is always playing catch-up. They were suspicious of Ricco and Sella at the Giro, but the CERA test had not yet been approved/validated. Got it right to catch a cocky youngster like Ricco' at the Tour. And Sella was then running scared and he got bagged also. But who knows what else they are using?

In other words, there appear to be some newer and better doping products that are making it possible for some riders to continue to have a performance advantage on others. IMVHO, of course.

drm said:

As I understand things, Lance will make public in some way all of his blood test results for the 2009 tour (as well as his tests prior to the tour)

I guess my question, to those who more about this than me, is - will this in any way prove he is riding THIS tour clean? Many (just so I don't just pick on lance) have passed drug tests before while doping.

What am I missing here.

Just keep in mind that, once upon a time, Basso's blood levels were considered the epitome of what a clean rider's blood should look like. And he's currently finishing up a two year suspension for doping.

Yes, but remember the Basso defense: he did not inhale...

drm said:

As I understand things, Lance will make public in some way all of his blood test results for the 2009 tour (as well as his tests prior to the tour)

I guess my question, to those who more about this than me, is - will this in any way prove he is riding THIS tour clean? Many (just so I don't just pick on lance) have passed drug tests before while doping.

What am I missing here.

thing is, when he releases them, the media can petition him to release the 99-2005 samples.

The "Canary Islands train low sleep high raised my crit by 6 gross points" bloodwork.

thunder said:

thing is, when he releases them, the media can petition him to release the 99-2005 samples.

The "Canary Islands train low sleep high raised my crit by 6 gross points" bloodwork.

The Canary Islands have similar properties as The Island in Lost. Amazing and wonderful physiological changes can take place there. Why question a slight elevation in crit when formerly paralyzed people are getting up and walking around, and cancer is disappearing in others?

Leafer said:

Just keep in mind that, once upon a time, Basso's blood levels were considered the epitome of what a clean rider's blood should look like. And he's currently finishing up a two year suspension for doping.

He did not come up positive for a control. He was suspended because they found his blood bags and he admitted they were his. There is still no way to detect autologous blood doping. I would not be too surprised that this type of doping is widespread, especially among the powerful teams. A rider during a multi stage tour who has had his blood drawn for a control is in a weakened condition relative to other riders, if they are not all subjected to the same. So say for the sake of argument, that the good teams carry this ability to reinject some of the riders blood from a preserved bag. Then they have also the ability to go beyond just getting back to the oxygen carrying capacity the cyclist had before the control. They maintain a supply of the riders blood that they have sent out to be tweeked a bit, and put back a red blood cell rich smaller quantity.

So I guess as long as Lance keeps his Hematocrit level below 50% he's in the clear?

Yup. Unless he is able to produce a medical certificate that states his hematocrit is naturally above 50%...

Powerful Pete said:

Yes, but remember the Basso defense: he did not inhale...

Thats pure hell on a hard climb.

Indeed. 😄

drm said:

So I guess as long as Lance keeps his Hematocrit level below 50% he's in the clear?

Only if he doesn't win. If he starts winning again, especially at his age, he will be accused of taking some space age drugs that can't be detected. It's clearly a lose-lose situation for him. Guilty until proven innocent - and there is no proof.

As long as Lance puts his own blood in the centifuge and doesn't have any absorbed twins he will be in the clear.

Bike N Ski said:

Only if he doesn't win. If he starts winning again, especially at his age, he will be accused of taking some space age drugs that can't be detected. It's clearly a lose-lose situation for him. Guilty until proven innocent - and there is no proof.

Except for those six postives for EPO.

Armstrong will pay Dr. Ferrari a few hundred thousand dollars to beat the bio passport.

Bro Deal said:

Except for those six postives for EPO.

Armstrong will pay Dr. Ferrari a few hundred thousand dollars to beat the bio passport.

I think he will win by a long shot.

If Contador cannot put more than one minute into Leipheimer in a Vuelta, Armstrong will win.

I think people assume 38-39 is too old.

But that is a paradigm from the 80's pro sport.

The hormones and doping regimen have advanced to state which can prolong a sporting life.

Jens Voigt. Ludo Dierckxsens. Eric Zabel.

thunder said:

I think he will win by a long shot.

If Contador cannot put more than one minute into Leipheimer in a Vuelta, Armstrong will win.

I think people assume 38-39 is too old.

But that is a paradigm from the 80's pro sport.

The hormones and doping regimen have advanced to state which can prolong a sporting life.

Jens Voigt. Ludo Dierckxsens. Eric Zabel.

Shut up old man!!!!

Bro Deal said:

Except for those six postives for EPO.

Armstrong will pay Dr. Ferrari a few hundred thousand dollars to beat the bio passport.

Can that be done?

thunder said:

I think he will win by a long shot.

Agreed. Alpuerto might be able to out-dance Lance by 20 seconds or so on a climb, but he will get crushed by minutes in the TT.

No_Positives said:

Agreed. Alpuerto might be able to out-dance Lance by 20 seconds or so on a climb, but he will get crushed by minutes in the TT.

if Levi is within a minute how can Contador beat Armstrong. No chance.

Well Levi has had a vast improvement over the last 18months or so wouldn't you say?
He climbs as good as a pure climber now days.
Armstrong hasn't raced with/against Leipheimer in his current form.