Procycling thread

[Desert Nomad]

Mega bad crash that took out Vuelta leader Igor Anton today. Two or three of his Euskatel team mates got a dull yin too.

Watch out for Nicholas Roche in the next year or two. Showing up well in this Grand Tour after a good outing in Le Tour this summer.

I think Roche could possibly be a conteneder for a podium position at the Vuelta. He`s still learning, but a decent ride at the tour followed up by top 10 at the Vuelta shows promise. Next year we`ll find out if he`s for real.

Gilbert must surely now be the favourite for the road race title down under.

[myshkin]

I think Roche could possibly be a conteneder for a podium position at the Vuelta. He`s still learning, but a decent ride at the tour followed up by top 10 at the Vuelta shows promise. Next year we`ll find out if he`s for real.

Gilbert must surely now be the favourite for the road race title down under.

Gilbert has looked very sharp in the Vuelta and I would agree with you, although I fancy Cadel to retain the rainbow jersey on his home patch.

In the time trial Tony Martin looks like he will give Cancellara most to do.

Should be a great weekend of racing.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Nibali is my pick to win the thing.

Good shout!

Saturday's stage was brilliant, one of the best mountain top finishes I've seen in a long time.

Well done Cav as well.

[Desert Nomad]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHfPy0hikWdTK4bX5z0qk-bMEhPwD9IBVO780

Lance Armstrong putting a brave face on things, despite increasingly dark clouds gathering.

[kiddy]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHfPy0hikWdTK4bX5z0qk-bMEhPwD9IBVO780

Lance Armstrong putting a brave face on things, despite increasingly dark clouds gathering.

He's sticking with the

.

[Steve McQueen]

Alberto Contador tests positive for clenbuterol!

Eurosport Link

[T_S_A_R]

cancellara wins his 4th world time trial championship. david millar came an impressive second.

i'm not sure what to make of contador's positive. i've got a feeling it'll be put down to contamination due to the tiny amount involved. it does open him up to allegations of transfusing though and maybe kinds of micro dosing that isn't well known yet.

it'll be hilarious if riise's new star signing is banned though. he must have thought he'd hit the jackpot getting contador and his crew now the schleck's and cancellara will be pissing themselves at him.

[Piehutt]

Contador is a puzzling one.

Seems the amounts involved are too small to have had any performance enhancement.

Rules are rules and I guess they have to follow them to the letter. If they follow them to the letter think they would have to strip him of his title. Remember Alain Baxter who was stripped of a Skiing bronze.

However he shouldn't get a ban, perhaps a fine / suspended sentence.

Would be a bit of a hollow victory for Shleck though.

[myshkin]

What a nightmare.

Mosquera and Da Pena also nabbed after the Vuelta and Ricco has been caught again despite just serving a ban.

Just to put the cherry on the cake Dope Millar does a good ride in the World Championship TT.

Cycling really does stink. No wonder those that don't like it laugh at it.

Run by cheats for cheats.

[kiddy]

Contador is a puzzling one.

Seems the amounts involved are too small to have had any performance enhancement.

Rules are rules and I guess they have to follow them to the letter. If they follow them to the letter think they would have to strip him of his title. Remember Alain Baxter who was stripped of a Skiing bronze.

However he shouldn't get a ban, perhaps a fine / suspended sentence.

Would be a bit of a hollow victory for Shleck though.

Contador hasn't tested positive though.

The concentration in Contador's A test was­ "400 time(s) less than what the antidoping­ laboratories accredited by (World Anti-Doping Agency)­ WADA must be able to detect," the UCI said in a­ statement

Contador's B test returned a reading of 0.00000000005 grams of clenbuterol per mililitre, he said.

"Only four laboratories in the world have enough equipment to find it, and in any other it would have been indetectable," said Contador

So, the riders test was 400x less than­ the minimum detectable standard. Where then, is the­ lowest detectable level for a positive­ test?

Considering AC was informed of the anomally in­ his test a over month ago. Why has it only reached the­ public domain in the week of the WC's?

The­ athletes claim, that it was something ingested in a­ meal, is plausable, seeing that no other test he gave­ returned anything of any significance.

It appears then­ that this involves a curious amount of mud slinging­ from somewhere within the cycling community with a­ grudge.

Edited September 30, 2010 by kiddy

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Were any other Astana riders positive after eating this meat? I've not read of any.

[T_S_A_R]

Were any other Astana riders positive after eating this meat? I've not read of any.

contador could have been the only astana rider tested that day.

myskin - slating david millar is harsh, he served his time and since his return has been extremely vocal about promoting anti doping education and clean riding. he's had a fantastic season this year with his heroics in finishing the tour with broken ribs and a few other ailments and now getting silver in the worlds (mainly due to martin's mechanical admitedly).

[myshkin]

Were any other Astana riders positive after eating this meat? I've not read of any.

I listened to Contador's explanation of it and it appeared he along with four others ate the clenbuterol flavoured meat for their tea. Vino and four others had eaten earier (normal flavoured meat). The next day Contador and Vino were tested with Vino negative and Contador positive.

So Albnerto says anyway.

contador could have been the only astana rider tested that day.

myskin - slating david millar is harsh, he served his time and since his return has been extremely vocal about promoting anti doping education and clean riding. he's had a fantastic season this year with his heroics in finishing the tour with broken ribs and a few other ailments and now getting silver in the worlds (mainly due to martin's mechanical admitedly).

Come on man. He was so vocal he joined Saunier Duval and didn't even manage to notice lots of Spaniards and Italians firing all sorts into their veins. If he really was anti doping he could quite easily go through the peloton and name every rider that dopes. It might be an omerta but it's not a secret after all. That would help more than any amount of young rider workshops he has attended.

The only way to rid cycling of doping is life bans. Nothing else has or will work. Millar should have been banned for life. Anything he has done since his two year ban will be tainted. It's nothing personal. I feel the exact same way about anyone else.

[kiddy]

I listened to Contador's explanation of it and it appeared he along with four others ate the clenbuterol flavoured meat for their tea. Vino and four others had eaten earier (normal flavoured meat). The next day Contador and Vino were tested with Vino negative and Contador positive.

So Albnerto says anyway.

Sure there were reports saying Vino's a veggie.

[myshkin]

Sure there were reports saying Vino's a veggie.

Not according to AC who said there was two different meats for the two sitting of dinner.

Although they can do amazing things with Quorn these days I hear.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

Watched the road race earlier today and it was pretty good. Who was the p***k on commentary though? He was clueless. The camera showed Gilbert getting passed with about 2k to go and yet going into the home straight, the last couple hundred meters tye were still talking about how he hadn't been caught yet.

[Desert Nomad]

What a nightmare.

Mosquera and Da Pena also nabbed after the Vuelta and Ricco has been caught again despite just serving a ban.

Just to put the cherry on the cake Dope Millar does a good ride in the World Championship TT.

Cycling really does stink. No wonder those that don't like it laugh at it.

Run by cheats for cheats.

Omerta within the pro peloton is rife. Until people are willing to "grass" on others, then I see nothing but the current situation continuing.

Contador latest

Not looking great for Bertie boy I must say.

[Desert Nomad]

I listened to Contador's explanation of it and it appeared he along with four others ate the clenbuterol flavoured meat for their tea. Vino and four others had eaten earier (normal flavoured meat). The next day Contador and Vino were tested with Vino negative and Contador positive.

So Albnerto says anyway.

Come on man. He was so vocal he joined Saunier Duval and didn't even manage to notice lots of Spaniards and Italians firing all sorts into their veins. If he really was anti doping he could quite easily go through the peloton and name every rider that dopes. It might be an omerta but it's not a secret after all. That would help more than any amount of young rider workshops he has attended.

The only way to rid cycling of doping is life bans. Nothing else has or will work. Millar should have been banned for life. Anything he has done since his two year ban will be tainted. It's nothing personal. I feel the exact same way about anyone else.

100% agree. Just got to look at Basso. Some parts of the cycling press will tell you that this years Giro win was redemption. For me there will always be a doubt over anthing things guy achieves throughout the rest of his career.

edit: Kohl speaks

Obvious really from Kohl, but not really sure it`ll help without handing out lifetime bans. Perhaps cycling should be restructured with smaller races(Grand Tours especially), & less climbing. However I feel cheating is so deep-rooted within the fabric of the sport that it wouldn`t make any difference.

There was a little debate on 5 Live the other day & the possibility of allowing riders to dope was brought up, but surely this is outragously dangerous to the athletes who take part! It is my feeling that cycling is far from the only sport where systematic doping takes place.

Edited October 5, 2010 by Desert Nomad

[Shuggie_Murray7]

There was a little debate on 5 Live the other day & the possibility of allowing riders to dope was brought up, but surely this is outragously dangerous to the athletes who take part! It is my feeling that cycling is far from the only sport where systematic doping takes place.

Absolutely ludicrous suggestion.

I'm a huge wrestling fan and right through the 70's, 80's and 90's there was no testing. It was obviousfrom looking at half the guys that there was wide spread steroid use and only over the past few years have the effects been taking place. The number of deaths under the age of 50 is unbelievable, there is another one every other month, guys are dropping like flies. Allowing riders to dope would see the same happen to cycling in 10 years time.

Horrible idea.

[Desert Nomad]

Absolutely ludicrous suggestion.

I'm a huge wrestling fan and right through the 70's, 80's and 90's there was no testing. It was obviousfrom looking at half the guys that there was wide spread steroid use and only over the past few years have the effects been taking place. The number of deaths under the age of 50 is unbelievable, there is another one every other month, guys are dropping like flies. Allowing riders to dope would see the same happen to cycling in 10 years time.

Horrible idea.

Indeed, can`t actually believe their are journalists(!) out there who`d even hint at such nonsense.

The UCI could do better than get involved in a slanging match. McQuaid might be the one ,I would suggest, who lacks objectivity.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mcquaid-responds-to-torris-doping-accusations