Floyd better clean up quick because this looks like the next big race:

http://www.salzburg-2006.com/en/index.html

Is it just me, or are most of the cycling fans fed up w/ GL?
Thanks Greg for condeming Floyd before the 2nd test...to
L'Equipe nonetheless !

Greg LeMond, three-time Tour de France winner, to L'Equipe
This news destroys me. I am sure that Floyd Landis and his family are deeply saddened by all that. Floyd is not a bad guy. He is victim of a sport that is corrupted. It seemed that this Tour was one of the cleanest. But it looks like it wasn't 100 percent. There will always be someone who will not comply with the rules. I wanted to believe that Floyd wasn't one of these.


I want to believe Floyd is innocent, but so did thousands of other
Tyler Hamilton fans...

Sorry if this is overly technical, but here is the UCI code standard for positive t/e tests:

"When a laboratory has reported a T/E ratio greater than four (4) to one(1) andany reliable analytical method (e.g. IRMS) applied has not determined theexogenous origin of the substance, further investigation may be conducted by a
review of previous tests or by conducting subsequent test(s), in order to determine whether the result is due to a physiological or pathological condition, or has occurred as a consequence of the exogenous origin of a Prohibited Substance.
If a laboratory reports, using an additional reliable analytical method(e.g. IRMS), that the Prohibited Substance is of exogenous origin, no further investigation is
necessary and the Sample will be deemed to contain such Prohibited Substance.
When an additional reliable analytical method (e.g. IRMS) has not been applied and a minimum of three previous test results are not available, the relevant Anti-Doping Organization shall test the Athlete with no advance notice at least three
times within a three-month period. If the longitudinal profile of the
Athlete that is subject to the subsequent tests is not physiologically normal, the result shall be reported as an Adverse Analytical Finding"

In other words, if its the ratio only, there is an entire analytical process to be followed. He's not even positive yet. I suspect that in any other sport in any other country, this would not even be public knowledge at this point. They're f'in w/ our homeboy.

Let's bomb France. I knew our war-monger president was good for something. ;)

It's starting to look real bad for Floyd:
Not only does he face being stripped of the TDF title, his team, Phonak, will fire him if his B sample is as tainted as his A sample.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/austin_murphy/07/28/murphy.qa/index.html?cnn=yes

Ulrich got banned from the tour AND fired from his team without even the slightest bit of proof , or any sample at all

Well, I guess the pedicab services will get some pretty stong pairs of legs soon.

The thing with Ullrich and Basso being kicked out because perhaps their dogs names (supposedly code for the cyclists) were mentioned in the doping investigation, prove that cycling is going through it's own "Inquisition".

Hmmm...Tyler Hamilton's dog's name was Tugboat. I wonder what that means...

As Stijn said in another related thread, this "fervor" to expunge doping has become a witch hunt. If I were Ullrich or Basso, and no one can prove I doped (vs the Tmobile "Ullrich must prove his innocence" cr@p) I'd be way PO'ed. Those guys were prob 3:1 or 4:1 favs for the TDF.

I do think that French labs seems to have uncanny facility in leaking premature info to the press.

I wonder how this will, as the media is saying, "ruin The Tour." The Tour isn't going to end over doping.

It gets better. Same lab as leaked the Epo accusation to L'Equipe about Lance.

Landis on Larry King: he says at the end of Stage 16, he drank beer and Jack Daniels (who wouldn't after falling apart like he did).

But I wonder if beers and shots could effect his T/E ratio. Hmmm....

Indeed it can. There are studies showing that 120g of alcohol significantly affected the t/e the following day.

But, Landis says a beer or two and a Jack. A beer or shot is about 20g of alcohol. While it could have played a role, its not likely entirely the culprit.

OTOH, I don't think anyone can account for how the complete collapse on stage 16 factors in. Its not often that someone even gets tested under such circumstances.

one beer , or one shot , is not 20g of pure alchihol

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

What is a standard drink in the United States?

A standard drink is equal to 13.7 grams of pure alcohol or

12-ounces of beer.
8-ounces of malt liquor.
5-ounces of wine.
1.5-ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, etc).

Well, it's early, but I am already speculating. If Landis' B sample tests positive, and Landis is eventually found guilty, will your perception of professional cycling change? In years past, I have been willing to give these athletes the benefit of the doubt. Now, I'm apt to believe that virtually all top cyclists are doping or using drugs to enhance performance. Yeah, I'm just a dumb redneck. I'm gullible. Maybe I am totally wrong.

Also, if Landis is guilty, how many of the top ten TdF finishers use drugs and just haven't been caught?

On the bright side, at least I have an excuse for being so much slower than these guys. :D

You can just assume that being clean is the exception. People dont want to believe that Floyd or that one nut doped (I certainly dont). Spend three weeks watching the TDF on TV only to find out its all fake... no wonder people make excuses for these guys. All these theories about booze or that testosterone doesnt help so why would he do it, or that the french are out to get americans... all bull****. Guys freaking dope for Cat 3 races. You don't think there's pressure for pros to dope when millions are on the line?

Even one nut got busted of sorts if you believe the source. They 'back tested' his samples from years past using methods that were not available at the time and he tested positive for EPO. Granted, that 'back testing' sort of testing is absurd. You going to yank his titles away years later?

The worst is yet to come for pro cycling (and pro sports in general) with genetic doping moving from theory to reality.

Here's a recent article from a retired rider. Take it for what its worth...

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10633.0.html

LOL!

that's pretty much how i see it as well

and that article basically confirms what i posted earlier...

Still doesn't make sense. Testosterone is no stimulant with short acting short onset results. Further it is a muscle builder which is bad for long rides like the TDF (but good for sprinters). Using a single dose of testosterone would be worthless.