Duarte: Short-lived glory?

Who's to blame here? A positive test, disputed by the rider, left in abeyance - and simply not followed up. So the rider keeps racing, no-one tells the UCI and all is well and good. Until someone wakes up and realises that the U23 RR champ has a doping charge hanging around his head. Oh dear.

The new Under 23 road world champion, Fabio Duarte, may not be able to celebrate as much as he'd like after his win Friday in Varese, Italy. Like fellow Colombian Santiago Botero, Duarte tested positive for testosterone. The result came during the Clasica de Girardot prior to the Tour of Colombia in July of 2007. Duarte has been adamant that his values were naturally at that level, and the Colombian federation said it would prove so before July of 2008. However, nothing appears to have been done. Furthermore, the UCI said it knew nothing of Duarte's case until Friday.

If he's innocent it's all a bit unfair, isn't it? In any event it's sloppy and lazy all round.

CSC implicated, police involved, investigation underway

Well it sounds weak, but there's some evidence, if the reports are true... The newspaper further stated that research shows that Schleck is the one identified with the name "Amigo di Birillo". Birillo has been identified as Ivan Basso, Schleck's friend and former teammate, who confessed his involvement with the Spanish doctor last year.

So there's Riis, Frank Schleck and Basso, all caught up in a web. Should be fun seeing this one proved, or not.

French confirm - and retest

French authorities have confirmed those other Tour de France results, and promised to retest a few samples that have remaining question marks: Bordry estimated that the additional testing would take no more than 10 or 15 days, which means results could be available as soon as before or during the World Championships in Italy. Several riders tested positive during the 2008 Tour de France including Riccardo Ricco (for EPO-CERA), Manuel Beltran (for EPO) and Dmitriy Fofonov (for the stimulant heptaminol). Ricco's teammate Leonardo Piepoli also confessed to his team manager to using the same banned substance as Ricco. Moises Dueñas Nevado secured his place on the doper's list Wednesday after his "B" sample came back positive for EPO, confirming "A" sample results. He had previously confessed to using the banned substance.

Don't you just love the suspense? And the timing!

Frigo, EPO, his wife, her car

Not a new story, more the court report: Albertville court gave former Italian cyclist Dario Frigo and his wife, Susanna, each a six-month suspended prison sentence Monday on charges related to the 2005 Tour de France anti-doping sting, according to The Associated Press. The French court also imposed a €8757 fine on the couple. In July, the prosecutor asked for a one-year sentence. French police found ten doses of EPO (Erythropoietin) in Susanna Frigo's car before the start of stage 11 in Courchevel. Police arrested the couple for carrying prohibited substances.

We can't see all of the evidence here, however they were caught with proscribed substances, and yes that's illegal.

2 years or 3, EPO or no?

More Danish EPO post-Olympic news: Danish mountain biker Peter Riis Andersen received a two year suspension from the doping committee of the Sports Confederation of Denmark after testing positive for EPO prior to the Olympic Games. His suspension runs from July 22, 2008 and covers all training and competition activities within the framework of the Sports Confederation of Denmark.

And comebacks from from various alleged, declared or just retired riders:Lance returns: do we care? Well it will kick up some dust, sure. Lance Armstrong's comeback is in the grand US tradition of retiring at the top yet seeking another "final" blaze of glory. Indeed it can't be easy to step out of the limelight and start a "normal" life, if cancer-survivor LA's life could ever be called normal. So a comeback - a well-planned, targeted one at that - could give LA another shot at proving whatever it is he's trying to prove. His innocence, perhaps?