Returning to the fold

Well Lance is back, but not from a doping-related retirement, what about some of the "others"?

• Coming back later this year - The Chicken: Rasmussen told Cyclingnews last week that he was training to make his comeback this summer, but has not yet found a team.
• Returning soon - Landis and Basso: Floyd Landis received his chance to make his comeback to the sport in the USA's biggest race when organisers of the Amgen Tour of California announced that they had included Landis' OUCH Pro Cycling team on the list of invited teams on Thursday. Landis will toe the line alongside fellow returnees Lance Armstrong and Ivan Basso at the race's start in Sacramento on February 14.
• Returning later than expected - Nathan "slimming tips" O'Neill: The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) announced Wednesday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Appeals Board in Switzerland overturned the original decision to lessen the suspension of Australian cyclist Nathan O'Neill from 24 months to 15 months, returning the ban to the maximum of two years and keeping O'Neill out of racing until June of 2010.
  

Another one bites the dust... Team Topsport-Vlaanderen fired Iljo Keisse on Monday, following the official notification that the Belgian rider's B sample had come back positive. The Six-Day rider tested positive for two substances, cathine and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), at the Gent Six Day Race the end of November.

Cathine: Closely related to ephedrine, cathinone and other amphetamines, it may contribute to the stimulant effect of Catha edulis, although another constituent, cathinone appears to show stronger activity. Cathine is one of the optical isomers of phenylpropanolamine, an appetite suppressant and decongestant which is possibly associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. An appetite suppressant, so probably useful in keeping your weight down. Also a stimulant, so it may make you more aggressive and motivated.

HCTZ:Hydrochlorothiazide belongs to the thiazide class of diuretics, acting on the kidneys to reduce sodium (Na) reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule. This increases the osmolarity in the lumen, causing less water to be reabsorbed by the collecting ducts. This leads to increased urinary output. A blood thickener and a diuretic; hard to see much benefit for a cyclist... unless of course it helps get other drugs out of the system before a blood test.