Dopage du Jour

Rossi denies CERA use, cites breast-feeding as proof ('I wouldn't do that to my baby')

2010-01-31T03:39:00.001Z

Ricco's Partner Denies Taking EPO CERA | Cyclingnews.com

Riccardo Riccò's girlfriend has denied taking the banned blood-boosting drug EPO CERA, revealing she breast fed her baby boy just before undergoing the anti-doping test on January 10 that showed the positive test.

The Italian Olympic Committee announced on Friday that Vania Rossi failed a test for EPO CERA after she finished second at the Italian national cyclo-cross championships. Ricco tested positive for the same drug at the 2008 Tour de France.

Zirbel's B positive for DHEA

2010-01-31T03:37:00.001Z

Zirbel Confirms B Sample Is Also Positive | Cyclingnews.com

Just a month after he announced he had returned a non-negative test for DHEA at the 2009 USPRO TT championships, American rider Tom Zirbel has confirmed that his B-sample analysis is also positive.

Making it a family affair? Over-eager to get fit after a pregnancy?

2010-01-30T03:46:00.001Z

Riccò's Partner Positive For CERA | Cyclingnews.com

Riccardo Riccò's partner Vania Rossi has tested positive for EPO CERA, the Italian Olympic Committee announced via its website on Friday.

Ricco to return, despite criticism

2010-01-18T23:38:00.001Z

Riccò Shrugs Off Cavendish Criticism | Cyclingnews.com

Riccò’s 20-month ban for taking the banned blood boosting drug ends on March 18, just two days before Milano-Sanremo, which he hopes to ride. On Friday Riccò is expected to be the star of the Flaminia team presentation in Italy.

s the unofficial doping penalty - no-one wants to risk it by signing you (almost no-one, anyway)

2010-01-18T23:36:00.001Z

Rasmussen Aims For Top Ten In San Luis | Cyclingnews.com

When asked to compare his punishment to the others cyclists who have served the maximum two-year suspensions, Rasmussen said plainly, "They have to find a way to justify kicking me out. If you ask me, you cannot take the probable winner of the Tour de France out four days before the end of the race and just give him a slap on the wrist and let him race again two weeks after. When you make a decision that radical you have to have him disappear for life."

Axelsson positive for EPO - again? Last gasp of a 36 yo...

2010-01-06T20:37:00.001Z

36 is not really old, but it must be tempting to 'top up' your training when you reach the twilight years...

Axelsson Positive For EPO, Faces Lifetime Ban | Cyclingnews.com

Swedish rider Niklas Axelsson has tested positive for EPO for the second time in his career. The 36-year-old returned the positive control from a doping control conducted in September. He now faces a lifetime ban if the B-sample confirms the result.

Zirbel DHEA-positive but denies

2009-12-28T04:43:00.001Z

Zirbel denies knowingly taking it... if he did take it he may have been boosting his immune system. Any other theories?

Zirbel Announces Positive For DHEA | Cyclingnews.com

Tom Zirbel has announced he tested positive in an anti-doping test conducted by the United States Anti Doping Association (USADA) following the US Pro time trial championships on August 29, 2009. The A-sample returned positive for an endogenous steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Zirbel awaits the response of the B sample.

Astana 2009 squad in French sights again - once more, repeat with feeling

2009-12-24T02:59:00.001Z

They won't get access to the DNA fingerprints and nothing will ever be proved. Same old same old.

French Agency Targets Astana For Illegal Transfusion Kit | Cyclingnews.com

Syringes seized during Tour de France show seven DNA fingerprints

An investigation into medical equipment seized by French police during the Tour de France is closing in on the Astana team. A new report by Le Monde states that the Central Office against Environmental Damage and Public Health (OCLAESP) will focus any further proceedings on the Astana team after finding insufficient evidence against other teams.

The 'whereabouts' rule catches out pro tennis players too

2009-11-19T00:34:00.001Z

It's not just pro cyclists like 'Chicken' Rasmussen who have trouble pin-pointing where they will be, apparently some pro tennis players are location-challenged as well...

Belgian duo appeal against doping bans

Malisse and compatriot Yanina Wickmayer, the US Open semi-finalist, were both suspended by the Flemish Doping Tribunal (VDT) for failing to comply with the "whereabouts" rule, which ensures that they are available for out-of competition testing.

Keisse cleared of probable pseudoephedrine-related charge

2009-11-02T23:26:00.001Z

Put this one in the 'I told you I had a cold and took a symptom-reducing tablet' basket. (Cathine can be found as a by-product of pseudoephedrine breakdown.)

Keisse Doping Charges Dismissed | Cyclingnews.com

The doping charges against track rider Iljo Keisse were dismissed Monday by the Belgian cycling federation. Keisse tested positive for cathine and HCT during the Six Days of Gent in November 2008 but it was ruled that there was insufficient scientific evidence that he knowingly used doping products.

Vale VDB

2009-10-13T21:45:00.004Z

Sorry to hear of VDB's death, which is currently under investigation. Speculation really gets us nowhere, and it's far too early to know exactly why or how. Let's just say his was a wonderful talent, but that he possibly pushed himself - or was pushed by others - too far.

Astana 2009 - we all know they were clean, now they'll prove it

2009-10-13T21:03:00.003Z

I'm sure the Astana team will welcome this great opportunity to prove that they won Le Tour fair and square.

For the record, several teams are in focus for their controlled syringe disposals, with Astana singled out at the moment as syringe content is tested. In all likelihood no team would be so - umm, what's the word, stupid? - as to dispose of "foreign" syringes in the safe, controlled disposal system. Of course it only takes one individual to make a mistake.

Alternatively someone - this is the conspiratorial theorist at play now - could be setting Astana up for a fall. Which would be both wrong and diabolical, yes?

Not to mention the Ukrainians who were pinged for 'banned substances'

2009-09-18T13:39:00.002Z

Well I never. Fancy the Ukranians pulling their team out of the Tour de l'Avenir after 3 'individual' offences and a team 'therapist' allegedly 'practising medicine'.

The Ukrainian team did not start the race's eighth stage on Saturday, and were subjected to an anti-doping control after the two men were detained by customs officials on Friday in Saint-Sauveur, and were found in possession of suspect products and syringes.

No names or specific drugs mentioned.

Been quiet for a while - then BANG! Ribeiro, Nozal and Guerra positive for CERA

2009-09-18T13:28:00.001Z

What can I say? Legalise it? Control it? Ban it? Pick one, or perhaps 2.

The winner of the Tour of Portugal and two of his teammates have tested positive for EPO-CERA. The Continental team Liberty Seguros has been hit with three doping cases, as Nuno Ribeiro, Isidro Nozal and Hector Guerra all tested positive for EPO-CERA in controls prior to the Tour of Portugal last month. Team manager Vito Paulo Branco has confirmed the positive findings.

KIrk O'Bee says sorry for something

2009-08-01T06:11:00.001Z

We don't know what for but he's sorry anyway...

Bissel Pro Cycling has announced the immediate dismissal of rider Kirk O’Bee for violation of his contract, implying that the rider has broken anti-doping regulations. While the team didn’t go in to details on O’Bee’s violation, it added that the rider is working with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to resolve his ‘violation’.

This had to happen eventually - the post-Tour drug debacle

2009-08-01T00:24:00.002Z

Here we go again. Innocent until proven guilty, as always. Mud sticks, though.

On Friday, the UCI announced that Astarloza tested positive for recombinant EPO, a blood booster, in an out-of-competition control. He is the second rider from the Euskaltel-Euskadi team to return a positive doping control in June. Inigo Landaluze was suspended in July after twice testing positive for EPO CERA.

15 Le Tour 2008 samples to be retested

2009-07-27T22:15:00.004Z

We already knew that 30 riders were in the frame for biological passport anomalies, now we know that 15 riders are being targeted from the 2008 Tour de France as well. (There may or may not be some overlap here as we have different agencies at work - seemingly competing for top prize in dope sleuthing.) An earlier unconfirmed suggestion was that the 15 were targeted from the top 20 riders in last year's tour. If true, there will be some big names here... and none of them will be from Astana...

The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) will re-examine urine samples from the 2008 Tour de France according to comments made on Sunday by the agency's President, Pierre Bordry. "Before this year's Tour start in Monaco, we warned some 15 riders that in conformity with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, we would analyze retrospectively (the) samples taken in the 2008 Tour," Bordry told Reuters.

Cyclocrosser Albert thinks it impossible to win w/o dope

2009-07-27T03:59:00.000Z

Well ain't that a shock? A cyclocrosser - albeit a really good one - thinks that the top road guys can't win Le Tour without some assistance. Well it could be training, teamwork, nutrition - whatever - but it could also be something else. How would we know. How does Albert know?

Google Translate: "The Belgian Niels Albert, current world number one Cyclo, in an interview with Belgian magazine Humo commented that winning the Tour de France without doping is impossible. Albert, nacido hace 22 años y actualmente en las filas del equipo Palmans, en la entrevista, entre otras cosas dice que 'para ganar el Tour hay que utilizar buenos productos. Es una carrera muy dura, de tres semanas en la que los cambios de ritmo son continuos, llano, montaña, sol, frío y la media final de la carrera es de unos 42 kilómetros por hora'. Albert, born 22 years ago and now in the ranks of the team Palmans, in the interview, among other things says that 'to win the Tour you have to use good products. It is a very tough race in three weeks in which the changes rates are continuous, flat, mountain, sun, cold and final half of the race is about 42 kilometers per hour. '

El ciclista belga, que lidera en estos momentos la Copa del Mundo y el Trofeo Superprestigio de ciclocross, dice que 'esta modalidad ciclista es diferente. Una hora de competición también en circuitos y condiciones climatológicas que no siempre son iguales, pero después hay tiempo para recuperar hasta la próxima prueba'. The Be"

Ex-Serbian cycling coach arrested in doping raid

2009-07-27T03:55:00.000Z

Just thought that this was interesting... obviously no comment of course...

The Associated Press: Cops arrest ex-Serbia cycling coach in doping raid: "ROME — Italian police have arrested Serbia's former national cycling coach in an alleged doping ring involving both professional and amateur riders in northeastern Italy.

Police in Padua said in a statement Thursday that another 30 people were suspected of being involved in the doping ring, including 12 professional cyclists, executives of pharmaceutical companies and three directors of cycling teams. They are suspected of smuggling banned substances, including the banned blood booster CERA.

Police allege that Alexandar Nikacevic, the former Serbia coach, had a central role in the ring. Most of the other suspects were Italian."

Russian federation acts on 3 cases

2009-07-22T04:08:00.002Z

Cyclingnews.com reports that the Russian cycling federation has acted on 3 cases: Ilnur Zakarin, 19 years old and European junior time-trial champion in 2007, was suspended two years after testing positive for the forbidden anabolic methandienone. The product introduced in the 1960s was very popular with bodybuilders for building up body mass. It has been banned in the United States, but is still readily available in Russia.

Former Russian mountain bike champion Ykaterina Melnikova, 22, was also banned for two years for the same product.

Mountain biker Kiril Bozhenko, 22, was banned for one year after testing positive for carphedon. The Russian-developed drug is said to increase physical stamina and improve tolerance for cold.

Russian athletes in other disciplines have been suspended for the use of carphedon in 2006 and 2008. In cycling, German Danilo Hondo was suspended after testing positive for it in 2005.

Here we go again - Dekker's EPO problem

2009-07-01T17:29:00.003Z

Well it was 2 years ago, almost:

Dutch cyclist Thomas Dekker has failed a drugs test for the performance-improving hormone erythropoietin and been scrapped from his team for this year's Tour de France race. The test relates to a urine sample given in December 2007. Dekker was part of the Rabobank cycling team at the time, but was sacked last year. The reason was never made clear, Elsevier.nl reports.

But apparently it wasn't clear exactly what he took... until now.

The Dutch rider's haematological profile led the UCI to review the EPO analyses for urine samples conducted since the introduction of the biological passport programme. An anti-doping laboratory in Cologne, Germany, re-examined the December 2007 sample, and on June 20 reported finding EPO in the same.

UCI names names in biological passport program

2009-06-18T05:56:00.003Z

It had to happen. It's almost Le Tour time:

Lampre's Pietro Caucchioli and Fuji-Servetto's Ricardo Serrano have been suspended their teams after being named by the UCI as riders who showed abnormal values in the year-old system. Both teams stated that the riders showed the abnormal results during the 2008 season while riding for other teams.

Note that these are 'abnormal values' alone - no-one has been "caught" with a specific needle in their arm, or whatever.

But wait, there's more:

Also named were former world champion Igor Astarloa, former Saunier Duval rider Ruben Lobato Elvira, who is without a team for this season, and Italian Francesco De Bonis (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni - Androni Giocattoli).

As I say, there may be a smoking gun, but nothing is "proven" beyond the fact that the blood values that are monitored were shown to vary over time in a substantial and unusual way that is usually indicative of doping. The ball is in the riders court to defend themselves, rightly or wrongly.

Bazayev does a Chicken and forgets where he is...or should be

2009-06-18T05:40:00.002Z

Astana enforce the 'make sure you tell us where you are' rule:

PARIS, June 15 - Astana have suspended their Kazakh rider Assan Bazayev for two weeks because he did not provide thorough information on his whereabouts for the purposes of drug testing. Kazakh road champion Bazayev, 28, was supposed to take part in the Tour of Switzerland last Saturday but he did not start the nine-day stage race.

After what happed to 'Chicken' Rasmussen, you'd think they'd have all learnt.

Doper Kohl says what they all say - it's not just me! It's everybody!

2009-06-11T05:49:00.001Z

Of course you'd be thinking that - how else do you come to terms with the unethical practice of cheating? Especially so at a very public, very high-profile race like Le Tour? Whilst there's some merit in the argument that if I can only come 3rd, and everyone else in the Top 10 was keeping up pretty well, and I am taking CERA, then they must all be taking CERA too, it's flawed thinking. Who's to say that the rest of the Top 10 weren't clean but simply substantially better prepared, better supported or - quite likely - had bigger "engines" than yourself?

“At first, I once again tried to reassure myself: ‘OK, I was dead—but we were all dead,”’ Kohl said. “Many other riders had taken (banned substances).

Which isn't to say that some other riders weren't also taking advantage of some "help", either. Just that we can't actually know it.

Katusha's Colom caught out by blood passport, A-sample suggests EPO

2009-06-09T23:17:00.004Z

Not-so-funny coincidences: first Pfannberger gets caught out, then the Katusha 5X salary penalty contract is proposed, now Colom is pinged for an A-sample.

Team Katusha's Antonio Colom has been provisionally suspended by the UCI following a positive test for recombinant EPO. The sport's governing body announced Tuesday that Colom returned the positive test following an out-of-competition control on April 2, 209. He was targeted for additional controls using information from his blood profile and his race schedule, the UCI said.

Awaiting the B-sample, par for the course. Apparently another blood-profiling success story, if the UCI is to be believed. The team expresses "surprise". How about you - are you surprised?