Pro Cycling Thread

[Magrat Garlick]

Might as well spam it here too, for those who only read subscribed threads (I know I do):

CW Cycling

 

[JBMAC]

Came back positive and he's been fired by Astana.

Apparently Astana have pulled out of everything until end of August...Will be introducing their own strict rules on positive tests.

 

[JBMAC]

HOW Much Credibility Does This Joker Have??

Doping experts gives German investigators documents he claims show Tour winner Contador doped
By ROY KAMMERER, Associated Press Writer
July 31, 2007

BERLIN (AP) -- German authorities said Tuesday they have received documents from doping expert Werner Franke which he claims show Tour de France winner Alberto Contador was involved in doping.

Franke said he has documents from last year's Operation Puerto doping investigation in Spain which show that Contador, a Spaniard who won the doping-marred Tour on Sunday, had taken HMG-Lepori as a testosterone booster and an asthma product called TGN.

"We can confirm we have received the documents, and they will be incorporated into procedures of the district attorney's office," Christian Brockert, spokesman for Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, told The Associated Press.

Brockert said the federal office will meet with the district attorney's office deemed to be responsible and assess the documents.

Contador, who rides for the Discovery Channel team, missed the 2006 Tour when his former team, Liberty, was disqualified because he and four other riders -- plus the team director and doctor -- were allegedly linked to Operation Puerto.

The Spanish doping investigation is one of the largest scandals in cycling history -- at least 50 riders are suspected of getting sophisticated drug services, including blood doping, from a Madrid clinic.

Contador said Saturday his name mistakenly turned up in the Puerto file.

"I was in the wrong team at the wrong time and somehow my name got among the documents," Contador said, adding cycling's governing body corrected the mistake.

He hasn't failed a doping test.

Franke, a molecular biologist, made his reputation by researching the systematic sports doping that turned the former East Germany into an Olympic powerhouse. He has clashed with Jan Ullrich, another rider linked to Operation Puerto.

A German court imposed a gag order on Franke for publicly naming how much the 1997 Tour winner paid the Madrid clinic, also based on documents from the investigation. It was believed there wasn't enough evidence establishing Ullrich, who has denied doping, as a customer.

But the case is headed back to court, because Ullrich's DNA samples since have been matched to blood bags seized at the Madrid clinic.

"They weren't doing that for free," Franke said.

He isn't the first to say he possesses copies of the Operation Puerto investigation in which Contador's name surfaces. France's Le Monde newspaper, along with several German ones, have printed parts of documents. More than a week ago, Germany's Bild and Suddeutsche Zeitung printed documents which purport to show the customers of the Madrid clinic.

The initials A.C. were listed, surrounded by other initials that matched up with Liberty riders.

Franke apparently has acquired other documents, saying only he got them "in my briefcase" while Spanish police weren't watching.

"I have the things in front of me; I can directly decipher them, what (drugs) were taken, because I also am in possession of the records of the house search of this Dr. Fuentes," Franke said.

Copies of the Operation Puerto investigation have surfaced so often in Germany that at one point a Web site -- unrelated to any legal body -- ran excerpts translated into German.

Doping allegations and suspicions have devastated the 2007 Tour. Three riders, including former overall leader Michael Rasmussen, and two teams were expelled during the three-week race. The International Cycling Union, however, considers the expulsions a sign the organization did its job.

"The 2007 Tour de France suffered greatly from doping problems," the UCI said in a statement Tuesday. "This was directly related to the significant increase in the number of anti-doping controls."

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Well, if another police force can get involved in OP, that can only be a good thing. The Guardia Civil are suspected of a massive cover-up (initially it was said, as Craig mentioned, 200 athletes from all kinds of sports were mentioned; suddenly it was only the ancient Spanish cyclists, Sevilla, Mancebo, et al, who got caught)

 

[thewizard1o1]

Someone go to Predictor Lotto, give Evans some more support apart from Horner (who incidentally rode a top race imo)

Its a pity for Evans that Lotto don't have the $$$ to pay for a established climber, maybe they can take a chance on a few South Americans or something (see: Soler or the like).

And RIP Ryan Cox, South African cyclist that passed away earlier this week.

 

[Craig]

Its a pity for Evans that Lotto don't have the $$$ to pay for a established climber, maybe they can take a chance on a few South Americans or something (see: Soler or the like).

And RIP Ryan Cox, South African cyclist that passed away earlier this week.

Died yeasterday.

 

[Matteh]

'We are shocked !!! Coxi passed away during the early hours of Wednesday morning following complications suffered from a vascular lesion operation he underwent three weeks ago. Ryan returned to South Africa to recuperate, but his condition deteriorated on Monday. He was rushed to hospital by his family. After consulting with doctors, it was advised that Ryan required an emergency operation to repair a bleeding artery. We would like to extend condolences to his fiancee Tammy and his family at this extremely sad time. '

From the Ryan Cox site. Sounds like he was extremely unlucky.

 

[Craig]

Mark Cavendish gets win number 7 in his first pro-year by taking out the finally stage in the Tour of Denmark.

 

[Matteh]

Another few years and he'll be in the top 5 bracket held by the likes of Boonen, Zabel, McEwen for sure, if he doesn't pick up any injuries.

It's just a shame he's a bit of a prick really.

 

[Craig]

Another few years and he'll be in the top 5 bracket held by the likes of Boonen, Zabel, McEwen for sure, if he doesn't pick up any injuries.

It's just a shame he's a bit of a prick really.

Go on?

Interestingly enough I've heard that guys like Tom Boonen are really nice blokes despite the fact he is probably the most popular cyclist/person in Belgium since Eddy Merckx.

 

[Matteh]

Go on?

Interestingly enough I've heard that guys like Tom Boonen are really nice blokes despite the fact he is probably the most popular cyclist/person in Belgium since Eddy Merckx.

Look at the hissy fits he threw early on the Tour and then whenever he talks to the media he's just moaning and whinging. Jeez, lighten up.
Millar's my favourite Brit cyclist and i'd put it down to the fact that he always appears to have time to have a word without necessarily slagging anyone off and seems to give an honest account of how he's feeling at that point.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Look at the hissy fits he threw early on the Tour and then whenever he talks to the media he's just moaning and whinging. Jeez, lighten up.
Millar's my favourite Brit cyclist and i'd put it down to the fact that he always appears to have time to have a word without necessarily slagging anyone off and seems to give an honest account of how he's feeling at that point.

Only heard one interview with Cavendish.

The interviewer made a right twit of himself by asking what he thought of the Canterbury Tales. Wrong social class, mate...

 

[thewizard1o1]

Look at the hissy fits he threw early on the Tour and then whenever he talks to the media he's just moaning and whinging. Jeez, lighten up.
Millar's my favourite Brit cyclist and i'd put it down to the fact that he always appears to have time to have a word without necessarily slagging anyone off and seems to give an honest account of how he's feeling at that point.

The way Phil and Paul talked about him on the tour coverage you would have though Cavendish was next in line for the throne. On the other hand it was great to see that Millar won the british road race championships

 

[Craig]

Thor Hushovd will need a new lead-out man next year as Julian Dean has become the latest bog-name to join Team Slipstream, after the signings of David Millar, David Millar, David Zabriskie, and Christian VandeVelde, plus DS Jonathan Vaughters as said he has signed a Paris-Roubaix winner, which is either: Stuart O'Grady (2007), Fabian Cancellara (2006), Tom Boonen (2005), Magnus Backstedt (2004), Peter Van Petegem (2003), and Frederic Guesdon (1997).

They will apply for a ProTour licenice in 2009 and with the riders they have signed, plus the backing they would at this stage appear to be a good bet of being in next year's Tour. If they do ride and assuming he gets picked, look out for Thomas Peterson of the USA, he is a climber and is rated highly. It will have a very ex-US Postal feel to it with three guys who used to ride for them, plus two more riders in their ranks as well who did ride for them and one year at Discovery plus Vaughters.

 

[Dark Hunter]

Thor Hushovd will need a new lead-out man next year as Julian Dean has become the latest bog-name to join Team Slipstream, after the signings of David Millar, David Millar, David Zabriskie, and Christian VandeVelde, plus DS Jonathan Vaughters as said he has signed a Paris-Roubaix winner, which is either: Stuart O'Grady (2007), Fabian Cancellara (2006), Tom Boonen (2005), Magnus Backstedt (2004), Peter Van Petegem (2003), and Frederic Guesdon (1997).

They will apply for a ProTour licenice in 2009 and with the riders they have signed, plus the backing they would at this stage appear to be a good bet of being in next year's Tour. If they do ride and assuming he gets picked, look out for Thomas Peterson of the USA, he is a climber and is rated highly. It will have a very ex-US Postal feel to it with three guys who used to ride for them, plus two more riders in their ranks as well who did ride for them and one year at Discovery plus Vaughters.

Cloning?? God, those cyclists will try anything to get ahead

 

[Craig]

Cloning?? God, those cyclists will try anything to get ahead

Yep so good he was signed twice.

 

[Matteh]

DS Jonathan Vaughters as said he has signed a Paris-Roubaix winner, which is either: Stuart O'Grady (2007), Fabian Cancellara (2006), Tom Boonen (2005), Magnus Backstedt (2004), Peter Van Petegem (2003), and Frederic Guesdon (1997).

I think i read that O'Grady's contract is up at the end of this season, if that's the case then i'd be guessing it was him.

 

[Craig]

I think i read that O'Grady's contract is up at the end of this season, if that's the case then i'd be guessing it was him.

I've heard different that it is Backstedt that will join. He wasn't too pleased to be left of Liquigas' Tour squad when he was told at the start of the year he would do it. He's an interesting fellow in that he is Swedish but lives in Wales

Aside from Spain, Italy, Southern France and Switzerland, Belgium is the other place a lot of riders live, especially for a guy who eats cobbles for breakfast.

 

[Matteh]

Teams taking part at the Tour of Britain -

• Agritubel
• Barloworld
• Chocolade Jacques – Topsport Vlaanderen
• DFL – Cyclingnews - Litespeed
• Duja – Tavira
• Fuerteventura – Canarias
• Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
• Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles Racing
• Rabobank (Continental)
• Recycling.co.uk
• Skil – Shimano
• South Australia.com – AIS
• Team CSC
• Team Great Britain
• Team Konica Minolta
• Tinkoff Credit Systems

 

[Craig]

I've heard different that it is Backstedt that will join. He wasn't too pleased to be left of Liquigas' Tour squad when he was told at the start of the year he would do it. He's an interesting fellow in that he is Swedish but lives in Wales

Aside from Spain, Italy, Southern France and Switzerland, Belgium is the other place a lot of riders live, especially for a guy who eats cobbles for breakfast.

Backstedt has joined up with Team Slipstream.

Teams taking part at the Tour of Britain -

• Agritubel
• Barloworld
• Chocolade Jacques – Topsport Vlaanderen
• DFL – Cyclingnews - Litespeed
• Duja – Tavira
• Fuerteventura – Canarias
• Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
• Plowman Craven – Evans Cycles Racing
• Rabobank (Continental)
• Recycling.co.uk
• Skil – Shimano
• South Australia.com – AIS
• Team CSC
• Team Great Britain
• Team Konica Minolta
• Tinkoff Credit Systems

Great Britain should have one of the strongest sides out there and he will probably be doing the Vuelta, but if not I would hope Saunier Duval let Millar race for GB in the national champions jersey at home. Should expect to see Hammond, Cavendish and another Brit Ian Stannard who rode for T-Mobile in the Tour of Denmark as a stagitire.