TdeF: Another one bites the dust?

[huw williams]

Brace yourselves - word reaches us that another tour rider has "not tested negative"

UCI and Wada are aware of it so watch this space

[Matthew Ives]

the Times are running the story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 59,00.html

Not sure if the reference to Landis is significant or not in this context.
Could be bad news on the horizon if it is.

[Will]

yeah, just read this on cyclingnews...

UCI reports one Tour positive
The UCI has announced that there was one case of an "adverse analytical finding following an anti-doping test carried out at the Tour de France 2006." That means that one rider has had his A sample test positive for a banned substance. The rider has yet to be named, although his team, national federation, national anti-doping organisation and World Anti-Doping Agency have all been informed.

"The adverse analytical finding received this morning relates to the first analysis, and will have to be confirmed either by a counter analysis required by the rider, or by the fact that the rider renounces that counter analysis," said the UCI in a statement.

"The World Anti-doping Code and the Anti-doping Rules of the UCI do not allow to make the name of the concerned rider public, as well as other information that may allow its identification until the end of the results management provided by the Anti-doping Rules of the UCI as well as the World Anti-doping Code."

[Dan B]

Funny how CyclingNews reports a finding, while The Times reports a high-profile result that will shock cycling to the core.

Wouldn't it be funny if it was a domestique from Agritubel who was in the running for the Lanterne Rouge?

Or Jan, riding in a wig, for Milram?

[Matthew Ives]

[quote]it seems it was a failed test for testosterone. Isnt that the patch they apply to their testicles at night to help muscle recovery from a particularly bad day? I cant think of a rider who had a bad day in the mountains who needed to recover pronto for the next day? And one who would have been drug tested on that final day in the alps? I wonder who it was?

[Will]

where are you getting your info from Marco?

[Maria David]

Marca (spanish sports paper) reports that Danish press are sure it is Landis - he's cancelled yesterday's and today's races he was booked for at the last minute (under advice from his doctors). Neither Phonak managers or Landis' press agent are available for comment. Sastre had also been suspected but CSC have put out a statement denying it.

Spanish press or Chinese Whispers - I hope it is a storm in a tea cup.

[Matthew Ives]

[quote]But then hows it gonna look a couple of days before the London Grande Depart when a load of top riders get caught jacked up to their eyeballs and cycling becomes a laughing stock and the tour in london becomes a non event or worse still a farce in the eyes of the general public?

[Will]

It's just a bit crap that cycling probably takes more than its fair share of criticism.

Athletics and other physically demanding sports are, rumours would suggest, simlarly affected.

For anyone who speaks Danish:
http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article214080.ece

Or Spanish:
http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/cicl ... 75198.html

[Elliot M]

Personally, I have now come to the realisation over the last 2 years that every competitive rider on the tour dopes.

Every winner. Every stage winner. All the greats.

And they always have. From alcohol through speed to EPO.

You'd have to be pretty blinkered to believe it wasn't at least the majority.

But I still went to see it in the mountains. I wasn't trying to believe they were clean. I'd rather all the contenders had been there frankly, then it would have been a fairer fight, while not a level playing field.

[Dan B]

The national governing body of the non-negative rider has been notified.

So far, Spain, Italy, France and the US have issued statements saying they have not been contacted by UCI.

Look east, young man.

Or notice that BC hasn't said anything either.

I will go on record guessing that it's a super-domestique who may have been elevated to GC due to Operacion Puerto.

For the record, 8 Septic starters, 6 finished, 2 crashed out.

1. Floyd Landis (Phonak)
13. Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), 19:22 behind
24. Christian Vande Velde (CSC), 50:19
32. George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), 1:11:14
64. Christopher Horner (Davitamon-Lotto), 2:12:25
74. David Zabriskie (CSC), 2:33:46
DNF: Bobby Julich (CSC) crash; Fred Rodriquez (Davitamon-Lotto), crash