by richv » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:31 pm
[quote="marco"]The BBc story has been updated with Brailsford's quote
[quote]"This is not the first time this has happened to several riders and you tend to find that there are subsequent tests that are then actually verified by the UCI . They have come back and said everything is fine.
"I have known Rob a long time and there has never been any doubt in my mind that he has been anything but a fantastic athlete for Britain. He does not take drugs."
Im trying to think which other riders have had a 2 week layoff due to being over the 50% limit - at the moment I can only think of Pantani!!!
edit: also Dario Frigo
Didn't Charlie Wegelius have an 'abnormal' haemocrit reading as well? Went off to Lucerne for tests and I think now has a certificate saying he's allowed to test over 50% (or was that testosterone?). The 50% limit is entirely arbitrary and there will be a few people in the population with naturally high haemocrit levels who are quite capable of going over when fully trained and rested.
Having said that my recollection is that 'abnormal' levels were far more common before they developed an EPO test with many riders being withdrawn before big events or not allowed to ride because they had registered over 50%. I wonder why that was