French Senate report out tomorrow...

[rich p]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/french-senate-report-on-doping-due-on-Wednesday

It says that in the Festina 1998 tour...
According to French media, 44 of 60 urine samples that were retroactively tested contained traces of EPO

Some people will be sleeping badly tonight but if one of them is Chris Boardman I'm going to eat my helmet again.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

One thing for sure, no British riders will be named. Might be a couple of Aussies though.

 

[Crackle]

So, who unofficially won it then. Perm one from 190?

Axel Merckx (I've no insight on that, I just always liked his name)?

Edit: And as alluded to, O'Grady has just retired.

 

[gavintc]

One thing for sure, no British riders will be named. Might be a couple of Aussies though.

Yes, we Brits always played with a straight bat. It's those johnny foreigner types you have to watch.

Come on get real, putting your head in the sand simply elevates your arse. :-)

 

[thom]

Yes, we Brits always played with a straight bat. It's those johnny foreigner types you have to watch.

Come on get real, putting your head in the sand simply elevates your arse. :-)

Were there any Brits in the race that year other than Chris Boardman ?
Edit - Max Sciandri was there too
The prologue results : http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1998/tour98/prol.html
The prologue top 40 :
1. Chris Boardman (GB) GAN 6.12 (54.193)
2. Abraham Olano (Spa) Banesto 0.04
3. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 0.05
4. Bobby Julich (USA) Cofidis 0.05
5. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 0.05
6. Jan Ullrich (Ger) Telekom 0.05
7. Alex Zulle (Swi) Festina 0.07
8. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina 0.09
9. Andreï Tchmil (Bel) Lotto 0.10
10. Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal 0.11
11. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal 0.11
12. Angel Casero (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 0.11
13. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux 0.11
14. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina 0.12
15. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Cofidis 0.12
16. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina 0.12
17. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM 0.12
18. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco 0.13
19. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 0.13
20. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) Mapei 0.13
21. Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto 0.13
22. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) GAN 0.13
23. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom 0.14
24. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN 0.15
25. Bo Hamburger (Den) Casino 0.16
26. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal 0.16
27. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) US Postal 0.17
28. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux 0.17
29. Patrick Jonker (Aus) Rabobank 0.17
30. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino 0.18
31. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) Mercatone Uno 0.18
32. Jens Voigt (Ger) GAN 0.18
33. Peter Meinert (Den) US Pstal 0.19
34. Aleksandre Shefer (Kaz) Asics 0.19
35. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) TVM 0.19
36. Gianmatteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco 0.19
37. Melchor Mauri (Spa) ONCE 0.19
38. Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei 0.19
39. Johan Bruyneel (Bel) ONCE 0.20
40. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom 0.20

 

[400bhp]

Sciandri

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Were there any Brits in the race that year other than Chris Boardman ?
Edit - Max Sciandri was there too

Well no brits finished the race. Axel was a client of Ferrari, so maybe him too, aye.

 

[gavintc]

OK, point taken. I had forgotten that 98 was not a great year for Brit cycling in the grand tours.

 

[User169]

Hope no. 11 comes through OK!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Yes, we Brits always played with a straight bat. It's those johnny foreigner types you have to watch.

Come on get real, putting your head in the sand simply elevates your arse. :-)

No, Brits aren't saints, not by any means. But someone reading this thread will know the answer: who was the last Brit to test positive?

 

[thom]

OK, point taken. I had forgotten that 98 was not a great year for Brit cycling in the grand tours.

Let's see tomorrow - either, 0%, 50% or 100% will be nabbed - I think Boardman is clean as a whistle.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Sciandri

ah but if Sciandri gets named he will quickly be declared Italian again.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Let's see tomorrow - either, 0%, 50% or 100% will be nabbed - I think Boardman is clean as a whistle.

failing a dope test after the prolog would take some doing !

 

[rich p]

David Millar can't remember anyone since...

Strictly speaking, he didn't actually test positive

 

[rich p]

So, who unofficially won it then. Perm one from 190?

Axel Merckx (I've no insight on that, I just always liked his name)?

Edit: And as alluded to, O'Grady has just retired.

Axel was outed years ago IIRC