Hope this not the first on many

[andharwheel]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/31072009/58/tour-de-france-astarloza-tests-positive-epo.html

Disappointing that its happened, not hes has been caught......

 

[Chuffy]

Beat me to it andhar...
So much for the fear factor of the biological passport! Although another piece on Cycling News suggests Wiggy's success may indicate that things have improved.

Hmmmm, let's see how it goes shall we?

 

[Bigtwin]

And there off, now the real race has started, who will be left at the end of this stage...

 

[Chuffy]

Do we start to lose points from our Fantasy Tour teams?

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

Oh boy .. if they get Bertie.....

Anyone else think he took being a 'good all rounder' to beyond human levels in this tour?

Trouncing everyone in the TT and then dancing up the Ventoux like its nothing....I wish I wasnt so sceptical of his ability.. but so many past greats have let us down!

 

[Will1985]

Oh boy .. if they get Bertie.....

If I were the scientist, I'd make a point of ensuring his samples would be the first to be tested... I think we might see another one or two positives by the end of next week.

 

[Noodley]

Any reason with the timescale Will?

 

[Will1985]

I hadn't actually read the link when I posted - now I see on CN that it was out of competition in June, we'll still be waiting a while for the actual Tour results. Interesting that this came out of WADA's Madrid base (presumably because it was OOC) - normally the race ones are shipped off to Montreal aren't they?

 

[Skip Madness]

It's disappointing, but for some reason it isn't that surprising to me. Not that I suspected him like I did Sella and Kohl, but of all of the top names Astarloza's isn't a shock to me.

The test came from just over a month ago at the Dauphiné, which may give us a rough idea that the Tour results should come through around early September. (EDIT: ie. all of the Tour results should be in by then, although earlier stage results should come in quicker obviously)

 

[Noodley]

I hadn't actually read the link when I posted...

I thought you might have heard something.

And don;t worry about not having read the link - I'm used to posts by fanboys* who do not reading anything


* not you

 

[Bigtwin]

Oh boy .. if they get Bertie.....

Anyone else think he took being a 'good all rounder' to beyond human levels in this tour?

Trouncing everyone in the TT and then dancing up the Ventoux like its nothing....I wish I wasnt so sceptical of his ability.. but so many past greats have let us down!

No no no, not at all. He just happens to have 3 lungs that's all.....

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Astarloza Positive Test

I'm sad about this. He was someone I was enjoying watching at the Tour, but he after Landaluze you had to think that Euskaltel were probably up to something...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-stage-winner-astarloza-suspended-after-failed-doping-test

 

[borsuk]

sad but, as you say, not altogether unexpected. i blame the 'why no drug scandal' thread, myself.