The new improved Lance Armstrong discussion thread.*

[Strathlubnaig]

For info, no comment.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...nce-armstrong-file/article4561260/?cmpid=rss1

 

[Noodley]

From the above linked article:
"The chief of world cycling's governing body is questioning why American anti-doping authorities have not yet sent him the file of evidence that prompted them to strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and ban him for life."

My assumption as to why:
Probably so they make sure they have enough copies of all the information before they send it to the UCI and it gets altered, lost, burned, shredded...

 

[Scoosh]

Are they not waiting for the - is it 2 remaining cases (the doctors or whoever) - to be dealt with before they give anything to the UCI ?

When are the hearings for them ?

What ?? They've already happened ? Where was I ??

 

[david k]

I think you have to drink a lot of coffee before you breach the caffeine limit, I think it's something like 8 espressos?

i was told 3 or 4 strong coffees, but not sure if this was accurate

 

[BJH]

I don't find it unbelievable that either Tyler Hamilton or Floyd Landis could not have simply reached the point where they have got to the point where they have had to draw a line under what they did and tell all.

I don't see either as a "snitch"

I am sure the Federal investigation has made a lot of fellow traveller on the LA gravy train suddenly wake up and smell the coffee.

Don't particularly admire either, but I certainly wouldn't dismiss them as making stories up to simply sell a book. Let's face it Hamiltons book was being planned before Lance suddenly got tired of fighting, so he would be facing the wrath of the LA lawyers if his claims could not be substantiated.

More like seeing GH and the rest of the old team mates all confirming the story would have been the final credibility killer

 

[GrumpyGregry]

With the world championships out of the way will someone from USADA have time this morning to nip down to the post office and send the evidence to UCI? Or do they, for some strange reason, not trust the US Postal Service?

They surely couldn't have got LA to effectively plead 'no contest' on the basis of a bluff could they?

 

[just jim]

USADA are not making this up as they go along. There is a schedule.
That is all.

 

[just jim]

"facts are the facts"
Interview with Travis Tygart in L’Équipe.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

aha, the old "end of the month" defence. Odd. Very odd. Does the evidence need to mature like a good Cheddar I wonder.

or are they just giving people time to cut deals....

 

[oldroadman]

Is that a lot? Wow, it's lucky that I'm not a pro racer... for this amongst many, many other reasons.

There used to be a limit on caffeine concentration. There is not one now. Simple reason being that if you get enough of the stuff inside you to make a real difference, it makes you feel so horrible (and has a very bad let down afterwards, sometimes during a race) that performance goes out of the door and you end up searching for suitable bushes to squat behind, or simply stopping to remove stomach contents with reverse digestion. Either way not going to win you anything!
I also stand by my comments on Mr Hamilton, whilst wanting the whole business cleared up as soon as, so the sport which is far cleaner today than it has ever been (read history from the 20s and 30s!! Strychnine and all sorts) can move forward.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

aha, the old "end of the month" defence. Odd. Very odd. Does the evidence need to mature like a good Cheddar I wonder.

I don't know what the problem is. That's the time they've been given.

 

[DogTired]

What are the views on possible wriggle room for the UCI not to remove LA's titles? Can they just not do it, fudge it, fight it regardless, stall, deem it irrelevant or ignore it?

Interested in this, as should LA lose his titles potentially SCA promotions can go and get their $5 million prize money back. They're probably one of the few bodies without vested interests big enough to tackle the LA movement.

 

[albion]

No positive tests.
But UCI covering things up.
"Cleaner than ever."

A weird claim.

 

[DogTired]

No positive tests.
But UCI covering things up.
"Cleaner than ever."

A weird claim.

UCI set the hematocrit positive test threshold at 50% whereas normal levels are in the low 40's - that's a bit of evidence for covering up widespread doping when r-EPO use was rampant. Why did LA not fail a drug test for beta-hCG when he had testicular cancer?

With regard to no positive tests:
1 LA tested positive in the 1999 TdeF for corticoids.
2 According to a L'Equipe investigation, backdated tests showed r-EPO usage in 1999 - they published and invited LA to sue which he didnt. The UCI's response was to identify who leaked information about the tests as opposed to investigating the positive results. (It turned out to be the UCI which provided the information anyway).
3 No team member of the Festina team ever tested positive prior to Willy Voet being caught with a small pharmacy in his car and admitting to systematic doping of their team. So not being caught does not equate with not being a drug cheat.

 

[Noodley]

With regard to no positive tests:

....don't forget the positive for EPO that was hushed up, which was reported in Tyler Hamilton's book