Recent content by emilio

Bert Oosterbosch was a dutchman who already quit cycling in 89. Though there was another dutch (female)cyclist, Connie Meijer, who passed away the same way. Possible the western europe contries backed out for a few years. After 1988 where the dutch were as dominant as the Italians in the early 90's

This rider was Johannes Draaijer. He had an american wife indeed. He debuted at the 89 TdF and died in feb/march 1990 in his sleep. Didnt know his wife talked about EPO that time. Could be the evidence that it was already widespread experimenting in 1990. Could also explain why some countries...

One last comment: I think it was big in Switserland as well. All of a sudden Swiss riders co-dominated: Rominger, Zulle, Dufaux, Jeker, Zberg, Richard. Gianetti, Puttini and Imboden came back from nowwhere.

Still think EPO started in 1990 though. 1988 and 1989 were dramatic years for Italian cycling (with the exception of Fondriests lucky worldchampionship). In 1990 the Italians started winning dramatically (Argentin, Bugno, Chiappucci). Then the following years nobody's like Cassani, Cenghialta...

In the book in which Rooks reveals to have used EPO, he tells he started doing it when the Gewiss train started winning all the races (Argentin, Berzin, Furlan). That would have been in '94. Rooks' carreer was already downhill at that moment. He raced untill 95. He claimed his natural...