Comardo tests positive for multiple substances

[Hugh Januss]

I know what you are all saying. Who? Story here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/comardo-accepts-two-year-suspension-for-doping
To me this prompts the question how far down does doping extend.

 

[Bala Verde]

All the way down to the gutter...

 

[red_explosions]

Well I know I'm clean, and that's as far down as you can go lol

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

To me this prompts the question how far down does doping extend.

I always assumed it goes a long way down, but there's not much testing at lower levels so it's pretty hidden. The thread on juniors and doping was interesting. First thing I ever learned about road racing was from a guy who had just quit at age 18. He and 2 school friends were riding competitively at regional junior level in NZ in 1992. Their coach sat them down and said 'this is what you've gotta do'. He said 'no thanks', they said 'yes please'. He quit when they turned the tables and started beating him....it's only one little anecdote, but juniors in NZ is pretty far down the cycling food chain.

 

[Roadent]

Uh, huh - I'm posting on Tri forum about the apparent lack of testing at Ironmans (and the complete lack of ooc testing) - typical cycling-fans-of-ten-years-ago reactions: 'they wouldn't dope - there's no money or motivation to dope' (besides that, all the top triathletes are truthful, upstanding, ethical folks who are just plain nice, so they would nevery dope...). Anyway - this dude is the best counter to those kind of arguments - yep, winning the local cat.2 industrial park crit is worth doping for....

 

[usedtobefast]

masters level it is happening also.

 

[pedaling squares]

I was going to write about how, if you have to dope to win a Cat 2 race, maybe pro cycling ain't your thing. Then I remembered Landis 2006 vs Landis 2009. Maybe this kid had a future.....

 

[Sprocket01]

I was going to write about how, if you have to dope to win a Cat 2 race, maybe pro cycling ain't your thing. Then I remembered Landis 2006 vs Landis 2009. Maybe this kid had a future.....

I don't think an old fashioned steroid course would have changed his performance dramatically. It's a surprise to see it really. The powerful anti estrogen drugs he was found positive for would slow him down.

 

[BikeCentric]

I don't think an old fashioned steroid course would have changed his performance dramatically. It's a surprise to see it really. The powerful anti estrogen drugs he was found positive for would slow him down.

Actually "old fashioned steriods" would have a huge effect at that level. Most people in that pack are on a very similar level and it comes down to who has more kick at the end of the race. Roids will give you that kick. There are a lot of guys in the amateur and semi-pro packs who are very strong pack fodder - they will never get dropped because they are aerobic beasts but they also rarely place because they have no kick or sprint at the end of a race.

 

[Wheels Go Round and Round]

masters level it is happening also.

it's been happening here in Masters cycling now for many years

 

[Sprocket01]

Actually "old fashioned steriods" would have a huge effect at that level. Most people in that pack are on a very similar level and it comes down to who has more kick at the end of the race. Roids will give you that kick. There are a lot of guys in the amateur and semi-pro packs who are very strong pack fodder - they will never get dropped because they are aerobic beasts but they also rarely place because they have no kick or sprint at the end of a race.

I maintain that its of marginal help to a cyclist. If he used it for recovery in a multi stage race, then it's slightly different, but given he was taking PCT drugs this means he did a proper cycle, probably lasting 4 to 6 weeks. Maybe less. That probably would have slowed him down during the cycle as it ups your blood pressure and holds water in your joints. I don't think it would have changed his performance too much - I bet he knows that now as well. That's why you don't hear about cyclists doing bodybuilding drugs in the same way that bodybuilders do.

 

[350Watts]

You don't hear about cyclists doing body builder drugs because they are to easy to detect and even if you can't detect them you can detect their masking agents.

 

[Ferdinand Artichoke]

really?

I maintain that its of marginal help to a cyclist. If he used it for recovery in a multi stage race, then it's slightly different, but given he was taking PCT drugs this means he did a proper cycle, probably lasting 4 to 6 weeks. Maybe less. That probably would have slowed him down during the cycle as it ups your blood pressure and holds water in your joints. I don't think it would have changed his performance too much - I bet he knows that now as well. That's why you don't hear about cyclists doing bodybuilding drugs in the same way that bodybuilders do.

So good to hear from a forum member who knows it all...

but don't you think he'd have had at least a psychosomatic benefit. What about the mood altering attitudinal differences that come with the territory of being 'on it'?- particularly on the 'roids

If you say these factors don't count then you don't know what wins/breaks a race.

I hate these drug cheats the most cos that's who is cheating me.

 

[battery89]

He was using 'typical' PCT drugs, however they can also be used (on their own, without prior use of a steroid cycle) to boost natural test/epitest production to the upper limits. Such a boost and maintenance in test would probably help with recovery from harder training sessions, allowing for more intense sessions to be completed more frequently.

This is what I suspect he was using them for.. Although I am not too sure how popular this practice is.

 

[Cloxxki]

I totally applaud this!!!

People, is there a downside to this at all?

So, the kid was probably targeted, and it turns out, correctly so.

Everyone, at any level, hears whispers about some kind with a strange performance record, being "too" strong some races, etc. People will say it behind your back "he's a doper". They probably even said it about me, as I do tend to drop out of races, and shine the next race.
Just get the word out that a rider is suspected, and then all at once test him.

Negative - it comes out, everyone can compete with respect
Positive - sport is "that" much cleaner the next day.

I could name a few guys, racing below their level, never showing up for an elite race. Because - there are tests done? Bad tongues roll easily. Suspect is our nature.
If there are just 5 more dopers at such a level in a nation, they will take notice, and think twice about their sport. Quit, or quit doping. Getting caught, just doesn't make you very popular.
In my country, upon return to racing, you'd likely end up in the barriers the very first race.

 

[karlboss]

I think those who only ride in club races, all are clean. Some riders interclub will be using something. Even at the lowest levels. Very few. I met a guy, rode with him a little, who admitted to me he was using blood boosters and was going to get back into competitions. Not particularly flash when i rode with him, maybe b or c open road in oz.

 

[Cloxxki]

I think those who only ride in club races, all are clean. Some riders interclub will be using something. Even at the lowest levels. Very few. I met a guy, rode with him a little, who admitted to me he was using blood boosters and was going to get back into competitions. Not particularly flash when i rode with him, maybe b or c open road in oz.

So far few are tested, but there are some European Pro's that can barely make a living, and can't do anything but ride. They are dependent of banned substances to get around.
A racer friend witnessed such a Belgian pro giving himself a shot in the arm during an off-road stage race I think it was. He HAD to perform well.

That's the best argument against pro sports for me. It's too much a life goal by itself, it keeps young men from getting educated, getting an "honest" job.

 

[forty four]

testosterone certainly improves performance it helps recovery mental state power output etc... it also works positively with epo. if it had no positive effect men and woman would be equal in sport as one of the big differences between the sexes are sexual hormone levels. so to say testosterone slows you is quite silly.

 

[HoustonHammer]

He was using 'typical' PCT drugs, however they can also be used (on their own, without prior use of a steroid cycle) to boost natural test/epitest production to the upper limits. Such a boost and maintenance in test would probably help with recovery from harder training sessions, allowing for more intense sessions to be completed more frequently.

This is what I suspect he was using them for.. Although I am not too sure how popular this practice is.

That might have been plausible *except* his sample also contained 'an anabolic agent' according the USADA announcement. So, his system was shown to contain a bunch of drugs (all of which are prescription-only and one of which is an injected drug, i.e. sure as heck not from a powder at the health food store) that are typically used to get the body back in hormonal equilibrium after the active steroid use phase of an anabolic PED program, AND an anabolic agent. Pretty open and shut case it looks like.