Contador May Have Been Struggling for O2, But His Team Wasn't!!

[ricara]

One of the big shockers for me today was how strong Contador's team was. Besides Vino and maybe one other guy, I was under the impression that Astana was mostly just a bunch of second-string guys.

But they pounded everybody today. So was I wrong and he really does have a strong team? Or are they just all doing the program that AC learned from Bruyneel (and that Radio Shack is afraid to use thanks to Novitsky)?

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

One of the big shockers for me today was how strong Contador's team was. Besides Vino and maybe one other guy, I was under the impression that Astana was mostly just a bunch of second-string guys.

And who gave you that impression?

And have you actually bothered to look these guys up?

Exactly.
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Yamaha Xs400 Specifications

 

[Animal]

One of the big shockers for me today was how strong Contador's team was. Besides Vino and maybe one other guy, I was under the impression that Astana was mostly just a bunch of second-string guys.

But they pounded everybody today. So was I wrong and he really does have a strong team? Or are they just all doing the program that AC learned from Bruyneel (and that Radio Shack is afraid to use thanks to Novitsky)?

Domestiques are expendable. Their preparations are nothing to do with their leaders (ahem). If they happen to get busted, they are one-off bad apples Those guys will do anything to ride the tour.

Even if the contenders are clean(er) this year due to a more intense scrutiny, it's highly likely that domestiques are charged as hell.

It's happened a few times that a second string rider rips the peloton for a leader and gets popped a week or so later. But the leader's result still stands.

 

[Pedaaldanser]

Navarro seemed to pull the group for a long time and at a high enough speed to drop off many riders. But that's just that, one effort on one day. It's only suspicious if he does it for kilometers on end day after day.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

If the testers are only testing 1-2-3 and Yellow, then it makes sense to charge up your domestiques who are going to drop off with one/two km to go and finish 70th (Navarro @ + 32' 07 ) and 78th (Tiralongo @ + 37' 10)

 

[movingtarget]

Sky softened up the opposition before that also. Navarro is obviously a good climber. What a performance. Double his pay !

 

[Pedaaldanser]

If the testers are only testing 1-2-3 and Yellow, then it makes sense to charge up your domestiques who are going to drop off with one/two km to go and finish 70th (Navarro @ + 32' 07 ) and 78th (Tiralongo @ + 37' 10)

Don't they do some random testing too? And I think this year the WADA was supposedly going to decide who was going to be tested... if I was the WADA and I was watching that stage I could pick Navarro. Then again, nowadays people don't really test positive anymore when tested after the stage anyway, you'd have to get them early in the morning or at night I guess.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Indeed they do - sometimes...

Whether Astana are nearer to USP or to Phonak will come out over the next few days.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

excuse the interruption, please

If someone has a breathing problem, under what circumstances are they allowed (if allowed at all) to use an inhaler or whatever any lay person would be permitted? Would they have access to the same treatment as a lay person or would it be a 'limited menu' of treatment options?

I had a very serious bout of bronchitis in the spring (although in these parts, the pollen and alergens are year round) and when I finally went to the dr, it was to the point where the (hot, nubile & young, sheesh...how distracting!) doctor couldn't properly hear my lungs and they gave me albuterol on the spot just to be able to hear them. they also gave me steroid shots.

carry on.....

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

They just need a friendly team doctor to backdate them a suitable TUE for whatever 'ailment' they have come up with as an excuse for i) not riding everyone off their wheel and ii) to give them enough drugs to ride everyone off their wheel.

I am sure that his time with Saiz, Hog and Fuentes have taught Dertie how to access to all the medicines and TUEs he needs.