Di Luca tests positive for EPO in OOC test.

[DirtyWorks]

Remember that's the date the sample was taken, not analysed. The testing agency then have to get them out to the labs who would fit in into their timetable. Less than a months turn around actually seems pretty reasonable.

Not only do you have the testing Lab's schedule, the documentation from the tests needs to be posted to the APMU, then the positive would pass to an expert for further analysis. Especially with EPO test results, the expert's review is necessary. The expert's recommendations pass to a larger group where the ADA's final recommendation is made then sent to the sports federation.

Four weeks is pretty quick.

 

[Orvieto]

Koln lab can detect very low concentrations of clenbuterol, I'm not aware that they use a more sensitive EPO test, though one was announced recently. I haven't heard anything about that test's being used, but haven't been following this that closely.

The smarter riders with more resources just transfuse and probably get more of a benefit than DiLuca got with presumably small doses of EPO. Though it's possible DD did transfuse, and used EPO to counteract the suppression of retics. It would be nice if he would confess and tell us exactly what he did do, but I'm not holding my breath.

The time sequence is interesting. Am I correct that he was tested shortly after he signed with VF, and was told he was going to the Giro? I assume he wouldn't have taken EPO if he had no upcoming races on his schedule? But it sounds as though he must have taken it virtually immediately after he signed? Maybe he knew several days in advance he was going to be signed, and took EPO then, assuming there was a good chance he was going to the Giro?

I wouldn't assume that he wasn't on EPO before signing. He might have been doping with the expectation of signing and perhaps more carelessly since, without a contract he might be off the testers' radar, but who knows. As many point out you have to be a fool to get nabbed for EPO these days, so attributing logic to DeLuca may be misplaced.

We may find out some day. DiLuca has cut deals in the past. If there's anything for him to gain, he may reveal his suppliers and associates again.

 

[Miburo]

Is it impossible to use EPO without testing positive, these days?

I thought very very tiny portions are still possible without testing positive. But obviously it hardly does something to your performances.

 

[Netserk]

Maybe it's a false-positive?

 

[ElChingon]

Well if he talks and recounts what transpired on the boat pre-Giro with Lance, Basso, and what's his name, USADA will give him 6 months.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Is it impossible to use EPO without testing positive, these days?

Not based on what I've read. I'm not an expert though.

If you used rhEPO in the evening with a short half-life similar to old-school EPO and calculate the dose, then you'd be in the "never tested positive" range by morning. In this scenario, I don't know if there are blood values that change over time to trip a longitudinal positive.

I'm such a pessimist it seems to me the UCI punched his ticket while others are just as positive, but not processed.

 

[Le Baroudeur]

Any date for the B sample testing yet?

 

[Cookster15]

I thought very very tiny portions are still possible without testing positive. But obviously it hardly does something to your performances.

I think there has been discussion of Micro dosing EPO on here by others with more knowledge than me. But I recollect the performance gains from Micro Dosing can still be significant but the trick was to inject into the vein the night before and avoid the testers the morning after. After that it became in detectable in the bloodstream? But wouldn't this still show up in the BPP parameters?

Hopefully somebody can clarify for my general understanding and for the Di Luca case specifically?

 

[D-Queued]

Gotta love how that Biopassport nailed this guy.



Dave.

 

[DirtyWorks]

I think there has been discussion of Micro dosing EPO on here by others with more knowledge than me. But I recollect the performance gains from Micro Dosing can still be significant but the trick was to inject into the vein the night before and avoid the testers the morning after. After that it became in detectable in the bloodstream? But wouldn't this still show up in the BPP parameters?

You don't avoid the testers in the morning. Your dose the night before was low enough, the rhEPO has a short half-life that should a morning test occur, it would come back as a true negative.

Based on the CN article, it seems like he did too much EPO.

I have the same uncertainty about the longitudinal effects of micro-dosing rhEPO. Hopefully someone will jump in with a basic explanation.

 

[caricas]

doping di luca strikes again, i hope he going to be ban forever. He is a shame for cycling

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

That's what happens when you do it on your own. You get caught

What nonsense! Everyone shoots EPO on their own. You don't need a doctor to stay at your home and hold your hand while you take your nightly IV-dose.

 

[RHRH19861986]

... a clean rider like Visconti ...

I can´t imagine Visconti is a clean rider.

 

[Hugh Januss]

DiLuca testing positive after coming back at close to the same level as before (even subtract a little for being older) kind of puts the lie to the whole "peloton is cleaner" line that UCI has been feeding us.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

The smarter riders with more resources just transfuse and probably get more of a benefit than DiLuca got with presumably small doses of EPO.

The Ashenden "microdosing" program beats a 2 unit reinfusion for increase in Hb-mass.

Translation: The rest of us switched to transfusions more than a decade ago.

They did not. They used the BB's on top of the EPO-boost.

 

[del1962]

Well if he talks and recounts what transpired on the boat pre-Giro with Lance, Basso, and what's his name, USADA will give him 6 months.

Those who had 6 month sentences actually confessed to doping without any positive tests, not at all related.

 

[thehog]

DiLuca testing positive after coming back at close to the same level as before (even subtract a little for being older) kind of puts the lie to the whole "peloton is cleaner" line that UCI has been feeding us.

No he's the same level. Just Sky have taken that up a notch or two.

 

[DirtyWorks]

DiLuca testing positive after coming back at close to the same level as before (even subtract a little for being older) kind of puts the lie to the whole "peloton is cleaner" line that UCI has been feeding us.

Hugh, I'm sorry you don't believe.

Please visit the Hein Verbruggen "Stop looking at the negative" reality distortion field for therapy. http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1236301&postcount=153

 

[Fatclimber]

@FakeFloydLandis: Was thinking of saying something, then realized I don't care anymore. **** it, lets go bowling.

 

[MrRoboto]

Lance found someone even he could pick on. Hilarious.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Cycling is cleaner.

LOLZ.

 

[Benotti69]

Lance Armstrong ‏@lancearmstrong 3h

Knowing I have 0 cred on the doping issue - I still can't help but think, "really Di Luca? Are you that ****ing stupid??"

Stupid like in using a "family doctor" instead of a real pro like Ferrari.

No stupid like not having the UCI in his back pocket so when he does test positive multiple times the UCI make it disappear.

 

[the sceptic]

I see Lance is still trying to get that Garmin job.

I wish he would just become a full time troll instead. He could have so much fun on twitter making fun of the UCI, the new clean generation, his old buddies. etc.

 

[Benotti69]

I see Lance is still trying to get that Garmin job.

I wish he would just become a full time troll instead. He could have so much fun on twitter making fun of the UCI, the new clean generation, his old buddies. etc.

Yeah, but he is serving a 'death sentence' not being able to compete, that thing he did where the odds were so stacked in his favour that it was hardly a competition, so his head must be spinning and hard to pin down and be consistent.

 

[Merckx index]

The Ashenden "microdosing" program beats a 2 unit reinfusion for increase in Hb-mass.

I think you are referring to this, which was discussed here before.

Twice weekly IV injections of EPO for twelve weeks raised Hb to levels about the same as (not more than) two bags of blood, and did not trigger any passport flags. I can’t access the entire article any more (the above link provides just the first two pages), nor find my posts discussing this article earlier, but IIRC, the doses of EPO used in this study could be detected by the EPO test during periods of this regims. So not a perfectly safe method. OTOH, Ashenden has also shown that transfusions can likewise beat the passport. So (autologous) transfusions, for which of course there is still no approved test unlike EPO, still appear to be safer.

They did not. They used the BB's on top of the EPO-boost.

Probably some riders do, and as I noted before, EPO is needed to counteract the suppression of retics.

Edit: This illustrates why it would really be helpful if DD came clean. Was he transfusing and using EPO both, and if so, was he using a schedule given to him by someone else? What does he know about how other riders are blood doping? Even without naming others, he could potentially provide some useful information.