if they were all clean during LAs 7 wins ?

[rata de sentina]

That was a severe EPO which possibly was injected until HC hits 49 before any of mountain stages. And then riders eased up and decided to ride clean just because it is the Tour? It is absurdity.

Retrospective testing of the 1999 samples doesn't exactly support your position. Of 87 samples tested, 13 were epo positive and 6 of these belonged to LA. It would be nice to know the distribution of the other positives but a 15% positive rate in a sample skewed towards winners doesn't seem all that overwhelming to me, especially when almost half are one rider..

 

[meat puppet]

the speculative comparison between a potential GT rider and a TTer that might turn into one is meaningless since no explicit criterion for GT potential was provided.

for anyone not relying solely on visual perception it's a no brainer: GTs are all about recovery, ie the ability to do it again tomorrow.

when the cells, glands and nervous system scream NO in the 2nd and 3rd week, there comes a point when no amount of TT power, laser like focus and perfectly aged tubulars can make up for recovery abilities. luckily for lance these skillz could be obtained via syringe.

heck, he was not able to even finish the TDF in 93 & 94. one day races maybe, but GTs no way.

 

[Big Doopie]

Retrospective testing of the 1999 samples doesn't exactly support your position. Of 87 samples tested, 13 were epo positive and 6 of these belonged to LA. It would be nice to know the distribution of the other positives but a 15% positive rate in a sample skewed towards winners doesn't seem all that overwhelming to me, especially when almost half are one rider..

Precisely.

Also we must remember that teams were real nervous to dope going into 1999 tour because of the very real threat of police raids and detention in France (evident the previous year). There was not that fear at the giro the same year...perhaps why pantani, gotti and the rest of the top ten at the giro were at 50 hct or - in pantani's case - just above whey he got nabbed.