There have long been allegations that Armstrong’s TDF success resulted from not simply doping, but having access to superior drugs and/or superior methods for using the same drugs used by other riders. Several months ago I asked someone on this forum who makes this claim, I can’t remember who, to gather and post all the available evidence for this. So far as I know, he never did.
It seems to me that this would be a good time to revisit this issue. Here are some of the possible ways in which LA might conceivably have obtained an edge over rivals we now know were doping, such as Ulle, Basso and Vino.
1) unique drugs - the SI story’s discussion of HemAssist raises the possibility that LA was using a blood booster that could not have been detected at the time. In addition to the difficulty in obtaining this or another HBOC, though, there are questions about both it’s safety and efficacy. We will probably have to wait to see what comes out of Novitzky’s investigation. Another possibility is per fluorocarbons (PFCs), but as far as I know, no evidence has come to light that LA might have used these. Still another possibility is the use of advanced forms of EPO, such as CERA, ahead of the time during which they became fairly widely available to the peloton. There was a window when they could not be detected, so that any rider using them during this period would not have even had to microdose, the usual way of avoiding detection.
Are there any other drugs that are performance enhancing, were not in use as far as is known by the peloton during the Armstrong years, and which he might have used? I’m not going to discuss gene doping, though it can’t be entirely ruled out.
2) superior program - It’s well established that LA was advised by Ferrari for many years, and the recent evidence from the raid on Popo’s house suggests that he might never have terminated this association, despite his claim to have done so following Ferrari’s legal troubles. The key questions here are, did Ferrari make available to LA procedures that were 1) clearly superior to those other riders were using; and b) intended exclusively for LA’s use? I would like someone here to address the first point in detail, if possible. How, specifically, could Ferrari have provided to LA information that would have enabled him to get more performance benefit than other riders? With respect to the second point, it has been claimed that LA was Ferrari’s sole client during much of this TDF success. However, as far as I know, this is based on negative evidence. No other rider is known for certain to have been associated with Ferrari during this period. I’m quite sure Ferrari himself has never discussed this.
Another relevant question is, if LA was indeed Ferrari's sole client, how did he make this arrangement? Was he really capable of outspending any of his rivals, even before he won his first Tour? Did Ferrari want to focus solely on LA? But if so, why, given that LA showed less promise initially as a GT rider than several if not many of his contemporaries?
3) help from UCI - It has also been alleged that LA was able to avoid being tested at critical times, or that incriminating test results were covered up. In support of this we have long known about the backdated TUE, and now the SI story discusses several T/E positives that, strangely, could not be confirmed with positive B samples. There have been several stories of LA being warned in advance of testers. There is also indirect evidence, such as LA’s donations of money for equipment to UCI, which strongly suggests a conflict of interest. What other evidence do we have of this relationship?
I would love to see any other information related to the question of superior performance enhancement discussed here.
It seems to me that this would be a good time to revisit this issue. Here are some of the possible ways in which LA might conceivably have obtained an edge over rivals we now know were doping, such as Ulle, Basso and Vino.
1) unique drugs - the SI story’s discussion of HemAssist raises the possibility that LA was using a blood booster that could not have been detected at the time. In addition to the difficulty in obtaining this or another HBOC, though, there are questions about both it’s safety and efficacy. We will probably have to wait to see what comes out of Novitzky’s investigation. Another possibility is per fluorocarbons (PFCs), but as far as I know, no evidence has come to light that LA might have used these. Still another possibility is the use of advanced forms of EPO, such as CERA, ahead of the time during which they became fairly widely available to the peloton. There was a window when they could not be detected, so that any rider using them during this period would not have even had to microdose, the usual way of avoiding detection.
Are there any other drugs that are performance enhancing, were not in use as far as is known by the peloton during the Armstrong years, and which he might have used? I’m not going to discuss gene doping, though it can’t be entirely ruled out.
2) superior program - It’s well established that LA was advised by Ferrari for many years, and the recent evidence from the raid on Popo’s house suggests that he might never have terminated this association, despite his claim to have done so following Ferrari’s legal troubles. The key questions here are, did Ferrari make available to LA procedures that were 1) clearly superior to those other riders were using; and b) intended exclusively for LA’s use? I would like someone here to address the first point in detail, if possible. How, specifically, could Ferrari have provided to LA information that would have enabled him to get more performance benefit than other riders? With respect to the second point, it has been claimed that LA was Ferrari’s sole client during much of this TDF success. However, as far as I know, this is based on negative evidence. No other rider is known for certain to have been associated with Ferrari during this period. I’m quite sure Ferrari himself has never discussed this.
Another relevant question is, if LA was indeed Ferrari's sole client, how did he make this arrangement? Was he really capable of outspending any of his rivals, even before he won his first Tour? Did Ferrari want to focus solely on LA? But if so, why, given that LA showed less promise initially as a GT rider than several if not many of his contemporaries?
3) help from UCI - It has also been alleged that LA was able to avoid being tested at critical times, or that incriminating test results were covered up. In support of this we have long known about the backdated TUE, and now the SI story discusses several T/E positives that, strangely, could not be confirmed with positive B samples. There have been several stories of LA being warned in advance of testers. There is also indirect evidence, such as LA’s donations of money for equipment to UCI, which strongly suggests a conflict of interest. What other evidence do we have of this relationship?
I would love to see any other information related to the question of superior performance enhancement discussed here.