Omega Pharma-Lotto bombshell?

[sniper]

Omega Pharma-Lotto bombshell

Bombshell.
Or: Bombshell?
Can Omega Pharma-Lotto ride the Tour?

So Gilbert aint clean afterall.

Can we clarify Vansevenant's current connection to the team? He's apparently on the payroll.

This very well might warrant its own thread, but for now...

Former Lotto rider Wim Vansevenant has been accused of allegedly importing doping products from Australia

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vansevenant-alleged-to-have-imported-doping-products



Not that OPL has raised any suspicions this year.
This story is only just beginning.

And what was his role really supposed to be here?


Now I can no longer use my joke about there only being one clean rider in the peloton.

...Sharp...

Het Nieuwsblad has a bit more info.


'Research showed that the package contained ultramodern doping products. It would be a brand new drug for animals. The product would be prized by drug users as it increases both muscle mass and endurance would improve.'

Finishing last isn't a guarantee of cleanliness. Sure, Vansevenant got the Lantern 3 times in a row, but that was because he was hauling Cuddles and McHeadbutt around France for most of the race and then softpedalled the TT's (for a pro). Kind of like Bert Grabsch (3rd last overall) last year for Frodo.

 

[Havetts]

Ah the good old customs having to discover the dope, can't wait to see what this will bring forth.

 

[Midnightfright]

Ah the good old customs having to discover the dope, can't wait to see what this will bring forth.

Maybe Australian customs officers can make q bit extra money moonlighting for the UCI

 

[craig1985]

Don't people order their doping products from China thesedays?

 

[just some guy]

I thought this thread would explode.

Here we have an ex-pro who will be with the OPL team the whole tour getting a shipment in of a new product days before the big dance.

Maybe the clinic regulars are still sleeping.

Why would an ex pro want doping products unless they were supplying others they would not - join the dots time.

Who would want to -

"ultra-modern doping products" designed to increase muscle mass and performance.

at OPL

 

[Nederick]

Might be time to revisit the velogames squad. Sigh

 

[Lanark]

First their Saunier Duval doctor is questioned, now Vansevenant is accused. A rocky start for Omega Pharma this Tour.

It's hard not to be cynical right now. Especially with the season(s) some of the Omega Pharma riders have been having.

 

[hrotha]

I'm surprised that Lotto would use a former rider as a courier. Other than that, nope, not surprised in the slightest.

(There's always the possibility that he's become a dealer and these products weren't meant for Lotto as a whole but for individual riders, regardless of their teams, I suppose. But the odds of his clients being Belgians and riding for Lotto would be pretty high anyway)

 

[craig1985]

The (English) articles I've read of Gilbert paint him as some sort of paragon of clean cycling , and he failed a test as an u-23, but he apparently forgot his TUE (if you're a cynic, you would say that he conveniently came up with one, à la Armstrong). I'm not saying Gilbert is a charger or anything, because I have NFI what goes on in private and I can't back it up either, but this isn't a good look for OPL.

 

[ElChingon]

The Clinic is definitely taking a nap, well not all

Last night I picked Gilbert for my team, he better not be banned or stay home! My reserves are't too good.

I was brain storming there might be the pre-tour doping story in jest, didn't think I'd be affected. NNnnooOO!

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Why would an ex pro want doping products unless they were supplying others they would not - join the dots time.

His dog is sick. Very sick. Also his mother-in-law is not doing so well.

At thirty-nine years of age with a good connection, surely he missed out on a contract at Radio Shack.

 

[Benotti69]

Why is anyone surprised?

This again establishes the truth that cycling is no cleaner than before and it also reinforces that it is from outside the sport that the anti doping comes, police forces and custom officials doing their jobs.

It definitely casts Gilbert into the doping pit with the rest. His results this year absolutely look 'enhanced'.

Bet OPL still ride the tour. Should they? Of course not! If Vansevenant is paid any monies from OPL that should see the team cast out, but it wont will it?Gilbert has McQuaid's son as his agent/manager. That more or less guarantees them a free ride through the tour with no positives.

Let's hope they make the modern doping public so we can discuss the latest techniques.

Should we name this 'The Veterinarian TdF' and allocate animal names to the contendors

 

[hrotha]

Gilbert has McQuaid's son as his agent/manager.

Is that true or a rumour? Because I know it's been claimed about other riders, and refuted.

 

[ElChingon]

Hummm...

Possible excuses?

1 They're for me (Wim), I don't want to lose my lantern rouge form

2 I didn't dope during my career and wanted to experience it.

3 They're for my second cousin's ex-husbands neighbors uncle's brother in law.

4 As the team VIP escourt I wanted to give my guests a truly authentic experience.

 

[Frosty]

One excuse could be that the animal drugs were for his animals seeing as he was planning to buy a farm (according to wiki)

 

[Benotti69]

Is that true or a rumour? Because I know it's been claimed about other riders, and refuted.

the Trinity Sports management website dont list Gilbert, so a rumour i suppose.

 

[sniper]

One excuse could be that the animal drugs were for his animals seeing as he was planning to buy a farm (according to wiki)

that's interesting.
OPL will most friggin definitely play this card now.

On the Dutch Wikipedia it says that after his carreer in 2008 he started working on his parents' farm where he is now growing monstersheep.

Daar kweekt hij monsterschapen die zowel de Cauberg als de Galibier aankunnen.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Vansevenant

WTF?

I'm expecting more insults of our intelligence in the coming days.
"He ordered it for private use"
"Just a coincidence that it arrived two weeks prior to the TdF"

 

[ElChingon]

One excuse could be that the animal drugs were for his animals seeing as he was planning to buy a farm (according to wiki)

But if he sold any of those animals To be eaten, those people might end up testing non-negative

 

[SiAp1984]

Bombshell.
Or: Bombshell?
Can Omega Pharma-Lotto ride the Tour?

No problem. Even a certain obviously-doped-up-to-the-gums-dude who tested positive A and B last year is allowed to race (OK, his local federation did him a biiig favor to achieve that, but hey...).

As for OPL: This surely is not a good message for the team. Aren't they looking for a new sponsor for next year or am I confusing this? BTW, I hope Vansevenant didn't dope himself... I always sticked to the hope that one at least could achieve a low GC rank clean

 

[Mambo95]

Is that true or a rumour? Because I know it's been claimed about other riders, and refuted.

It's completely false. His agent is called Eddie Billen, a Belgian.

 

[Martin318is]

"Just a coincidence that it arrived two weeks prior to the TdF"

Depends, what would the reactino be if further investigation shows that he has been buying similar stuff regularly for quite a while? Does that:

a) Seem less suspicious as it lessens the TdF connection, or
b) seem MORE suspicious as it could imply a long term large doping ring?


one thing though - at the moment, I am no more likely to suggest that OPL be pulled from the tour than I am to suggest all Belgians be pulled. As someone suggested above - we don't quite have that link yet....

BUT - they better work that one out in the next day or two!

 

[ansimi]

There's always the possibility that he's become a dealer and these products weren't meant for Lotto as a whole but for individual riders, regardless of their teams, I suppose. But the odds of his clients being Belgians and riding for Lotto would be pretty high anyway)

It seems like that's pretty much how the doping cells work now. Not formal team programs but it's based on trust and people are going to trust current/former teammates and countrymen before others.

I doubt this will affect OPL status at the Tour but it might affect their performance. I assume this is a criminal matter and any naming of names for leniency would probably be for his suppliers rather than his customers. But they will go through his financial records, computer, phone, etc. so something could fall on riders that way.

that's interesting.
OPL will most friggin definitely play this card now.

On the Dutch Wikipedia it says that after his carreer in 2008 he started working on his parents' farm where he is now growing monstersheep.

Monstersheep!! I don't actually know what those are but they sound great and like they take a lot of drugs. Can we start calling OPL riders Monstersheep now?

 

[Lanark]

Depends, what would the reactino be if further investigation shows that he has been buying similar stuff regularly for quite a while? Does that:

a) Seem less suspicious as it lessens the TdF connection, or
b) seem MORE suspicious as it could imply a long term large doping ring?


one thing though - at the moment, I am no more likely to suggest that OPL be pulled from the tour than I am to suggest all Belgians be pulled. As someone suggested above - we don't quite have that link yet....

BUT - they better work that one out in the next day or two!

It's highly unlikely that Omega Pharma would be pulled from the Tour because of this. There is far, far too little to connect them to this, no matter how immediately obvious it would seem. Altough I think Omega Pharma is the most likely client of this, there are other posibilities (it could be for the team of his best friend Hoste (Katusha), or for his old team leader (Evans, with Freddy Viaene as middle man).

 

[42x16ss]

It's highly unlikely that Omega Pharma would be pulled from the Tour because of this. There is far, far too little to connect them to this, no matter how immediately obvious it would seem. Altough I think Omega Pharma is the most likely client of this, there are other posibilities (it could be for the team of his best friend Hoste (Katusha), or for his old team leader (Evans, with Freddy Viaene as middle man).

Or maybe McEwen? Except now Wim will have to auction it off since Robbie isn't riding....

 

[Wergeland]

****!!, this almost ruins the tour for me.

Why the F can't cyclists just train properly and drop the dope, wine and baguette diet. No wonder they have to dope, - taking two months off the bike every year. ****ing amateurs.