Pollack and Cronjäger Suspended

[Dr. Maserati]

Pollack and Cronjäger Suspended

Taken from the main CN page....

Germans provisionally suspended after positive tests

Olaf Pollack and Markus Cronjäger have been provisionally suspended by the German Cycling Federation (BDR) after returning positive doping controls. Both riders have tested positive for as yet un-named substances in separate controls carried out in July.

Pollack, 35, tested positive in an out-of-competition test on July 6. The former Gerolsteiner and T-Mobile professional, who wore the pink leader's jersey at the Giro d'Italia in 2006, has been racing this year as an elite amateur. The BDR said that Pollack had requested a counter analysis, the results of which have not yet been released.

Cronjäger tested positive after a control conducted at the Rund um den Odenwald on July 11. The 29-year-old, who has not ridden for a professional team, chose not to contest the finding of his A-sample and the BDR reported that the German Federation for Sport and Arbitration had commenced proceedings against the rider.

 

[gregod]

Why would a former pro riding elite amateur need to stoop to doping? Unbelievable. He must have been on some powerful stuff when he was a pro...

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Why would a former pro riding elite amateur need to stoop to doping? Unbelievable. He must have been on some powerful stuff when he was a pro...

He is still riding on the track, and was in fact on the German team at the Worlds in March.

Susan

 

[Escarabajo]

Why would a former pro riding elite amateur need to stoop to doping? Unbelievable. He must have been on some powerful stuff when he was a pro...

He was probably on a cheaper program and got caught.

I think the other rider (Cronjager) was smart to accept the doping and take the penalty as soon as possible. He is still young to come back and keep riding.

 

[Izoard]

He was probably on a cheaper program and got caught.

I think the other rider (Cronjager) was smart to accept the doping and take the penalty as soon as possible. He is still young to come back and keep riding.

I find it particularly sad that Cronjager, who is not a pro, was doping. It reminds me of the local amateur races, when I hear rumours of some riders who a doping, and their results have just gone through the roof. Especially at a masters level, when it is not even about trying to get a pro contract … it’s just madness.

 

[Escarabajo]

I find it particularly sad that Cronjager, who is not a pro, was doping. It reminds me of the local amateur races, when I hear rumours of some riders who a doping, and their results have just gone through the roof. Especially at a masters level, when it is not even about trying to get a pro contract … it’s just madness.

It does tell you something about human nature, doesn't it?

 

[Izoard]

It does tell you something about human nature, doesn't it?

It sure does!

On a related angle …

I recall a Cat 4 racer who was kind of an average rider, meaning he tended to stay in the pack, but didn’t tend to place in the top 5-10. Then the next year he had gained some serious muscle and basically won every single mid-week race, and sprinted way, wayyyyy ahead of everyone else when doing it (not even close). He also entered the odd sanctioned race and did well enough. As he made his way up the ranks that year, he kept on demolishing people (we are talking several bike lengths). But then, when he moved up to 1/2, he went out the back door, and essentially stopped racing soon after.

The point of this whole little story? Well, first of all many of us thought he was doing the big D, it was just too obvious his sudden change from his “previous self”. But the doping (or perhaps I should say “alleged doping” did not replace the talent he needed once he got to a certain level. Also, the doping method, likely roids given the muscles and sprints, did not help past a certain point (i.e. aerobic capacity and how that became critical when racing at a certain level).

 

[BroDeal]

Wow. They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. It's like Hamilton getting chucked out of the sport for using DHEA and the UCI crowing about it even as they look the other way as riders are blood boosting the biggest races in Europe, or some schmuck getting years in prison for robbing a 7-11 of a few bucks and a six pack of beer while Wallstreet crooks who took their shareholders for billions are given a taxpayer bailout.

 

[Oldman]

Taken from the main CN page....

Germans provisionally suspended after positive tests

Pollack, 35, tested positive in an out-of-competition test on July 6. The former Gerolsteiner and T-Mobile professional, who wore the pink leader's jersey at the Giro d'Italia in 2006, has been racing this year as an elite amateur. The BDR said that Pollack had requested a counter analysis, the results of which have not yet been released.

Cronjäger tested positive after a control conducted at the Rund um den Odenwald on July 11. The 29-year-old, who has not ridden for a professional team, chose not to contest the finding of his A-sample and the BDR reported that the German Federation for Sport and Arbitration had commenced proceedings against the rider.

Just shows what level even Masters age riders will stoop. Every year at US Masters Natz there are a few aberrant performances. Makes you wonder what goes on in the mind of someone that can cheat for no financial gain and still reconcile the performance.