• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Quintana??

Page 29 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
I think this an echo positive from a transfusion. No rider is stupid enough to use an easily detectable drug on a day you are likely to be tested. He was probably using it during training where it is permitted, and it didn't clear his system by the time he extracted blood. He reinfused the blood before those key stages and it still had tramadol in it. Just my opinion....
Certainly seems the most likely scenario, very strange to be taking a banned substance in your hotel room before the key stages, you would have to be exceptionally stupid to be doing that
 
  • Like
Reactions: carolina
DINDU NUFFIN

FaYR3gLWIAA_1tx
 
How easily detectable is tramadol? If this is really a case where he was always gonna get caught if he takes it during the Tour then surely he wouldn't have done that on purpose. But then if this had really been a f*ck up of his medical team prescribing him a prohibited drug, that would be his defense, not that "he had never taken it".

This is super weird. The blood bag theory sounds like a really good explanation but then I have absolutely zero idea if the science of that reasoning actually works.
 
How easily detectable is tramadol? If this is really a case where he was always gonna get caught if he takes it during the Tour then surely he wouldn't have done that on purpose. But then if this had really been a f*ck up of his medical team prescribing him a prohibited drug, that would be his defense, not that "he had never taken it".

This is super weird. The blood bag theory sounds like a really good explanation but then I have absolutely zero idea if the science of that reasoning actually works.
Blood bag idea doesn't really make sense to me.

Tramadol is a pain killer that would be used during the late/important passages of the race, not when you would withdraw blood to use during a GT later. It also has a half life of about 6 hours and is excreted through urine, so it's not like it would be caught in an unexpected blood test.

Supposedly its use is widespread, which is why I'm kinda surprised it's not very commonly tested for, unless doses used by riders are typically very small already, but then this is also improble because you wouldn't reach therapeutic doses either.
 
Blood bag idea doesn't really make sense to me.

Tramadol is a pain killer that would be used during the late/important passages of the race, not when you would withdraw blood to use during a GT later. It also has a half life of about 6 hours and is excreted through urine, so it's not like it would be caught in an unexpected blood test.

Supposedly its use is widespread, which is why I'm kinda surprised it's not very commonly tested for, unless doses used by riders are typically very small already, but then this is also improble because you wouldn't reach therapeutic doses either.
The big question is how often do they actually look for it. Since it's only banned by the UCI and not by WADA testing for it is probably not a priority...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ilmaestro99
Tramadol is really hard to get prescripted by doctors in my country in general, since it's a form of morphine. It's as a really dangerous drug. something you get addicted to easily. So I wonder if it's reasons like those that makes it end up on a ban list.

When people say "aren't there other pain killers?" yes of course they are but morphine is morphine is morphine? Sort of what I would assume.

Maybe that @Shadow93 person (why cannot I tag him/her on my computer :O) could chime in on the medical aspects better?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SHAD0W93
Tramadol is really hard to get prescripted by doctors in my country in general, since it's a form of morphine. It's as a really dangerous drug. something you get addicted to easily. So I wonder if it's reasons like those that makes it end up on a ban list.

When people say "aren't there other pain killers?" yes of course they are but morphine is morphine is morphine? Sort of what I would assume.

Maybe that @Shadow93 person (why cannot I tag him/her on my computer :O) could chime in on the medical aspects better?
@SHAD0W93
 
  • Like
Reactions: noob and SHAD0W93
Tramadol is really hard to get prescripted by doctors in my country in general, since it's a form of morphine. It's as a really dangerous drug. something you get addicted to easily. So I wonder if it's reasons like those that makes it end up on a ban list.

When people say "aren't there other pain killers?" yes of course they are but morphine is morphine is morphine? Sort of what I would assume.

Maybe that @Shadow93 person (why cannot I tag him/her on my computer :O) could chime in on the medical aspects better?

It might take 10 days for Shadow to reply back though.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: noob and SHAD0W93
Says ITA took 120 dried blood spot samples during the Tour as part of the tramadol testing programme, so that sound similar to general anti-doping which for GTs is nearly always:

Stage Winner
GC leader
7-8 x targeted and random across the line.

So ~210 anti-doping blood/urine controls over the 3 weeks (in competition) and then however many more out of competition. I'd guess for Tramadol they're just testing a random number passing through the anti-doping trailer be they winners or targeted.
 
How easily detectable is tramadol? If this is really a case where he was always gonna get caught if he takes it during the Tour then surely he wouldn't have done that on purpose. But then if this had really been a f*ck up of his medical team prescribing him a prohibited drug, that would be his defense, not that "he had never taken it".

This is super weird. The blood bag theory sounds like a really good explanation but then I have absolutely zero idea if the science of that reasoning actually works.
I've heard this objection soooo many times over the years. Heras, Armstrong, Froome immediately come to mind. Too many doperz have gotten busted doing things that after the fact look incredibly stupid for any conclusions to follow. Tramadol in the system? He took Tramadol. Thought he'd clear in time, didn't.

Not more complicated than that unless there is evidence to show it.
 
Apparently some races don't test for tramadol so it's still in use, just not in the tour, he's denied all knowledge as well.

Detection timeframes

Blood: Tramadol is detectable in blood for up to 48 hours after it's taken. Urine: Tramadol is detectable in urine for 24 to 72 hours after it's taken. Hair: Tramadol is detectable in hair for 30 to 90 days after it's taken.

Landis vibes? Tainted blood bag withdrawn at a training camp could be an explanation perhaps? I don't think he's stupid enough just to casually pop a couple before a race with the given detection windows.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rico044
Tramadol is really hard to get prescripted by doctors in my country in general, since it's a form of morphine. It's as a really dangerous drug. something you get addicted to easily. So I wonder if it's reasons like those that makes it end up on a ban list.

When people say "aren't there other pain killers?" yes of course they are but morphine is morphine is morphine? Sort of what I would assume.

Maybe that @Shadow93 person (why cannot I tag him/her on my computer :O) could chime in on the medical aspects better?
I’m about to drive to California so I’ll reply after I get there.

and it is with a zero not an “o” is most likely why you couldn’t tag me.
It might take 10 days for Shadow to reply back though.
I upgraded from dial up internet :sweatsmile:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: noob
Apparently some races don't test for tramadol so it's still in use, just not in the tour, he's denied all knowledge as well.

Detection timeframes

Blood: Tramadol is detectable in blood for up to 48 hours after it's taken. Urine: Tramadol is detectable in urine for 24 to 72 hours after it's taken. Hair: Tramadol is detectable in hair for 30 to 90 days after it's taken.

Landis vibes? Tainted blood bag withdrawn at a training camp could be an explanation perhaps? I don't think he's stupid enough just to casually pop a couple before a race with the given detection windows.
And there is no other painkiller option at all?

Tramadol is an incredible painkiller - its like multi-Codeine. The problem with it I found when I was prescribed it, was although I felt no pain I struggled to string a sentence together 30 mins after the max 2 capsule dose. How the hell I could have ridden a bike is anyone's guess! Yes, those effects get easier to deal with, but the pain relief diminishes as well (although not by as much I would say).
 
  • Like
Reactions: ontheroad and noob
Tramadol is an incredible painkiller - its like multi-Codeine. The problem with it I found when I was prescribed it, was although I felt no pain I struggled to string a sentence together 30 mins after the max 2 capsule dose. How the hell I could have ridden a bike is anyone's guess! Yes, those effects get easier to deal with, but the pain relief diminishes as well (although not by as much I would say).
It seems natural that equally potent stimulants would be used alongside a drug like tramadol. I also assume stimulants are still at least as popular as painkillers in the peloton.
 

TRENDING THREADS