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Quintana??

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It didn't suprise me that he ended up not riding the Vuelta, or that he's appealing this case. Arkea are longstanding members of the MPCC, which called for tramadol to be banned and claims to be "a whistleblower on corticosteroids, tramadol, stilnox and mechanical doping." So when the team's leading rider then tests postive for tramadol it's a difficult situation for both Nairo and the team.

He has the right to appeal and the process has to take its course. But if he can't get it overturned it'll be interesting to see what the team do (and I wonder whether there are clauses in their riders' contracts about complying with MPCC rules).
 
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MPCC doesn't actually have any specific rules on Tramadol and Nairo himself hasn't chosen to be an MPCC member which is quite common. So no rules broken there re. Tramadol. MPCC have some history wanting WADA to ban them, but like corticosteroids, they don't actually ban them internally for their members as teams or members as riders in a sense a rule can be broken.
Obviously, Nairo can't fight 2 positives as being a mistake, so it sounds like his lawyer will be claiming UCI are not in alignment with WADA's regulations, so has a good chance of testing just how legal that was from Lappartient. Have to remember the Tramadol & 8 day Cortisol rule was kind of a big deal for Lappartient in light of Team Sky hysteria and wanting to win the election, so I think Nairo has a good chance of being cleared imo.
 
MPCC doesn't actually have any specific rules on Tramadol and Nairo himself hasn't chosen to be an MPCC member which is quite common. So no rules broken there re. Tramadol. MPCC have some history wanting WADA to ban them, but like corticosteroids, they don't actually ban them internally for their members as teams or members as riders in a sense a rule can be broken.
Obviously, Nairo can't fight 2 positives as being a mistake, so it sounds like his lawyer will be claiming UCI are not in alignment with WADA's regulations, so has a good chance of testing just how legal that was from Lappartient. Have to remember the Tramadol & 8 day Cortisol rule was kind of a big deal for Lappartient in light of Team Sky hysteria and wanting to win the election, so I think Nairo has a good chance of being cleared imo.
How does the MPCC not ban their riders from taking it if they’re specifically trying to get it banned? And isn’t anyone on those teams automatically part of the MPCC? If not that doesn’t make any sense.
Regardless, the UCI having its own protocol when it’s not banned by WADA is another head scratcher. I get why they do it that way, but it doesn’t really make sense to take away someone’s results but not suspend them, just do it all or don’t do anything imo. I also think this has a fair chance of getting overturned.
 
How does the MPCC not ban their riders from taking it if they’re specifically trying to get it banned? And isn’t anyone on those teams automatically part of the MPCC? If not that doesn’t make any sense.
Regardless, the UCI having its own protocol when it’s not banned by WADA is another head scratcher. I get why they do it that way, but it doesn’t really make sense to take away someone’s results but not suspend them, just do it all or don’t do anything imo. I also think this has a fair chance of getting overturned.
MPCC rules are simply a set of recommendations, they don't ban anyone or can legally do much. Even Burgos are members and the team were suspended by UCI for multiple doping violations. MPCC just meet up with the team for a chat in a hotel for a week and call it 'introspection'. They allow TUEs too.
 
Ageing rider + contract year + can't even acknowledge he took it = zero credibility.

This could be a fading athlete having a last desperate effort for a 'marginal gain' but it casts (more) doubts on everything he achieved before it. Leniency should be conditional on someone acknowledging they actually did the infringement as opposed to them trying to have us believe the tests are faulty.
 
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).

I have been taking it for years, never had such issues. I was maybe a bit off the first few times I took it but not as much so that anybody would notice it. The increasing tolerance is a big issue though - or a blessing since thats what made me quit. But at least for a while it's a killer, everything just goes like 10-20% easier. I was more energized (unlike with other opiod drugs which made me rather sluggish), more social, relaxed, confident. Only downside for me was that I got just slightly more short-tempered, but overall I guess I was still more fun to be around. Didn't have any problems discontinuing either, no withdrawal symptoms or craving at all, life has just gotten a bit tougher lol. But my tolerance was sky high anyways and cos of it the effect much reduced (no matter how high the dosage). I tried it again after that but even with like a year break I`m back at max tolerance after like a week or so.

Btw while riding I never noticed any advantage.Iif anything it helped me to get on the bike and out training since I felt more energized.
 
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WRT the claim that Quintana is on a blacklist, posting this:
The UCI of course deny the existence of a blacklist. But do admit that there was then a general policy of discouraging teams from hiring dopers. Møller cites a November 2009 Cycling News story in which Vinokourov claimed that pressure had been put on Astana not to give a ride to Vino's blood-brother Andrey Kasechkin. According to Vinokourov Astana had been warned by McQuaid that, already having one returned doper on their books (Vino) the team would find difficulties placed in their way should they hire another. The CN story confirmed that the UCI did have a policy against dopers returning to the peloton:
"McQuaid today acknowledged that he had warned Astana's management that the recruitment of riders with a doping history could affect the renewal of their ProTour licence, but denied that he had referred to any specific riders during his meeting with Astana officials."
Any blacklist is only as strong as the teams allow it to be.
 
I hope he goes off on that press conference. Imagine if he has some texts and recorded phone calls to back things up, that could really backfire on ASO and their buddy on top of the UCI.

Quintana is clearly not a saint and his 2020 pre-lockdown performances were rather wild, to say the least.

If it's all true I'm surprised that ASO are this pretty, tell the teams not to bring him to the Tour for 1-2 years, if you really want to make a point.
Looks like the sport is still the same, certain guys end up in the doghouse while others have to fear no further repercussions. Someone like Heras is still a pariah for breaking the omerta and throwing the first stone that started the rockslide know as Operacion Puerto...
 
2009 is a long time ago and by 2012/13 even the word Tramadol was demonized by the fans after Sky's alleged use of it legally. Now it's not legal to take it, there's no need for a blacklist, any World Tour team knows they can't hire him and any PCT team hoping for a wildcard spot knows hiring Quintana is going to be a huge black mark against them re. ASO selection when it comes to deciding should they take a team without a violation for Tramadol or one with a clean slate. Times have changed, no rider is returning to World Tour level after a violation, unfortunately for Quintana the word Tramadol is probably more damaging than it should be but that's primarily caused by overreaction over Sky's alleged use of it imo.
 
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2009 is a long time ago and by 2012/13 even the word Tramadol was demonized by the fans after Sky's alleged use of it legally. Now it's not legal to take it, there's no need for a blacklist, any World Tour team knows they can't hire him and any PCT team hoping for a wildcard spot knows hiring Quintana is going to be a huge black mark against them re. ASO selection when it comes to deciding should they take a team without a violation for Tramadol or one with a clean slate. Times have changed, no rider is returning to World Tour level after a violation, unfortunately for Quintana the word Tramadol is probably more damaging than it should be but that's primarily caused by overreaction over Sky's alleged use of it imo.
Why shouldn't a WT team not be allowed to hire him? Last season it was only banned by the UCI and not by WADA, so one wouldn't even get a proper suspension, but just loose his result (see Nairo).
Maybe the MPCC crowd has a problem with it, but overall it's more tame than the asthma med abuse that got Ulissi and Simon Yates a short ban and both of them were never dropped by their team.

I know that it's not really related to Quintana, but the whole "times have changed" thing just sounds like a joke if you look at all the various staff members and doctors on many teams...
 
2009 is a long time ago and by 2012/13 even the word Tramadol was demonized by the fans after Sky's alleged use of it legally. Now it's not legal to take it, there's no need for a blacklist, any World Tour team knows they can't hire him and any PCT team hoping for a wildcard spot knows hiring Quintana is going to be a huge black mark against them re. ASO selection when it comes to deciding should they take a team without a violation for Tramadol or one with a clean slate. Times have changed, no rider is returning to World Tour level after a violation, unfortunately for Quintana the word Tramadol is probably more damaging than it should be but that's primarily caused by overreaction over Sky's alleged use of it imo.
Hahahaha Sam Hockig uses any scenario to defend team sky
 
Why shouldn't a WT team not be allowed to hire him? Last season it was only banned by the UCI and not by WADA, so one wouldn't even get a proper suspension, but just loose his result (see Nairo).
Maybe the MPCC crowd has a problem with it, but overall it's more tame than the asthma med abuse that got Ulissi and Simon Yates a short ban and both of them were never dropped by their team.

I know that it's not really related to Quintana, but the whole "times have changed" thing just sounds like a joke if you look at all the various staff members and doctors on many teams...

Not sure i've said they are not allowed to hire him? I'm saying there is a perception, or really a general view within the sport due to the amount of media coverage on Sky and other teams using it by various media, Lappartient & MPCC pushing for its ban that it's not welcome in the sport and so be default, unfortunately for Quintana, leaves him in a position of teams and their sponsors not wanting to sign him. Next year WADA ban it too of course which doesn't help either.


Hahahaha Sam Hockig uses any scenario to defend team sky

Pretty sure i'm defending Quintana really, because his crime doesn't fit the penalty he's receiving imo.
 
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Maybe the reason for his apparent blacklisting is directly linked with percieved (in the eyes of ASO bigwigs) PR damage his positive test did for the TDF as a brand. Someone being busted for abusing a painkiller is in itself not that big of a news, but a big name rider from a French team busted at the TDF is quite a big slice of bad PR. Making him untouchable is ASOs payback for him tainting their marquee brand. PR "crimes" are something that big businesses sometimes take more seriously even than the actual crimes. Still freezing him out completely, instead of just holding him off from TDF and maybe some other higher profile ASO races comes off as really vile and disgraceful.

Quintana for his part is big enough name to make an example out of in the context of the tramadol saga and is at a phase of his career where he has become expendable. He doesn't have much to give to the top end WT teams at this point of his career and for others risks outweighed the benefits. Lacking deep connections with one team, like Valverde had with Movistar or Vino with Astana, he had no cushion to fall back on and become a perfect scapegoat.
 
If any NFL players happen to follow pro cycling (unlikely I know
More likely than you imagine, given their interest in the new National Cycling League
“I’ve been in the sports industry for 15 years and this is the most exciting opportunity I’ve seen,” says NCL co-founder David Mulugheta, a top NFL agent. “Beyond the substantial number of people who bike, the ability to build the league from the ground up allows us to get the business, the values, and the ownership structure right. This is why so many professional athletes, entertainers, and people of influence are so excited about what we are building.”

Perhaps Mulugheta’s interest in cycling explains some of the key investors: Jalen Ramsey (Los Angeles Rams), Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers), and Kevin Byard (Tennessee Titans) have all bought into the NCL. Founder Collective, Collab Capital, Emmanuel Acho (Fox Sports 1), and Michele Roberts (former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association) are also on the investor list.
 
I don't doubt that he had Tramadol in his system, even if it was trace amounts (he presented hair sample analysis to TAS that were negative). But, I do believe the French heads of the UCI, MPCC, ASO and Arkea are putting the screws to him.
It would be nice if he or the team speculated as to where the Tramadol came from (i.e. did Nairo have his own supplements or therapists, or were they all from the team?). My riding partner even suggested that he was sabotaged by someone on the team.
Nairo would have his own source for supplements as a seasoned GT pro. It would be colossally stupid to do otherwise.
 
Why shouldn't a WT team not be allowed to hire him? Last season it was only banned by the UCI and not by WADA, so one wouldn't even get a proper suspension, but just loose his result (see Nairo).
Maybe the MPCC crowd has a problem with it, but overall it's more tame than the asthma med abuse that got Ulissi and Simon Yates a short ban and both of them were never dropped by their team.

I know that it's not really related to Quintana, but the whole "times have changed" thing just sounds like a joke if you look at all the various staff members and doctors on many teams...
I'm indifferent to Quintana, but the current state of cycling disgusts me.
Wouldn't be surprised that he got banned just for "We are harshly against doping, life time ban for dopers, cycling is clean" bs while some riders are posting times that are genuinely challenging the best of Armstrong etc. ( only slower than fastest of the 90s ) and we are seeing a few teams and riders completely above the rest. And there is pretty much no doping talk. Almost like journalists have all turned an eye.
 

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