ToC doping control

[Sanitiser]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/amgen-tour-of-california-scraps-open-investigation-rule

In contrast to its policy in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, organizer AEG announced today that it will not exclude riders, teams or staff who are under open anti-doping rule violations from the 2011 race.
...
"[It was] USADA's recommendation to us that we remove that rule," said AEG president Andrew Messick. "It is not consistent with the WADA code, and USADA believes that it is not consistent with due process and the rights of athletes, either. The UCI (International Cycling Union) is no longer enforcing that rule is what we've been told. We feel it is inappropriate for us to be out of compliance with both USADA and the UCI with regard to issues relating to the eligibility of athletes."

The change was in stark contrast to the 2008 event, when AEG steadfastly barred Rock Racing's riders Tyler Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero from being included in the team's roster for the Tour of California. The trio protested by following the race route outside of the field.

Messick defended their past decision, saying, "We followed our rule in 2008 and, based on the landscape at the time, we felt - and continue to feel - that we behaved appropriately."

I don't know what to think.

 

[BotanyBay]

 

[Anonymous]

I suppose the only problem is if he is selected for "random" drug testing then his DNA could be linked to other things that USADA, the FDA or somebody else already have, just as Alejandro Valverde was selected for a "random" drugs test after Prato Nervoso. That's the only reason I can see for him giving a damn.

that could well be a possibility.

 

[Polish]

It's all intertwined, unfortunately. ToC would never have been viable without Armstrong's success.

??

The ToC began in 2006 and was successful from the get go.
Floyd won that first one - awesome race.
Ricco and Kohl were there too.
Lance was running marathons

2007 and 2008 without Lance.

Cipo and Boonen and Bettini and Basso and Evans and Cav and Thor and Schlecks and many many others raced there before lance showed up.

I think Lance wants to relax. Too much training required for 2011 AToC

 

[Colm.Murphy]

Legal fees, Fabiani fees, the dude needs $$$$. Squeezing ToC will only get him a few months of Fabiani and a couple months of Shepphard Mullin Richter and Hampton. Hemorrhaging money.

The "dude" will be cashing Demand Media stock for quite awhile.

I do agree that he must be bleeding cash. I wonder what kind of kinky accounting is going on over at Livestrong.org regarding cross billing come of these fees?

I imagine they could rationalize that they could pay the fees, as it is their "brand" under attack. I think that is an excellent question for a journalist to directly ask Lance and the Livestrong's Doug Ulman.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

It will be curious who will now alter their racing schedules as a result of this change. The 90-window for USADA is critical but I wonder how much money USADA will burn in collecting samples from around the globe. Further, what are the "roster" policies regarding a late scratch and replacement? Can a rider be added to a roster who was not in the 90-day participation?

I wonder if there also will be a "before-after" matrix showcasing the volume, types and frequency of tests once this years Tour of California is complete.

This is progress. This is a far cry from when they did not even test for EPO during the first edition of the event, citing "costs".

I would assume it is run on the same way that is required for notification 90 days prior to the Tour de France.
All teams have to present a list of 15 riders for inclusion for specified testing.

 

[this_is_edie]

??

The ToC began in 2006 and was successful from the get go.
Floyd won that first one - awesome race.
Ricco and Kohl were there too.
Lance was running marathons

2007 and 2008 without Lance.

Cipo and Boonen and Bettini and Basso and Evans and Cav and Thor and Schlecks and many many others raced there before lance showed up.

I think Lance wants to relax. Too much training required for 2011 AToC

well crap, the world is about the end, I sort of agree with Polish - but not about the final sentence of course.

 

[BroDeal]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/amgen-tour-of-california-scraps-open-investigation-rule

I don't know what to think.

I am sure the sudden policy change on excluding riders under investigation had nothing to do with Amstrong currently being investigated. Nothing at all. Nothing I tell you. Absolutely nothing.

 

[BotanyBay]

The "dude" will be cashing Demand Media stock for quite awhile.

I do agree that he must be bleeding cash. I wonder what kind of kinky accounting is going on over at Livestrong.org regarding cross billing come of these fees?

I imagine they could rationalize that they could pay the fees, as it is their "brand" under attack. I think that is an excellent question for a journalist to directly ask Lance and the Livestrong's Doug Ulman.

I doubt that Lance can sell his stock until the end of July. They're called lock-up agreements. So the insiders can't bail after the IPO with their stock windfalls.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Are you possibly overlooking that fact that he still has to finish the race? Guys aren't exactly lollygagging in May like they did in February. Will his laurels pedal for him?

Dude's racing age is 40 on that little ole license he carries. If he isn't on the juice, and with two mountain top stages this year, smiling, sitting back, and waving aren't on the menu when you're trying to stay 10 meters in front of the broom wagon.

And it also doesn't look like he's doing a boatload of training either...

Would it totally surprise anyone if some convenient excuse for not racing comes up? ....wasn't he having some 'hip' issues or similar?

 

[luckyboy]

I am sure the sudden policy change on excluding riders under investigation had nothing to do with Amstrong currently being investigated. Nothing at all. Nothing I tell you. Absolutely nothing.

I could feel some hope/faith just drain from me when I read about that.

 

[Fausto's Schnauzer]

I am sure the sudden policy change on excluding riders under investigation had nothing to do with Amstrong currently being investigated. Nothing at all. Nothing I tell you. Absolutely nothing.

No, no, no, no. Of course not! Don't be ridiculous. How could anyone even suggest....?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Are you possibly overlooking that fact that he still has to finish the race? Guys aren't exactly lollygagging in May like they did in February. Will his laurels pedal for him?

Dude's racing age is 40 on that little ole license he carries. If he isn't on the juice, and with two mountain top stages this year, smiling, sitting back, and waving aren't on the menu when you're trying to stay 10 meters in front of the broom wagon.

And it also doesn't look like he's doing a boatload of training either...

If you need to dope just to finish the AToC when you're a multiple Tour winner, you should have long since retired. Do we really think Lance was that dependent on dope? I mean, most of us think he doped, but like Valverde and Riccò, could it not be that he's just an incredibly gifted cyclist? The kind that may not be able to WIN the top level races without dope, but is perfectly capable of surviving a mid-level race without it?

There were plenty of top names at last year's AToC who may well dope at other times of the year but be clean at that race since it didn't really fit in with the goals on their calendar.

Even if he's in the grupetto, Lance would have plenty of high-profile company, since people like Schleck and Cancellara spent most of their time in it last year, and of course marketable sprinters like Cavendish will likely be in it too. Since a lot of the race's hype comes from the "strength" (read "big names regardless of whether they care or not") of the field, no way are Messick's crew kicking the grupetto out of the race even if they finish three hours down on every single stage.

 

[MacRoadie]

If you need to dope just to finish the AToC when you're a multiple Tour winner, you should have long since retired. Do we really think Lance was that dependent on dope? I mean, most of us think he doped, but like Valverde and Riccò, could it not be that he's just an incredibly gifted cyclist? The kind that may not be able to WIN the top level races without dope, but is perfectly capable of surviving a mid-level race without it?

There were plenty of top names at last year's AToC who may well dope at other times of the year but be clean at that race since it didn't really fit in with the goals on their calendar.

Even if he's in the grupetto, Lance would have plenty of high-profile company, since people like Schleck and Cancellara spent most of their time in it last year, and of course marketable sprinters like Cavendish will likely be in it too. Since a lot of the race's hype comes from the "strength" (read "big names regardless of whether they care or not") of the field, no way are Messick's crew kicking the grupetto out of the race even if they finish three hours down on every single stage.

No, but the point is that a multiple-Tour winner (the latest being 6 years ago), at nearly 40, after being retired once and not really doing much in "2.0", isn't going to be riding along smiling and waving to his adoring fans like the final stage into Paris. It's going to be work.

Of course he'll finish and probably not in the grupetto, but it certainly won't be a waltz for him. Rolling in with Cavendish, 20 or 30 minutes down isn't exactly the most dignified way to "smile, sit back and wave to the crowd"...

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

How sweetly ironic would it be if he got popped at ToC?

 

[thehog]

Obviously a sticking point...

Messick also confirmed that the race organizers do not pay Armstrong or any other racer an appearance fee. “We don’t pay him to show up. We don’t and haven’t paid appearance fees for athletes,” he said

 

[Colm.Murphy]

Obviously a sticking point...

Messick also confirmed that the race organizers do not pay Armstrong or any other racer an appearance fee. “We don’t pay him to show up. We don’t and haven’t paid appearance fees for athletes,” he said

It is always in how the question is phrased.

I would follow up with "had they, or had any of the sponsors of their race, ever made donations to the LAF related to Lance's participation in the ToC?"

Money changes hands. Maybe not directly, and in the open, but it gets there.

Also, I would ask to have them prove they've never paid. I have it on good information that LA was paid well north of $1M for 2009.

Funny, in golf this is how the business is done. Fees paid, big name golfers arrive, everyone is happy. In cycling, one athlete gets this benefit and it is based on a fraud.

 

[Dallas_]

A key point:



In other words, USADA collects. And we'll tell everyone if there's a problem.

Actually Botany, I think I am on the same wave length as you - 'IF' being the relevant word in your post!

If rider X is a United states citizen and tests positive, would due protocols be carried out? I mean can USADA or Tygart be trusted?
What about a positive for EPO? Would the sponsor Amgen be happy with that being announced?

And the statement "the most comprehensive anti-doping program in the history of the race". http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/usada-to-run-amgen-tour-of-california-anti-doping-controls
Maybe I am too suspicious, but a similar type of statement was presented at a press conference in 2009!

cheers

 

[alpine_chav]

Let's make it easy and tell riders when they will be tested!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/amgen-tour-of-california-teams-to-undergo-rigorous-testing

Great news everyone... The ToC organizers and USADA have used their collective intelligence and decided to release a PR Statement telling riders that (and when) they will be tested pre-race!!!

This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've seen yet. Talk about flushing money down the drain. If they want to really catch dopers best to keep their mouths shut and go about their business diligently.

 

[lean mean &green]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/amgen-tour-of-california-teams-to-undergo-rigorous-testing

Great news everyone... The ToC organizers and USADA have used their collective intelligence and decided to release a PR Statement telling riders that (and when) they will be tested pre-race!!!

This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've seen yet. Talk about flushing money down the drain. If they want to really catch dopers best to keep their mouths shut and go about their business diligently.

huh? i can't find where athletes are told precisely when testing will occur, just that they can expect more scrutiny in the lead up (90 days prior) to the TOC. taken at face value it seems like a positive step.

 

[alpine_chav]

huh? i can't find where athletes are told precisely when testing will occur, just that they can expect more scrutiny in the lead up (90 days prior) to the TOC. taken at face value it seems like a positive step.

The fact they are told at all is not very smart. If you know you will be tested during a 90 day period you can still successfully micro-dosage it. If they really want to catch cheats they have to go undercover and arrive completely out of the blue. This looks more like a PR exercise than an anti-doping one.

 

[Anonymous]

So whats the odds the afld will be allowed to do independant testing at the tour de france this year?

 

[lean mean &green]

The fact they are told at all is not very smart. If you know you will be tested during a 90 day period you can still successfully micro-dosage it. If they really want to catch cheats they have to go undercover and arrive completely out of the blue. This looks more like a PR exercise than an anti-doping one.

agreed, but i also recognize that a certain amount of PR is necessary. it's still a business and they want to instill confidence in their audience, especially in the US following the leaking of landis' emails in the middle of the event last year. i'll concede that in a perfect world they shouldn't say a word.

 

[laura.weislo]

I wonder if Lance is driving up his appearance fee due to the increase in perceived "risk"?

Also, what kind of team does not have its race schedule nailed down yet? And an American one at that? I wonder if anyone has asked Levi if he is planning on racing the event?

OT - Messick was adamant in the press conference that he does not pay appearance fees.

 

[BotanyBay]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/amgen-tour-of-california-teams-to-undergo-rigorous-testing

Great news everyone... The ToC organizers and USADA have used their collective intelligence and decided to release a PR Statement telling riders that (and when) they will be tested pre-race!!!

This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've seen yet. Talk about flushing money down the drain. If they want to really catch dopers best to keep their mouths shut and go about their business diligently.

+1. We've actually seen "corruption in action". This announcement WAS the corruption. Now the TOC can be assured of no doping positives happening at their race, and McQuaid can be assured that he'll have no PR nightmares while he's at Disneyland with the family after the race ends.

In other words: "Pssst. McQuaid here. Dudes, no UCI controls at ToC, but USADA controls instead"... This message was delivered by the organizers, AEG, but make no mistake, this was a McQuaid production.

Tygart is probably fuming. McQuaid most likely said "Do this press conference with AEG, or I'll announce it myself and screw you". This was a strategic power-move to play nice for WADA and the IOC.

In short, we have to take the UCI completely out of the testing and sample-collection equation.