Well it's been an interesting few weeks in the cycling world, and a lot has happened since my last post. As far as my own cycling is concerned, it's on hold for right now. I am in what I call my "off-season," which basically means I have some time to relax, unwind and not think about training 24-7. This also allows for a lot more eating and drinking, which is key for the upcoming holiday season. Come late January, however, I will be beginning anew, with a structured season plan. I don't want to get into the specifics of the last time I rode or swam or ran, but it was a while ago! Anyway, even though I'm idle in the multisport sense, there is plenty going on around the globe in the cycling world!
For starters, Iban Mayo's blood test B-sample is still being debated. The last time I posted, his A-Sample was positive and we were waiting (what seemed like forever) for the B-Sample to come back. Well it did, and while some reported that it was negative, it was, in fact, "inconclusive." Either way, the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) closed the case, saying that the result was negative, prompting many reports that Mayo was innocent, and off the hook. But the UCI will have none of it. They have taken issue with the RFEC closing his file, as the inconclusive result is not a negative result, and will be re-tested by the UCI. According to the UCI, Mayo's case is still open, and he still faces a potential two-year ban. Meanwhile, Mayo has voiced his grievances with all the hoopla, telling a Spanish newspaper, in regards to the poor manner in which he believes his urine samples were tested, "Someone will have to pay for this." Indeed, while it has yet to be confirmed, Mayo says he may windup suing the UCI for their conduct.
That's not the only recent case of riders snapping back at the anti-doping system. Ex-Astana rider Andrej Kashechkin has decided to prosecute the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) for some of its policies regarding riders rights and specifically regarding out-of-competition testing. According to Kashechkin's lawyer, Christian Botteman, the situation under which the testing was conducted was "abnormal," and furthermore, if Kashechkin had refused the test, according to Botteman, "he would have been considered guilty."
And in a shocking move, Patrik Sinkewitz, formerly of T-Mobile, has named Michael Rogers, as well as others, on T-Mobile as being involved with a blood doping ring, that Sinkewitz himself was in. Sinkewitz has been working with the German cycling federation, after his recent ban from the sport for testing positive for Testosterone in the 2007 Tour, giving evidence to authorities, and has recently admitted that he used EPO. Sinkewitz told the German magazine Der Speigel in an interview that he started using EPO with Quick-Step in 2003, and stopped using it in 2006. He also says that he had blood transfusions, performed by team doctors Lothar Heinrich and Andreas Schmid--who have been fired for admitting to giving cyclists EPO--and furthermore, that doping was "wide-spread" at T-Mobile. Sinkewitz told authorities that T-Mobile riders, including Jan Ullrich and Micheal Rogers, visited the Freiburg University Clinic days before the start of the 2006 Tour de France, saying that they were there for doping transfusions. Jan Ullrich, as previously mentioned, still avidly denys any and all doping allegations against him, and Michael Rogers has also denied Sinkewitz's claims, saying that he was there for "routine check-ups." T-Mobile team manager, Ross Stapleton, has stood up for Rogers, saying "We know that Rogers has been part of a strict anti-doping program in 2007 and has totally followed all of our rules."
"Examples were shown how athletes are still managing to cheat the system: adding a grain or two of washing powder or contact lens cleaner which contains the enzyme protease contaminates a urine sample and destroys all evidence of EPO. The technique also destroys naturally occurring EPO, a salient point to remember when the IOC-accredited Lausanne laboratory revealed that no evidence of any EPO, natural or synthetic, was found in 17 per cent of 3050 athlete urine samples analyzed between 2003 and 2006."Disheartening isn't it? But that's just human nature, there will always be cheaters and while we many not be able to stop people from wanting or feeling the need to cheat, at least we can catch them (occasionally).
Either way, a big step in the right direction is coming. In cooperative effort from several agencies, namely the UCI and WADA, all professional cyclists will have their blood samples taken to create what is being called a "biological passport" for each rider. This "passport" will be a biological profile on each rider, giving the anti-doping agencies a basis of comparison from which to test. The Tour De France has already endorsed the measure, saying that any rider selected to enter in the 2008 edition must submit their "biological passport" in order to participate. In addition to the "passport," the UCI says they will conduct over 5,000 additional doping tests during the 2008 season, bringing the total number up to 15,000 tests.
On the topic of The Tour De France, more positive news--Skoda has re-signed as the title sponsor of the Tour for 2008, through 2011. Skoda acknowledges the doping problems in the sport, and is looking to help get the sport back on track. Skoda spokesman Jaroslav Cerny told The Associated Press: "By this move, we want to help the organizers to clean up cycling...we want to support them in good as well as bad times.'' The route for the '08 Tour has been announced, and for the first time in over forty years, it will not start off with a time trial or "prologue." The 2,200 mile route also focuses more on the Alps in '08, as opposed to the Pyrenees, and the riders will climb Europe's highest mountain pass, the Col de la Bonette-Restefond. The 9,193-foot Mountain was last climbed by the Tour in 1993 and it is one of 19 mountain passes for the 2008 tour, which is two fewer than the 2007 edition.
Also on the topic of the 2008 Tour, the Astana team will be completely re-vamped for 2008, and is looking to be the powerhaus of the 2008 Tour de France, with many from the former Team Discovery jumping ship. Johan Bruyneel has taken the Manager position for the Swiss-based and Kazakh-sponsored team, and former Discovery riders didn't wait long to follow suit. Not long after Bruyneel's deal was inked, former sporting director for Discovery, Sean Yates, announced he would be joining Astana. 2007 Tour De France winner Alberto Contador, along with 3rd place finisher Levi Leipheimer, signed a two-year contract with Astana not long after Bruyneel's announcement. In addition to Contador and Leipheimer, former Discovery riders Sergio Paulinho, Benjamin Noval, Tomas Vaitkus and Janez Brajkovic signed with Astana, as well. All of the former Discovery riders will join with renown cyclist Andreas Kloeden, to round out an impressive line-up. It should be a good year for Astana, especially after all the bad press the team received this year. Johan Bruyneel runs a tight ship, and I firmly believe that he does not encourage or allow any of his riders to use illegal drugs to enhance performance, nor has he ever been linked to doping with any team, which is refreshing. I am looking forward to watching this dynamic team in next year's tour.
