Tour De France

[Bongo]

It's not necessarily drugs though, I was reading about that Spanish doctor and it seems what he would do is take blood from the riders, separate the red blood cells from the plasma and then the week before the race would put the red blood cells back in the rider (does that sound like a 5 year old has written it?) which would give them a performance boost.

I believe this is what Vinokourov got caught on - the fact there were 2 types of red blood cells meant he'd been given extra (of someone elses) to boost his performance.

[Longy]

This IMO the lowest moment of a great sport, I honest feel very down about all this as to watch the big mountain stages on the tour and other races is one of the geniune sporting moments of any year.

I hope cycling sorts itself out as it really is a great sport, time for total re shake of the way sport is run top to bottom. I think there is an arguement that cycling does more to deter cheating, i doubt anyone who makes the next 100m mens final at the next olympics will do it legally

[AndrewT]

It's not necessarily drugs though, I was reading about that Spanish doctor and it seems what he would do is take blood from the riders, separate the red blood cells from the plasma and then the week before the race would put the red blood cells back in the rider (does that sound like a 5 year old has written it?) which would give them a performance boost.

I believe this is what Vinokourov got caught on - the fact there were 2 types of red blood cells meant he'd been given extra (of someone elses) to boost his performance.

This started back in the 1970s in athletics. The theory is that when you take a load of blood out of the athlete, the body then replaces the lost red blood cells (which carry oxygen round the body). Then, just before the race, you put the old red blood cells back and the athlete can get more oxygen to his muscules than he could previously.

For many years this was undetectable. I think the fact that Vinokourov was caught with someone else's red blood cells means it was a last-minute panic measure after he dropped back after the first week - using your own blood needs a few weeks preparation.

[gnasher]

Back to Rasmussen, lets just remember he hasn't given a positive test...... yet he is guilty?
I think sacking him before the end of the tour was a bad mistake, negative publicity for the team sponsers and not mention another nail in the coffin of this once great sport.......

If he won the tour (still with no positive test) everyone could celebrate, the team could get the publicity and the tour ends with a real winner. Then if the team still want to sack him, leave it till a month or 2 later and do it.

Would this not have been a better way to handle it? and of course I had an interest in Rasmussen at 66-1!

[AndrewT]

If he won the tour (still with no positive test) everyone could celebrate, the team could get the publicity and the tour ends with a real winner. Then if the team still want to sack him, leave it till a month or 2 later and do it.

But then the sport risks another Floyd Landis.

[gnasher]

But as i said there is no positive test result so you can't compare to landis who had a positive result.

[AndrewT]

But as i said there is no positive test result so you can't compare to landis who had a positive result.

Landis crossed the finish line in Paris with no positive test result, just like Rasmussen may have done.

That was my point.

[Ironside]

Ramussen broke the team and the doping rules my missing tests and lying about there whearabouts when they missed the test

good riddence to bad rubbish

now i wish david miller would shut up i think all drug cheats should be banned for life

[Ironside]

iban mayo now failed a drug test after the events finished

i do hope they can sort something out over the next 11 months

i really didnt enjoy this years tour

[gnasher]

Lets be honest, the way it is probably 40% of the field could fail a test at any time......