The professional cycling thread

[anonymous-user]

Fair play to Brandle, I suspect that was a painful final 15 minutes but like most people, I'm just waiting for Wiggo and Cancellara....

[The Stiglet]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/se...

2015 certainly promises to be an interesting year...

[Matt_N]

Yet another ride from Astana busted for banned substances, this time Victor Okishev on the reserves team for steroid use.

That makes 4 riders in the last 2 months, 2 for steroids and 2 for EPO!

[Don1]

Open question: Will the UCI step in and ban the team? I seem to remember another team being banned / thrown off the TdF for abuse a few years ago?

(Mods/lawyers, I hope that question stays within the boundaries of acceptability? If not, please accept my apologies and delete).

[The Stiglet]

Don1 said:

(Mods/lawyers, I hope that question stays within the boundaries of acceptability? If not, please accept my apologies and delete).

Not sure why it wouldn't? They've legitimately been found doping illegally.

[johnxjsc1985]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/11/news/fourth...
Oh dear .
It will be interesting to see if the UCI ban them fine them or just tell them not to be naughty anymore

[HereBeMonsters]

Don1 said:

Open question: Will the UCI step in and ban the team? I seem to remember another team being banned / thrown off the TdF for abuse a few years ago?

(Mods/lawyers, I hope that question stays within the boundaries of acceptability? If not, please accept my apologies and delete).

They did. This is supposed to be a "whole new" Astana...


TBH - having read a lot of cycling articles, memoirs and investigative books recently, I very much doubt there is a properly clean rider doing at all well in professional cycling these days. The reaction to the "clamping down" (if it can even be called that) on doping hasn't been to stop, but simply to get smarter at it.

[johnxjsc1985]

It really pisses me off that good honest cyclists get accused of being drug users although I understand why .
What doesn't help in imho is that there isn't consistency in the sentencing and different countries have different policies.
there should be one policy ban for life.
We made such a big thing of Armstrong and took his TDF titles away whilst others didn't despite being "found out".
Consistency in sentencing is the way forward

[DeuxCentCinq]

johnxjsc1985 said:

It really pisses me off that good honest cyclists get accused of being drug users although I understand why .
What doesn't help in imho is that there isn't consistency in the sentencing and different countries have different policies.
there should be one policy ban for life.
We made such a big thing of Armstrong and took his TDF titles away whilst others didn't despite being "found out".
Consistency in sentencing is the way forward

Yes, and in testing, both in and out of competition. And not just for the stars, but their domestiques as well.

[johnxjsc1985]

DeuxCentCinq said:

Yes, and in testing, both in and out of competition. And not just for the stars, but their domestiques as well.

strict out of competition testing should be compulsory and maybe suspension for the entire team if someone turns up a positive test.

[spikeyhead]

johnxjsc1985 said:

DeuxCentCinq said:

Yes, and in testing, both in and out of competition. And not just for the stars, but their domestiques as well.

strict out of competition testing should be compulsory and maybe suspension for the entire team if someone turns up a positive test.

Whilst I don't think it's right to suspend a whole team on the back of one failed test, when there starts to be a pattern in a team then questions really need to be asked, and unless the right answers appear then the penalties need to be strict and cover the whole team.

[DeuxCentCinq]

And check doctors' bags too!

[johnxjsc1985]

I know some lads who rode in the 60's TDF and got battered and didn't finish.
They were good riders but just couldn't recover quick enough after the first week or so and went backwards after about 10 days.
I cannot believe that we cannot find a way to stop drug cheats winning maybe anyone with a suspect test could have weights added to the frame that'll slow the buggers down.

[Alex Langheck]

Anybody on here following the CX season?

[Dr Imran T]

Alex Langheck said:

Anybody on here following the CX season?

Mostly professional road racing gurus on here.

There are some great CX riders that compete in pro road cycling and do well in the early season classics etc

That's as far as my CX knowledge goes I'm afraid.

[anonymous-user]

I keep an eye out for the British women like Helen Wyman but thats as far as it goes. CX is like an institution in Northern Europe though, the crowds at the big races are insane...

[Johnny]

I'm off to Milton Keynes this weekend for the UCI CX Workd Cup. Can't wait!

Anyone else going?

[Katzenjammer]

Johnny said:

I'm off to Milton Keynes this weekend for the UCI CX Workd Cup. Can't wait!

Anyone else going?

Not going, but would love to. I know one of the Irish competitors, Glen Kinning, through visiting his bike shop now and again. Be sure (to be sure) to give him a clatter of your cow bell as he passes!

[anonymous-user]

Fifth Astana rider caught in 2014..

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/ar...

Would the UCI revoke the license from the reigning TdF champion's team?!.. if I were Nibbles I'd buy out my contract now before the next positive test...

[Leithen]

pablo said:

Fifth Astana rider caught in 2014..

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/ar...

Would the UCI revoke the license from the reigning TdF champion's team?!.. if I were Nibbles I'd buy out my contract now before the next positive test...

It's getting a bit stinky.