Di Luca banned for life by CONI

[ScottCM]

Agree with your theory as to levels of cheating, but if you honestly think that the "Beef" was tainted then you might be more naive than me in thinking that >80% of the peleton is clean now

[T-Bob]

Just finished reading Mark Cavendish's new book. A great read and a really interesting, honest and frank part about the doping issue, Lance, problems, testing, moving on and the simple reality of a TRC type event.

[Cellar]

EPO really? How stoopid are these okes *smk*

 

It's not stupidity. Blood doping is more complex and as a result more expensive. The riders on the poorer teams without the proper medical staff to execute blood doping properly have to go the cheap and cheerful route. (or try blood doping at home in their kitchens and end up nearly dead...)

[Cellar]

Naive is an emotion. Rather look at all the positive doping tests this year for confirmation of the fact that doping is still widespread.

 

Across all sporting codes. Not just cycling. I wish some anti-doping body would go as hard after Usain Bolt as USADA went after lance. (In real terms, they'd have to go about a quarter as hard to find the smoking gun in Jamaica.)

[Cellar]

How many where there?

 

---------------------------------------

 

2013 Cases:

- Sylvain Georges: EPO

- Danilo Di Luca: EPO

- Mauro Santambrogio

- Mustafa Sayar

 

Forget cycling. Look at how (I think because of the work done in cycling) the athletes are getting caught in all other sports finally. And look at how pathetic the sanctions are against them. A slap on the wrist for everyone else, and we complain about two years in cycling not being enough?

[T-Bob]

Forget cycling. Look at how (I think because of the work done in cycling) the athletes are getting caught in all other sports finally. And look at how pathetic the sanctions are against them. A slap on the wrist for everyone else, and we complain about two years in cycling not being enough?

 

100%. everyone points at Cycling because the issues of the past in a time where the science and the rules were a joke in fighting doping.

 

Imagine if every other sport not only had the level of out of competition testing that cycling does but the biological passport as well. Not to mention the fact that every rider has to log their whereabouts for 1 hour everyday 3 months in advance. Mess up 3 times in 18 months (emergency with the kids, travel delays, sponsor moving event location, PA not updating that day's location which was submitted 2 months earlier) and you're gone. 2 years ban, lively hood ruined as well as the stigma. The level of scrutiny now is beyond all other sports.

 

UCI has banned the all injections of recovery products even if legal and blanket banned intravenous drips for recovery and dehydration. in 2011 USADA tested over 4600 times out of competition then in tennis tested 21 times. Same agency, different rules. Of course tennis doesn't have a history of doping culture but that is an assumption based on the past as well and how are you 100% sure unless you specifically test? In the modern game same pressures exist, the money is way better, sponsors want value, you need to recover fast after a 5 set marathon in 30c heat before the next match (and you're allowed to walk straight off the court into the dressing room and plug into a drip and start getting injections).

 

AFL: you can get caught 3 times on banned substances, the governing body will not release your name and on after strike 3 you get anominal slap on the wrist which can get rolled over if you seek counciling.

 

Cycling is not whiter than white, no where near. The horrors of the past are very evident but the media and the rest need give the current crop a chance to race and enjoy a performance, a success and build a true 'cleaner' culture before tearing a win down and nailing it on the alter of doping's past.

[ScottCM]

@hellocolour

 

Much respect, couldn't agree more nor frase it in a better way.

[andydude]

I have always had an open mind. That is what has allows a belief that this current change is the most positive chance for a cleaner pro peloton. If I didn't then i'd be stuck in a 'they're all doping' mindset and continually find something to point at and shake my head in disappointment.

 

Sure there will always be people wanting to cheat to win, because of pressure, lack of ability after all the sacrifice and because of money. Times have changed. Results have changed. Mindsets have changed. It's not 100% rosey, cuddles and hugs but it's going in the right direction and driven by the riders coming through.

 

----

 

Edit: will be interesting to see where and what level the results on the anti doping site are. Let us know if you get in.

 

I admire your outlook and I wish I could be as positive!

 

The problem in my mind is: same team managers, same riders, same doctors, same omerta, same everything. You don't just simply stop doping.

 

It's quite a manual registration process on their website and I'm still waiting for any reply. At least they also post all the doping positives from other sports as well.

[JGR]

Maybe he just had the same rare blood disease that Pierre Spies had ....

[Lucky Luke.]

There is an E, P and an O in the peloton.

 

Being able to spell the word should be a minimum requirement for presenting your opinion on it.

[Cellar]

"It's impossible to finish in the top 10 in the Giro d'Italia and not dope."

 

Some interesting comments from Di Luca. (As well as the peanut gallery in the comments section...)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-90-per-cent-of-riders-in-giro-ditalia-were-doping

[ScottCM]

What a chop , and how typical and narrow minded of him to say "The best thing would be to legalize drugs so the entire peloton is on a level playing field."

[rock]

he speaks the truth........

[T-Bob]

Wasn't going to post on this as Di Luca isn't worth the time or effort but I had to love this response.

 

“I feel genuine hatred towards Di Luca. He's a worthless lying scumbag making false statements that hurt the sport I love.”

Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp)

 

Not much more needed really.

[rock]

Wasn't going to post on this as Di Luca isn't worth the time or effort but I had to love this response.

 

“I feel genuine hatred towards Di Luca. He's a worthless lying scumbag making false statements that hurt the sport I love.”

Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp)

 

Not much more needed really.

 

Surely his boss Vaughters lied once or twice abut doping.......

['Dale]

His credibility is shot.

Unfortunately, he won't be taken seriously even if it is the truth.