Professional Cycling For the Fans - Pereiro says he feels like the Tour Champion

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-5995917,00.html


Spanish rider Oscar Pereiro said on Saturday he felt like the winner of the Tour de France even though he still had to wait for official confirmation.

"After hearing the result of the B test this morning I feel 99 percent champion," Pereiro told a news conference.

"There are some bureaucratic steps still to go and we don't know what the lawyers will do, so I must wait some days or weeks before I know for sure."

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-5995917,00.html

When asked to comment Pererio had this to say "Boy Howdy am a glad I did not a get caught."

When asked to comment Pererio had this to say "Boy Howdy am a glad I did not a get caught."

In fact, he did not test positive. Based on the rules of the sport and the governing sanctioning body, his statement is accurate. Whether or not he's clean is simply conjecture. By the rules governing the Tour,
he is clean and in all likelihood will be awarded the Tour title.

How nice for Pererio to feel that way.

How nice for Pererio to feel that way.

yep especially since his buddy handed him the race TWICE :eek: !

ed rader

How nice for Pererio to feel that way.

Periero also stated earlier that winning the Tour by virtue of it being awarded to him due to another rider being disqualified would be "a bureaucratic victory" and that it would not be the same as being named the champion on the Champs-Elysees with the cheering crowds on the day that the race ended. I think he is less than delighted that he is going to win the title after the fact.

As for your post, it sounds like you believe that Periero doped..but you have no proof. Unfortunately for Landis, there is proof.

I agree with Periero that I as well would like to see a Tour champion crowned as a result on what occurs on the road, not in the laboratory. Due to this year's problems, the Tour and the sport of cycling face a very uncertain future which affects all cycling fans and riders.

As for your post, it sounds like you believe that Periero doped..but you have no proof.

Really, you read that into my statement? I don't care if Floyd, Periero or anyone else doped. It makes no difference to me at all. I was just stating that it is nice that Periero has feelings one way or another- I was dismissive of his feelings rather than judging him for them.

Periero also stated earlier that winning the Tour by virtue of it being awarded to him due to another rider being disqualified would be "a bureaucratic victory" and that it would not be the same as being named the champion on the Champs-Elysees with the cheering crowds on the day that the race ended. I think he is less than delighted that he is going to win the title after the fact.

As for your post, it sounds like you believe that Periero doped..but you have no proof. Unfortunately for Landis, there is proof.

I agree with Periero that I as well would like to see a Tour champion crowned as a result on what occurs on the road, not in the laboratory. Due to this year's problems, the Tour and the sport of cycling face a very uncertain future which affects all cycling fans and riders.


how long have you been following the tour? you think this year's scandal is really worse than previous years?

periero would have never won without being spotted 30 minutes. my take is he'll be happier than a punk in a pecker tree to get the title and the MONEY :eek: .

ed rader

"After hearing the result of the B test this morning I feel 99 percent champion," Pereiro told a news conference.

And the other 1% would be?

The winner of the tour is the highest place doper who doesn't get caught.
It has been this way for decades.
I see no reason to change it.

...
Due to this year's problems, the Tour and the sport of cycling face a very uncertain future which affects all cycling fans and riders.

Your concern is well founded. I won't be watching the tour next year. It's like Major League Baseball. I don't care anymore. Looking for another sport to watch.

As for your post, it sounds like you believe that Periero doped..but you have no proof.


But does the tour officials have proof, or for that matter does the UCI? Was periero even tested? I have my doubts that he was. It seems that when an American does well in the tour he is the only one tested or the only one tested more then anyone else. Officials do this & call it random testing. Yeah right. They are so hard up to not have an American win or do well they'll do anything to prevent it. Who does the testing? An independent lab? Or one selected by the UCI or the tour? Seems rigged to me. Test results can be falsified no matter what anyone says. I have a hunch either the test was contaminated or the results were documented wrong.

Also Floyd had had cortison shots because of his hip. Cortison is a synthetic steroid. If I am not mistaken if a racer has any treatments like that he has to disclose it to officials, which I'm sure Floyd did. Do they not believe it that treatments such as this can cause the results in the testing?

In fact, he did not test positive. Based on the rules of the sport and the governing sanctioning body, his statement is accurate. Whether or not he's clean is simply conjecture. By the rules governing the Tour,
he is clean and in all likelihood will be awarded the Tour title.

*cheesy italian accent* "i was...how you say...a joking"

But does the tour officials have proof, or for that matter does the UCI? Was periero even tested? I have my doubts that he was. It seems that when an American does well in the tour he is the only one tested or the only one tested more then anyone else. Officials do this & call it random testing. Yeah right. They are so hard up to not have an American win or do well they'll do anything to prevent it. Who does the testing? An independent lab? Or one selected by the UCI or the tour? Seems rigged to me. Test results can be falsified no matter what anyone says. I have a hunch either the test was contaminated or the results were documented wrong.

Also Floyd had had cortison shots because of his hip. Cortison is a synthetic steroid. If I am not mistaken if a racer has any treatments like that he has to disclose it to officials, which I'm sure Floyd did. Do they not believe it that treatments such as this can cause the results in the testing?

Pereiro was tested four times..

Pereiro was tested four times..


And stayed ahead of the science for testing.... Floyd wouldn't have gotten caught if he took the patch off on time. Look at Lance.... he never failed a drug test..... and we all know he was clean :rolleyes:

Your concern is well founded. I won't be watching the tour next year. It's like Major League Baseball. I don't care anymore. Looking for another sport to watch.


Ditto for me. Not much enjoyment (or sport) for that matter watching pharmaceutically enhanced freaks scamper up big mountains with european names. Besides, the winner won't really be known until the drug testing and relevant appeals are complete. They should call the A drug testing Stage 21, B drug testing Stage 22, and resolution of appeals/arbitration stage 23. I still had some (perhaps naive) hope at the outset that cycling was cleaning itself up - after all, it has more stringent testing standards than other sports. Operacion Puerto and Floyd have convinced me otherwise. Way to go Phlunkie Phonak Phloyd.

The stage winner and the Yellow Jersey are tested every day. Also three randomly selected riders and three controls (dunno who these may be, the moto guys? Medics? Journalists :eek: ?). Work out for yourselves how many times Oscar would have been tested.

OTOH on this basis Floyd would have been tested several times also, since he was YJ several times. Tho' whereas from long experience I have no patience whatsoever with conspiracy theories, I'd still really really love to know what happened with those other tests.

lr

OTOH on this basis Floyd would have been tested several times also, since he was YJ several times. Tho' whereas from long experience I have no patience whatsoever with conspiracy theories, I'd still really really love to know what happened with those other tests.


They were tested and did not reveal a high T:E ratio. Therefore no IRMS test was performed on them at the time. I imagine that they have retained what remains of those samples, as well as of the sample "B"s for those days, as is required by WADA.

Pereiro was less than a minute behind Landis, a rider caught doping. The idea that Landis was wonderful/glorious and Pereiro's performance that was 0.01% worse in time terms isn't anything to write home about strikes me as weird.

Pereiro should be applauded for a great Tour in which he was the fastest athlete who abided by the rules. He has already been gracious enough to not bad mouth Landis after his A sample was positive, or 'usurp his throne' before the results came in and now others should congratulate him with the same grace instead of whining like sore losers.

Pereiro deserves the victory as much as Armstrong did all of his.

Also remember Basso and Ullrich were robbed of the chance to take part on the day before the tour. Landis winning was as much of a gift as Pereiro winning.

Pereiro was less than a minute behind Landis, a rider caught doping. The idea that Landis was wonderful/glorious and Pereiro's performance that was 0.01% worse in time terms isn't anything to write home about strikes me as weird.

Pereiro should be applauded for a great Tour in which he was the fastest athlete who abided by the rules. He has already been gracious enough to not bad mouth Landis after his A sample was positive, or 'usurp his throne' before the results came in and now others should congratulate him with the same grace instead of whining like sore losers.

Agreed...Pereiro and Landis are friends..Oscar would have preferred to have won on the streets of France instead of gaining the title by virtue of his friend failing a lab test. He was gracious throughout the tour, especially after the last time trial when he warmly congratulated Landis. His statements after the tour were not out of line and were quite reasonable for a competitor in his position. He deserves to be champion unless something quite miraculous occurs that would enable Floyd to keep his title.

What about the Astana team who were all cleared a couple of days after the tour ended. This is not an anti American stance. Alot of guys got hung out to dry on this one.
Floyd got caught. Sucks to be him.

What about the Astana team who were all cleared a couple of days after the tour ended.

I think you'll find if you dig a bit that the 'Astana Five' were cleared by a Spanish court of any criminal wrongdoing.

This is not surprising, since at the time sports doping was (is?) not a criminal offence in Spain (though I believe this about to change, not sure of the date, hence the query).

This 'clearance' therefore has very little relevance in judging whether or not the individuals involved actually doped.

The one I really feel sorry for is Vino. Not saying he'd have won the Tour (I just don't think he has the tactical nous to do this, never mind his evident raw power) but he was prevented from starting and perhaps from contesting KoM by his team lacking the minimum number of (non-tainted) riders, not by any first hand association with Operacion Puerto.

lr

Spain passed an anti-sports cheating law in March of this year, the law covers doping thus they [these riders] would be criminally liable is so implicated. Furthermore, the judge cleared them of any involvement not just criminal wrongdoing. Your analysis of them is wrong.

Spain passed an anti-sports cheating law in March of this year, the law covers doping thus they [these riders] would be criminally liable is so implicated. Furthermore, the judge cleared them of any involvement not just criminal wrongdoing. Your analysis of them is wrong.

No. Spanish law in force at the time of Operacion Puerto (and even now) does not criminalize doping for athletes (the law is a draft law and is expected to come into force by the end of the year). The last I read is that it was approved by the government and had been sent to the Spanish legislature.

http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/pro-tour/2005-2006/sport_sto893029.shtml

BTW, could you please cite some sources that indicate that the judge has cleared the riders of any involvement. I have not found any statements from credible sources that go that far. Only which say that the athletes will not be charged in any criminal proceedings.

I think you'll find if you dig a bit that the 'Astana Five' were cleared by a Spanish court of any criminal wrongdoing.

This is not surprising, since at the time sports doping was (is?) not a criminal offence in Spain (though I believe this about to change, not sure of the date, hence the query).

This 'clearance' therefore has very little relevance in judging whether or not the individuals involved actually doped.

The one I really feel sorry for is Vino. Not saying he'd have won the Tour (I just don't think he has the tactical nous to do this, never mind his evident raw power) but he was prevented from starting and perhaps from contesting KoM by his team lacking the minimum number of (non-tainted) riders, not by any first hand association with Operacion Puerto.

lr

Watch cycling much?!? Vino is not known for raw power, he is known for tactics. Basso considered Vino to be his main rival in this year's tour.

Pereiro and Voigt were the only riders who didn't take the longest stage of the race off. Pereiro totally deserves the win. The yellow jersey isn't anyone's to give away. That's so arrogant. Pereiro took it with his attack, and they let him. Same thing happened on stage 17, but that was somehow heroic. Give me a break.

It is interesting, given that the yellow jersey is always tested, perhaps Landis thought that if he came back on Stage 17, but not enough to get the yellow back (which is EXACTLY what he did), then they wouldn't test him or give him the full battery of tests that day.

I think they should have special yellow jersey ceremony for Pereiro. If there was a huge turnout it would be good for cycling.

No. Spanish law in force at the time of Operacion Puerto (and even now) does not criminalize doping for athletes (the law is a draft law and is expected to come into force by the end of the year). The last I read is that it was approved by the government and had been sent to the Spanish legislature.

http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/pro-tour/2005-2006/sport_sto893029.shtml

BTW, could you please cite some sources that indicate that the judge has cleared the riders of any involvement. I have not found any statements from credible sources that go that far. Only which say that the athletes will not be charged in any criminal proceedings.

I think it's just a matter of translation. Most of the articles I've read say that the document they obtained from the Spanish court clears the way for them to sue for damages. If they were implicated in any way with doping, they couldn't do that.

With your logic all riders would be cleared because none will be criminally charged. So where are the documents "clearing" Ullrich and Basso? They are still implicated.

It is interesting, given that the yellow jersey is always tested, perhaps Landis thought that if he came back on Stage 17, but not enough to get the yellow back (which is EXACTLY what he did), then they wouldn't test him or give him the full battery of tests that day.

He'd have been an idiot to think that. The MJ and stage winner are tested after every stage. That part is not random. It would have been pretty difficult for him to have gained back the time without being the stage winner.

I doubt very much he started the day thinking he would win the stage. He blew it by not letting someone else win. It was a major blunder the other teams not to chase. Landis couldn't have predicted this.

I doubt very much he started the day thinking he would win the stage. He blew it by not letting someone else win. It was a major blunder the other teams not to chase. Landis couldn't have predicted this.

I just don't see how he could have this idea to do a pack finish or something yet still be making his comeback move. Maybe someone can show me the math of how he would have done that; let "someone" else win, without letting Pereiro be that someone, yet still gain back 8 minutes. Besides, all signs suggest that he *did* start the day thining he would win, or at least try to win. The "better have a Coke boys, 'cause we're going off at the first climb if you want to come along" comment and the behavior of his team certainly suggest he was going to give it a go.

I just don't see how he could have this idea to do a pack finish or something yet still be making his comeback move. Maybe someone can show me the math of how he would have done that; let "someone" else win, without letting Pereiro be that someone, yet still gain back 8 minutes. Besides, all signs suggest that he *did* start the day thining he would win, or at least try to win. The "better have a Coke boys, 'cause we're going off at the first climb if you want to come along" comment and the behavior of his team certainly suggest he was going to give it a go.
I think 'nother's analysis is spot on.

Floyd himself may have not believed he could get back so much time, but he had to know his only chance to get back any significant time was to win the stage, which implies a drug test at the end.

I mean, there would be no point in trying to do what he did if it was based on the assumption that he could use drugs because he won't get tested because he won't win the stage.

I think he just got his numbers off. Either he left the patch on too long, or the masking agent (epitestosterone) did not work, or he didn't take enough of that. Something like that.

I wish they had blood and urine samples from the top 10 in the final TT, and would test them all for everything. In particular, it would be interesting to see what exactly was the fuel that Pereiro and Kloden were burning that day.