Professional Cycling For the Fans - Why dont pro cyclists...

There seems to be so much controv. about steroids. Why dont procyclists and teams collect their own samples and have them tested independently of the official labs. This seems like a small cost when you consider the consequences of getting kicked out of the sport.

Maybe they already do this, I know very little about these things.

They might, but if they do they would not let you or anyone else know. It doesn't take much in the way of brains to ask why are they testing?

There'd be no way to verify that they didn't cheat by means or sending clean samples taken previously or from someone else or use corrupt labs that have been bribed.

I think there should be random tests taken year round instead of just during races. It sounds like most people dope during training to build up strength and endurance and then stop so they'll test clean during races. And the affects of EPO can last weeks. If they test year round they'll never have the chance to dope in the first place.

Uh, why would you do a test for stuff you're putting into your atheletes??

That would be like eating a banana then testing to see if you had a higher-than-normal potassium level...

I meant that WADA or another organization invovled with professional cycling should randomly test riders throughout the year.

They do

Uh, why would you do a test for stuff you're putting into your atheletes??

That would be like eating a banana then testing to see if you had a higher-than-normal potassium level...

Because you are also eating potassium mask from drugs R us and you want to be sure your masking system works. Or perhaps you don;t have a masking system but want to be sure you only test at twice the normal level, just under the allowable maximum.

The teams know what they are putting in, but they still might want to be sure what a test might show.

The teams know what they are putting in, but they still might want to be sure what a test might show.
That's why they pay the big bucks to the doctors. Note that Ullrich, Basso et. al. passed all their tests, yet there is evidence, apparently, that they were all using, and at least Ullrich in particular was on an incredible regime for something like three years.

There seems to be so much controv. about steroids. Why dont procyclists and teams collect their own samples and have them tested independently of the official labs. This seems like a small cost when you consider the consequences of getting kicked out of the sport.

Maybe they already do this, I know very little about these things.

That's what BALCO was doing.

There'd be no way to verify that they didn't cheat by means or sending clean samples taken previously or from someone else or use corrupt labs that have been bribed.

I think there should be random tests taken year round instead of just during races. It sounds like most people dope during training to build up strength and endurance and then stop so they'll test clean during races. And the affects of EPO can last weeks. If they test year round they'll never have the chance to dope in the first place.


There's TONS of year round...out of race season testing. These guys are tested out the wazoo....so to speak.

There aren't that many labs who do the tests. The accredited ones need to report any positives to authorities as AAFs, and they aren't supposed to take private work. And they aren't cheap, and the teams have little motivation to care at this point.

-dB

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Somebody...quickly...give Ulrich some donuts.