From last year's TDF, but still...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/tourdefrance/2006-09-08-medical-doping_x.htm

Apparently, 13 guys tested positive. Only one was not excused by a medically allowed doping certificate: Floyd Landis.

Hmmmm... well, I could look at this and say, poor Floyd, too bad he did not find out suddenly he has a medical condition. On the other hand, I have a tough time thinking that the majority of the world's best cyclists have medical conditions. I mean, no offense to asthma sufferers everywhere, but in general, they were not exactly the kids dominating in the endurance sports. How all these medically challenged athletes beat out perfectly capable cyclists seems fishy, no?

Hmmmm... well, I could look at this and say, poor Floyd, too bad he did not find out suddenly he has a medical condition. On the other hand, I have a tough time thinking that the majority of the world's best cyclists have medical conditions. I mean, no offense to asthma sufferers everywhere, but in general, they were not exactly the kids dominating in the endurance sports. How all these medically challenged athletes beat out perfectly capable cyclists seems fishy, no?

It's called sports induced asthma and it mostly occures to endurance athletes. I saw a Eurosport coverage of a Giro stage and they had a Brittish woman's pro cyclist describe what she had to go through to get her "asthma" cert.

We'll leave it at this, you wouldn't want to do it once let alone every season. It involves inhaling saline infused air until you choke.
It is performed by a third party doctor. You just don't show up at your GP and he signs a 'script and away you go.

Apparently, 13 guys tested positive. Only one was not excused by a medically allowed doping certificate: Floyd Landis.
IIRC the vast majority of those riders have approval for albuterol / asthma medication, and you need a very high level of those medicines in your system to receive an aerobic benefit and/or cover up other stimulants. By the way, Petacchi is having some issues, and had to sit out this year's TdF, because while he had a TUE he tested over the acceptable limit for alubterol use during the Giro -- and may actually have to sit out a year as a result.

You're also kidding yourself if you think that no one ever gets busted for T. Sinkewitz got nailed in a pre-Tour test and fessed up just last week.

Would you like some more straws to clutch at....?


On the other hand, I have a tough time thinking that the majority of the world's best cyclists have medical conditions.... How all these medically challenged athletes beat out perfectly capable cyclists seems fishy, no?
No.

The medical conditions are a result of training and endurance exercise, not necessarily pre-existing conditions.

It's very easy to develop asthma at any point in life, either in reaction to environmental conditions or due to training. Pollution and particulate matter can cause many respiratory issues; Olympic athletes & their coaches have been talking for months already about prepping for Beijing, which is extremely hot and polluted. Also, exercising outdoors all day dries out your airways, and can easily result in exercise-induced asthma.

In addition, the amounts of asthma medicine allowed per WADA / UCI etc is below the level that provides any sort of aerobic benefit, performance enhancement (or, I assume, masking abilities).

I.e., nothing to see here, let's move on shall we....

Hmmmm... well, I could look at this and say, poor Floyd, too bad he did not find out suddenly he has a medical condition. On the other hand, I have a tough time thinking that the majority of the world's best cyclists have medical conditions. I mean, no offense to asthma sufferers everywhere, but in general, they were not exactly the kids dominating in the endurance sports. How all these medically challenged athletes beat out perfectly capable cyclists seems fishy, no?

Yea, Rich Demont (sp) sure wasnot that good a distance swimmer.

Hmmmm... well, I could look at this and say, poor Floyd, too bad he did not find out suddenly he has a medical condition. On the other hand, I have a tough time thinking that the majority of the world's best cyclists have medical conditions. I mean, no offense to asthma sufferers everywhere, but in general, they were not exactly the kids dominating in the endurance sports. How all these medically challenged athletes beat out perfectly capable cyclists seems fishy, no?

Guess someone should've warned you, late-onset asthamatics are a touchy bunch:D

another thing to note is that quite a few people suffer from seasonal allergies. Most allergy medication is banned in pro cycling and these guys have to suffer through it.

Where is the official list of what is and what isn't allowed? IIRC the list is huuuuuuge! :eek:

It's called sports induced asthma and it mostly occures to endurance athletes. I saw a Eurosport coverage of a Giro stage and they had a Brittish woman's pro cyclist describe what she had to go through to get her "asthma" cert.

We'll leave it at this, you wouldn't want to do it once let alone every season. It involves inhaling saline infused air until you choke.
It is performed by a third party doctor. You just don't show up at your GP and he signs a 'script and away you go.

sport induced asthma is REALLY a problem at the altitudes these guys ride and race at...and when temps go from 80 to 30 back to 80 five times on a ride. that is why many really do need something to fix it

Link to the list of banned substances.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/bcf/antidoping.asp

I get hay fever in the summer and have to have two types of inhaler for it. If I couldn't use them then I would not be able to ride a bike at all!

Furthermore the riders / athletes constantly have fumes spitting out at them from the press / camera cars and bikes. Nice.