$700 isn't that much money, but for the test itself that makes sense. I was quoted $1500 per test about 4-5 years ago (and it didn't include EPO or other more exotic drugs, it only included testosterone and some other normal civilian stuff like amphetamines) due to the courier, USADA travel stuff, etc.

20% seems right to you? Thinking of some of the races where there are some good riders, 20% seems high. Maybe I'm naive. I figure there are a few guys around here who dope - I have my suspicions - but I can't think of 20 in a field of 100, or 10 in a field of 50. 10%, maybe 5%.

Of course with EPO there's no real outward signs. Well unless someone like me suddenly starts climbing well (the day that happens you can ask me to pee in a cup and take some of my blood).

A question - hematomas - are they normal for normal people? There's a picture of the NY guy after he had what looked like a minor crash:


Joe Papp had a similar experience where he had a huge hematoma after a relatively innocuous fall. He says that it's a common side effect of taking the stuff that keeps EPO users from having strokes. I've seen other guys have huge hematomas after small almost-non incidents, like 2-3-4" of height on a calf or hip after bumping their leg on the car bumper kind of thing.

Found info - it's a blood thinner to prevent clotting, which would explain the hematomas:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2007/...f-doping_13149

I fell pretty hard in 2010 and slightly less hard in 2011 but I had nowhere near that kind of swelling (and I never have in the dozens of crashes I had eons ago). Both were very slight to not noticeable.