Smoothie104

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...l04/jul19news5



28 year old Belgian cyclist Dave Bruylandts has tested positive for EPO after an out of competition control following the GP Pino Cerami on April 8, 2004. Bruylandts finished fourth and was drug tested in that race, but was also visited by UCI's anti-doping inspectors the next day. The latter test revealed traces of EPO in his urine in both his A and B samples.

Bruylandts confirmed the result at a press conference later this afternoon, but declared that he did not consciously take EPO. "I won't contest the result," he said. "The only possible explanation is that there was something in the products I got from my nutritional advisor, whom I trust. It was certainly a mistake to trust him. I have started my own investigation."

Bruylandts was controlled at the GP Pino Cerami, but the result was negative. However, he has been closely monitored by the UCI since the start of the year as a rider with anomalous blood values, hence the surprise visit the next day. In 2000, he was sacked by Farm Frites after being controlled with a hematocrit of 53%.

The Belgian cycling federation will question Bruylandts on Tuesday and he faces a suspension of between six months and two years.

Bruylandts had a strong start to the season, riding very well in the Tour de Langkawi (3rd), E3 Prijs (caught in the finale), Dwars Door Vlaanderen (4th) and Ronde van Vlaanderen, where he was a very strong third. However, while training for Liege-Bastogne-Liege, he broke his elbow and his spring was finished. Although he has resumed training since then, he said at the press conference that "It will certainly be a while before I can race again."

For the time being, he has not been sacked by his Chocolade Jacques team.

brent_dube

That is good to hear
Maybe there is hope in cycling after all (until gene therapy maybe?)

Hitchy

g'day,

another one bites the dust....as usual his excuse will be something like, " a KGB agent snuck into my room & sprinkled EPO on my cornflakes to frame me....I would never ever, ever take EPO"............insert Virenque's, millar's, etc etc head into the picture. The biggest problem is these guys never get rubbed out for long enough...give em life...they are nothing but drug cheats...our sport doesn't need them,

cheers

Hitchy

holicow

You can't ingest EPO. Or, more specifically, if you ingest it, it doesn't do anything, and it won't show on tests, either.

Someone would have to "sneak into his room" and poke him with a needle, without his knowing....hmmm....

Hitchy

G'day,

I understand how EPO works, that was my attempt at humour. Whenever we're out for a bunch training ride & someone goes hard off the front, or climbs better than usual the standard joke is "he musta had EPO on his cornflakes/toast this morning". A grim joke admittedly, but probably sums up what the drug cheats have done to our sport,

cheers,

Hitchy

RiPHRaPH

lets just admit that many cyclists inject. its a level playing field because a few on every team does it. they may cycle (no pun) it well, or mask it well (or not well) >> big money means means big expectation of big results. i wish it weren't true.

Hitchy

g'day,

at the 'end of the day' (gee i hate that phase!) its a sport, not rocket science,its not gunna come up with a cure for cancer, or poverty or stupidity. But cheating is cheating is cheating. You wanna cheat & lie & line your own pockets?...become a politician!...sport is better than that....rub these cheating lieing scumbags out for ever,

cheers,

Hitchy

KingRene

Andrei Tchmil is going to tear him a new a$$.