Horner
 

Apparently the chuckleheads from the Spanish doping agency showed up at the wrong hotel and have decided to make this an issue with Horner.

They, USADA, decided to do another "out of competition test" after the race ended. I am surmising that is in addition to the automatic test they did at the end of the stage, which is common practice for a race leader. Well, they showed up at the Radio Shack Leopard hotel and Horner's not there. Harrumph, harrumph...

According to the team, Horner updated his ADAMS database with his whereabouts, and is appears that the doping people assumed that he was still at the Radio Shack hotel. He wne to anothr hotel (and info says he updates this in the system) because his wife was staying elsewhere.

Unbelievable...

This stuff is really sad...and annoying. But of course, Horner came out in defense of Armstrong and peed in USADA's pool.

What I'd really like to know is why two tests in one day, assuming the end of race leader test that, like I said is standard common practice.

I am also assuming that, like the multiple computer systems I use every entry or edit is dated and marked.

If the facts are as reported then Horner has no case to answer.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/vuel...-29582652.html

It may have been a mistake by the Spanish or maybe the Americans either way it shouldn't have been leaked.

I remember them saying on Eurosport that Horner was random tested early one morning on I think either stage 18 or 19.

I would hate for Horner to be implicated in a doping scandal because of some clerical malfunction.

Do we know that he was indeed tested at the end of the race?

One nice takeaway to all of this might be... If Horner and Froome are in fact clean than we really may be turning around in the right directions from the Armstrong saga. All of the Grand Tours this year were great and if all remain clean, I am in high hopes!

The USADA need to establish the facts and issue a statement pronto.

Here's a link to the document issued by RadioShack.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/168527727/...Sept-15th-2013

Looks like proof of compliance to me.

Leaders are tested at the end of each stage. If that did not occur at the end of the race, I would not know why. It's automatic.

Point...I think USADA is playing games, test-wise. But I also think they assumed he was at the team hotel even though he had apprently changed his locatoin per the rules.

I understand he is not in Madrid anymore. Went to Valencia, I think.

See Horner's email (notifying his whereabouts) and the USADA acknowledgement here. It seems pretty slam-dunk for Horner and against the testers. http://www.radioshackleopardtrek.com...-testers-wrong

On another note, RSLT have posted Horner's SRM file for stage 18. http://www.srm.de/news/road-cycling/...pana-stage-18/

..."and will seek compensation for this matter withthe responsible anti-doping agencies."

Oops...

The 221 average watts is not that amazing. Heck I can do that. (unfortunately I also weigh a lot more than 65kg)

The 424 watts for the final climb (6.5 w/kg) is pretty friggin good, but not unprecedented.

I agree. There is a lot of theoretical watt and watt/kg estimates from climbs that have a lot of history, like Alpe d'Huez. One thing I try to keep in mind is, most of those climbs are much longer than the 16 to 17 minute final climb of stage 18. Alpe d'Huez, for example, is a 40 minute -plus climb for the top racers. Obviously, the duration of a climb greatly affects the average power possible.

You know what the worst part is? The press in the US is almost certainly going to report this as him ducking the testers. :(

What press? I've been googling for stories about Horner's victory in the Vuelta and there is surprisingly little info out there given how amazing it is for a 42 year old racer to win one of the grand tours.

This!
Not one mention of his victory in any of the news networks.

I agree.

"Horner who? What's the Vuelta?"

That's the response from colleagues (who are avid TdF followers). They think TdF is the only Grand Tour.

No kidding! It's like it didn't happen! You'd think AARP would want to give him a parade!

Apparently USADA did not notify the Spanish testers of Horner's change of location (according to USADA) so no harm no foul other than
all the scandal seeking internet discussions (including here) that are bound to start

United States Attention Deficit Authority.

to be fair ESPN did have an article the other day when he won. I'm guessing it was also mentioned on sport center even if very briefly.
http://espn.go.com/sports/endurance/...-tour-champion

It was on the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/sp...pana.html?_r=0

Now, let's see if and where he can get a contract.

My email account shows a few news blurbs when I was logging in and was nice enough to give me the stage 20 results before I watched it.

Go figure, the only cycling headline they've shown all year.

The only admission by USADA that it failed to update the Spanish testers on Horner's location is in a Velo News article.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/...dium=whats-hot

I've checked the USADA website and can't find any press statement relating to Horner. Twentyfour hours after this story broke and still they haven't got a statement up, it's not good enough.

Except that it all started out with Vuelta winner missing for post-race test. Went to hotel and he was not there/gone. Why even mention it at all until someone figures out what is going on?

Everyone seems to be blaming the Spanish testing agency for the leak but it could have been some hotel employee or a journalist hanging round it hoping for an interview.

NPR's website gave equal billing to Horner and Graeme Obree.

Its going to be a rough few years for GT jersey winners with LA at el. I just wish we could get past this. Why do we have 7+ articles from Velo, cyclingnews stipulating did these guys dope? Innocent until proven guilty, its just a bummer that these guys can't embrace such a win without being riddled with questions.