A new kind of doping method has been circulating. Dubbed as “mechanized doping”, it was said to be that a hidden motor can be placed in the downtubes on pro bikes.
Davide Cassini, Italian TV commentator and former pro road cyclist shares that he has ridden a pro bike that weighed 10kg, rigged with an electric motor. The device was hidden in the frame at the crank.
Two weeks ago, Italian newspapers released a story that says some riders in the Giro have used bikes with electric motors to give them an advantage in the race. Later on, the riders changed to standard bikes to avoid getting caught.
The Gruber Assist motors which costs £1800 is a retrofit kit that won a Eurobike Award in 2007. Cassini claims that a pro team can afford to use the Gruber Assist item and somehow find a way to hide the battery pack on the…
BMC Racing Team welcomes the return of Alessandro Ballan. Ballan was held off in joining any competition due to doping claims. However, the charges were unfounded. The La Gazzetta Dello Sport released a story of an investigation of the Lampre squad, both current and previous members, its team officials and coach Guido Nigrelli were ongoing for doping. Guiseppe Saronni, Maurizio Piovani and Fabrizio Bontempi were also under investigation.
In response to the investigation which was led by Antonino Condorelli, Ballan said, “I have received notification of a request to extend the preliminary investigation by six months. I have put everything in the hands of my lawyer.”
BMC issues a statement regarding the status of the inquiry, “The BMC Racing Team has concluded its internal investigation regarding rider Alessandro Ballan. The BMC Racing Team could not find indications that Alessandro Ballan was involved in any doping in connection with his former team,…
With the surge on anti-doping in cycling, the International Cycling Union (UCI) started to look into irregular readings from the biological passport data. This intensive move was brought about several factors including the recent Floyd Landis case. Francesco De Bonis was first to be sanctioned a two year ban due to doping. De Bonis was also fined €13,000. The basis for the said doping charge was due to Italian’s blood profile. The irregular readings were testament to De Bonis’ guilt even if he has never tested positive in any anti-doping tests.
UCI issued a statement regarding the case, “The UCI emphasizes the historic importance of this first judgment under the scope of the biological passport programme, introduced by the UCI in 2008.”
A UCI spokeperson added that De Bonis was caught and judged based on the findings in his biological passport. UCI also cited that Spanish cyclist Antonio Colom Mas is…
The sport of cycling is one of the most prestigious yet very challenging sports in the world and is often plagued by illegal endurance performances due to drug use. This has brought about the strict implementation of biological passport to contain cheating in the sporting event.
The biological passport scheme developed two and half years ago has the total support and confidence of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The passport monitors the blood of athletes and electronically records the composition of the blood and any other substances, prohibited or not, that could boost performance.
However, a group of scientists came out with a way to which biological passport could be avoided. The scientists concluded that through microdosing method, the biological passport could be eluded as well as EPO detection in an athlete’s blood stream. It further added that many dishonest athletes and doctors practicing the method are aware of microdosing. The revelations by…
Toni Tauler, 36-year-old Spanish track cyclist and winner of the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics was tested for banned substances. The results came back as positive. The Spanish Cycling Federation facilitated the drug testing before the competition of the world championships in Ballerup, Denmark. This happened last March.
As with the guidelines of a first positive, a second analysis can be requested. Tauler took this chance of a B-sample testing. Spanish newspaper El Pais as well as sports newspaper AS revealed that the second testing will take effect as scheduled. The Spanish Cycling Federation chose not to comment on the said news item published.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Tauler took home the silver in the men’s Madison event, together with Joan Llaneras. The same category in Ballerup was where Tauler was supposed to compete with teammate Unai Elloriage but they were forced to withdraw and drop from the race.
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In a series of emails to cycling officials and sponsors, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong is being accused of doping by Floyd Landis. Landis also admitted his recent involvement with doping.
After winning the Tour De France in 2006, Landis’ doping test came back positive, voiding his win in the race. As a result, he was banned from cycling by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Armstrong’s coach, Johan Bruyneel, played a role in Landis’ doping, according to an email. It was Bruyneel who educated Landis on performance enhancement drugs, said Landis.
The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that the emails it reviewed are from Landis. Not all of the correspondence have been confirmed to be from him at this time, however.
The emails also outlined a number of American riders other than Armstrong who bamboozled the anti-doping system by way of blood transfusions and other methods used to…
Thomas Frei of Switzerland revealed that he has been using the drug for the past two years. He admitted that his EPO test yielded positive results after he took a micro-dose on the eve of the early morning test. Fret stated that he was into dope without the BMC Racing Team’s knowledge at all. Jim Ochowicz , co –owner of BMC Racing was grateful about Fret’s honest confession, however his contract was duly terminated immediately.
Ochowicz further announced, “The BMC Racing Team will now separate from Thomas Frei but thanks Thomas Frei for his honesty to confess his failure. This brings transparency to the situation and is part of the anti-doping fight the BMC Racing Team is committed to be part of.”
The 25 year old Frei divulged the truth in a press conference in Olten, Switzerland. “It is correct, that I have taken EPO. Therefore there is no sense in opening…
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