Dark Clouds
There's more sad news from the Tour de France. And we're not talking about the rain that turned the Individual Time Trial roads into a slick track.
One of the heroes of the Tour, Alexandre Vinokourov, tested positive for blood doping following his breathtaking win in the first Individual Time Trial. He has been suspended from the team, Astana, and all of their riders have been withdrawn from the race, including their top GC contender Andreas Kloeden. Prior to the tour two of their riders admitted to using illegal substances and were suspended from competing.
Danish rider, Michael Rasmussen of the Dutch Rabobank team is wearing the yellow jersey right now. Turns out he has been given repeated warnings for his failures to report his whereabouts to drug testing teams to allow them to conduct impromptu tests. And word got out via the media, not through the Tour organizers.
Impromptu testing is common for many of the riders. Lance Armstrong put up with it throughout his career. The testing teams would show up unannounced on his doorstep at all hours of the day, often very early in the morning, and he would have to submit to their tests right then and there. Never once did he test positive for illegal substances. He still has to live with the accusations that he was using illegal means to enhance this performance. Never mind that he was born a freak of nature (his body is extremely efficient at utilizing oxygen) and has admitted to using drugs at one time in his life - chemotherapy during his battle against cancer!
So Vino tests positive for blood doping and Rasmussen, the current yellow jersey in this year's competition, has repeatedly refused to submit to drug testing.
Doesn't look good. Especially after all the riders in the Tour signed an oath not to use illegal enhancements and to report any abuses.
The Tour organizers and the athletes' sports organization are committed to cleaning up the sport. And they say the Tour will continue.
One of the heroes of the Tour, Alexandre Vinokourov, tested positive for blood doping following his breathtaking win in the first Individual Time Trial. He has been suspended from the team, Astana, and all of their riders have been withdrawn from the race, including their top GC contender Andreas Kloeden. Prior to the tour two of their riders admitted to using illegal substances and were suspended from competing.
Danish rider, Michael Rasmussen of the Dutch Rabobank team is wearing the yellow jersey right now. Turns out he has been given repeated warnings for his failures to report his whereabouts to drug testing teams to allow them to conduct impromptu tests. And word got out via the media, not through the Tour organizers.
Impromptu testing is common for many of the riders. Lance Armstrong put up with it throughout his career. The testing teams would show up unannounced on his doorstep at all hours of the day, often very early in the morning, and he would have to submit to their tests right then and there. Never once did he test positive for illegal substances. He still has to live with the accusations that he was using illegal means to enhance this performance. Never mind that he was born a freak of nature (his body is extremely efficient at utilizing oxygen) and has admitted to using drugs at one time in his life - chemotherapy during his battle against cancer!
So Vino tests positive for blood doping and Rasmussen, the current yellow jersey in this year's competition, has repeatedly refused to submit to drug testing.
Doesn't look good. Especially after all the riders in the Tour signed an oath not to use illegal enhancements and to report any abuses.
The Tour organizers and the athletes' sports organization are committed to cleaning up the sport. And they say the Tour will continue.