Lance Armstrong... could miss the Tour de France

**Shorey** · 04-09-2009, 07:10 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othe...ng/7991866.stm

OK, I'll pin my colours to the mast... I reckon Lance Armstrong has always taken drugs. I simply can't believe that someone can stay at the top of the tree for so long, in such a demanding sport, without abnormal assistance.

However, I have a feeling that this recent news and his crash/shoulder, could start a spiral of 'Anti-Lance' reporting in true red top style. It will be interesting to watch.

Of course, if he goes on to win another Tour...well, it's just unfortunate for him that there are people out there like me who don't believe its an honest victory...like he gives a shit what we doubters think anyway....

://2

**cinnepa** · 04-09-2009, 07:27 AM

i don't know, some dude waiting for him in the driveway after a ride seems weird.

**bean** · 04-09-2009, 08:01 AM

The french are balls out trying to screw over Lance. He is under so much scrutiny that there's no way he's using drugs. The french are just a bunch of whiny bitches who can't handle losing to a uniball.

**Danno** · 04-09-2009, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Shorey

Of course, if he goes on to win another Tour...well, it's just unfortunate for him that there are people out there like me who don't believe its an honest victory...

What is an honest victory? Is it competing on a level playing field or is it being clean of drugs. Most people seem to say that bikers have been juicing for a LONG time, not just Lance.

**Blinkyjoe** · 04-09-2009, 08:57 AM

1-Lance continues to be the most tested athlete in the world. SOMETHING, SOMETIME would have shown up.

2-Lance's goals are not to "win" the tour, or the giro, or the vuelta. He's got a supporting role and will ride as such, with a goal of bringing more attention to his research foundation. If it turns out he's doing good one day, I reckon the DS will give him the go-ahead for a stage win.

My $.02

**powslut** · 04-09-2009, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by cinnepa

i don't know, some dude waiting for him in the driveway after a ride seems weird.

When you are a high level athlete in any sport you are subject to random drug tests with out warning. This isn't weird, it's the rules and everyone knows them.

From the WADA website:

Under the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), International Sports Federations (IFs) are required to have out-of-competition testing programs, in addition to in-competition testing.

Because out-of-competition tests can be conducted anytime, anywhere, and without notice to athletes, they are the most effective means of deterrence and detection of doping and are an important step in strengthening athlete and public confidence in doping-free sport.

**Lonnie** · 04-09-2009, 10:03 AM

Sproket Rockets JONG!

The "Comeback" isn't about the tour. It's about the triple crown. The tour was never an objective. The Giro and the Vuelta are. You should retitle this thread, "Lance will miss the Giro...."

**Tick** · 04-09-2009, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Blinkyjoe

1-Lance continues to be the most tested athlete in the world. SOMETHING, SOMETIME would have shown up.

I agree with this. there is no way he could have fooled all those tests.
people have been out to spoil his fun for years and haven't been able to.

i think the guy is just a freak of nature!

**Shorey** · 04-09-2009, 11:45 AM

[QUOTE=Lonnie;2346291]Sproket Rockets JONG![QUOTE]

My bad.

Danno has said it though...all these cyclists are on the juice. I used to love the days of Abdoujaparov, Bugno, Jalabert and of course Indurain (who, for me, kicks the shit out of Lance.) BUT looking back, I reckon all of these guys were on the drugs and it's sort of burst the bubble a bit as I held them in high regard.

**rideit** · 04-09-2009, 11:54 AM

"maybe he is an epistle to the apostles....Close the gate, son, that there is one randy bull!"
One of my favorite fuckng movies ever.

**CantDog** · 04-09-2009, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lonnie

Sproket Rockets JONG!

The "Comeback" isn't about the tour. It's about the triple crown. The tour was never an objective. The Giro and the Vuelta are. You should retitle this thread, "Lance will miss the Giro...."

Except he won't miss the Giro...

**Brock Landers** · 04-09-2009, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by powslut

When you are a high level athlete in any sport you are subject to random drug tests with out warning. This isn't weird, it's the rules and everyone knows them.

From the WADA website:

My brother is on a US national team and I came home one sunday morning a few years ago during the summer to find 2 WADA people waiting in the driveway. He was out screwing around with his friends at the beach or something and they gave him an hour to show up at the house or it would count as a miss, which I think is almost the same as a fail. Then they had to accompany him into the bathroom while he took a leak. At least I hope thats what was going on.

**JoeStrummer** · 04-09-2009, 12:57 PM

**Sinecure** · 04-09-2009, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by Brock Landers

My brother is on a US national team and I came home one sunday morning a few years ago during the summer to find 2 WADA people waiting in the driveway. He was out screwing around with his friends at the beach or something and they gave him an hour to show up at the house or it would count as a miss, which I think is almost the same as a fail. Then they had to accompany him into the bathroom while he took a leak. At least I hope thats what was going on.

In this case it sounds similar. Except that Lance and Johann weren't convinced that this dude at the door with a backpack had valid credentials. So they called the authorities to confirm his authenticity before allowing him to stick a needle in Lance's arm. It took 20 minutes to get the confirmation. In the meantime Lance took a shower (gasp!) because they'd just returned from a training ride. This 20 minute delay is the "anomoly" or weird issue they're taking issue with. Sounds like your brother's 1 hour notice.

**donutlynx** · 04-09-2009, 02:33 PM

I think 5.4.1.e.i is what they are looking at.

Originally Posted by VeloNews

The rule cited by the AFLD
5.4 Requirements for notification of Athletes
5.4.1 When initial contact is made, the ADO, DCO or Chaperone, as applicable, shall ensure that the Athlete and/or a third party (if required in accordance with Clause 5.3.8) is informed:

a) That the Athlete is required to undergo a Sample collection;

b) Of the authority under which the Sample collection is to be conducted;

c) Of the type of Sample collection and any conditions that need to be adhered to prior to the Sample collection;

d) Of the Athlete’s rights, including the right to:

i. Have a representative and if available, an interpreter;

ii. Ask for additional information about the Sample collection process;

iii. Request a delay in reporting to the Doping Control Station for valid reasons; and

iv. Request modifications as provided for in Annex B – Modifications for Athletes with disabilities.

e) Of the Athlete’s responsibilities, including the requirement to:

i. Remain within direct observation of the DCO/Chaperone at all times from the point of notification by the DCO/Chaperone until the completion of the Sample collection procedure.

Rule 5.4.1, International Standard for Testing, January 2009

**fallguy** · 04-09-2009, 02:50 PM

once again, weak sauce. they are still trying to catch him juiceing and another fail. oh well, they are persistent.

**flyby** · 04-09-2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bean

The french are balls out trying to screw over Lance.

bingo. do you know how embarassing it is to lose your own damn race 7 times to a texan?

**Jer** · 04-09-2009, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Bean

The french are balls out trying to screw over Lance. He is under so much scrutiny that there's no way he's using drugs. The french are just a bunch of whiny bitches who can't handle losing to a uniball.

Agreed. This isn't the first time the frogfags have tried to pin some drug shit on him.

**JoeStrummer** · 04-09-2009, 04:06 PM

his explanation makes sense to me. . . .

Outrageous reports yesterday coming out of France allege that I “misbehaved” during a recent unannounced drug test performed by the French government while I was training in southern France in early March. The test in question was my 24th unannounced drug test, since I announced my return to cycling last fall. The first 23 of those tests were performed without any questions and all have been returned negative. This 24th test, which included a blood test, a urine test, and a test of a substantial quantity of my hair, was also negative.

I returned home that day after a long training ride to find a man chasing me as I rode up to the house. He stopped me and told me he was from the French laboratory and was here to test me. I had never heard of labs or governments doing drug testing and I had no idea who this guy was or whether he was telling the truth.

I’ve been tested in-competition and out-of-competition by USADA, by WADA, by the UCI, and by testing authorities at all the events in which I have competed, but I was unaware that in France the government tests athletes and takes the position it can test any athlete residing in or visiting France. I also had never heard of a laboratory (as opposed to an anti-doping organization) sending testers to collect samples. We asked the tester for evidence of his authority. We looked at his papers but they were far from clear or impressive and we still had significant questions about who he was or for whom he worked. I was there with Johan Bruyneel and two other people. We told the tester we wanted to check with the UCI to confirm who he was and to make sure he wasn’t just some French guy with a backpack and some equipment to take my blood and urine. Johan stayed with him and in his presence called the UCI to find out what was going on. We asked if it was OK for me to run inside and shower while they made their calls and the tester said that was fine.

As soon as they completed the phone calls, which took about twenty minutes, we started the tests. Johan had confirmed with the UCI that the tester had authority from the French government to take samples. I immediately provided blood, urine and hair samples – all the samples that he requested, as he requested. All this was done within 20 minutes of returning home from my ride and finding the tester at my home.

I did not try to evade or delay the testing process that day. I had just returned from an all day training session, wasn’t sure who this French man at my home was, and as soon as the UCI confirmed that he was authorized to conduct the tests, I let him take all the samples he requested.

The drug collection forms we both signed state that we started the testing just 20 minutes after I arrived home. In addition, the form asked the tester to state if there were any irregularities or further observations from the testing process and to that he wrote “no”. I have learned that after the tests were all negative, the laboratory has now suggested that the 20 minute delay should be investigated.

I find it amazing that I’ve been tested 24 times without incident and the first test I do in France results in more outrageous allegations and negative leaks to the press. This is just another example of the improper behavior by the French laboratory and the French anti-doping organizations. I am sorry that they are disappointed that all the tests were negative, but I do not use any prohibited drugs or substances. As always, I’m available anytime and anywhere to be tested. It is this sort of behavior that hurts the entire system and causes me and many other athletes to call for reforms in general and an improvement in the conduct of French laboratories and authorities in particular.

**Hutch** · 04-09-2009, 04:19 PM

When he was in the "shower", he clearly had a blood transfusion, refilled his bladder with Bruyneel's piss, and used a special shampoo on his hair that masks the super-secret EPO he is on now.

**Benny Profane** · 04-09-2009, 04:23 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/sp...r=1&ref=sports

I like the Inspector Clouseau analogy.

**nick > jesus** · 04-09-2009, 04:33 PM

I think anyone who says that lance has never doped is being ignorant.

those who know the sport realize that for a while doping was the norm, EVERYONE DID IT.

that said, i believe it is getting much more in control, the fact that every year a handful of people get caught means that the tests work and most people are not doping. This is much better than a sport like baseball where steroids are in regular use, but the testing in the MLB is so terrible that no one ever gets caught.

**JoeStrummer** · 04-09-2009, 04:34 PM

I also liked bikesnobnyc's take. . . .

"I learned about this from reading Lance Armstrong's Twitter, which is kind of like a freak on the subway in that you pretend you don't look at it but you really do. Armstrong has been tested constantly since returning to the sport, which frankly strikes me as a huge waste of time. Retiring after all those Tour wins only to come back and cheat would be like making the world's greatest best man speech at a wedding, returning to your table, and then getting back up 20 minutes later to urinate on the cake. And as entertaining as that would be, he's just not going to do it. As such, I'm currently working on two theories for all the testing:

1) The French (whose last win in their eponymous grand tour was during the reign of Napoleon II) believe Armstrong's bodily fluids have special Tour-winning properties. As such, they are attempting to collect enough of it to secure a victory for team Agritubel. However, if this is indeed their plan, then their logic is deeply flawed. If Armstrong's bodily fluids had that kind of power, then Ashley Olson would have at least won a mountain stage by now.

2) The French are attempting to collect enough of Lance Armstrong to actually make their own Lance Armstrong. If this is true then you can expect Agritubel's GC contender (as crazy as the idea of a French GC contender sounds) to consist entirely of blood, urine, and nail clippings. They're probably gluing on the hair as I type this, and also cutting an Armstrong mask out of some canary cage liner like Bicycling with a pair of safety scissors."

**nick > jesus** · 04-09-2009, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/sp...r=1&ref=sports

I like the Inspector Clouseau analogy.

**iceman** · 04-09-2009, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by JoeStrummer

I also liked bikesnobnyc's take. . . .

"I learned about this from reading Lance Armstrong's Twitter, which is kind of like a freak on the subway in that you pretend you don't look at it but you really do. Armstrong has been tested constantly since returning to the sport, which frankly strikes me as a huge waste of time. Retiring after all those Tour wins only to come back and cheat would be like making the world's greatest best man speech at a wedding, returning to your table, and then getting back up 20 minutes later to urinate on the cake. And as entertaining as that would be, he's just not going to do it. As such, I'm currently working on two theories for all the testing:

1) The French (whose last win in their eponymous grand tour was during the reign of Napoleon II) believe Armstrong's bodily fluids have special Tour-winning properties. As such, they are attempting to collect enough of it to secure a victory for team Agritubel. However, if this is indeed their plan, then their logic is deeply flawed. If Armstrong's bodily fluids had that kind of power, then Ashley Olson would have at least won a mountain stage by now.

2) The French are attempting to collect enough of Lance Armstrong to actually make their own Lance Armstrong. If this is true then you can expect Agritubel's GC contender (as crazy as the idea of a French GC contender sounds) to consist entirely of blood, urine, and nail clippings. They're probably gluing on the hair as I type this, and also cutting an Armstrong mask out of some canary cage liner like Bicycling with a pair of safety scissors."

That dude is teh funneh.