So what's the butcher's bill for today?
Today's tally - 11.
Riccardo Riccò, yes that Riccardo Riccò, who amazed everyone with his Marco Pantani-esque climbing acumen in winning two stages of this year's Tour has tested postive for a third generation erythropoietin (EPO), called CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator) or Micera.
As a result of his dismissal, the whole of the Saunier Duval - Scott team has pulled out of the 95th edition of the Tour de France.
Riccò and his 8 teammates join Moises Duenas (Barloworld) and Manuel Beltran (Liquigas) as riders who have either been forcibly or voluntarily dismissed.
More:
Cyclingnews - Riccò fails doping test – Saunier Duval out of Tour
Velonews - Riccardo Ricco tests positive; Saunier Duval team withdraws from Tour de France
This latest doping news brings up two issues for me, why do we continue to cover the Tour de France, and moreover the whole of the European racing circuit, and do you believe that the testers are finally catching up to the dopers?
In regard to the latter, I urge you to read the Cyclingnews article above. From it you can glean that the testers are still years behind the dopers, as there isn’t a validated test for CERA yet. And, the tone of Professor Michel Audran in the article suggest as much saying,
“We can tell when someone's used it but we can't declare them positive.”
I am all for good science, as I have seen too much “bad” science in my lifetime, so I’m a bit skeptical of this new science behind the testing, or “creating the test on the fly.” On one hand, I applaud the ingenuity of science, but on the other I wish the testers [especially when it comes to French labs] would just take the time to validate the tests so that we can unequivocally say this rider or that rider is guilty of doping.
Is science truly catching up, or is it making it up?
So why do we still cover the Tour de France and the European racing circuit? For me, it’s because the Grand Boucle and the other monuments of cycling that make up the European circuit are bigger than any individual talent, like a Riccardo Riccò, will ever be and therefore these grand races will continue well after he or any of us is gone from this Earth.
The essence of the sport of cycling, after all, resides within the children racing each other on your streets, in the people who participate in your local weekday crit, or in the riders of your local club or professional team. The soul of the sport is not localized or proprietary to the European peloton.
When I was growing up the most arrogant statement I ever heard from an athlete when asked who his role models were was, “I don’t have any role models. I don’t like to think anyone is better than me.”
Perhaps that statement shouldn’t be looked at for its arrogance but rather as a way to view the riders at cycling’s highest level, don’t look to them for heroes, know that you are your own cycling hero.
Photo: Bas Czerwinski/AP
Granny, great reporting and feedback as always. Of course, I would remiss if I didn't opine that looking to pro-cyclists as heroes should constitute a doping test for the seeker himself.
ReplyDeleteLOL, agreed.
ReplyDeleteright 53rd!! I don't need to fill a cup for the test - I like a bunch of pro athletes, but none are my heroes ...
ReplyDeletebut we may really be getting somewhere on this pro cycling doping ...
buddy & I were talking just the other day about Ricco looking so 'fresh' every day ... and we wrote it off as him being young and fit
but maybe the sport really is making significant progress and we're getting to a place where even a fan with a keen eye will be able 'see the dope' in these riders who never have a bad day?
Excellent point ROR. Despite the continued infractions look at the stark differences in riders like Papovich (spelling), Voigt, etc. There's no question, it's taking hold but to Granny's point, as long as the science can't keep up, it will go on forever.
ReplyDeleteStill though, compared to say, the NFL, cycling is angelic.
absolutely 53rd - we ask a lot of science (not sure it'll solve our economic, energy & environmental problems in the short run either)
ReplyDeleteguess we'll have to 'suffer' through David Millar being the spokesman for cycling ... as the Peloton may have to step up and be MUCH more proactive at this key time to save their careers and the sport we love!
"It is bulls**t... I think it's unfortunate that when things look too good to be true, generally they are too good to be true - and he did look pretty f***ing good," Millar told Cyclingnews. "It is just amazing that he is that irresponsible and doesn't have any love or care for the sport."
I actually like the deterrent to getting caught...heard Ricco is facing a 4 year suspension...don't know if that is certain, but he's destined for infamy now.
ReplyDeletePhill Liggett believes that a convicted rider should face a permanent ban from pro cycling with the first offense. Pretty hard line but has it come to this?
ReplyDeleteI think Prudomme said it best in that "our sport is being crucified for trying to do the right thing". I would have to agree with him there. It's almost as if the clean up effort is causing more PR damage but I applaud thier efforts taking on this stage because it will be a long, grueling one.