Is Stapleton sounding downbeat?

Unknown

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/12372.0.html

<i>Stapleton admitted Wednesday he was no longer certain that his team would be free of doping.

"Doping is so anchored in the sport (cycling) that we just never know," added the American, who was brought on board to spearhead T-Mobile's renewal last September. "I can't swear and say it doesn't exist in the team. But I know that all of our riders have come here with the right attitude - otherwise they would not have fitted in with our strict anti-doping policy."</i>

On the Honchar tip, I wonder if he just thought "oh well, do another year with them on a phat wage, if I get busted, no biggie because I'm quitting soon anyway"?

Keith Oates

He is being cautious because it's a fact that no matter what the team manger does or says he can never be 100% certin that none of the team are taking some form of performance enhancer!!!!!!!!!

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Ride Daily, Keep Healthy

Unknown

Any rider determined enough, can conceal their doping from their team, so I guess this iss what he refers to-the fact that there will always be cheats in lift and that people are only honest on the average

________Our behaviour is a function of our experience.

sylvanus

He is an extremely intelligent and impressive man who takes immense care with his words and is probably the best "listener" I've ever come across. I would take his words at face value - that is what he meant.

I've no doubt that he is sincere about the fight against dope but there may be dope that even the internal tests can't capture. Perhaps for example, an Eastern European BALCO has a drug with an EPO-like effect but which is undetectable. The longitudinal testing makes the program more effective but its conceivable that something could slip through.