Beltran doping - WHY???

azin

I see Beltran has testing positive for EPO and been thrown off the Tour today. Why do riders still do it? They are so much more likely to get caught these days, and they risk the rides of the rest of their team.

And how retro is EPO? ...

ACMadone

Hmmm - Does make you wonder, will reserve full judgement til his B Sample has been analysed, but is this just another ex postie/Disco that's been naughty.

azin

good point, I hope the second test clears him but I'm sceptical!

Maybe this is the end of the 'old school' riders, I can only hope

DazzaOnTheRoad

All we can hope for is that this is a one off.

You would think that riders would know they will be caught. So hopefully this is just a mistake and we can all get back to watching what is looking like a really good race.

Kléber

Why do it? Here are some possible answers:

- He's always done it but cocked up the dosage and had some left in his system
- He's always done it but didn't expect to be tested
- He gambled
- His trainer/soigneur/team doctor gambled
- He wanted to be able to do his job properly and needed the help
- He's getting older and wanted to be able to do his job properly and needed the help
- The lab test has got it wrong

...etc etc

pinarellodude

It amazes me the amount off these that are linked to the old Discobvery team? Beltran, Contador, Heras, Hamilton, Landis and In 2006, Andreu testified that Lance Armstrong told cancer doctors in their presence in 1996 he had doped with EPO.
No wonder the Tour where iffy about Johan Bruyneel and his teams also?

iainf72

pinarellodude wrote:

It amazes me the amount off these that are linked to the old Discobvery team? Beltran, Contador, Heras, Hamilton, Landis and In 2006, Andreu testified that Lance Armstrong told cancer doctors in their presence in 1996 he had doped with EPO.

Actually Frankies wife said that.

Beltran rode for Mapei, Banesto and Team Coast before USPS / Disco, and will have been "professional" there. Heras started with Kelme and ended with Liberty Seguros (both of which were the main players in Puerto), Condator's links are from his time at Liberty Seguros

Were USPS / Disco dodgy? Of course. Are people who rode for them worse than others? No, not really.

pinarellodude

iainf72 wrote:

Actually Frankies wife said that.

You are correct, I stand correccted.

weyayeman

Answer? because he's a knob,simple as

Mark Alexander

The reason is immaterial. Stupid idiot. End of story.
However, lets wait for the B sample. It's good that a tough line is being taken.
The only thing that surprises me is the drug used. I was under the impression EPO was always detectable now.

robmanic1

He's nothing to lose, it was probably his last season anyway. If and when they ban him, so what?

He is a prize c*ck though, as is anyone cought now, they all know the risks. It's time for a zero tolerance policy on this now, you get caught (and PROVEN guilty), you're finished for life, that's it, no arguments!

donrhummy

Actually, given the recent report by that university (danish?), Beltran (if the "B" sample confirms) is just an idiot. They laid out how you could easily defeat the EPO test.

carbonfiend

its all about MONEY these people ride for a living. I can't understand the shock as to him or anybody else testing positive. Drugs are so ingrained in pro cycling from day one that it will take years if ever at all to get rid of them. The demands and rewards are too high. UCI are currently monotoring 33 riders who blood levels show irregularities and I can guarentee that these riders and the people who are around them are skilled manipulators in hiding the facts, they are always one step ahead of the testers not only do they know how to hide the drugs and detection but they know all about the labs, what process they use to test and what they can test for. The reason Vino got caught blood doping last yr is that they pulled a bluff on him as he knew the lab his sample would be tested at couldn't do blood doping test but the UCI decided to switch it at the last minute to a lab that can and hey presto he was bang to rights. This how these people think some of them think that doping is actually a part of pro cycling and is what is needed to survive and surround themselves with people who do. Some doctors think riding a grand tour is very dangerous to do clean as by the end your hemarocrit will be so low you'll be anemic so they consider EPO etc like a vitamin a necessity to survive.