CERA Tour retests.

JC.152

From cyclingnews this morning

CERA tests on Tour samples to commence Monday
The French anti-doping agency (AFLD) will begin analysing blood samples from the Tour de France on Monday, according to AFP. The agency will test the samples for the novel EPO, CERA, with a test refined by the Châtenay-Malabry, said AFLD chairman Pierre Bordry.

"Since L'Equipe revealed that the retrospective analysis would take place, we worked to surround the process with great scientific and legal security," said Bordry.

Italian Riccardo Riccò was found positive for the CERA during the Tour de France this year, but that test was performed on the riders' urine. The blood test is supposed to be more efficient in detecting the drug. The AFLD has requested blood samples from the Lausanne laboratory, which performed testing during the Tour, for several riders who showed 'suspicious' blood values in pre-competition screens.

Among them, reported AFP, is the Italian Leonardo Piepoli, who was sacked from his team after Riccò's positive, for "violations of the team's ethical code".

Kléber

Bodry also added that he thinks the withdrawal of some riders from the Worlds during the past few days is related to this, "some will be sleeping badly" he says.

leguape

Kléber wrote:

Bodry also added that he thinks the withdrawal of some riders from the Worlds during the past few days is related to this, "some will be sleeping badly" he says.

I suspect that the timing isn't unrelated to the UCI/FFC settlement either. Two weeks ago it was being suggested the results might have come back during the worlds. Who has withdrawn so far? All I'm coming up with on the withdrawls front off the top of my head is Sastre, Leipheimer and Kirchen.

Kléber

Cancellara too.

andyp

Gerdemann as well.

Jez mon

HMPH.

Perhaps some mitigating circumstances, Gerdeman seemed to suffer a pretty bad injury, getting thrashed around the worlds course wouldn't be that fun or helpful for him.

Cancellara has had quite a hard season, and quite a successful one, although considering the teams he's been in, I wouldn't be completely surprised if he turned out to be a doper

Kléber

Cavendish also pulled out. You can speculate for as long as you like but remember the lab will begin testing on Monday, Bodry has no special information, we'll all see if anything happens in the weeks to come.

Cumulonimbus

If they are tour retests then Gerdemann and Leipheimer should be ok as they didnt participate in the Tour De France. The slightly worrying thing for me is that the people who have dropped out are largely from Colombia and CSC - two teams who make noises about being clean. If one of them were to be found guilty then it would be worse for the sport than if it was one of the dirtier teams IMO. Then again, someone racing clean may be more likely to be really knackered by this time of the year so there could be a different reason for them dropping out. Time will tell.