Doping in Belgium?

Cumulonimbus

A package allegedly for triple Lanterne Rouge winner Wim Vansevenant was intercepted by customs two weeks ago and found to contain cutting edge doping products.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vanseve ... g-products

Het Nieuwsblad (Belgian newspaper) has some more details

Research showed that the package contained ultramodern doping products. It would be a brand new drug for animals. The product would be prized by drug users as it increases both muscle mass and endurance would improve.

Translated from http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/1297/Doping-In ... ping.dhtml

The courts arent saying anything about the planned recipients at the moment, Vansevenant has retired. He is still affiliated to the Lotto team and is supposed to be escorting guests of Omega-Pharma Lotto around during the tour.

Cumulonimbus

According to Wikipedia vansevenant was planning to take over his parents' farm. Its therefore possible that this is not cycling related.

rick_chasey

Yeah the article says it could be to dope animals.

Either way, what is he doing buying illegal drugs from Australia, for cycling or farming?

CyclingBantam

Cumulonimbus wrote:

According to Wikipedia vansevenant was planning to take over his parents' farm. Its therefore possible that this is not cycling related.

As much as I hope that were true, I think it is only reasonable that the assumption, unfortunately, is made the other way.

avoidingmyphd

According to an expert on Cyclingnews, someone probably made these drugs and someone else probably posted them to Belgium.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/investi ... enant-case

BikingBernie

So, he takes delivery of a big cache of doping products, just before he is due to accompany Omega Pharma-Lotto at the Tour?

Hmmmmmmm...

Mar ge

He claims now that it was for his personal use to reduce his physical deterioration & not linked to his farming activities.
He also mentions that he had bought it previously on the internet & that it was advertised as amino acids...

Apparently it's rather rare & expensive to purchase so that seems a little unlilkely.

He's not going to be VIP bus driver for Omega Pharma now during the Tour (his own decision he claims to avoid damaging the reputation of cycling)

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/1297/Doping-In-Wielrennen/article/detail/1285203/2011/06/29/Vansevenant-bekent-aankoop-product-tegen-aftakeling.dhtml

edhornby

I like the factoid about him being the only belgian to have been the TdF Lantern Rouge 3 times - bit late now eh ;-)

fixie71

odd that when Evans was team leader he was often alone and without support in the major tours, since he left, the team have been more that prominent in the big races and Gilbert has been untouchable in the classics. I'm not suggesting anything but who was driving the team bus then?

jp1985

fixie71 wrote:

odd that when Evans was team leader he was often alone and without support in the major tours, since he left, the team have been more that prominent in the big races and Gilbert has been untouchable in the classics. I'm not suggesting anything but who was driving the team bus then?

You mean at the time they hired Popovych and Dekker

RichN95.

fixie71 wrote:

odd that when Evans was team leader he was often alone and without support in the major tours, since he left, the team have been more that prominent in the big races and Gilbert has been untouchable in the classics. I'm not suggesting anything but who was driving the team bus then?

Classics and Grand Tours are different types of races. Evans and Gilbert are different types of rider. Comparisons are pointless.

emadden

Hmmm.. seems like good stuff

http://www.tb500.com/


Just in case anybody wants some for their next sportive

top_bhoy

RichN95 wrote:

fixie71 wrote:

odd that when Evans was team leader he was often alone and without support in the major tours, since he left, the team have been more that prominent in the big races and Gilbert has been untouchable in the classics. I'm not suggesting anything but who was driving the team bus then?

Classics and Grand Tours are different types of races. Evans and Gilbert are different types of rider. Comparisons are pointless.

Comparisons are not pointless...I read it that fixie71 is questioning the level of support which Evans received to that of Gilbert and looking for reasons why that should be the case...its not an unfair comparison.

RichN95.

top_bhoy wrote:

Comparisons are not pointless...I read it that fixie71 is questioning the level of support which Evans received to that of Gilbert and looking for reasons why that should be the case...its not an unfair comparison.

It is an unfair comparison. Lotto have always had predominantly Belgian riders and Belgians are better at Classics than they are at Grand Tours, therefore the Classics rider gets better support. Similarly if Tom Boonen went to Euskaltel we wouldn't get the same quality of support as Sanchez.

If the comparison was between Evans and JVdB then that would be fair. But JVdB gets sod all support in the mountains too, so it's not quite as good for making insinuations.

FJS

Agree with Rich - and in addition his earlier point about difference between classics and GT stands - a team leader in the Classics doesn't need as much support as a Grand Tour leader. Gilbert doesn't need a whole team built around him.
I also believe Evans' supposed lack of support at Lotto was exaggerated

top_bhoy

In the Melbourne paper today, even considering it was for domestic consumption on the eve of the TdF, Cadel stated in an interview that BMC have supported him in a way that Lotto never did and there is not now a constant 24 hour demand placed upon him. He never elaborated or went on a tirade as to the reasons why that situation arose previously. It's fair to say that if he performs poorly in the TdF this year, it will be down to Cadel Evans own performance or rotten luck and not any lack of team support.

Stage 1, 2nd - not a bad start!!!