And so it begins....

[Endo Verendo]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008...ul08/jul12news

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by Endo Verendo

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008...ul08/jul12news

thanks for reconfirming why i'm half-heartedly watching this year.

[surlygal]

Who's surprised???? Not me

Cycling News Flash, July 12, 2008

Edited by Laura Weislo
Tour's first doping positive reported

Manuel Beltrán (Liquigas) in 2007
Photo ©: Cyclingnews.com
Spaniard Manuel Beltrán has reportedly become the 2008 Tour de France's first doping positive. The Liquigas rider's A sample is said to have tested positive for the banned blood booster erythropoeitin following the first stage which ended in Plumelec last Saturday.
Tour organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation, has yet to make a formal announcement, but the Associated Press received confirmation from French Anti-doping Agency (AFLD) president Pierre Bordry of the result, and said that Beltrán has requested a B sample analysis.
The French newspaper L'Equipe also reported that Beltran was one of the riders found by the AFLD to have abnormal blood values in the days prior to the Tour.
Beltrán, one of Lance Armstrong's former mountain domestique has ridden for the Liquigas team since leaving the Discovery Channel in 2006.
Cyclingnews will bring more details on the story as it unfolds.
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(All rights reserved/Copyright Future Publishing (Overseas) Limited 200

[Zippy]

Oh gawd. Will cycling ever be drug-free?

[Endo Verendo]

The Tour is still fun to watch. I'm expecting more scandals, but also more great finishes.

[drclark]

I don't know if it was the fiasco after last year's tour or what but I don't find myself all that interested this year. I keep forgetting to actually turn it on in the morning.

drc

[DBD]

I am either in the minority OR the only one not worried about being "PC" sooooo ...

I personally do not care if they dope or not, I will still watch and enjoy the racing just as I do other sports I know that pharmaceuticals play a big part in terms of recuperation, strength and endurance.

[Dan White]

Great to hear the improved doping controls are working. It is amazing to me that riders will risk everything, especially riders with years of experience and history like Beltran. The Tour is still the premier cycling event each year.

[surlygal]

As for the Tour:
These Racers, Teams, Coaches will risk anything to have their moment of glory...It's very sad, but also a reality in sports not just cycling...

I'm not sayin it's okay - because it's not!!!...I do however belive that they feel if they're going to compete at that level and be succesful than they almost have to (trying to understand why)

I still love watching it, and will continue to do so......

[bvader]

You know I didn't think I would be that interested, and maybe I am just a sucker...but this race has been very exciting so far! I mean "The Catch" / Last 10 K in stage 5 was gripping and dripping with tension. George Hincapie off the back then riding all the way back to lead out Cavendish. Cavendish one on one with Thor. Come On!!! That was awesome!!!

I though I wouldn't like NOT having time bonuses but I think it is making it more exciting, it so close.

There are going to be a couple cheaters caught this year but I expect it to be a mostly clean race. Beltran is old guard.

In short.....I am in and wound up!!!!

[shudder]

Maybe Beltran can join Rock Racing now!!!

As to the tour... I am taping it every morning and going through it VERY QUICKLY every night. The end moments have been gripping, for sure, but some of the four hour telecasts I can really do without. Just my thing -- I don't have the fours a day to watch the whole thing.

shud

[bvader]

Originally Posted by shudder

Maybe Beltran can join Rock Racing now!!!

Guess "Tricky" Beltran wasn't so tricky

Originally Posted by shudder

As to the tour... I am taping it every morning and going through it VERY QUICKLY every night. The end moments have been gripping, for sure, but some of the four hour telecasts I can really do without. Just my thing -- I don't have the fours a day to watch the whole thing.

shud

Oh yeah... I have a system...I listen to the opening...then skip from interview to interview, crash, or special segment, attack. I watch the race FF. I watch the whole climbs though, something about them...and always watch the whole last 10K.

I can usually do all that in an hour.

[OffRoadie]

I'm not surprised at all. I thought having a year where there were no positive tests was a ridiculous expectation from the start.

[RidetheRAAM4]

The only reason doping cyclists are caught so much is because of all the testing.

How much testing is done in professional sports like baseball, football, and basketball? If they were tested as much as these cyclists, a lot of those teams would be left with an insufficient amount of players.

[Wrecker]

Originally Posted by RidetheRAAM4

The only reason doping cyclists are caught so much is because of all the testing.

How much testing is done in professional sports like baseball, football, and basketball? If they were tested as much as these cyclists, a lot of those teams would be left with an insufficient amount of players.

I second that. As disheartening as it is to hear of another cyclist kicked out for doping, they are being KICKED OUT FOR DOPING! That has to say something about this sport--look at all the sports still trying to determine if a positive doping record should affect titles/wins, cycling, no question, you lose.

[bighit8]

I think the french want it to be their own race,their tired of others winning

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by bighit8

I think the french want it to be their own race,their tired of others winning

You may be right. All the race referees this year are French.