Frank Schleck's Verdict / Ivan Basso's Past

Wow! I haven't posted anything about Frank Schleck since July 8th of last year, when he came in 10th on the 8th stage of the Tour de France. Not long after that stage, he abandonded the Tour because he tested positive for a diuretic: Xipamide.

He had stood by his claim that it was unintentional, through a contaminated product. But like everyone else who tests positive, his case had to be heard by the Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency. So from July 13th, 2012, until the verdict today, January 30th, 2013, Frank Schleck's fate was unknown.

However, today we learned, that he will be given only a 1 year ban, since the diuretic levels in his system were so low. And, the ban had been backdated, so it starts from the time he abandoned the Tour. This means, after July 14th of this year, Frank can race again. So while he has to miss the Tour de France, he comes back in enough time to race in the Vuelta a Espana - just like Alberto Contador last year.

Contador came back from a 2 year suspension last year just in time to race in the Vuelta...and he won! Now while I don't think Frank is going to come back and win the Vuelta, I do think if he trains during his ban (not with the team, of course) then he has the potential to place in the Top 10 GC of the Vuelta.

I guess we will just have to see...

Fränk Schleck given one-year doping ban

 

Fränk Schleck has been handed a one-year suspension by the The Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for Xipamide during the Tour de France in 2012 according to the RTL. The ban has been retrospectively applied by the Disciplinary Board, meaning that the RadioShack rider is free to ride after July 14, 2013. He will therefore miss this year's Tour de France.

The Disciplinary Board could have issued a maximum two-year penalty, but went with one year after noting the extremely low amount of the banned substance.

"Of course I am disappointed by the verdict that has just been announced. I think that the decision to suspend me during one year is too severe considering the fact that the Council acknowledged that I unintentionally consumed a contaminated product. Unfortunately the provisions of the UCI are such that an involuntary contamination is sufficient in order to pronounce a punishment," Schleck said in a statement.

“However I am relieved that the judges acknowledged that the present is not a case of doping and that I had no intention to enhance my performance. This is very important for me, my family, for my team and all those who support me”.

“We will now analyse the decision in detail and decide on potential further steps. However I bear a positive aspect of the decision in mind: the judges acknowledged that I am not a cheater.”

“I wish to thank all my friends and fans who kept their faith in me during this tough period.”

On July 14, 2012, the UCI advised Schleck of an Adverse Analytical Finding in a urine sample collected from him at an in-competition test.

The WADA accredited laboratory in Châtenay-Malabry detected the presence of the diuretic Xipamide in Schleck's urine sample.

Team RadioShack Leopard released a statement, saying: "The Management of Leopard S.A. has taken note of the verdict of the CDD (Conseil de Discipline contre le Dopage) in the case of Fränk Schleck's positive test for xipamide during the 2012 Tour de France."

"Leopard S.A. is content that the anti-doping authorities have now reached a verdict, but will not make any further declarations about the case until it has studied the argumentation of the CDD more closely."

One of my other favorite long-time riders, Ivan Basso, has also served a 2 year suspension during 2006-2008 for alleged ties in the Fuentes case. However, he has made a clean comeback, and I look forward to seeing him race more this year.

Ivan Basso: "I've regained my dignity"

Ivan Basso is scheduled to testify via video at the Operacion Puerto trial on February 11 but the Italian would prefer to put his involvement in the Spanish blood doping ring behind him and focus on his racing.

"I've been called to testify, but for me it's a formality because it was part of my life six or seven years ago," Basso told Cyclingnews in an exclusive interview in Tuscany as he trains for the 2013 season.

"I was banned by the Italian Olympic Committee and was found guilty in an Italian court, so it only brings back bad memories for me." 
 
The Team Cannondale captain initially denied his links to Dr. Fuentes when Operacion Puerto exploded during the final days of his dominant victory at the 2006 Giro d'Italia. Yet he was forced to flee the start of the 2006 Tour de France in Strasbourg by a backdoor when the allegations of blood doping became much stronger. 
 
While still in denial, Basso quit CSC and joined the Discovery Channel team during the winter of 2006. He rode several races but was then formally placed under investigation by the Italian Olympic Committee in April and was given a two-year ban.

Basso made a comeback with the Liquigas team in 2009 and went on to finish fourth in the Vuelta and then won the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

Now 35, Basso is no longer the rider he was while working with Bjarne Riis at his peak. He finished fifth in the 2012 Giro d'Italia and 25th at the Tour de France.

He has published some of his blood data and power metre profiles online, but has always refused to speak in detail about his past as a doper or speak to help make cycling cleaner for the future. True to his hard working and reserved nature, Basso prefers to let his racing do the talking.

"When you've lied so much, people don’t want just words. The wind blows words away, as we say in Italian. People want facts. I've got to produce facts, as I did in 2009 and 2010," Basso told Cyclingnews.

"I won the 2010 Giro d'Italia, finished on the podium in another Giro and was on the podium at the Vuelta. People want facts: my results are my facts, as is the possibility to look at the details: your values, what the anti-doping associations says about you, your biological passport.

"There's no point in me telling fairy tales. People have eyes, heart and a mind to evaluate what they're see."

"I know people were very disappointed with me but then I came back and won the Giro d'Italia again and a few weeks later a magazine published info on my biological passport and said 'This race was won by a clean rider'. I think that's important. I didn’t only say I'd done all the controls, the people were able to see it."

Can people now trust Ivan Basso?

"Yes. 100 per cent," he replied. "I know I can't be considered a saint. That'd be wrong. But I think I've regained my dignity.

"When I came back in 2008, I made some promises and I've kept them. I was also lucky to consolidate them with some important victories and just by being transparent."

Basso claims he has not followed the USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong or the Texan's partial confession. He has little to say on the expected Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"It's nothing to do with me. I've served my two-year ban. I'm focused on doing a great 2013 and 2014 and maybe even later," he said.

"It's not up to me to take the moral high ground and judge other people. A true leader is followed in silence. It's about 'leading by example', that's my mission now. It's about having the respect of my teammates. I don’t want to think about the past. I want to think about the present and about the future."

14 - June - 2012 - Daily News

Let's start with Stage 6 in the Tour de Suisse, where Peter Sagan won again!!!

June 14, Stage 6: Wittnau - Bischofszell 198.5km

Sagan wins stage 6 in Bischofszell

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-suisse-2012/stage-6/results)

Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) continued his dominance in the Tour de Suisse, coming from behind to win the sprint of the sixth stage in Bischofszell. In the last few meters he caught and passed Ben Swift (Sky) who finished second, with Allan Davis of Orica-GreenEdge finishing third.

It was Sagan's fourth win in the race, and his 12th on the season.

“The finishes in the Tour de Suisse are never straight so you need to invent something to find some space,” said Sagan. “I had to work harder today firstly to get a leading position in the finale, and secondly to launch the sprint. I went flat out into the last corner so I wouldn’t get boxed in and even brushed the barriers. I was blocked in that moment but as soon as Swift kicked, I knew I could come around and I did.”

Rui Costa (Movistar) remained in the leader's jersey and maintained his eight second lead over Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) and 15 second advantage on Roman Kreuziger (Astana).

It was another day with five ranked climbs, but all category three and four. Four of them came within the final 50km. In quite a change of weather, there was for once no rain on the day.

There were numerous attempts to break away, with Orica-GreenEdge's Michael Albasini being particularly active. But with 30km down a group formed which received the peloton's blessing, and Baden Cooke (Orica-GreenEdge), Vicente Reynes (Lotto Belisol), Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale), Troels Ronning Vinther (Saxo Bank) and Rubens Bertogliati (Team Type 1-Sanofi) took off.

Unfortunately, Bertogliati was only 1:45 down on GC and quickly assumed the “virtual” race lead. Realizing that his presence would only doom the group, he soon dropped back and the remaining quartet went on their merry way.
Nevertheless, the gap grew only slowly, hitting a maximum of five minutes at about the halfway mark. The stage ended with two laps of a 29km circuit course and the four leaders set off on the first lap with 3:24 lead.

Liquigas-Cannondale had led the way in the early part of the race, but Movistar, around race leader Costa, and Lampre-ISD, with sprinter Alessandro Petacchi, had by now taken over. The gap crept up, though, again hitting four minutes with 40km to go.

That was enough for the field to finally take action and the gap dropped to under three minutes by the 25km marker, and it kept on going down from there.

A number of teams shared the lead work in the final kilometers with everyone wanting to get their good-climbing sprinters into position but the category four Schocherswil at 6km to go proved to be no real barrier. With 5km left Cooke and Reynes were back in the pack as Montaguti and Vinther kept on fighting.

They had no chance against the determined field, however, and were also caught at the 2km banner. Sky led the way into the sprint and Swift jumped for the win around the final corner. But Sagan came up on his right side and passed him in the final few meters to take yet another win.

Full Results

1	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale	4:30:08
2	Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling
3	Allan Davis (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
4	Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
5	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha Team
6	Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7	Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8	Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1 - Sanofi
9	Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team
10	Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Pro Team Astana

Next, let's explore the fallout from the USADA re-opening Lance Armstrong's case. A lot of articles came out today; everything from Lance's statements, to statements of friends and foes, to how this will affect Johan Bruyneel and the UCI. I know these articles get repetitive, but I feel each one brings something different to light. I don't have time to discuss each article, but I feel they are all important in what they say:

Armstrong and authorities comment on doping charges

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-and-authorities-comment-on-doping-charges)

"I have never doped," said Lance Armstrong.

"USADA only initiates matters supported by the evidence," said USADA.

"The UCI is not aware of the information," said UCI.

Three press statements within less than a two-hour window and three authentically contrasting messages. The first was delivered by Lance Armstrong after the Washington Post broke the news that USADA had formally charged the seven-time Tour de France winner and five other individuals with doping violations.

Armstrong, a winner of the Tour from 1999 to 2005, has always denied doping and has claimed to be one of the "most tested athletes on the planet" and his defiant vitriol calls USADA's efforts both a "witch hunt" and "wide-ranging conspiracy" - a complete contrast to the message he eked out at the conclusion of the FDA investigation in February where he appeared to tired of fighting authorities, but nevertheless poignant.

After Armstrong's rebuttal, the UCI made its views clear. Caught between a position of knowing nothing and a huge degree of uncertainty, it began by declaring that USADA had at no point contacted them with information regarding the case. Not surprising, perhaps. At the completion of the FDA investigation in February, the UCI expressed relief that the two-year saga had been put to bed, while Travis Tygart and USADA appeared intent on not only retrieving evidence from the FDA and Attorney General's office, but also pressing ahead with its own investigation.

"This is the first time USADA has communicated to UCI on this subject," the sport's governing body said in a statement.
"The UCI is not aware of the information that is available to USADA on the persons concerned and has not been involved in the proceedings opened by USADA."

With all the information to hand, USADA's statement is far more detailed and wide ranging. Lance Armstrong is just one of six individuals facing scrutiny, with US Postal, Astana and RadioShack management among the six individuals named: Johan Bruyneel, Dr. Pedro Celaye, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral, Dr. Michele Ferrari, and Mr. Pepe Marti are accused of a variety of doping violations, from the administration of doping products, trafficking, assisting and abetting and covering up.

"In response to numerous inquiries regarding the public statements made by Mr. Lance Armstrong, we can confirm that written notice of allegations of anti-doping rule violations was sent yesterday to him and to five (5) additional individuals all formerly associated with the United States Postal Service (USPS) professional cycling team," the statement read.

"These individuals include three (3) team doctors and two (2) team officials. This formal notice letter is the first step in the multi-step legal process for alleged sport anti-doping rule violations."

USADA are clear that their investigation has yet to prove guilt and that all parties are considered innocent.

"Our duty on behalf of clean athletes and those that value the integrity of sport is to fairly and thoroughly evaluate all the evidence available and when there is credible evidence of doping, take action under the established rules," USADA added.

As for next step, USADA's case will be heard by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in a three-person panel (each side picks one representative; those two pick the third). The AAA decision can be appealed to CAS. One element is undeniable, this case has the potential to drag on.

Key Points to USADA's case

• Targets listed in USADA letter:

Johan Bruyneel (team director)
Dr. Pedro Celaya (team doctor)
Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral (team doctor)
Dr. Michele Ferrari (consulting doctor)
Pepe Marti (team trainer)
Lance Armstrong (rider)

• USADA's evidence gathered in investigation of potential doping on the United States Postal Service (USPS) (1996-2004), Discovery Channel (2005-2007), Astana (2009) and RadioShack (2010) cycling teams.
• Evidence gathered by USADA from interviews with riders from all referenced cycling teams
• Armstrong only rider who declined to speak with USADA
• Prohibited substances and methods: erythropoietin (EPO), blood transfusions ("blood doping"), testosterone, human growth hormone (hGH), corticosteroids (e.g., cortisone), saline and plasma infusions
• All respondents face following rule violations: Possession of prohibited substances; trafficking of prohibited substances; administration and/or attempted administration of prohibited substances; assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering-up and other complicity involving anti-doping rule violations; and aggravating circumstances justifying a period of ineligibility greater than the standard sanction. Additionally, Lance Armstrong is accused of use and/or attempted us of prohibited substances.
• USADA alleges each of the respondents has been part of a doping conspiracy involving team officials, employees, doctors and cyclists of the USPS and Discovery Channel cycling teams and since they actively participated together the proceeding is being brought as a consolidated case
• USADA alleges the object of the conspiracy has been to cover-up the teams' doping activities via false statements to media, false statements and false testimony given under oath and in legal proceedings, and attempts to intimidate, discredit, silence and retaliate against witnesses
• While the doping allegations brought by USADA expand beyond the eight year statute of limitations, USADA states that all of the respondents took part in doping activities within the eight year statute of limitations and that corroborating evidence from beyond the eight year statute of limitations can still be utilised to prove the conspiracy
• According to USADA protocol, USADA will make written submittal to its Anti-Doping Review Board. All respondents may also provide written submittals by June 22, 2012. Anti-Doping Review Board will decide if there's sufficient evidence to proceed with adjudication process
• Respondents have a right to a hearing if proceedings advance beyond Anti-Doping Review Board. A hearing date should take place prior to November, 2012

 

Bassons and Simeoni say Armstrong probe is overdue

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bassons-and-simeoni-say-armstrong-probe-is-overdue)

Two men who clashed infamously with Lance Armstrong during his reign as the Tour de France’s dominant rider, Christophe Bassons and Filippo Simeoni, today welcomed news that Armstrong will face doping charges from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Bassons said that USADA’s action was “important” but also long overdue. “It’s a shame now that it’s coming 15 years after it all happened. It’s a shame because the evidence was there for years. I knew all along what was happening, so this doesn’t change anything for me. I don’t need fifteen pages of documents to tell me what I knew already,” Bassons told Cyclingnews.

Simeoni had similarly mixed feelings. The Italian said the possibility of Armstrong being condemned for doping left him “cold”. Simeoni also “can’t understand why suddenly now they’re investigating him, when for years he was allowed to do whatever he wanted.”

Armstrong last night dismissed the investigation as a “witch-hunt”. “I have never doped,” he affirmed in a statement.

Bassons and Simeoni had of course tackled Armstrong about doping, in their own ways, long before this latest round of allegations. In 1999, Bassons was riding the Tour de France for La Française des Jeux but also penning a daily column for Le Parisien. After writing that the peloton had been “shocked” by Armstrong’s stage-win at Sestriere, Bassons was confronted by Armstrong on the road to Alpe d'Huez the next day and invited to stop his innuendo or else leave the sport. Two years later, sure enough, Bassons quit professional cycling at age 27. He now works for the French Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Today Bassons expressed his hope that anyone found guilty in the USADA probe will be banished from cycling. He also, though, partly supported Armstrong’s claim that the seven-time Tour champion is being singled out, while those who have given evidence against him seem set to escape without penalty for their own misdeeds.

“I can understand why they’re offering plea bargains. History tells us that, unfortunately, that’s the only way people will talk. It also provides very valuable intelligence when they do that,” Bassons said. “What is wrong is giving them complete immunity in return for information. When there’s a crime, there has to be a punishment. If there’s not, what’s happening here sets a dangerous precedent.

“As for Armstrong’s entourage, if found guilty, they can’t be allowed back in to work with teams in the future,” he continued. “In general I’m against making doping a criminal offense, except when there is trafficking involved, but there’s no reason why we can’t rid the sport of people who have facilitated doping on this scale.”

On the UCI’s role in the affair, and in particular allegations that they were complicit with what USADA is calling the US Postal team’s “conspiracy”, Bassons called for a radical rethink of sports federations’ role in anti-doping.
“It’s that old chestnut: you can’t have the body in charge of promoting a sport also policing it. Give responsibility for anti-doping to WADA or national anti-doping agencies. But not to the federations,” he argued.

Filippo Simeoni was involved in his own notorious spat with Armstrong at the 2004 Tour de France. Two years earlier, Simeoni had testified before an Italian magistrate that doctor Michele Ferrari had advised him to use EPO and testosterone in 1997, a claim that prompted Armstrong to brand Simeoni an “absolute liar” in an interview with Le Monde in 2003. The following year at the Tour, Armstrong thwarted Simeoni’s breakaway attempts and allegedly threatened to “destroy” the Italian in a mid-race exchange on stage 18.

Simeoni now owns two bars in Sezze, between Rome and Naples. The 40-year-old claims to have “left cycling behind completely”, although he happened to be riding his bike when Cyclingnews reached him today.

While he applauded USADA’s efforts, he also said that whatever comes of the investigation will bring scant consolation.

“This all leaves me a bit cold now. I’ve taken myself out of that world completely,” he said. “I just can’t understand how justice has taken this long. There was always evidence, but nothing was done. Is what they've got that much more crushing now? Armstrong was allowed to do whatever he wanted for years. He was a superhero, untouchable. Now this. I suppose it just shows how the balance has shifted; before, I think there were forces greater than our understanding working to protect him; now there’s probably also a reason why they’ve decided to take him down.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Simeoni summed up. “I prefer not to dwell too much, because I have too many regrets if I do. This whole business really cut me down in my prime. Now it’d be nice to just get justice, although I still fear that this could rumble on for months if not years.”

Chris Horner: I don’t believe Armstrong cheated

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-horner-i-dont-believe-armstrong-cheated)

Chris Horner has leapt to the defence of Lance Armstrong after it was announced that USADA had brought doping charges against the seven-time Tour de France winner. The pair rode together at Astana and RadioShack, a period in time in which alleged doping infractions occurred. Armstrong has denied all charges levelled at him.

“I read the news like everyone else but you look at it with Lance and it’s the same stories that have been going around for years, forever, and it’s been relived and recycled many times. Lance has always come out clean from it,” Horner told Cyclingnews.

“I don’t believe Armstrong has cheated in any way to win those victories and he’s gone through an insane amount of testing. Do we have pictures of it? Video or testing? Because without that you really don’t have anything.”

USADA’s exact evidence is unknown, however, their 15 page letter to Armstrong and five other individuals – including Armstrong’s former and Horner’s current team boss – does include testimony from ten riders. Horner believes that their word should be questioned.

“I’ve been in the sport for a long time so I’ve heard these rumours and seen this stuff in the press and seen these allegations. Now I’ve read it again and I think USADA could be spending a lot of money on testing with the riders currently racing. Lance has had a legendary, unbelievable career that has just been fantastic to watch and to see what he’s done for the sport and against cancer. The guys that are saying it [doping] I have an idea who they are, just like you do, and you just have to wonder, are they telling the truth or not? But it’s the same story I’ve been hearing for a long time. You can’t crucify someone on that.”

Throughout both the FDA and now the USADA investigation Armstrong criticised the spending of US tax payers’ money into allegations of his and US Postal’s past and it’s a sentiment that Horner agrees with. The RadioShack veteran believes that the sport’s governing body and anti-doping agencies money would be better spent looking to the future, increasing their current rate of tests in a bid to remove cheats from the current peloton.

“There’s so much more that the drug agencies can be doing with the tax payers’ money on cleaning the sport up from this point on,” he told Cyclingnews.

“On the record, 100 percent, I loved racing with Lance. I love my experience I had with Lance and I would love to see USADA, WADA, and the UCI go forward and get the doping tests as controlled as possible and testing the riders who are racing their bikes now.”

Tour de France?

Having been omitted from RadioShack’s initial Tour de France long list there has been growing calls from the US media to install him in the team’s final nine. With Andy Schleck ruled out from injury the team is lighter in its ambitions for GC and Horner – 10th in the 2010 Tour – believes that he can perform a role for the team, whether it’s as a overall contender or a domestique.

“I’d love to go to the Tour. It’s the Tour and that’s an easy decision in terms of me wanting to go but the team makes the selection and I’m going to keep training up until the start and sending in my training SRM files to the team. All I can do is keep training and hopefully it works out.”

Horner refused to be drawn into the circumstances that lead to his current omission: “I don’t really want to comment on that because it’s created so much drama for the team. We’ve got fantastic sponsors with RadioShack and Nissan and I don’t want any bad press for them.

“I’m very good at looking after riders, like I was with Cadel Evans and I’ve been there for Lance and at big races for Alberto Contador. I was looking forward to helping Andy and Frank and I’m still looking forward to helping Frank. You’ve got to have guys on the team that can climb.”

RadioShack’s Tour place may come under scrutiny with RMC Sport reporting that ASO may remove them from the Tour due to USADA’s investigation.

“It would be a huge blow and unfair. I’ve not heard about any possibility of that from the team, though, but it would be truly unfair. We’ve got a great bunch of guys here and clean riders who love racing. It would be a bummer.”

USADA case against Armstrong could damage UCI, Ashenden says

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/usada-case-against-armstrong-could-damage-uci-ashenden-says)

Dr. Michael Ashenden, a former independent member of the UCI's passport panel, has reacted to news of USADA’s charges against Lance Armstrong, noting his concern that the charges have implications for the UCI’s credibility.

Ashenden’s reaction is based on USADA’s letter to Armstrong and five other individuals charged with doping violations in a time span stretching from 1998 to 2010. However Ashenden’s concern does not relate to the alleged use of banned substances such as EPO or human growth hormone, but an alleged cover up of a doping control at the 2001 Tour de Suisse.

Armstrong took part in the race and, according to USADA, several witnesses have given testimony that Armstrong told them that a positive test had been covered up. Two former teammates, Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton, have both gone on record to substantiate the claims.

USADA’s letter of notification also includes reference to their own interview with the Lausanne lab director, Dr Martial Saugy, who conducted the tests in 2001. Saugy told USADA that Armstrong’s samples were indicative of EPO use. In May 2011 Saugy  admitted to attending a meeting with former US Postal sports director Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong to discuss details of the early EPO test method.

“For me the thing that has the most far-reaching consequence is that several witnesses said that Armstrong talked about having a test result covered up,” Ashenden told Cyclingnews.

“That has enormous implications. If the evidence supports that charge it’s likely to descend cycling, which is already fending off a fair bit of criticism, into chaos. It’s hard to understate the ramifications. If Armstrong believed that he had a test that was covered up then that story doesn’t just end with him being sanctioned or not because other people must have been complicit with Armstrong.”

Whether the EPO gel in question was positive, suspicious or negative is secondary to the fact that according to multiple witnesses, Armstrong thought he had had one of his results covered up. He can’t cover it up himself so he must have believed that he’d influenced someone to cover up his result. That points to the UCI, and infers that Armstrong believed at the time that he had the capacity to influence their actions.

The UCI has steadfastly denied any allegations of such a cover up, moving as far as opening legal proceedings against Floyd Landis. However Cyclingnews understands that the American has not received notification of any legal suit in the last two years.

Rather unfortunately for the UCI they have also faced scrutiny over donations made by Armstrong to their bank accounts. Armstrong made two donations to the UCI during his racing career. The seven-time Tour de France winner signed a personal cheque for $25,000 in 2002 and then his management company Capital Sports and Entertainment made a second payment of $100,000 in 2005.

The UCI in 2010 that the money was used in the fight against doping and in July of that year UCI President Pat McQuaid showed Cyclingnews a photocopy of the invoice of the Sysmex blood testing machine that a large part of Armstrong's $100,000 donation was used to buy. He refused to let us take a photograph of it, keeping it in a file marked 'Confidential'.

“The credibility of USADA’s witnesses who made those statements is obviously crucial, and would need to be weighed by the independent arbitrators who would decide upon a case if it were eventually opened. But if the account they have is compelling, and corroborative, then the UCI are inevitably going to be drawn into this,” Ashenden said.

“I know the UCI have strenuously denied this allegation in the past, but the story has added gravity now because USADA believe that there is sufficient evidence to warrant mentioning the issue in their notice letter. The UCI have a duty to the fans and the public in general to police their sport without fear or favor. If it were found that they had in any way been involved in a cover up then it would be fatal for their credibility,”

Bruyneel could face lifetime ban if USADA charges are upheld

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bruyneel-could-face-lifetime-ban-if-usada-charges-are-upheld)

Johan Bruyneel's future, and that of Team RadioShack-Nissan, is unknown in light of doping charges brought against the team manager. He is facing doping charges brought by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). He is charged with possession and trafficking in prohibited substances, as well as conspiring to cover up the illegal activities and if found guilty,  could face a life-long ban from the sport.

Also charged were Dr. Pedro Celaye, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral, Dr. Michele Ferrari, and soigneur Pepe Marti, as well as Lance Armstrong. Armstrong has already been temporarily suspended from participating in triathlons.
Bruyneel may also be suspended from any further participation with the team until the charges are resolved. However, neither the team nor the UCI has yet publicly addressed the issue, and Cyclingnews has not been able to reach them for a statement.

Bruyneel, 47, could face up to a lifetime ban from pro cycling if he is convicted.

The illegal products and methods

In a 15-page letter sent to all of the respondents, the USADA went through a list of illegal products and methods said to have been used at the teams USPS, Discovery Channel, Astana and RadioShack. Bruyneel has always denied any knowledge of doping practices being carried out on teams he has managed, criticising both Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis – both of whom are former US Postal riders who have admitted to have taken doping products.

The first one mentioned was that that those named had implemented “a number of means to avoid detection of EPO use”. Bruyneel is specifically named by “multiple riders” as having “developed training plans dependent upon EPO use and instructed riders to use the drug.”

Similar charges were made with regards to blood transfusions. Bruyneel and the others not only “developed training plans dependent upon blood transfusions,” but also “facilitated” blood transfusions.”

The letter also states that “Numerous USPS and Discovery Channel riders have also reported that the frequent use of testosterone patches by team members and that oral testosterone (pills or oil), testosterone injections or testosterone patches were provided by Johan Bruyneel” and the others. Bruyneel is also named as providing human growth hormone to team members.”

Corticosteroids can be legally used, but also illegally. Riders and employees reported “that Johan Bruyneel and Pepe Marti encouraged the authorized used to corticosteroids for performance enhancement and gave these drugs to riders.”

Charges against Bruyneel

Specifically, Bruyneel is charged with:

-- The possession of prohibited substance and/or methods.
-- Trafficking of those prohibited substances and methods.
-- The administration or attempted administration of those prohibited substances and methods.
-- “Assisting, encourage, aiding, abetting covering up and other complicity” involving anti-doping violations.
-- Aggravating circumstances which would justify a longer period of ineligibility  than the standard sanction.

As a summary of his actions, the letter said that numerous riders will testify that “he gave to them and/or encouraged them to use doping products and/or prohibited methods.” In addition, witnesses “will also testify that Bruyneel worked actively to conceal rule violations by himself and others throughout the period from 1999 through the present.”

A specific penalty is not spelled out in the USADA's letter, but the agency ominously noted that sanctions “may include up to a lifetime period of ineligibility from participation in sport.”

Canada's First Maglia Rosa

Hesjedal becomes first Canadian to lead Giro d'Italia

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hesjedal-becomes-first-canadian-to-lead-giro-ditalia)

Three years after he claimed Canada’s first ever Vuelta a España stage victory, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) made history again on Saturday when he became his country’s first ever leader of the Giro d’Italia.

In 2009, Hesjedal outsprinted David García Dapena of Spain at the summit finish of Velefique on an insanely hard Vuelta stage which contained more than 6,000 metres of climbing. Fast forward three years, and the Canadian’s fifth place on another taxing mountain stage netted the 31-year-old former MTBer the Giro lead.

As Hesjedal pointed out, he had come painfully close to taking the lead on Friday, but had fallen short by a tiny margin. On Saturday, he was able to put that right.

Although former double Giro stage winner Tyler Farrar’s abandon due to injury has been a major blow for both the American sprinter and Garmin-Barracuda, Hesjedal’s taking pink is another highpoint in an exceptionally successful first week.

Even before Hesjedal moveded into pink, Garmin-Barracuda had taken the team time trial and led the race for two days with Ramunas Navardauskas. At the moment Garmin-Barracuda also head the teams classification and the young riders competition with Peter Stetina.

“This is just incredible, yesterday was very frustrating, there were really unfortunate events like Tyler crashing. We did what we could at the end but I couldn’t get the jersey by 17 seconds. It was hard to take and I was pretty upset,” Hesjedal said.

“But the team has really kept its confidence and they were fantastic today. Peter and Christian [Vande Velde] were never far from my side on the climb and then Christian put me in the perfect position before the final approach.”

“This is definitely the product of very good team-work. It’s great to get the jersey back in our camp after the great ride that we’ve done.”

Although his Grand Tour debut as a second year pro with Discovery Channel in the Giro back in 2005 was not exactly pleasant - he crashed in stage five and then struggled on for another ten days before quitting - his stage win in the 2009 Vuelta and seventh overall in the 2010 Tour de France confirmed that the former Canadian National Time Trial Champion could perform well in three week races. Then last autumn, Garmin proposed that he lead the team in the Giro.

“I can climb well, although maybe not with the best of the best, I can time trial and get through hard days,” Hesjedal, who was a professional MTBer for six years before switching to the road in 2004, said.

“In the Grand Tours I tend to do best in the last week, and obviously there’s a lot to gain there.”

Asked what Canadians would make of him leading the Giro and what he thought his compatriots knew about the race, Hesjedal joked “I think they are going to know a lot about it now.”

“If I’m not mistaken, Toronto has one of the largest populations of Italians outside Italy itself, so I think quite a few Canadians will be excited about today.”

As for his build-up to the Giro, Hesjedal said “really it consisted of keeping the brakes on in the early part of the year. Nomally I come out in good shape to try and tackle races right from the beginning up to the Ardennes and then focus on the Tour.”

“In November last year, the team put me forward to ride the GC at the Giro and it took me a while to digest this new program. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the perfect opportunity... The team has been incredible this first week, and we’re living off that momentum.”

Getting the pink jersey, particularly after such a near-miss yesterday, was something Hesjedal described as “unreal,” before adding that he had no idea how long he would be able to defend it. But come what may, as Canada’s first ever Giro leader and three years after that Vuelta stage win, Hesjedal has already established another big new landmark in his country’s cycling history.

What's Landis Saying Now?!?!

It's becoming very entertaining...who is Landis going to throw under the bus next?

It seems thats as soon as he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win, Floyd Landis has made it a hobby to blacken everyone else's records. Seriously, just take the punishment cause you seem to be the only one caught...

Landis: Contador’s coach was a drug-trafficker

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/landis-contadors-coach-was-a-drug-trafficker)

Floyd Landis has alleged that he was sold doping products by a former coach at the US Postal team, Pepe Martí, who then went on to work with Alberto Contador at Discovery Channel and Astana. Interviewed on Germany’s ARD TV channel, Landis alleged that Martí was “nothing more than a known drug-trafficker.

During my time as a rider at US Postal he sold me growth hormones, EPO and other illegal substances.”

Earlier this year, Landis, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for testosterone, sent a series of emails to the US Federation and the UCI alleging that he had been systematically doped at US Postal from 2002 and that Martí had supplied him and a number of other team-mates with performance-enhancing products, including Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie and Levi Leipheimer.

Contador’s spokesman, Jacinto Vidarte, responded to Landis’s latest comments in a statement sent to AS.

“Alberto knew Martí when he was at Discovery. As he was then a coach at the team, he was in charge of training. He also fulfilled that role at Astana as he moved into the Kazakh set-up after the North American team folded,” said the statement.

It continued: “This year, the only people responsible for Alberto’s calendar and preparation are the members of the Saxo Bank team and Bjarne Riis. What he says about Martí is false.”