Armstrong and drugs - some thoughts

[dannyfrankszzz]

I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he dopes.

Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.

Apparently, his team doctor has a bad reputation for this sort of thing.

Greg Lemond has said many derogatory things about Armstrong but then again that might be more sour grapes i.e. an American rider who has eclipsed what Lemond achieved. Of course, as a result Lemond would feel disgruntled, and would feel the need to knock Armstrong down.

The impression I get is that at this level in the sport, virtually all the riders are doping in some way or another.

I read some of Armstrong's biography. It's amazing how he managed to come back from that illness. Nonetheless, I couldn't help but feel it was written in the most cringeworthy cheeseball way. The picture of him walking off into the sunset with his wife (now ex - replaced by Sheryl Crow) made me cringe and laugh.

 

[Kevin Stone]

"dannyfrankszzz" wrote:

at this level in the sport, virtually all the riders are doping in some way
or another.

Surely the opposite, at this level they'd be stupid as they are bound to get
caught. I know people do continue to do so, but the majority can't.

--
Kev

 

[garryb59]

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 08:42:22 +1000, dannyfrankszzz
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
>dopes.

Yes, and they're totally ****ing boring.

The bloke knows a tale or two about *drugs*.

Garry

 

[davek]

dannyfrankszzz wrote:
> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> dopes.

Rumours. That's all.

> Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
> was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.

I think it was Philippe Gaumont or someone like that who said that these
creams could be used to mask doping. I'm not convinced - I know the drug
tests aren't perfect but I don't think the testers are entirely stupid.
The bigger problem is, like David Millar says, the fact that they don't
get tested outside competition.

> Apparently, his team doctor has a bad reputation for this sort of
> thing.

Isn't that subject sub judice? In any case, I wouldn't like to comment.

> Greg Lemond has said many derogatory things about Armstrong but then
> again that might be more sour grapes i.e. an American rider who has
> eclipsed what Lemond achieved.

Lemond still holds the time trial record. I can't see Lance ever beating
that.

> The impression I get is that at this level in the sport, virtually all
> the riders are doping in some way or another.

If they are /all/ doping then at least the playing field is level. But
I'm not sure they are all doping. Don't forget, it's the lesser riders
who have most to gain from cheating and least to lose. This is why the
David Millar story is such a shame - he's good enough that he doesn't
need to cheat.

Lance Armstrong's fantastic performance this year can be explained by
several factors. For a start, he has revolutionised cycling technique,
as you will have seen by the way he flew up Alpe d'Huez spinning his
pedals at an alarmingly fast cadence. His mental capacity to withstand
suffering is what makes that possible.

And look at the team he had around him, how hard they worked for him to
make his life as easy as possible - no other team could touch the US
Postals for organisation and work rate.

And then there's the meticulous preparation. Going up Alpe d'Huez five
times in one day in training. Working out the routes of each stage to
such precise detail that you know precisely when to start your sprint
for the line.

And unlike some other riders, his whole season is focused entirely on
that one race. Do you really think he /needs/ to cheat?

> I read some of Armstrong's biography. It's amazing how he managed to
> come back from that illness. Nonetheless, I couldn't help but feel it
> was written in the most cringeworthy cheeseball way.

Ah, well. That's celebrity/sporting biography for you.

d.

 

[Tony Raven]

dannyfrankszzz wrote:
> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> dopes.
>

You write for the Sun and ICMFP

Tony

 

[Simon Mason]

"dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> dopes.
>
> Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
> was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.


He admitted in his book he took EPO - when he was at death's door. If any
drug could make a man do what Lance has done then it's more of a miracle
than a chemical. When I was looking at people's cancer stories on the
internet, on behalf of my late mother, I was amazed to find so many people
all around he world who had stuck pictures of Lance on their hospital beds
as an inspiration and yet there are still people who like to pour scorn on
his achievements. What have these knockers ever done to inspire people? -
bugger all!

--
Simon M.

 

[Callas]

[email protected] wrote:
>
> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> dopes.
>
> Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
> was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.

So, no pre-existing bias on your part then? =)

--
Callas

 

[David Martin]

On 28/7/04 9:41 am, in article [email protected], "Simon
Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]>
> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
>> dopes.
>>
>> Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
>> was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.
>
>
> He admitted in his book he took EPO - when he was at death's door.

What's to admit? It wasn't taken to improve performance (unless you count
not being dead as a performance enhancement over being dead).

EPO effects wear off fairly quickly, any benefit would have vanished a long
time ago.

As to the 'he once took a bit of this or that' I'm sure you know there is an
upper limit on the amount of caffiene you can have in your system (as there
is for cortisone) so by drinking a cup of coffee do you become a drugs
cheat?

Armstrong embodies focus, absolute attention to detail, a great physique and
a pain tolerance higher than almost everyone. He also has an extremely
competitive nature.

...d

 

[Simon Mason]

"David Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BD2D2DEF.1B9E0%[email protected]...
> On 28/7/04 9:41 am, in article [email protected], "Simon
> Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> > "dannyfrankszzz" <[email protected]>
> > wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >>
> >> I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> >> dopes.
> >>
> >> Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
> >> was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.
> >
> >
> > He admitted in his book he took EPO - when he was at death's door.
>
> What's to admit? It wasn't taken to improve performance (unless you count
> not being dead as a performance enhancement over being dead).
>
> EPO effects wear off fairly quickly, any benefit would have vanished a
long
> time ago.


I wasn't implying that EPO had any effect on his cycling abilities! I was
defending him.

--
Simon M.

 

[davek]

David Martin wrote:
> As to the 'he once took a bit of this or that' I'm sure you know there is an
> upper limit on the amount of caffiene you can have in your system (as there
> is for cortisone) so by drinking a cup of coffee do you become a drugs
> cheat?

My friendly local nutritionist used to be an endurance motorcyclist. He
told me of one event in Poland he took part in where between races
everyone was downing cups of the local coffee, which was incredibly
strong, leading to every single participant being over the limit for
caffeine. As they couldn't very well ban all of them, they let them all
race.

d.

 

[Simon Mason]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> My friendly local nutritionist used to be an endurance motorcyclist. He
> told me of one event in Poland he took part in where between races
> everyone was downing cups of the local coffee, which was incredibly
> strong, leading to every single participant being over the limit for
> caffeine. As they couldn't very well ban all of them, they let them all
> race.

Lots of the Tour riders were drinking Coke.
--
Simon M.

 

[Marc]

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 09:35:30 +0000 (UTC), davek wrote:

>> As to the 'he once took a bit of this or that' I'm sure you know there is an
>> upper limit on the amount of caffiene you can have in your system (as there
>> is for cortisone) so by drinking a cup of coffee do you become a drugs
>> cheat?
>
> My friendly local nutritionist used to be an endurance motorcyclist. He
> told me of one event in Poland he took part in where between races
> everyone was downing cups of the local coffee, which was incredibly
> strong, leading to every single participant being over the limit for
> caffeine. As they couldn't very well ban all of them, they let them all
> race.

I was once marshalling on a car rally where the first car left the first
control a minute early ( A ten minute penalty) , followed a minute later
by the second car, then the third etc... 57 cars alter all a minute early
the organisers decided to scrub the penalties. But to come back OT I have
been drug tested after competing in international rallies, It was
negative, but then every drugs test in the last 15 years in motorsport
has been negative. It seems to me odd that in a sport where there is
little advatage from drug ( motorsport)there never seems to be a positive
test, yet in athletic events there seem to be a constant stream of "
herbal remedies for colds" Rally drivers get colds too, how come they
never get caught?

 

[Jeremy Collins]

Simon Mason wrote:

> "davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>My friendly local nutritionist used to be an endurance motorcyclist. He
>>told me of one event in Poland he took part in where between races
>>everyone was downing cups of the local coffee, which was incredibly
>>strong, leading to every single participant being over the limit for
>>caffeine. As they couldn't very well ban all of them, they let them all
>>race.
>
>
> Lots of the Tour riders were drinking Coke.

Funny you should mention that - I was reading this yesterday:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2004/letters06-28#Coke

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

 

[JohnB]

Callas wrote:
>
> [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > I'm sure everyone else has heard the rumours going around that he
> > dopes.
> >
> > Didn't he fail a test a few years ago for cortisone and then claim it
> > was a cream he was taking for saddle sores - a likely story methinks.
>
> So, no pre-existing bias on your part then? =)

All this knocking of LA is getting toooo much.
After all he won the TdF six times, and just ook at the quality of
riders he beat....

err.... <thinks>

.....all those ex-druggies ;-)

John B