Contador makes a last defense

[RC Vikings]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201....ap/index.html

It doesn't look good for him. I'm reading the book "Lance" right now and it's interesting to read about when EPO invaded the peloton. Hampsten talks about how he won the Giro and three years later being in just as good as shape but he couldn't break into the top thirty or how certain teams were just riding away from others. The pressure to dope must have been huge.

[Borg]

Didn't read the whole article (yet)...but, it appears that he's proposing some tainted food that caused the drug testing to go south.

There is always some crazy reason why these drug tests fail for these athletes...which got me thinking.

I wonder...if any one of us on this board, were tested at random times throughout this year...how many times would we fail a drug test for one reason or the other, and have to explain, or provide evidence of some food, supplement, etc. that we were taking that made us fail the test.

Would be fun to see the results.

Surely there is something behind PAC's recent surge of weekend rides and increased speed and distance. PAC...would you mind peeing in this cup please?

[creekster]

Spain is in a pickle here. They would clearly love to avoid a ban of their favorite son, but it seems hard to do so under the present regime. My bet is he is banned for a year. I also bet he doesn't quit cycling as he threatened. What else is he going to do to make that kind of money?

I recall the time frame RC refers to. It was the zenith of American cycling in Europe as of that time. Lemond and Hampsten were both big stars. even though they were going to get older, it seemed like they would have occasional success over time. Instead, they just fell off the map. It was shocking to me then how fast they deteriorated. Maybe they didn't deteriorate, as it turns out. Maybe everyone else just got juiced. It certainly explains Big Mig, for example. Sigh.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Surely there is something behind PAC's recent surge of weekend rides and increased speed and distance. PAC...would you mind peeing in this cup please?

I am assured by my nutritionist, Victor Conte, I'm using only the finest herbal supplements. But seriously, folks, for all the work I've been doing in the offseason (I'm at the gym three days a week, and running or riding the other three), I'd hoped to be in even better shape. But at my age, I find I have to downsize my erstwhile lofty goals.