The OFFICIAL Tour de France, thread.

[willyfantastic]

Saxo-Bank are pulling out of sponsoring the team after this year, so i think its the same team (owner & some riders) but under new main sponsorship.

apparently the schlecks are looking into a Luxembourg team to ride for

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Saxo-Bank are pulling out of sponsoring the team after this year, so i think its the same team (owner & some riders) but under new main sponsorship.

apparently the schlecks are looking into a Luxembourg team to ride for

I believe they have extended th contract. With Contador on board they have a great chance to actually back the winner.

 

[Fazz62]

I believe they have extended th contract. With Contador on board they have a great chance to actually back the winner.

HHS

Appreciate it will be into the footy season. But any views on the Vuelta a España?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BBC News - Tour de France winner Alberto Contador tests positive

 

[Gwylan]

Rather sad news. I'd always hoped Alberto would be clean

 

[severnside gull]

Tiny amounts but could well be indicative of deliberate doping.
Hard to see how clenbuterol could be an accidental contaminant in food.

 

[Pantani]

Always suspected he wasn't clean. Spanish and Italian cyclists have been the main culprits in recent years. However the article says the amount found was 400 times less than WADA labs are supposed to be able to test for. I'm not sure what the significance of that is but it is yet another sad day for cycling.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I absolutely LOVE the choice of picture the BBC have used on the website.

Look at the size of his eyes, matey is high as f***.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

And today I witnessed first hand the magnificent Cancellara win the world time trial championships in my home town. He's a freaking machine that guy.

 

[Stat Brother]

Always suspected he wasn't clean. Spanish and Italian cyclists have been the main culprits in recent years. However the article says the amount found was 400 times less than WADA labs are supposed to be able to test for. I'm not sure what the significance of that is but it is yet another sad day for cycling.

Just about to dig into this, but my gut reaction is similar.
Brailsford was asked about signing AC on the back of saying 'we do fully extensive test, before signing anyone, and have turned people away'.
Although not saying anything DB left the interviewer in know doubt that Sky would never sign him.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It does seem that it would be remarkably easy to dope a cyclist if you really wanted to without them knowing (as with any sport, I guess).

 

[Stat Brother]

and if every other sportsman was tested a often as a pro cyclist, we wouldn't have professional sport.

 

[Stat Brother]

Alberto Contador Suspended Over Traces Of Clenbuterol From Tour De France Test | Cyclingnews.com
Lemond Shocked By Contador Positive | Cyclingnews.com
Alberto Contador Blames Positive On Contaminated Meat - BikeRadar
David Millar: Alberto Contador Not Treated Fairly - BikeRadar

 

[The French Mistress]

But it keeps happening regardless of any other sports, complete waste of time and effort, bearing in mind I've just returned from 11 years in France.

 

[Stat Brother]

Dave Millar seems to think we shouldn't jump the gun.
Even though I, like Pantani, still stand by my own gut reaction.

 

[edna krabappel]

The problem is, so many of them eventually fail tests that you get to the point where you assume they are doping.

The riders have a far greater incentive to cheat than the authorities do to find them, thus there are probably plenty of drugs out there that we don't even know about yet and they haven't invented tests for.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Millar rode a top race today too at the world championships.

 

[Pantani]

Lets not get too carried away with labeling doping as just a problem in cycling. There is absolutely no way it is the only sport where this happens. It is just that cyclists are tested more often than any other sportsmen. If footballers had to undergo the same level of testing I am convinced that loads would be found to be doped. As for American sports it is safe to assume nearly everyone has been chemically enhanced owing to their slack testing procedures. Tennis seems likely to be sport rife with doping too. I would suggest looking up the Operation Puerto doping case to those who think it is only cyclists involved in this sort of thing.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

If I was in charge of doping I would take a very close look at football - but rugby would be of most interest. All that bulking up that has happened over recent years.

 

[Stat Brother]

American sport is rife with drugs, I believe golf to be one of the worse offenders, mainly due to virtually no testing.