Podium Cafe: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: The Big Twelve's passing offenses are overrated Bar-right-arrows

spread the word

Schumacher Positive: Tour de France

Picture_1_tiny by gavia on in News

D_medium Apparently, today is the day. Or, at least, sorta the day.

L'Équipe reports that Stefan Schumacher has tested positive for CERA. Schumacher won both cronos during this year's Tour de France and wore the Yellow Jersey for two days. During the Tour, French anti-doping authorities placed the German, riding for Gerolsteiner, under tight scrutiny. Until now, they proved unable to confirm their suspicions created by anamolous blood value readings.

The positive test result comes as a result of testing carried out at both Chatenay-Malabry and Lausanne using two different testing methods to detect CERA in blood samples.

Schumacher has had several previous brushes with the doping authorities. In 2005, he tested positive for the stimulant Cathine, but was subsequently acquitted. In 2007, he recorded a high hematocrit on the eve of the World Championships, and showed traces of amphetamine use in a police test following a car accident.

No word just yet on which stages Schumacher tested positive.

(News is flying fast. If you see something, post up a linky here!)

3 recs | Comment 275 comments | Digg!

Read Related

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

More soon we wonder?

Should I sit here pressing refresh or should I go shopping? Decisions decisions!

by Albertina on Oct 6, 2008 12:34 PM EDT   0 recs

my thoughts exactly,

though in my case it’s should I make dinner now or stay here

by amarone on Oct 6, 2008 12:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

lol

right there with ya.

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 12:37 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

my choice

is hit refresh or pay attention on my conference call – easy choice.

by Katiek on Oct 6, 2008 12:44 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I want new brown boots for winter. I think I'll go shopping.

I’ll be back later on to catch up on the day’s developments no doubt. Have fun kids!

by Albertina on Oct 6, 2008 12:54 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Did you find anything good?

to cheer you up before the rest of the bad news (maybe) hits us?

by amarone on Oct 6, 2008 7:32 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

No. Zilch.

Boots are very poor this year.

by Albertina on Oct 7, 2008 4:42 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

Heartily I wouldn’t wonder!

by Albertina on Oct 6, 2008 12:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

ha!

that is good :-)

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 12:45 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Why?

Don’t get this. Explain?

by NE Observer on Oct 6, 2008 12:49 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Quickstep

signed Schumi at the expense of Bettini.

by australopithecine on Oct 6, 2008 12:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

The negotiations between Bettini and Lef

Bettini felt that Lefevere had betrayed him by hiring Schumacher instead of resigning him. Lef said Schumacher was less money than Bettini and worth more to the team. I suppose he’s right about the less money part – QuickStep won’t have to pay him, assuming the positives stand up to the lawyers.

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 12:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

lol

but yours was so brief and to the point. now the reader can choose – to the point or extendo version. it’s all about the options. just serving everyone’s needs here at the cafe…

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 12:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks to you both

and Australopithecine. I had completely forgotten the connection.

by NE Observer on Oct 7, 2008 12:31 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Lefevre signed Schumi to Quick Step

as one of the riders to replace Bettini. He though his few new signings would give him better value for money. Woops.

by Albertina on Oct 6, 2008 12:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

So could Bettini now join the ranks of the unretired?

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Oct 6, 2008 12:53 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Ha Ha, I'll believe that when I see it

Capodacqua has a piece up highlighting a few things that Stampa journalist Paolo Ziliani said on his blog. He was the guy who printed that interview with Fanini a couple of weeks ago (“The winner of the Worlds will be a doper”), and one further point that wasn’t in the print version was his (Fanini’s) belief that Bettini was the point man for tip-offs from the vampires.

by Monty. on Oct 6, 2008 1:10 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

bettini is probably 10lbs overweight already

he gained 12 kilos in 2 months after lombardy last year. imagine what he will look like retired?

by humbug1 on Oct 6, 2008 1:15 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yay Mikhail Khalilov

cleans up in yet another non-VDS race. Shame that he never even got to start a VDS one.

by Monty. on Oct 6, 2008 1:27 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

We barred him

for excessively ugly shorts.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:34 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Aren't you thinking

of that team of Swedish ballet dancers?

Must be a new team kit. I’m sure he wasn’t quite so spotty earlier in the year.

by Monty. on Oct 6, 2008 6:12 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, wouldn’t want any drug scandals ruining his reputation.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Oct 6, 2008 1:06 PM EDT to parent up   1 recs

Hans-Michael Holczer

I’m sure there’s a lot of love for Holczer for how outspoken he was about doping. And some may even regret his inability to gain a new sponsor for next season. But that fact that this is yet another doping scandal involving one of his riders does make you wonder how close an eye he was keeping on his team.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Oct 6, 2008 12:45 PM EDT   0 recs

good question

interestingly, radsport-news doesn’t have either of these stories up yet.

and gazzetta is now frantically re-editing their piepoli story to add schumacher. entertaining to watch how fast everyone can edit…

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 12:48 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

my first post on PdC was on Schumi winning the TT

I got scalded for questioning the “shocking” performance. It never made sense, at least in the margins he won by – now we know why. He is still a great interview though and I kinda liked the guys personality despite the suspicions.

by humbug1 on Oct 6, 2008 1:02 PM EDT   0 recs

Well

credit where credit is due. In truth, all we knew then was that he hadn’t been flagged, despite an outlier performance. I guess a lot of people’s first reaction to suspicions is resistance, if only because we don’t wish to have that conversation again. But Schumi… there were flags.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 1:20 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

mornin' :-)

happy monday!

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 1:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

indeed!

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:34 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Seems like

there were plenty of others that shared your skepticism.

by dheadrick on Oct 7, 2008 12:16 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

a little drug called common sense...

so far it has been undetectable in the riders and directors.

by humbug1 on Oct 6, 2008 1:42 PM EDT to parent up   1 recs

Comment of the Week

You can close the competition to entries now.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:34 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

ohhh - what do I win?

given I was just at interbike and still have a cupboard full of free gel samples and the like, I am thinking you will have to give me some top shelf shit!!!!

by humbug1 on Oct 7, 2008 2:25 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

violating the laws of economics

It suffers from both short supply & low demand.

by JFS_PGH on Oct 6, 2008 6:53 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Silly Question maybe

but why can’t ANY rider sue a caught doper for lost wages

because clearly the cheaters reduce the earnings of the on cheaters

by cyclingchallenge on Oct 6, 2008 1:18 PM EDT   0 recs

What I want to know

is why can’t I sue them for VDS points lost?

by Hons on Oct 6, 2008 1:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That

is hard to prove.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:40 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm not a sports lawyer or knowledgeable about European law,

but in the US, you have to “standing” to sue another person/entity. Part of this concept is that one cannot have a generalized greivance, and must be harmed in a “different” way than the rest of society. All of the other riders are all harmed in the same way, i.e., the sport in general suffers. The most common example is that a taxpayer has no standing to sue the government for waste, because he/she suffers the same harm as every other taxpayer. It is a constitutional policy aimed at decreasing litigation. At least, this is what I would argue if I represented a doper. ~:-)

by dheadrick on Oct 7, 2008 12:33 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

sounds like the counter

would be to form a “class”—

by R Mc on Oct 7, 2008 9:11 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Ok little quiz.. How many stage have been won by riders how doped?

2006, 2007 and 2008?

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:20 PM EDT   0 recs

scary question

although in fact I think you mean who were “caught” doping

as any answer seems (sadly) understated

by cyclingchallenge on Oct 6, 2008 1:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

yes indeed

But I meant only the Tour.

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:25 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

One stage in 2006, four in 2007 and so far five in 2008?

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Oct 6, 2008 1:39 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Wasn't it 5 in 2006?

2 times Honchar
1 time Rasmussen
1 time Kessler
1 time Landis

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:45 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

But

Honchar and Kessler never tested positive.

by Monty. on Oct 6, 2008 1:49 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Rasmussen

never tested positive did he?

just assumed guilty for eating burritos

by cyclingchallenge on Oct 6, 2008 1:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

C'mon

We can assume they did. Kessler teste positive.
Rasmussen and Honchar were machines. Both guilty.. Or maybe only in mine opinion

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't think that many people have any doubts at all

just saying technically, for the record, etc.

by Monty. on Oct 6, 2008 6:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

This year alone
It means that of the Tour’s 21 stages, five were won by riders who have subsequently tested positive. They were stages four and 20 (Schumacher at Cholet and Saint-Armand), stages six and nine (Ricco at Super-Besse and Bagneres-de-Bigorre) and stage 10 (Piepoli at Hautacam).

h/t to CW for doing my research for me.

by Hons on Oct 6, 2008 1:41 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll bite on 2008

Stage 4: Shumi dopes, Kirchen wins stage and yellow jersey (David Millar has same time as Kirchen). Due to the dopin, Kirchen gets two more days in yellow than planned. He would take over on Stage 6.

Stage 6: Ricco dopes. Valverde wins

Stage 9: Ricco dopes. V. Efimkin wins the stage

Stage 10: Piepoli dopes. Cobo wins shoe drops. F. Schleck wins shoe may drop? B. Kohl wins.

Stage 20: Shumi dopes. Fabian wins stage.

by PopUp Rolen on Oct 6, 2008 1:43 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

see Peeps post concerning possibility of Kohl

who was next?

Its like the 97 tour when Ulrich won you had to go to 12th to declare someone who was not mildly involved in anything

by humbug1 on Oct 6, 2008 1:46 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Valverde wins.. If I have question marks by some rider (expect Schumi)

It is Valverde. Valv Piti. His battling with Lance. Stage 6 Evans?!

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:46 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait

Fränk has been caught red handed? :O

by OctaBech on Oct 6, 2008 1:47 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

no...

He said “shoe may drop”

But me, I think Kohl is more likely to get nailed than Schlecky. We’ll see anyway.

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 1:48 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

and i used a question mark

i know how precious Schleck the senior is to some, so I made sure to qualify it with the “may” and “?”

:)

by PopUp Rolen on Oct 6, 2008 1:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Nah forget Fränk

I’m more worried about him being a bad influence on his younger brother

by OctaBech on Oct 6, 2008 1:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

For the record

I never listen to my older brother.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That would be Drew right?

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Oct 6, 2008 10:57 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Pfft

He’s at least three weeks younger than me. No, Mr Van P is my flesh and blood. He’s also been chained to his desk for about 6 weeks.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 7, 2008 12:31 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

While I do love Chris like a younger brother,

he’s older than me – but not wiser.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Drew... on Oct 7, 2008 12:28 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Well at least you proved his point

The younger brother doesn’t listen to the older brother. :D And now you must have me excused, I’m going to beat up my brother for lying about listening to what I say.

by OctaBech on Oct 7, 2008 12:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks, my nerves can't take this

I hope that none of the riders from teams with independent anti doping programs have doped :( Wouldn’t know where to find light for the sport then.

by OctaBech on Oct 6, 2008 1:53 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Stage 10 Looks Most Fun

1. PIEPOLI Leonardo
2. COBO ACEBO Juan Jose
3. SCHLECK Frank
4. KOHL Bernhard
5. EFIMKIN Vladimir

Could it stretch all the way back to Efimkin inheriting his second stage win?

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Oct 6, 2008 1:48 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

except...

weren’t 2 riders from AG2R among the pool of re-tests?

gah, i’m so confoosed.

by gavia on Oct 6, 2008 1:49 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Digging deeper into stage 10

6. Ricco
7. Sastre
8. Cadel
9. Menchov
10. Christian Van de Velde

by PopUp Rolen on Oct 6, 2008 1:53 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Digging even deeper

On stage 10, Ricco took over the mountain jersey from teammate David de La Fuente. He would have held it for two more days until Sebastian Lang took over on Stage 12

by PopUp Rolen on Oct 6, 2008 1:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah they were. Valjavec confirmed. Other possible Efimkin

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Oct 6, 2008 1:57 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Frank

may have doped two years ago. Doesn’t mean he did this time.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Oct 6, 2008 4:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs