The Operacion Puerto List

by Chris... on Jun 30, 2006 7:54 AM EDT in News Comment 15 comments

The following list of riders, 31 names so far, have been identified in Operation Puerto and cannot expect to race anytime soon:

Astaná-Würth: Michele Scarponi, Marcos Serrano, David Etxebarria, Joseba Beloki, Angel Vicioso, Isidro Nozal, Unai Osa, Jörg Jaksche

CSC: Ivan Basso

Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears: Constantino Zaballa

Saunier Duval: Carlos Zarate

AG2R: Francisco Mancebo

T-Mobile: Jan Ullrich, Oscar Sevilla

Phonak: Jose Enrique Gutierrez, Jose Ignacio Gutierrez

Comunidad Valenciana: Vicente Ballester, David Bernabeu, David Blanco Rodriguez, Jose Adrian Bonillla, Juan Gomis Lopez, Eladio Jimenez, David Latasa, Javier Pascual, Ruben Plaza, J.Luis M. Jimenez

Unibet.Com: Carlos Garcia Quesada

Retired/suspended riders: Roberto Heras, Angel Casero, Santiago Perez, Tyler Hamilton

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i find it

hard to believe that Ullrich doped. But then again, I was surprised that Millar did, so ... And Hamilton, but that's a completely different issue.

by callmecayce on Jun 30, 2006 8:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wonder what

this will do to Basso's Giro victory?

by bethie on Jun 30, 2006 8:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

just

shocking

by Chris... on Jun 30, 2006 8:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

here's my question

Have we now just assumed that these boys are guilty?

by callmecayce on Jun 30, 2006 8:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's hard to tell what the "list" is... guys Fuentes worked with, or guys he helped dope. I'm kind of assuming it's the former, and the possibility for guilt-by-association is high, and some guys might not really be dopers. I mean, Basso... it might take a while before that one settles in. But I would also acknowledge that for all we know, this latest report has conclusive proof of doping by each of the named riders.

by Chris... on Jun 30, 2006 8:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

They look pretty damn quilty to me. I'm sure they can get some lawyers involved and dissimilate but I think they caught these boys red handed.

by ELVISGOAT on Jun 30, 2006 8:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but

How come they've never been caught when they were tested? Is this just proof that testing is a joke (pointless, etc) or if there's some sort of paying off of people who do the pre-race (etc) dope controls.

by callmecayce on Jun 30, 2006 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A couple thoughts...

I think there still isn't any reliable way to catch someone who is blood doping with their own blood (outside of the 50% measurement).

I could be wrong about these, but I don't think reliable tests for HGH (human growth hormone) and testeroene doping exist (both occur naturally in your body, so highly elevated levels are the only sign).

With the amount of out-of-competition testing you see for a few of the top athletes (Didn't Armstrong say he was tested out of competition in the neighborhood of 20 times annually?), I'd be surprised if the top contendors are messing around overmuch with detectable drugs like steroids. EPO is a possibility, but blood doping is impossible to stop and altitude tents are legal, so why bother?

by TCWriter on Jun 30, 2006 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Botero

He's not on the list. Man, is he ever gonna be ripped about this.

-Cosmo http://cyclocosm.com

by Cosmo on Jun 30, 2006 9:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Right

Like Hunter Thompson being excluded frm Nixon's enemies list. Maybe his lawyer can work on getting his name on the next version.

by Chris... on Jun 30, 2006 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I, too, question why these guys

have never tested positive. I have to assume that Basso was tested every day he was in Pink in the Giro, and I know stage and race winners and podium-placed people are tested. Plus there's random out-of-competition testing.

Or is the reality that the haemocrit level of 50 standard is toyed with, and they all test 49 all the time?

Please, can someone help me with this? Because I am not a racer, and I know that sleeping at altitude is legal. Why don't they publish everyone's results? Because (as I've read somewhere) if the peloton (as a group) tests near or just below 50, doesn't that mean that most cyclists are cheating?

by Ruthann on Jun 30, 2006 10:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's like any other form of manipulation

you're on certain drugs for certain amounts of time, not constantly. So when you're off cylce your measurements will (you hope) read normally.

And Basso was not tested every day, but probably most days. So he would presumably be off cycle at that point - you'll see in the Spanish investigation that notebooks and journals will be in evidence that kept track of what each rider was on and when, so they could make sure he tested clean when he needed to.

Like any test there are ways of beating it. It's just like car alarms and car theives. The latter is always trying to get past the former. This is no different.

If it's any consolation, track and field is supposed to be even more rampant with cheating.

by Drew on Jun 30, 2006 11:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hematocrit values

After prolonged training at altitude, many athletes will naturally test above the 50% limit, without any PEDs in their system. The test itself is also a bit weak, since dehydration and activity before testing could affect the result. If you have been standing up for more than 30 minutes and then sit down to take the test, you could have much higher values, due to the increased heart rate and blood-pressure. In other words - a fit, talented rider can very easily test close to, and over, 50% without using any PEDs...

As for the use of altitude tents/rooms/houses - that is an ethical debate. In cycling it's still legal, and quite frankly - it should be. It is not the same as using blood doping or EPO. The difference is enourmous and should be easily recognized.

As for test methods - they are pretty high tech. If you are using any type of PED (naturally produced or otherwise), chances are greater for being caught than not...

Mags

by mags on Jun 30, 2006 2:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I also have no problem with altitude tents,

but can they produce levels higher than the 50% limit? I'm sincerely asking, I really don't know.

And thank you both for your response; I appreciate it. I'm trying very hard to educate myself on these things...

by Ruthann on Jun 30, 2006 4:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hct values

some people produce naturally high hct values, add in the increase in hct due to training at high altitudes - then the answer is yes. Now, most of these riders get an "exception letter" for this. But, some don't.

Mags

by mags on Jun 30, 2006 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs