Alberto Contador tests positive for clenbuterol

[Stuart]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto ... lenbuterol

well well - food contamination - there's an excuse I haven't heard before.

[weiyun]

Actually, clenbuterol contamination is a real entity. Whether it truly applies here is another matter. And one wonders what micro-doses of clenbuterol can do for him? Hard to judge.

[timyone]

yeah, ive been having the same prob, so if any ones suspicious about my amazing performance, dont ask me, im just the rider, it must be some thing mums putting in there.

[timyone]

it made the herald
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/alb ... 15y37.html

[simon.sharwood]

According to The Australian "The concentration found by the laboratory was estimated at 50 picograms, which is 400 time less than what the anti-doping laboratories accredited by WADA must be able to detect."
I don't know the letter of the law on this stuff, but 1/400th of the amount considered a valid result sure seems a small sample to go on.
Of course it does not rule out the presence of traces from previous larger doses ...
Having said that I hope he gets rubbed out of 2007, making the winner one C. Evans of 'Straya!
S.

[T-Bone]

So, they must be able to detect 400times more than what they have?? or is that just the standard the Laboratories must meet??

Such a small amount detected (unless it doesn't stay in the body for long??) seems unlikely to be intentional doping, especially as he passed all the other doping controls. I reckon he's safe.

[Stuart]

Such a small amount detected (unless it doesn't stay in the body for long??) seems unlikely to be intentional doping, especially as he passed all the other doping controls. I reckon he's safe.

Yeah, but add to that the Operation Porto stuff, for which he was never charged due to lets say, some high level Spanish inaction / cover up and I reckon that he's guilty as sin ....

[Trouty]

...or he might just have a *censored* hot masking agent. I knew he was guilty the day he beat Cadel, but I'm not biased.

[weiyun]

So, they must be able to detect 400times more than what they have?? or is that just the standard the Laboratories must meet??

Such a small amount detected (unless it doesn't stay in the body for long??) seems unlikely to be intentional doping, especially as he passed all the other doping controls. I reckon he's safe.

Only just a few months ago, Fuyu Li from Radioshack was done by the same substance and at a very similar concentration. Li is now suspended and facing a 2 years ban. So either both of them will resurrect or both pay the price together.

Given it was a 2010 TdF sample, this will likely be another Floyd Landis 2006. Andy Schleck may become the official GC winner down the path for 2010.

[Stuart]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/experts ... g-positive

[T-Bone]

I reckon Fuyu Li could have been hard done by as well, considering the small amounts detected. However, in Contador's case there are the results from his other tests during the tour which could help indicate no usage, as it would take a few days at least for the clenbuterol to leave the body, while Fuyu probably didn't have many other tests close enough to his positive.

The blood transfusion claims don't seem realistic either, as if you're going to all that trouble, you'd want to ensure the blood you're using is clean.

I guess we just have to wait and see....

[T-Bone]

It seems Ricco and Mosquera are also in the doping news at the moment.

[weiyun]

Don't discount the blood dope theory yet as plasticiser concentration is incriminating on this front. The most telling to me is the coincidence of the +ve sample to be just one day before the show down mountain stage. There's something that smells more than just a medium-rare steak.

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5846/ ... sions.aspx

[jbcow]

I'm willing to deny Alberto the benefit of the doubt. I'll never forget how smug I felt when Vinokourov got caught out blood doping in 2007 - also from team Astana. The whole team was asked to leave. Caught in the act.
Lance Armstrong - a clean rider if ever there was one - saw Astana's competative advantages and rode with them last year too...

[yewenyi]

Seems a normal dose is 20-60 micrograms a day but athletes use up to twice that. Also it seems that they do feed it to animals.

Clenbuterol is quickly absorbed (70-80%) body, and it remains in the body for awhile (25-39 hours). As a result of its long half life, the adverse effects of clenbuterol are often prolonged.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-arti ... z11KyCoVbU
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Clenbuterol levels decay in the human body by 50% every 36 hours (i.e., "half-life"), so the levels take a few weeks to become undetectable and its effects can be long-lasting.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-ar ... z11KytxgCy
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

[weiyun]

Seems a normal dose is 20-60 micrograms a day but athletes use up to twice that. Also it seems that they do feed it to animals.

Apparently Clenbuterol is banned in the EU zone for agricultural purposes, so it should not appear in steaks there.

[Trouty]

Apparently Clenbuterol is banned in the EU zone for agricultural purposes, so it should not appear in steaks there.

I'd like to think that Contador is clean until proven guilty but really....it's a hard excuse to swallow.

[orphic]

With how skinny some of those guys manage to get, I don't doubt the a lot of them would be using it. The pressure to get weight down to impossible levels must be massive. You would probably find that they have all used it at some point in the past.

[timyone]

lol! ride a tour and youll be that skinny too!! (accounting for the fact that you would get that skinny with the amount of required training and racing before hand, as not every one in a pro team makes it onto the squad!!)

[timyone]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/con ... 162x8.html

[Stuart]

Plasticisers in Contador’s urine could indicate blood transfusion

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/plastic ... ransfusion

[orphic]

Tim you would be pretty suprised the lengths athletes have to go to to keep their weight down when they might not naturally be like that. I remember reading that Basso doesn't eat peas because they are slightly higher in calories than other vegetables...

[Trouty]

Tim you would be pretty suprised the lengths athletes have to go to to keep their weight down when they might not naturally be like that. I remember reading that Basso doesn't eat peas because they are slightly higher in calories than other vegetables...

What chance do us mere mortals have of losing wieght if even the humble pea can't be eaten!!!

[Michael Chidgey]

What chance do us mere mortals have of losing wieght if even the humble pea can't be eaten!!!

good thing they taste like crap.

so i guess the German club is out then?

[shrubb face]

Just do a couple of 260 km training days up macquarie and you'll lose weight. Its cheap than drugs as well.

[orphic]

Just do a couple of 260 km training days up macquarie and you'll lose weight.

Not if you chase it with two pizzas

[timyone]

wow really? no peas? i thought it was just me that cant get bloody abbs?! seriously its the slowest process ever?!

[orphic]

I can't find the damn article but there was some other pro who lived on rice cakes with nothing on them. Those things are like eating air!

[shrubb face]

Not if you chase it with two pizzas

shh, dont give away my training secrets.

[T-Bone]

shh, dont give away my training secrets.

What about the 3 pies at the top of Macquarie? Or is that just me??

[NOOG]

What about the 3 pies at the top of Macquarie? Or is that just me??

Don't forget the cream!