At least 10 more to go.
Ten abnormal blood results before Tour start
French newspaper Le Monde revealed on Friday that there were ten abnormal blood values found in samples taken by French Anti-Doping Agency AFLD before the Tour de France. The tests were conducted on July 3 and 4, while the Tour got underway on July 5.
According to the newspaper, the results of the tests showed unusual hematocrit and/or haemoglobin values. A high hematocrit result can be an indication of blood doping, through EPO or blood transfusion, but there are also other natural explanations possible.
The names of the riders involved were not published. The results were also sent to the UCI for inclusion in the blood passport programme.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...008/jul08/jul11news2

I think that's bullshit. how can you claim an unusual or abnormal blood value from ONE sample? the UCI did not allow AFLD to use the blood profiles so the AFLD has no idea what anyone's baseline is.

let the witch-hunt begin.

so much for taking back the tour

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"This wheel definitely beat the 808 in this test, no question, and I do commend Hed on producing a really fast wheel...the wheel is fast, I am not disputing that." - joshatzipp on the Stinger 9
My Website
HEDmafia.com

Oh F&*K.

I was just hoping for a TdF with ZERO drug related stories.

This sucks for the sport AGAIN!!!

The worst part is cycling is doing something to clean up and getting a bad rap, unlike MLB, NFL, NHL, Tennis, Premiere League Football etc etc.

Dev

but he's not American!!!

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Forget speedwork. Speedwork is the icing on the cake and you don't have a cake yet. - MattinSF

Basically they have 9 tenants, live life to the fullest, do not turn the cheak, and embrace the 7 deadly since. - TheForge (on satanists)

apparently they took some test earlier in the year as a baseline value when they knew the UCI would not share the info. Info from an article in a UK cycling mag. Would imagine they had the opportunity at most of the ASO races to get everyone

Good thing ASO didn't give Astana an invite. Lord only knows what they would have been caught doing...

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"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

This is called a "diversion" to actually get more Americans :)

Fred.

...but he rode with Armstong on Postal

What's a Tour without a doping positive? Or shall we call it a non-negative result.

Finally, the Tour is "interesting". Sad...

-- Boris

Actually he tested positive to EPO...which doesn't much to do with the differences between baseline and current.

What is it about ex-Postal/Discovery team riders getting busted? Are they clean before, and they can only be as good on another team with drugs? Or are their new medical teams not as good? Or did Postal/Discovery have a get-out-of-jail card they could play over and over?

It's really bizarre. Hamilton, Landis, Beltran, Heras...

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"Go yell at an M&M"

I didn't say it...

It is not doping just another case of bad masking
it is all about spin

actually i'm not referring so much to Beltran... but the whole idea that AFDL has 10 people they claim have abnormal blood samples. same with UCI announcing they have somewhere between 23 and 32 people they are concerned with... but not announcing who, or what...

to me it seems like they still don't know what they are looking for.

Yep, another ex-Postie gets busted. Anyone else see a pattern here? These guys really need to get better team doctors...

They were not expected to win the tour, or even stages. Lance was expected to do that. Let's see if Beltran's B comes back positive, but all the other guys you named left Johan/Lance to lead and win. Flip the question: How come guys that came from teams that had doping problems, never issues when on Lance's team. IMO, you know your role, you know what is at stake, JB is super smart and focuses on what needs to be done in preparation. I think Vaughters and Stapelton will do similar....focus on clear roles for the participants and don't expect them to be something they are not.

Interesting aside, and my facts might be wrong, but in "It's Not About the Bike" wasn't it David Millar that called Lance's cell phone and Lance responded that he had just gotten back from a long ride and David Millar replied with an expletive. Millar was partying in Ibiza or some place and Lance is working his butt off. Then Millar gets busted for doping.

I am really sad about Beltran....he was on my fantasy team.

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I miss you "Sports Night"

Holy crap, Lance was doing long rides for training? That's freaking insane. If only all the other softies in pro cycling had the cajones to do these "long rides" they wouldn't have to dope and they could be champions too.

It sounds like Le Monde could have jumped the gun a bit. The French lab that did the tests is downplaying the story:

Velonews

which is why the police visited liquigas...

http://www.lequipe.fr/...ez-liquigas_Dev.html

And his whole team will be asked to leave. That's got to be a fun ride on the team bus...

?

I was talking about the other story.

and it looks like velonews doesn't speak much french since the information was actually confirmed by the president of AFLD:

http://www.lequipe.fr/...ts-en-serie_Dev.html

I've followed cycling since before it was cool......what the heck is "Team Mapei??"

;^)