Doping

@WillMelling

suspicion

is what we're talking about here, indeed.

So Dr Fabio Bartalucci, who all these reports hint has some dodgy past as he was one of 80 people questioned during the San Remo raids in 2001, was also the coach and doctor of that well known bastion of the anti-doping movement, Nicole Cooke.

It's odd how these stories are twisted to support a specific agenda.

Personally engaged and contracted, or assigned as part of a team structure?

The former. She is very clear about her relationship with him in her book.

Not by my standards. ("this post contains a lot of words")

Have any of you noticed that Ferdi Kubler died recently

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/former-tour-de-france-champion-kubler-dies-at-97/

If you read this article, pay attention to the little problem he had after knackering himself on Mount Ventoux.

But whatever it was he was taking, it didn't prevent him getting to 97.

Came here to post and thought I'd check a few pages back... you know that thing about him tearing up in 2011, and it looking really dodgy, well he worked with a certain doctor that year, Dr. Jose Ibarguren Taus, guess who just got added to the Quickstep staff roster...:

http://www.quickstepfloorscycling.com/en/team/staff

http://www.cyclismas.com/biscuits/so-just-who-is-dr-jose-ibarguren-taus/

This old chestnut is trotted out every few years, whenever a rider does well. Yet the fact remains that Dr Ibarguren has never been convicted of any anti-doping violation. Whether that means he's innocent is another matter, but you can convict people on hearsay and speculation from internet anti-doping crusaders.

The fact that Gilbert has been winning big one day races from his neo-pro days onwards would suggest he has a modicum of natural talent.

Course not, I have a bit of a theory that a few of these doctors have different packages, a doping one, and an everything-but-doping one, maybe in his early years he tried to do the latter too much and got limited "success", then doped them all up, and now he's just pushing the absolute limits with Phil Gil.

Still though, you can't deny that it smells just a bit fishy

But that Cyclismas article you link to is full of anecdotes, none of which prove anything, yet he is at pains to show that Ibarguren has a detrimental affect on a team's results. Which is it, i.e. is he a doping mastermind or a doping failure?

It's very, very easy to link anyone who has worked in cycling in the past twenty years with doping, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they've been a facilitator. It could be that Ibarguren likes the milieu of professional cycling and enjoys working in the sport, hence why he's stuck with it.

The days are, it would seem, long gone when results were heavily influenced by the team doctor.

As for Gilbert being a doper, where's the proof? Given that he's been, for a pro rider, exceptionally outspoken about his opposition to doping it would seem an odd stance to take. He's also been a consistent winner since his early years at FDJ, hardly the traditional route for a doper.

I hate how cycling has turned me so cynical.
I can't read this without having some cynicism now; http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/39686121

He's 23, if he was 28 then suspicion is justified, but at that age it could be talent showing.

Indeed. I don't think anything untoward.
But just now-a-days I can't read a story without having some cynicism in the back of my mind. Thanks to cycling, though athletics is possibly worse!

But good for him. Nice to see an underdog.

Making his step up to mara, so unknown quantity at the distance, though his calibre was known to the other runners, and was aiming for a 2.16 and came a minute inside it. Nothing to see here.

And they can't afford PEDs in Swansea.

I know what you mean and I have no idea how often runners get tested. He was already running quick enough times to be in the top amateurs and eyeing up qualifying for the Commonwealth Games, so I hope he's clean.

Yeah, I wasn't really questioning the integrity of his performance.
Just noting that I can't read 'feel good' stories without having a cynical though, due to others. Which is a shame, for all the clean, hardworking people out there.

I think if he was mixing it with the Kenyan's for a podium then I'd very suspicious. However, 13th place at 11mins down from the winner. shrugs

I hope so. He says he was aiming for 2hr 16, and finished on 2:15, so he hit his target and it doesn't seem outrageously quick. Maybe the rest of the GB squad just had a naff day out.

Not only a doper, but now a twice banned drunk driver. WAC.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/jonathan-tiernan-locke-handed-41-month-driving-ban-drink-limit-326660

I wonder if he pleaded not guilty, and said he was only over the limit because he'd been on an EPO binge a few days before?

What a waste of talent.

I think the point is he didn't have the talent.

He's just a wrong 'un, isn't he. Silly twat

This is a good read:

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2017/04/25/sharapova-guardiola-doping-darkness-and-light-250401/

Cheers, very informative

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/01/paula-radcliffe-jonathan-edwards-could-lose-world-european-athletics-records

Not sure what to make of this: if you are wiping pre-2005 world records out you might as well declare all results pre-2005 null and void

Sucks for those who were clean (based on the evidence I've seen: Edwards; most probably, Radcliffe hmmmm) but seems like quite a sensible approach as some of the records are so far out of reach for obvious reasons. They should also bring in a financial disincentive too, hold onto x% of the athlete's winnings until 10years post retirement or something.