Pro Cycling Discussion 2016
- Thread starter SoliD
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Soldato
Just to play devil's advocate, of all of the complaints about this the one I don't really understand is the call that she should have contested the first missed test at the time. The articles have mentioned some not inconsiderable legal costs of doing so, in addition to a lot of effort and stress, and at that point for what gain? If you can just not miss any more tests it shouldn't be an issue at all. And contesting it at that point would probably have actually given the impression that you were even planning on missing more tests in future.
And yeah, obviously she shouldn't have let it get that far. But is that alone really enough proof to jump to the conclusion that she was doping? It's suspicious and worthy of investigation, no doubt, but given the sheer number of WADA athletes you have to assume that it'd be possible for someone to happen to miss three tests in a year just by pure coincidence. Although, again, what we've been hearing about how easy it is to update your whereabouts by text probably make that more difficult.
Lizzie's statement here:
https://twitter.com/L_ArmiTstead/status/760776866437496832
Soldato
I'd say so. Also, I dont think that it needs to be publicly disclosed that athletes have missed 3 tests and been suspended? So there could be a lot more that we dont know about.
I would guess that loads of athletes make mistakes updating their location every single day but she just got unlucky that the days where she made the mistakes were the days that they actually came round and attempted to test her.
I think another important point which seems to be missed in most reports is that "3 missed tests in a 12 months" doesnt mean she hasnt been tested for 12 months.
Soldato
A number of reports today I've seen have emphasised that she's been tested 16 times this year but I think only since she made her statement outlining that. The inherent issue with that is timing of tests is absolutely vital. Given the limitations of the bio passport with regards to microdosing, being tested today or tomorrow is the difference between passing and failing a test. I appreciate the frustration for a clean athlete who misses a test by accident and is retested the next day, but they should understand that there is a perception difference between missing a surprise test and attending one voluntarily.
Soldato
Yep, she's won a lot of high profile races this year and will have been tested at each one.
But, as I understand it, she's also had random unannounced tests too from UKAD. So the 3 missed tests are not the only times they have tested her.
whilst I have sympathy, quoting the whereabouts rule
I do not think it is that difficult to meet such a requirement, anyone in a professional working environment has to organise similiar daily commitments,
if athletes are sufficiently disciplined to manage their training and diet this is a small delta.
I do not think it is that difficult to meet such a requirement, anyone in a professional working environment has to organise similiar daily commitments,
if athletes are sufficiently disciplined to manage their training and diet this is a small delta.
Man of Honour
I don't know whether it would give the impression that you were planning to miss more tests but I take the point that there might not have seemed like sufficient reason at the time to challenge it more strongly than the written explanation that she provided.
I don't immediately assume she's been doping and it's not proof so will be treating her as clean until or unless more evidence comes to light or it is definitively proven otherwise. I hope she's just been terribly unlucky but with the amount of issues regarding doping with cycling (amongst other sports) you can understand why questions are being asked.
I appreciate it might be an onerous set of requirements to make your whereabouts known for a time period for every day of the year but unfortunately for her a significant number of her peers and predecessors have rather poisoned the well for her so to try and prove she is clean takes a lot more effort than it might otherwise do. It's not fair to clean athletes in many ways but that is the way things have gone.
Soldato
But that's my point, if you win a high profile race you will probably get blood/urine tested so if you were going to cheat, you would make sure you were sufficiently clean not to test positive on any race day. A microdose of EPO (for example) is only detectable for 12-18 hours, so you just have to make sure you're not tested in that period. Gross oversimplification but if you take it at 11pm, that takes 6 hours out of the equation and then you only have to avoid a tester showing up till 5pm the next day.
Assuming all of Armistead's 16 tests this year have been out of competition (which is unlikely but still), that's 16 days out of 200~ where a tester has shown up this year. To put it another way, 184 days out of 200 where you could cheat and probably get away with it. If a tester shows up before 5pm on one of those 16 days, you might suddenly find your phone is on silent, your doorbell doesn't work or you thought the tester was a burglar and you had to hide in your panic room. You can pull that off twice in 12 months and still be clear to compete.
That's why people are right to be highly suspicious about any athlete who has gamed the whereabouts system to their own advantage.
Soldato
Matthews to Giant confirmed, and Kluge to OBE to work as part of Ewan's lead out train. Could be interesting. Hugh Carthy to Cannondale - maybe he just likes green, I dunno. Rumours of Julián Arredondo going to Nippo-Vini Fantini, and Rui Costa to Katusha.
Soldato
Matthews to Giant is interesting, he's a very strong rider but feels like he hasn't worked out his niche yet. I could see him doing well at Flanders.
Soldato
Unless the mens olympic road race today has an ascending finish, surely Froome has got no chance of a medal this afternoon.
Not long back home, struggling to find an elevation image of the course.
Nice to hear Chris is on the BBC commentary, after the tragic death of his mum a few weeks back.
Not long back home, struggling to find an elevation image of the course.
Nice to hear Chris is on the BBC commentary, after the tragic death of his mum a few weeks back.
Caporegime
I can't see Froome winning. He's said himself that one day races aren't his thing. It'll either be a bunch sprint or someone like Tony Martin or Steve Cummings will blitz off the front with 20km to go and win from a breakaway.
Froome is also entered in the TT, which could be more interesting.
Soldato
Unbelievable seeing Poels getting spat out off the back after the incredible performance in the TdF. Must be something wrong.
Damn it, now Cummings has had it
Damn it, now Cummings has had it
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Soldato
I'd say several very small groups will form on the final climb and Froome will be in the front group. He's got a good chance of winning from there.
Caporegime
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Porte going down hard, fencing keeping him from going for a much nastier fall though looks unlucky to have probably hit a fence post rather than just the netting.
looks a wild descent!
Should be a great last lap! All sorts of options around the place!
Caporegime
Not usually a fan of the public running alongside the riders unless it's a female with the size breasts that girl had
Caporegime
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lol, she certainly got my attention. Personally I really dislike the tour over crowding, if everyone stays back they can see so much more and not mess with the riders. Here it should be less bad, so many less spectators, so much more space and so many less riders... however morons will moron. Despite all the extra space you can run along at a safer distance but the idiots still get right in their faces. I think running along like the guys right now, basically on the other side of the road, that is fine. Saying that idiot wearing a flag around his neck runs across the road in front of them.... ****.