Five Things Every Cycling Fan Should Know About Today: October 31st, 2012
Happy Halloween everybody! Here's today's cycling news that matters
Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) Calls for Tougher anti doping stance; US Doping Control Burden falls to race promoters
5. Ricco to appeal 12 year ban in front of CAS
No matter how many times the Cobra's head gets cut off, or he accidentally poisons himself through a dirty blood transfusion (okay, so that's not really a metaphor), Riccardo Ricco just won't seem to go away. The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) issued Ricco a 12 year ban on April 19th following an investigation into an incident in 2011 when Ricco was admitted into the ICU with kidney failure following (allegedly) a self-administered blood transfusion. That would have been Ricco's second infraction following a positive test for CERA during the 2008 Tour. If unsuccessful in his appeal, Ricco would be banned until close to his 40th birthday. Mario Cipollini told Ricco earlier this year that he needed to move on with his life. The embattled rider has struggled with his doping activities, and the drama has played out in the press since 2008. Shortly after his comeback started, his pregnant girlfriend, also a cyclist, tested positive for EPO. Many made the connection and assumed that Ricco was back off the wagon (if he was ever on). After coming back from his ban, Ricco was never apologetic about his former drug use, never contrite or atoning as he tried to move on with his career, and attitude that many in the cycling community were dissatisfied with. These sentiments were seemingly validated when Ricco checked into the ICU, where a doctor states that Ricco said he was having troubles after a self-administered blood transfusion had gone wrong. Guilty or not, I don't think Ricco is healthy for cycling, but more importantly, I don't think cycling is healthy for Ricco. I'm with Cipollini (that's probably a first, aside from those awesome kits), Ricco needs to let it go and move on with his life. He's got a son now, and he needs to figure out how to be a dad, not a professional cyclist.
4. Gesink Considering Giro
Robert Gesink (Rabobank/Whitelabel/TBD Sponsor) is considering making his debut at the Giro d'Italia next year, citing a new approach that doesn't base his season around one main event (The Tour). He has struggled in the past two editions of the Tour, crashing out of this year's race, and crashing out of contention two years ago. 5th place in 2010 is the best that he has managed to date in the French race. At only 26, Gesink's best days could still be in front of him, and I think he's young enough, and this year's Giro is tame enough, that assaults on the GC in the first two grand tours of the season is not beyond question. It would give him two shots at a successful (complete and uninjured) grand tour, even if it might inhibit his chances of podium finishes in both races. A successful grand tour, however, would re-establish confidence in himself, and in the Dutch media, which have recently questioned whether Gesink would live up to the promise he showed at 24. Come on people, he's still only 26. Don't write him off yet. He reminds me a lot of Valverde earlier in his career, crashing out of successive Tours despite showing his talents in the mountains. He'll mature as a racer eventually just like Valverde. He just needs to regain his footing. I'm placing by bet now. Gesink will finish in the top 10 overall of a grand tour next year.
3. Two Contrasting Rider Opinions on Doping
Valverde: Conscience is Clear
Alejandro Valverde says that his conscience is clear following his first season back after returning from a two-year ban, and that his successes this season far outdistanced his expectations. As to his relationship with Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, the doctor at the center of the Puerto Affair, Valverde said, "Eufemian was part of the technical staff on my previous team [Kelme]. He was there. I was there, but I don't want to go back into that." Valverde never admitted to doping, although Italian authorities matched blood from a test carried out when the Tour crossed into Italy with a bag of blood found in the Puerto raid. The conversation quickly turned back to racing, however, as Valverde asserted that he's transitioned into more of a grand tour rider, citing falls at the Tour as the main inhibitor to his performances. "In the Tour I have had bad moments, but I always finish well in the final week. The problem is that I've always had falls. The first week of the Tour is very difficult."Ā
Valverde also pointed out that his comments that caused so much ire about Lance Armstrong were actually taken before the USADA file was released. However, he maintains that looking back is not something that is helpful for cycling.
Voigt: Peloton is cleaner
Jens Voigt has expressed a different opinion, having lived and ridden through three major scandals in the sport (Festina, Puerto, & Armstrong). Voigt believes the peloton is cleaner, even if he's never seen doping first-hand, citing his ability to still be competitive at 41. "We start with the same chances for everyone because there's no organized doping anymore," he said. "It's the cycling of today, where hard work and dedication pay off."
Voigt also posited the notion that this be kilometer zero. From here on out, he suggests, should be a zero tolerance policy. No returns, no comebacks. I think there's merit in an argument like that, but I also see guys like Millar, who deserve to ride. Then again, the Millar example is slowly becoming less relevant, as new riders who weren't forced to dope because they were part of the Armstrong era find Millar's example less applicable. Perhaps cycling is ready for a zero-tolerance policy.
2. OPQS Tour team to be built around Cavendish
Patrick Lefevere has made no secret about his interest in Cavendish for several years now, and now that Sky have put all their eggs in the Wiggins-Froome basket, his dreams have finally come true. With sprinters Francesco Chicchi and Gerald Ciolek headed elsewhere, and Levi Leipheimer sacked for his doping confession, OPQS has freed up its lineup to devote itself to Cavendish come July. Tom Boonen will certainly be there for his own opportunities, but could prove invaluable in any leadout train assembled for Cavendish, as would Time Trial stalwart Tony Martin, who worked with Cavendish in the high-road setup. Other riders likely to be included are Matt Brammeier, Bert Grabsch, Stijn Vandenbergh, and Gert Steegmans. Sylvain Chavanel and Niki Terpstra could also play a role in the intermediate kilometers. At any rate, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone next year when Cavendish returns to his position as the King of the Tour Sprints.
1. Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) Calls for Tougher Anti-Doping Stance; US Doping Control Burden Now Falls to Race Promoters
The MPCC, now including 11 teams, has called for teams, WADA, the UCI, and race organizers to step up their respective roles in the anti-doping fight so that everyone is on the same page, via existing regulations that need greater enforcement while also implementing new measures.
The 11 teams (Ag2R, Bretagne-Schuller, Cofidis, Europcar, FDJ, Garmin, Argos-Shimano, IAM, Lotto Belisol, Netapp, and Sojasun) adhere to the following code of conduct:
-No longer allow a rider to race when he has an initial positive test
-Do not sign a rider with a suspension of more than six months [with the exception of whereabouts cases] for two years after suspension
-Don't give corticosteroid injections without imposing a break from competition of eight days
-Carry out internal procedures from the first positive case on a team
-The team should suspend itself automatically following several positive cases in a twelve month period.
The group is now advocating for WADA to increase sanctions for first-time violations, stricter regulations of corticosteroids, and to forbid riders who have been suspended for more than six months from competing in the world championships or Olympics (can we please call this the Vinokourov rule?). It also stressed that the UCI recognize its role in the anti-doping framework, and for race organizers to not do business with teams that do not respect the elementary rules of ethics.
Meanwhile, the onus on US doping controls have fallen to race organizers, something I don't altogether agree with. US Race Promoter David Chauner (Who organizes the Liberty Classic) stressed the need for more testing at US events, stating that "rumors are rife, but unproved, that some foreign riders have come to race here and have joined American teams because testing is sporadic and there is now enough cash in prize lists and team contracts to make a decent, albeit modest, living." Chauner believes that, given the recent revelations, USADA and USA Cycling need to emphasize testing current cyclists. USADA has caught less than 12 cyclists for doping in the USA, out of 70,000 participating in races, and it's estimated that they have a testing presence at fewer than 100 of USA Cycling's 3,041 events. Granted, there are a lot of small events in there in which no pros race, but the numbers have to be better than that, especially at National Racing Calendar and Criterium Calendar events.
The number of USADA-run controls previously included some UCI events on a "B-list", but two months ago, USADA changed its policy and no longer will test events where the UCI is the reporting agency under the allotment.
"This means that the typical UCI B-list event has changed categories and now represents an expensive proposal to the race directors. In the past, the race directors wanted to be on the B-list as they had no expenses in that scenario, but did have expenses if it was UCI A-list," said USA Cycling's technical director Shawn Farrell.
Those expenses for a UCI race can run in the thousands of dollars: the race promoters are obligated to pay for the expenses of the controllers, provide space and materials and pay for the lab testing. For a typical cyclo-cross race, Farrell estimates it would cost around $4,000 for six doping controls.
"I can tell you that this year, we have three cyclo-cross races put on the B-list, and USA Cycling is covering the costs of those tests for the race directors, primarily as the policy change was recent, and none of the race directors had anticipated a budget increase of that magnitude."
Ā "It doesn't surprise me that the UCI will not be footing bills for testing, Chauner said. The governing bodies (UCI and USAC) don't seem to realize that they need to make significant financial investment to show they are serious about cleaning up the sport, starting at the grass roots level.
"The stakeholders who pay for sanctions, team affiliations and licenses need to see a good portion of their fees go toward ensuring that cycling regains credibility in the eyes of sponsors, the public and those parents whose sons and daughters might consider competitive cycling." - end
For a good editorial on why the US needs to take a leading role in the fight against doping, given their responsibility and complicity in producing the greatest (editorializing slightly) doping conspiracy uncovered [to date], check out the full article by Chauner here, at velonews:Ā http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/opinion-u-s-cycling-must-lead-the-global-fight-against-doping_263058
I think the point that needs to be remembered about the US Postal doping ring is that, even though an American was the leader, and the team was registered in America, and many of American riders are the ones who have admitted to doping, the problem is just as much Spanish, given the doctors involved (and still praciticing in Spain), the team's base in Girona, and the number of Spanish riders who played key roles in the team throughout Lance's 7 year Tour run, who weren't called to testify in front of USADA. Yet. That could all change if Bruyneel and the doctors continue their appeals.
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