Celebrate Clean Cyclists… Cheaters Suck!
Call it a “Mongoose” drug test because the ”Cobra” was caught and taken down. Apparently, Ricardo Ricco is accused of having a form of EPO called CERA in his system. As reported by Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett… it’s a third generation EPO apparently taken in very low dosages.
Click here for the article on CyclingNews.com detailing Ricco’s arrest, reaction and even more interesting is an interview with a doping expert on CERA or Micera. Apparently, it’s a drug that just became commercially available this year.
Here’s a description I found on the Roche website: Normally, when the body senses a decrease in red blood cells or a decrease in oxygen, more erythropoietin (a protein produced by the kidneys) is created. This protein stimulates the production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in the bone marrow which raises the red blood cell count. When this natural mechanism is hindered (as in kidney disease patients), it is necessary to stimulate the receptors to produce red blood cells with agents such as CERA, which will be the first continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, which closely mimicks the body’s natural control of red blood cell production.
Did Ricco think he could just get away with this? Did he think there would not be a test that would detect this particular kind of drug in his system? This news comes after non-negative test results from two other cyclists… both tests showing EPO.
I’m glad they’re being caught. I’m glad the French national anti-doping agency (AFLD) is targeting certain riders in what are/were called random tests. It shows the system is working but it also shows there are still CHEATERS… CHEATERS SUCK!
I have loved watching the Tour this year and I will continue to watch. I will celebrate the clean cyclists and continue my support for an awesome sport! How about you?
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Comments
IAN– It is amazing. Is it the winning… the fame… the money? I figure for those that get away with it… they go to their grave knowing they were never really “the best” because they cheated. Then again, maybe they just don’t have a conscience.
I could not live with that!
Yeah, I’ll continue watching and cheering the “clean teams”, but like Ian, I will hold a bit of reservation until the final results are in. Although, I have to say, Ricco always smelled like a rat to me. He was always shooting off his mouth and was definitely no class act in any respects.
UNCADAN & RON– Same here… I did not favor Ricco at all. His crass and egotistical ways just didn’t appeal to me. Guess I don’t have to see that stuff from him anymore.
The question is how many more will be caught. If they thought there wasn’t a test for it I guarantee that there are others on CERA.
CHRIS– No Doubt! It would be interesting to see if the results of another Saunier Duval rider’s test (from an earlier stage) shows something.
I have to agree with Chris, not only are they cheating the sport, their fans, the general public, but they are cheating and lying to themselves.
Nothing worse than whoring yourselve out for gain….
I had my doubts about Ricco. Haematocrit levels of 51 since childhood? Yeah right. It didn’t surprise me but I was nonetheless shocked. Obviously riders still think they can get away with it? How someone can raise their arms in victory when they know that they didn’t actually achieve this, at least not naturally, escapes me?
LAUREL — Can’t agree more! Thanks for visiting my blog.
GROOVER– Yes, and I doubted Piepoli. Now, his team has fired him because of what they say was questionable practices even though he didn’t have a positive test. They’ll always know in their minds they were never truly “the best” because they cheated! True shame.
My favorite part was how the drug company worked with the doping agencies to produce a test for CERA before they released it.
Cheaters do suck, but I have a feeling the game changes a bit when your mortgage relies on your racing ability. I think it’s easy for us to judge from our armchairs, but consider that you’re a 25 year old ex-phemom, trained to do nothing but race a bike and now you’re unable to keep up with the peloton. No excuses, mind you, but the pressure to cheat is heavy and real.
Arlyn– That’s is the tough part of it. Cheating, of course, has been around for a long time. They almost canceled the Tour after it’s second year in 1904 because of the scandal and cheating. STILL SUCKS.. like to see raw human ability.
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I find it unbelievable that these riders believe they can take these drugs and think they won’t get caught. With all the focus on cleaning the sport the past two years, why would these people run the risk of losing everything they’ve worked for?
Has our world become so focused on winning that the atheletes feel it’s worth cheating for?
I will still watch the tour , but hold back some enthusiasm until the stage winners test results come back negative.