Author Topic: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests  (Read 4696 times)

Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« on: 16 October, 2014, 10:21:33 pm »

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #1 on: 16 October, 2014, 11:40:50 pm »
No more than I would be with any of the pro teams. Found this extract from the Guardian report mildly amusing, in an ironic way, 'The series of cases in quick succession has raised concerns about the team’s anti-doping practices, which will now come under review.'

On the other hand Nibali passed his bottles to our daughter at the end of stage 1 of the Tour and remains a hero in our household and I had the priviledge of riding with a small group of pros (and a bigger group of non-pros) last week and they were all ordinary chaps who were good to chat too and ride with. Nothing to suggest anything untoward.


Mike

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #2 on: 17 October, 2014, 07:35:35 am »
Typical - and despicable - how they shoe-horned Nibali's name into the headline. If the team belongs to anyone other than the city it's Vino.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #3 on: 17 October, 2014, 07:47:48 am »
I'm not remotely suprised. 

It could get interesting now.

In the red corner, mounting evidence of systematic cheating in a team run by an established drugs cheat, wrapped up in the increasingly lucrative globalisation of racing.

In the blue corner our prize middleweight Brian Cookson and his platform of cleaning up pro cycling.

Who will prevail, I wonder?

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #4 on: 17 October, 2014, 05:43:25 pm »
No more than I would be with any of the pro teams.

Rather less than I would be with any other pro team - Saxo is another team to arouse my suspicions wholesale, but even that's not as whiffy as Astana.

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #5 on: 17 October, 2014, 06:01:22 pm »
Anybody who wins is suspicious, and I would make the assumption that Cookson is either able or willing to do anything about it.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #6 on: 21 November, 2014, 10:03:29 am »
Do we believe Nibbles when he says he knew nothing about it? He seems to use a lot of weaseling - they're not really part of my team even if they are Astana, I didn't sign with Vinokourov, signed with the team owner.

Quote
Today we have a biological passport, regular doping control, race controls. If you are doping, you will be caught. Even if the technique of doping can be advanced you will still be caught in another four years. It makes me laugh. Risking and cheating today is for stupid people.”
Quote
Did he have any doubts signing for Vinokourov, the general manager? “No. I didn’t actually sign with Vino. I signed with the team owner and with Giuseppe Martinelli [Astana’s team-manager] who I know well. The key thing is that they agreed I would take my whole group. This gave me the opportunity to lead my own team.”
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #7 on: 21 November, 2014, 10:35:24 am »
Do you really have any doubts about that?
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #8 on: 21 November, 2014, 11:08:04 am »
Only as to whether he will be uncovered in four years, sooner, or later - sadly - which depends on the techniques.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #9 on: 26 November, 2014, 08:27:03 pm »
Fifth case today.  Development team; steroids.  See your favourite sports news site for details.

ETA. 
I wonder if Nibali has any escape clauses in his contract?
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #10 on: 26 November, 2014, 09:51:12 pm »
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #11 on: 26 November, 2014, 10:44:28 pm »
There is Astana Pro Team, Astana Conti team and there is another Conti team called "Vino 4ever". Allegedly they pitch up at races and mix and match. How the UCI can give any of them a licence to race is beyond me. Sorry Mr Cookson, my faith in you is rapidly diminishing.
Working my way up to inferior.

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #12 on: 11 December, 2014, 08:19:55 am »
They have been given their licence for 2015.. ::-)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #13 on: 11 December, 2014, 08:52:54 am »
Astana have money and other teams do not. What did you expect?

I look forward to the investigation results leading to Astana being disbanded before the end of the year. Of course, an entirely unconnected team with the same riders and staff will pop up and continue on its merry way. That approach worked for Phonak and other teams.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #14 on: 11 December, 2014, 09:23:00 pm »
1998, 2006, 2014; these drugs busts are like clockwork.  Who wants to bet there'll be a big one in 2022?

Re: Astana - uci calls for licence to be removed
« Reply #15 on: 01 March, 2015, 12:54:51 am »
Just read on cycling plus that the Uci has called.for Astana's world tour licence to be removed. There is also a sorry history of positive drug tests if you follow various links.

Wonder if Nibali will get out in time for the TdF. Wonder what will happen to Tinkoff Saxo...


LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #16 on: 01 March, 2015, 07:52:27 am »
Does the Pope shit in the woods?

Will the UCI just makes an example of Astana or will they have the balls to continue cleaning out teams? I plump for the former.

Will Astana riders and staff aggregate in another team/s? Probably.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #17 on: 01 March, 2015, 08:11:25 am »
What I find odd is how they managed so many positive tests at Astana and so many fewer elsewhere. Of course the 'reason' for the request is inconsistencies between stated policy and practice revealed in the audit, but it makes you wonder. Not sure a Ferrari coached athlete would test positive.

Agree, making and example - the grand public gesture - is more likely than really changing cycling's historic culture. Have to wonder if the best coaches have suddenly all decided to work within a much tighter set of constraints and how riders recover from workload.

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #18 on: 02 March, 2015, 11:09:22 am »
.......... and how riders recover from workload.

Not very well sometimes when you working for certain teams:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/news/kessiakoff-says-astana-mistreatment-cut-career-short_361792

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #19 on: 02 March, 2015, 01:12:39 pm »
.......... and how riders recover from workload.

Not very well sometimes when you working for certain teams:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/news/kessiakoff-says-astana-mistreatment-cut-career-short_361792


Not good. Sounds like extreme overtraining and no support from the team. The medical background is pretty well trodden, so no excuse. Wonder if the commentary around the dope brothers suggests that it is not actually a part of the team contract, but something that remains down to the individuals. Of course, if they are then pushed to the point where they need hGH and testosterone to recover that could be viewed as making the team complicit.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #20 on: 23 April, 2015, 05:41:07 pm »

Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #21 on: 24 April, 2015, 07:37:46 am »
I wonder if the strict Astana monitoring includes regular checking of Greg Henderson's twitter feed.

Quote
Sad to see @fabaro1 "sick". Mate make sure next time u come back to our sport "healthy". Aka. Clean! #biopassport! Or don't come back!

"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Mr Larrington

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Re: Astana Team Under Review After Positive Tests
« Reply #23 on: 05 September, 2015, 06:29:04 am »
If that's indicative of the use of performance-enhancing drugs then they're craptacular ones.  Struggled through the opening stage and quit before stage ten?
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