It’s Wednesday Astana/UCI

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You know when all the best, new generation riders of American riders, say how clean the sport is, and how we need to believe, and then a current, systematic doping program is exposed within the Astana program, then it is all bullshit.

It’s not such a surprise that there are still full teams of riders doping, it is distressing that guys like BMC’s Tejay Van Garderen and Garmin’s Andrew Talanski say that the peleton is clean and we just need to believe.  They are experiencing the results of the doping first hand and they go and say it is all normal.

Tejay says – “I think the sport has turned a corner.” When asked about doping within the peloton.

And here are a couple tweets from Andrew after Danilo Di Luca, who contributed greatly  to the Padova investigation, made some public statements about doping within the pro peleton. –

I feel genuine hatred towards Di Luca. He’s a worthless lying scumbag making false statements that hurt the sport I love.

Thankfully his statements are delusional. I wouldn’t be in this sport if it was not possible to succeed at the highest level and do it clean.

I guess Andrew, you were wrong and Danilo was right.

Here is a link to today’s Cyclingnews article about the results of the Padova police investigation released in Italy.   It says that Vino and his guys are still doping and dealing with Dr. Ferrari and his son, Stephano.   17 guys on the Astana team are using their services.   And yes, Tenerife is one of their favorite locations for blood transfusions etc.

Here’s a full list of the guys that are named in the investigation.  Vino is last, but not least.

Full list of riders:

Leonardo Bertagnolli, Simone Boifava, Diego Caccia, Enrico Franzoi, Marco Frapporti, Omar Lombardi, Fabrizio Macchi, Marco Marcato, Andrea Masciarelli, Francesco Masciarelli, Simone Masciarelli, Daniele Pietropolli, Morris Possoni, Filippo Pozzato, Alessandro Proni, Michele Scarponi, Francesco Tizza, Giovanni Visconti, Ricardo Pichetta, Andrea Vaccher, Mauricio Ardila, Volodymyr Bileka, Borut Bozic, Maxim Gourov, Vladimir Gusev, Valentin Iglinskiy, Sergei Ivanov, Vladimir Karpets, Aleksander Kolobnev, Dimitri Kozontchuk, Roman Kreuziger, Denis Menchov (Rus), Evgeni Petrov, Yaroslav Popovych, José Joaquin Rojas (Spa), Ivan Rovny, Egor Silin, Alexandre Vinokourov

So, UCI, it’s Wednesday.  Let’s hear what you have to say about all this shit.

vino

63 thoughts on “It’s Wednesday Astana/UCI

  1. Jim Ochowicz

    Phewwww! dodged another bullet, Steve. Keep pointing the intrigue, self righteousness and vitriol towards others. I believe we had reached an agreement on how much we’d pay you per blog post to do this, I will just add it to Trudi’s next check.

    Wait, is this not a private message function? Oops, just ignore what I wrote – carry on

     
  2. Turned a Corner?

    Turned a corner eh? Yeah, in the wrong direction…
    Either the young crop of riders are naïve or just plain lying to the public and trying to convince everyone that we all should ‘just move on”. Well, until I’m convinced otherwise, I’m having a real difficult time ‘moving on’. The fan base will ‘move on’ alright, on to something other than pro cycling. To be honest, since 2012, I’ve watched less and less pro races. When I have, my wife will quip, “Why bother?” And I think, “yeah, why do I bother?” I wonder how many other people are thinking the same thing?

     
  3. San Fransico Jacks

    All fucking cheaters.. how easy it must be to cheat.. lie.. they are totally killing the sport and cashing in checks in the process. The bad news is when these little faggots are finished racing they move into the work force.. and guess what? they still carry that cheating gene. Little fucking thieves, liars, cheats for life. So, that being said, see you little faggots in the unemployment line. If I find you in my god damn world I will for sure watch every god damn step you take.

    “I used to race pro road..” oh yea? you’re fucking fired.. no wonder our inventory is off.

     
  4. JKM

    It’s amazing the road sport of cycling gets so much room to screw up.. Lets get the MTB side of things in the media.
    The UCI and the road guys and teams and many of the riders are just NOT believable anymore.

    In my past experiences the UCI and all of the governing bodies have their head up there asses, they always have. We should pull all their television coverage, their media exposure and let them fade away. How come not more pressure from within the cycling teams, groups, promoters all of them.. Clean it up or go away!!!
    Checks keep getting cashed and the bullshit keeps going on !
    Maybe a USA boycott of all road cycling media.. Kickem where it hurts the sport the most,,,, media coverage……….without that,, their done!!!

     
  5. Dave Johnson

    I don’t think the pro peleton is clean, nor do I believe it ever has been. I think a lot of guys can say they didn’t use PEDs because the stuff they were using wasn’t on the banned list. Just because it isn’t banned shouldn’t mean using it is OK. On the other hand, I don’t think a completely clean sport (any sport) will ever happen…the technology of doping will always be ahead of the technology of detection. And then there is the things that aren’t banned like altitude chambers. Is it fair that cyclists that can afford them can use them while others can’t. I just got back from the Andes and my performance after training at 8,000 feet was drastically different (about 2 mph faster). Then there is caffeine and other “natural” substances which affects people differently. I don’t know what the answer is, but what is being done doesn’t seem to be working that well.

     
  6. San Fransico Jacks

    American’s pro road dopers are the worst of them all. I can give a little credit to Vino types and anyone coming from a shit hole like kazahkstan.. or brick layers from Ireland, or a farm kid from Belgium.. but most of little US boys are rich kids playing in a man’s world. pansies all.. on top of being weak little pansies they fucking CHEAT!

    American rich kid cheaters… I have more respect for toilet paper.

     
  7. Max Hunter

    To call all these guys names and vilify them does nothing to stop the culture that is now deeply rooted in the pro cycling world. No single comment on any blog will fix things. Each doper is just a small spoke in a very large wheel with thousands of spokes. Taking out a few will do nothing to stop the wheel from rolling.

    Banning those caught might help deter, but it won’t stop a culture of doping. The real issue isn’t that some decide to cheat, it’s that doping isn’t seen as cheating at that level. We can all sit here from our amateur seats and point at them, while screaming about the injustice of cheats, but nothing will happen until the culture changes.

    It sounds like that is what JV was trying to do. Making changes at the root of cycling – the entry point into the pro world – to change the culture. I’d like to hear what came from your meeting with him. I don’t know what to think of him and the efforts he (supposedly) is making. Are they good? To little to really work?

    The whole thing will repeat over and over until real changes are made.

     
  8. MS

    First I share your sentiments towards pro riders. I’ll hold off on justifying the ‘faggots’ comment, apparently that’s not cool anymore. However, if you think there is no cheating in the work force, you are living under a rock. Cheating IS EVERYWHERE.

    Here are a couple of examples:
    – Notice the trend toward Made in America pricing on Made in China shit?
    – Open a box of cereal/chips/etc and see just how much is really in there compared to what you were ‘sold’ on the shelf.
    – Notice how Home Depot and Lowes are no longer selling the same items so you cannot price match their house branded made in China expendable shit products?

    I could go on with examples for days on end.

     
  9. Skippy

    Since Och has turned BMC into an entertainment venue , WE , don’t mind HOW MUCH you give Steve or Trudi !

    Every little helps to ensure that , WE , Steve’s readers have something to look forward to each day , after all , YOU , don’t fall in a ditch , every day ! Wish i could fiond the link , beats Comedy Central , hands down !

    Since the London Olympic Road Race and what a FARCE , that was , Cycling has to be treated as Purely Entertainment . Pity about those punters , that bet on the results . At a guess they are the only people being fooled ?

     
  10. Skippy

    The product has to be invented , before they can find ways of detecting ?

    Once detection has been established as reliable , then they will find ways of ” Masking “?

    When Amateurs brag to each other about what they use , what do the ProWorld racers have to say ?

    Will the on board cameras be able to pick up Peloton Gossip ?

     
  11. Jeff M

    Yeah, what’s up with him? His team is polluted as the…what was that river in the U.S. that caught fire?? Oh yeah, the Cuyahoga River. So how is it that a team that is so riddled with dopers but the guy on the team that kicks all their asses is ‘clean’??? Wha??? Don’t make no sense brother. What the hell do all the pro riders ‘think’ when all this doping news just keeps coming out? Do they just shrug their shoulders and ‘move on’?

     
  12. Levi

    And now the UCI has granted them the license to race in 2015 at the World Tour level. How much more does anyone need to see before you rightfully say “FUCK THIS SPORT”? What a fucking joke this is, and we are too if we stay around for 1 more minute to read or watch any more of this ridiculous bullshit! Why involve yourself in the biggest sham ever? Like Lance says in that linked article above, “We virtually all made that decision (to dope)”. It’s NO different now. Talansky may as well admit to doping with that rant against a doper spilling the truth. Shouldn’t that have been a good thing Andrew? You stupid fuck tard! And TeeJay says it’s a new generation? Ya, a new generation of guys doing the same old shit.

    I can’t even stomach this shit anymore, Och is in it up to his eyes. He’s still tight with Lance, Teejay is motorpacing with him and also spanking every guy on that list. Whats a half way smart person to believe?

    I hate the fact that the author of this blog rants about it, mentions Teejay incriminatingly (rightfully), then goes and has dinner with him and posts pictures of him here. Fucking hypocritical jock sniffer.

    FUCK this sport, fuck this blog. ST, if you really wanna make a point, get Trudi the hell away from BMC or any job in cycling and swear off Och et all. Anything else is just contributing to the fucking problem man. YOU KNOW ITS TRUE. MAN UP OR SHUT UP!!!!!! The PROS aren’t idiots for doping, they all do the same thing. It’s fine in amongst their piers. WE are the idiots for sticking around and getting upset about it.

    SE LA VIE

     
  13. MS

    Meanwhile Europcar is out due to inability to add to the financial gain. Dopers with cash money RULE!!!

    So much for the last three TDF winners claiming the sport is cleaned up. To think I was starting to buy their bullshit.

     
  14. riverdog

    If you have read Tyler Hamilton’s book “The Secret Race”, he concludes by saying that you will never get to 100% clean because ” as long as you are dealing with human beings who want to win”…..but goes on to say it is significantly better. He ends the paragraph with a warning….”and if you believe the rumors (I do), riders who are determined to dope are resorting to smaller, less effective BBs.” This is a guy who was in the Trenches…and he knows what is going on…obviously the rumors he heard were correct…..they just are not doping massively any longer….so guys are able to hang around with them on the climbs…whole teams are not doped most likely just a few to help the leader. I doubt very much that Tejay is doped….as for being a rich kid…No…he wasn’t! I know this for fact. He is a tough guy and was a very tough kid. I personally witnessed how tough he could be when he was only 12 yrs. old! So for the raving lunatic called Levi who rants with such venom and hate it makes me wonder what kind of skeletons he has in his closet!!! Dude these are just people…take it easy…they did not mass murder your family! For christ sake,…get a grip!
    On the other hand…I would like to see doping criminalized in every country! And in addition huge financial penalties given if caught….This would make these guys sit up and take notice……then you would have to have Real Balls to dope or be very very desperate!

     
  15. Theo

    Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there, tough guy. It might be time to dial down the dosage few mg’s on whatever it is you’re taking. Try meditation or riding a bike or something. Dang!

     
  16. mike crum

    steve, add that list of riders above to these millions on here…….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling, and those that were lucky not to get caught, that also doped. your blog is 99% about drugs.. i’m a young guy that heard about your blog. i have yet to read an article on you giving actual pointers about training. riding intervals, how long to rest between.. doing hill repeats.. etc.. all you do is brag about races you did yesterday or 30 years ago. i never seen blog about you actually telling us how to improve.. you know, actually helping other cat 5-4-3-2-1 out…most people here i bet read cycling news and see all the drug talk. i come to your site to hopefully get a few pointers on training, but drugs in the pros is all i read. i see that on all the cycling sites. and for making the sport grow, why dont you put on a cheap circut race where only a few cops voluteers and johnny on the spots are needed.. you have a ton of $. why isnt your race a race people can go to and race? i seen where you go speak and hand out helmets, but why not you actually put on a race?? somebdy buys 100 helmets and you go fit a kid.. awsome, but why dot you put on a rce?you sure got the time..

     
  17. Peter Ghozinia

    If news like this shocks you, then you have been asleep since at least forever. The doping news has been the top story for decades. Decades! The riders say the same, politically correct things while they keep playing the same game. The media eats it up and everyone gets outraged…for a week or two. It’s totally laughable how people in U.S somehow think American athletes are clean and the rest of the world is juiced. Gimme a break! Right… so everyone else is doped to the gills and the Americans kick their asses while being clean? What, are U.S. riders genetically better? Is it the junk food diet that makes the Americans stronger than Kazaks? Of course not, and the answers are right in front of your unbelievingly naive faces. Like Lance, is Vino any worse than anyone else? No, he wasn’t then and he isn’t now. He should not be punished any more than any other admitted or proven doper. He served his time. Plus, he hasn’t even been personally accused of anything as it relates to this present case. Let the process play out before you rant and rave about the dirty foreigners.

    Maybe people should worry about the U.S. amateur and masters pelotons instead. That’s where a huge problem is and if you’re a rider and you can’t see that then you need a service dog because you’re blind. There’s more juice in a typical U.S. industrial park criterium than in a Minute Maid processing plant.

    I do believe that Hamilton is correct in that the pro peloton is cleaner than in the past, but is it clean? No. Sadly, it never will be and for the exact reasons that Hamilton stated. People are people and unfortunately some people will cheat… especially when there’s alot of money at stake.

     
  18. Nigel

    You know, I’ve seen alot of things in my day. But, I must say that I’ve never actually seen anyone sniffing a jock. I don’t really see it as a turn on, but what do I know?

    Carry on.

     
  19. channel_zero

    Oh, and when your blood values are suspicious, you better have doped with the guys who are already paying us because we are not working at the federation because we like bike racing. Years of working lame district/continental jobs have taken their toll and now we want to get paid under the table like the last guy who had my job. Those people at FIFA and IAAF who are taking bribes are doing it right!

    We’ll let you know if you can use Rocco Taminelli to defend yourself. He works for us. Of course, that’s extra.

     
  20. MS

    Mike you’re a fucking moron. Half the stuff Steve writes about is non-cycling. Do you actually read the blog? Once he starts writing about nothing but cycling-related content, I’m out of here. I can’t stand reading about cycling and usually skip those posts. I still find plenty of non-cycling related entries that keep me reading. Fool.

    If you need to learn how to ride your bike or compete at the pathetic level the rest of us hobby race at, go find a coach.

     
  21. Valentin

    Yes!!!!! UCI award licence to Astana and Vino! This very good new for cyclesport! Nibali, Aru and the others are champions! Astana follow ruules and gets reward with UCI licence. This is the correct decision and correct outcome despite what peoples say in ignorance and anger. Vino has done much good for cyclesport world over. Yes, he is controversial, but we have our Vino and you have your Lance. In case you don’t know, “Vino 4 Ever” is a team registered in Kazakhstan and also our sentiment. Vino 4 Ever!!!!!! We love this guy!!!!

     
  22. Moskowe

    So Steve, still no comment on the doping policy at BMC ? As many have pointed out, you’re in a pretty good position to know. Would you have us believe that everyone outside of the traditional black sheep – Astana, Lampre, Katusha – is riding clean ? That given the past of some at BMC nothing ever goes on there ? If anything, it’s pretty helpful for the other teams to have such idiots getting caught over and over again. It takes the attention away from them.

    Anyway, as usual the UCI doesn’t care, and preferred to slash the team with budget problems instead of the team with doping problems.

     
  23. thescrapper

    Tilford has a lot of money! Hahahaha

    Mike, domyou sniffle when your powered meter yells, “you suck!”

     
  24. Ron

    Ok, obviously the pro peloton is not completely drug free but I will admit that the last 3-4 TDF’s have looked a little more believable with the exception of a handful of guys. Contador, Froome, Nibali and Quintana all have that go forever at full speed look that LA had. Having said that, the pro peloton has NEVER been clean in it’s entire history and i think that no-one should encourage their children to ever aspire to become a part of that debacle. Promote bike racing as a healthy “hobby” and encourage education when looking in the direction of a viable way to make a living.

    Oh, and for you guys who are saying “fuck cycling and fuck Steve, I’m done”, well i guess we will see what you guys post tomorrow because your lame asses will surely be back because you have nothing better to do.

    Oh, and “Levi”, each time you post it just wreaks of a lame little coward talking big behind a computer screen. You said that you use the name Levi because that is your real name however your initial post was an attempt to pose as Levi Leipheimer.

    I just find it pretty lame that a few guys come on this blog and make personal attacks on Steve all the while hiding behind their computers. (Levi, go ahead and enter your predictable jock sniffer comment you little pussy fuck.) Haha

     
  25. JR

    You are being cheated on the chips/cereal you buy? I call BS on that. The weight is clearly listed on the package and I guarantee, the product weighs between 98-102% of that number.

     
  26. Jim Ochowicz

    The Holidays are a tough time to have a drop in income, Steve knows better than to bite the hand that feeds him. In this case it would be mine. Imagine a hungry Bromont or a bunch of starving cats?

     
  27. Mike

    Why does nobody point out the irony of it being an Eastern European team that’s getting pulled through the mud? It’s so 1980’s movie-esque. All of the Western European teams and Americans are A-OK no doping on those, nothing to see here…but those guys with Soviet ties Katusha/Astana are just doped to the gills and are evil. It makes sense to me we would always vilify these guys. Why wouldn’t we we have for 70 years maybe longer.

     
  28. Wildcat

    Dr. Phil did a show on “cougars” yesterday, but they weren’t good looking. Is any older lady who goes after a younger guy considered a “cougar”? I was under the impression the older lady had to first be a milf in order to obtain “cougar” status. Ready… discuss!

     
  29. Greg N.

    Well said. If Levi had any Balls (Azules or otherwise), he would post his real name. And yes, I remember him claiming to be Leipheimer as well. The guy seems to be obsessed with drugs and jock sniffing.

     
  30. Fred

    Technically, a cougar is an older woman who goes after younger guys. If you’re the dude, you mos def hope she’s milf material. It helps if she’s slutty but stops short of skanky. I mean that in complimentary terms. And of course in your dreams, she’s always a milf, but a normal cougar will always try harder if you get my meaning, so don’t be a foo and count her out. It’s cool to know that the percentage of milfs/cougars is much higher than milfs/normal chicks. Hope this helps!

     
  31. riverdog

    Maybe because that’s where the evidence is pointing now….btw….if you had the small BB on a rest day in the TDF I doubt you would lose 6 min…as Tejay V. did in this last TDF. Some of you are just plain sick inside and can not handle it that their are people out there who can kick your lame ass.

     
  32. Weedy McBoulder

    Thanks for the ruling on that one, bro. Yeah, it helps aLOT. Now I’m just wundering if there’s any way I can make some scratch on the hookup.

     
  33. The Cyclist

    I think Lance’s mom is a milfy cougar, or a cougary milf… whatever comes first or sounds better.

     
  34. Fred

    I’d have to say that the mom of Lance would be classified as cougarly milfish. Milfy and cougary work, too. I think it’s the blonde hair. I think there’s a boatload of blonde haired cougars like that in Texas. Probably has to do with oil money. Oil money gives a milf and/or a cougar plenty of time to prowl the honky-tonks. Um, that’s a good thang, y’all.

     
  35. Bee

    Today’s (12.11.14) Cyclingnews headline from Brian Cookson, “Astana are drinking at the last chance saloon.”

    I laughed out loud. No they aren’t, Brian. By including Astana and not including Europcar for “financial” information tells me the UCI is hung up and not evolving from issues that are15-20 years old. Financial assurance was addressed by the UCI and compliance seems to be the norm. Under Cookson, doping and the evolution of woman’s racing complete a failure. You missed your opportunity,Brian. The last chance should have been the last chance.

     
  36. Wildcat

    Thanks for the clarification Fred! Sorry “Bee”, but Steve hasn’t posted yet today so we’ve moved onto milfs, cougars, and Lance’s mom. So, if you have anything to add about any of those topics please feel free to share.

     
  37. Doubting Thomas

    EVERYONE cheats- even the nice guys, even your friends, even the pretty cougar milfs- and the UCI has again said FUCK YOU to anyone who has even tried to ride clean. And yes, this includes Americans, even Steve’s friends. If we know anything at all, we know that it takes a doper to BEAT a doper. Sad day, again.

     
  38. MS

    I even cheat myself. When she’s not quite MILFy enough, I will run to the local liquor store and buy some bourbon goggles. Nothing helps raise the bar quite like drinking straight from the bottle.

    I hope ST posts something about Bromont today. I just love that pooch.

     
  39. Odessa

    I’m not sure why everyone picks on my Levi? Oh sure he’s small, has a little penis, and his balls have shriveled up into rasins do to years of PEDs! But he still makes lots of $$$, and I love him! So please stop hating on him!

     
  40. Weedy McBoulder

    Nice post. BTW aren’t you legally a cougar now? You’re for sure a hottie blondie milfy. You in Boulder and free tonight? I’m easy to get along with and it’s good to keep in mind I’m an endurance athlete. Oh yeah. Hmu, k?

     
  41. Jim Ochowicz

    Don’t listen to Weedy, he probably can’t afford a car. I however have the ultimate vehicle in the eyes of just about any groupie – an official 1988 GMC shaggin wagon – complete with 7-11 livery. It still has the water bed in the back. Call me

     
  42. Mike Rodose

    Mike Crum

    For training tips. Ride your bike super hard and long as much as you can. Sprinty, bursty Intervals throughout the ride. Get a couple rest days every 10 days. Drink tons of water, drink protein shakes, eat quality food like a tiny horse.

    In 5 years, if not Cat 1/2, quit and join a softball or bowling league.

    Regarding your request for Steve to conduct/sponsor races or whatever the fuck you’re inarticulately suggesting, No. Get on your bike and train. You will have no energy to write emails suggesting Steve should do more for the sport.

     
  43. Mike Rodose

    I’ll take the bait.

    A Cougar is an aggressive, aging, female animal. They are a predatory animal. Their natural habitat of bars, restaurants, gyms, schools and supermarkets is where they find and dominate their prey. Cougars vary in size, color and markings. Their commonality is age and aggression.

    Their modus operandi is to slyly scope out their turf and identify their prey from afar. A Cougar’s approach is often gentle and unassuming for the initial encounter. Cougars predictably turn aggressive once they have physical proximity to their prey.

    Inevitably, the Cougar wins. Anyone who has witnessed and/or survived a Cougar attack will certainly agree it’s painful, shaming and life-altering. A majority of Cougar attack survivors, recently polled, indicated they would rather have died in a wood-chipper accident.

     
  44. burnt

    MS, you’re correct with respect to Mike Crum. Mr. Crum you are wrong asserting 99% of the blog is about drugs. I would hazard a guess that 50% of the blog is about tiling, yes, tiling. Steve is always writin’ ’bout tilin’. I know you already believe/practice this Steve but just keep doing what you are doing. It’s your blog and several of us out there on the intertubes enjoy reading it.

     
  45. Vojtek

    If you go up some posts, you shall see that Peter Ghozinia has addressed the biased attitudes toward the Kazakhs. I agree with Peter.

     

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