2-years-off birthday present for EPO user Muto

Nice to get something expensive and thoughtful on your birthday, isn't it? As we effectively end Muto's pro cycling career for apparent cheating bear in mind that lawyers, actors and politicians are amongst a larger segment of our population who are not targeted for PEDs during their working lives. Is that because they are less important or have less impact on our society? 

Muto's B Sample Also Positive For EPO | Cyclingnews.com

Pasquale Muto's B-sample has also tested positive for EPO, the Italian Olympic Committee has announced. The Miche-Guerciotti rider had tested positive during the Giro dell'Appennino in April.

Muto, whose 31st birthday is today, now faces a two-year suspension. He had finished fifth in the race at which he tested positive.

Nothing to do with cycling but I feel like a break - Pete Townshend mucking about with loops in a DAW

OK, it's not really about Dopage but maybe waaaay back in the 60s and 70s... and possibly the 80s... there's a link. Point is that we don't like to see "performance enhancement" in our sports but don't mind it so much (generally speaking) in other professions. Is it hypocrisy? I'll think about it.

This vid is funny, especially if you know the guy is chief creator at the Who. I can't really see Mick and Keef mucking about in their home studio like this, but in contrast Townshend has done it the geeky muso "hands on" way since at least the late 60's.

And a DAW? Digital Audio Workstation. He's using Ableton Live here (I use Live Lite and can vouch for its capabilities even in cut-back form. Anyway, it's an interesting insight into how one 66 year old rocker (or mod, rather) has adapted to the digital world.

What George is reported to have told the FDA. And what about the rest of the team?

Well if true it does rule Hincapie out of this year's TdF, surely? He not only saw Armstrong take PEDs but he and Lance "supplied" each other and "discussed" having taken testosterone. I'm sure there's a lot more to come...  there's a whole peleton of suspects out there waiting to have their say.

Report: Hincapie Tells FDA Armstrong Took PEDs | Cyclingnews.com

The news agency AP has reported that George Hincapie (BMC) has informed the FDA that he witnessed Lance Armstrong use performance enhancing drugs.

Report: Hincapie Tells FDA Armstrong Took PEDs | Cyclingnews.com

CBS News has also reported that, "Hincapie testified that he and Armstrong supplied each other with the endurance-boosting substance EPO and discussed having used another banned substance, testosterone, to prepare for races."

Ekimov to take the 2004 Olympic TT gold after all? Hamilton hands his back

Well again this is not "new" news, is it? But it's nice to see some honour amongst thieves, I guess. Ekimov of course is now retired (again) but had a long and illustrious career (can't forget his pursuit tussles with Dean Woods and co back in the late 1980s, can we?). He deserves this added official respect.

Hamilton Gives Back Olympic Time Trial Gold Medal | Cyclingnews.com

Hamilton had won the 2004 Olympic Games time trial ahead of Viatcheslav Ekimov (Russia) and Bobby Julich (United States of America) and Michael Rogers (Australia). In theory, the new assignment of medals could be Ekimov - gold, Julich - silver and Rogers - bronze.

A previous joint appeal by the Russian and Australian Olympic Committees to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in 2006, was denied. The Russians and Australians had asked unsuccessfully for CAS to give Hamilton's medal to Ekimov.

Hamilton's "confession"...

Hamilton Gives Back Olympic Time Trial Gold Medal | Cyclingnews.com

Hamilton, a former teammate of Lance Armstrong claimed that seven-time Tour de France winner had used performance enhancing drugs, including EPO and testosterone during several of his Tour wins. Hamilton made the claims during an interview with the credible "60 Minutes" program that is planning to air this Sunday, and those claims emerged yesterday.

C'mon George, what did you see? Not a Grand Tour but a Grand Jury for Armstrong. What could Hamilton, Landis and Hincapie possibly have testified?

A lot rests on George Hincapie's testimony, doesn't it? Especially since Hamilton, like Landis, has now admitted what he saw and did.

It's not really news, but it's like the stars aligning. Almost a year ago there were reports circulating in the WSJ about who the FDA would be interested in and what they may say about Lance Armstrong. Well what they have (reportedly!) said as testimony to the FDA's Grand Jury hearings is finally coming out... and it's not exactly positive (pun intended, sorry) about Mr Armstrong. If it's as reported, anyway (have I said that enough?).

Bear in mind that this investigation carries enormous legal weight and anyone holding back the truth deliberately would potentially face a serious legal consequence. So what they have admitted, if reported accurately, carries more than a little impact. That anyone would lie at this stage would seem unlikely, especially when - like Landis and Hamilton - you have already been caught with PEDs in your blood and suffered major consequences. It's easy to imagine that they wouldn't want a jail sentence on top of what they have endured already. It's time to just own up. What else can be lost?

However the counter argument is 'how can we trust these guys?'. To which I would refer again to my previous para.

And as for Hincapie, well only blind loyalty would stand in the way of him simply telling the truth to a Grand Jury. His credibility is surely intact so far, so why lie now?

Bicycling.com reported on the WSJ article with particular reference to Hamilton, Landis and Hincapie last year...

Hincapie and Hamilton Could Change Armstrong Investigation | Boulder Report | Bicycling.com

Salacious details aside, the most important part of last week’s story was very lightly remarked – that three other former members of Armstrong’s U.S. Postal Service team told the Journal they witnessed doping on the team and one said he had participated. Those riders were not named by the Journal, but it’s evident that the Journal did not print Landis’ allegations without verifying at least some of them with other sources.

Now, the Journal reports that investigators are looking to speak with other riders. That’s not a shock, but what is significant about it is two of the riders (there are undoubtedly others) the Journal says are being targeted: Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie.

An August 2010 report...

Armstrong hires Clinton media expert Fabiani, Hincapie appoints legal team

Armstrong denied the charges and said that Landis had a credibility problem after previously lying about his own doping use. However investigators have been seeking statements from other former US Postal Service riders and employees, and several un-named riders have been reported as having already been in talks with Novitzky. At least one individual is thought to have backed up Landis’ claims.

And more recently...

AS THE CYCLIST AND CANCER CRUSADER FACES - 01.24.11 - SI Vault

Since August a grand jury has been meeting in Los Angeles to hear testimony by associates and confidants of Armstrong's. Those subpoenaed or interviewed include Armstrong's former teammates Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie and Kevin Livingston; Mike Anderson, who once worked as Armstrong's bike mechanic and assistant; and Oakley sunglasses marketing representative Stephanie McIlvain. Another former teammate of Armstrong's, Floyd Landis, who won the 2006 Tour de France but was stripped of the title because of a positive drug test, also gave information to investigators.

So please, what did Hincapie say?

Silly season works it way to crescendo of dopes prior to Le Tour

It's Grand Tour time and there are accusations flying about... as usual. Here's a brief run down just for the record. Bar making the prediction that Le Tour 2011 will be preceded by the usual denials, claims and counter-claims and whilst personally not being too fussed about it, it does bring a decent sport - and riders - into unfair disrepute; so I shall say nothing more. Except, take it all with a grain of salt and always remember that there are people's lives involved here, on all sides.

Savio Caught Up In Italian Doping Investigation | Cyclingnews.com

De Angeli rode for Savio’s team in 2005 but tested positive for EPO and was suspended for two years. He then suffered personal problems but decided to speak out two years ago and accused Savio of dealing doping products when giving evidence to the anti-doping investigators at the Italian Olympic Committee. This sparked the police investigation.

Savio: Mantova Investigation Damaging For Italian Cycling | Cyclingnews.com

Gianni Savio has spoken about the Mantova investigation that has engulfed Italian cycling in the past week. The Androni Giocattoli manager was at the Paris Roubaix team presentation and believes that whatever the outcome of the investigation, Italian cycling has taken another severe hit to its already shaky integrity.

“Fortunately it’s not a question for us. We have no riders in the investigation so it’s very difficult to know what happened and what will happen,” he told Cyclingnews.

“But it’s damaging for Italian cycling,” he added. “I think that all these questions are bad for cycling.”

Gazzetta Dello Sport Reveals More Details Of Mantova Police Investigation | Cyclingnews.com

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed further details of the police investigation that has engulfed the Lampre-Farnese Vini team, claiming that 16 riders and staff from the team have been formally placed under investigation for doping related offences.

A total of 35 people are under investigation by police in Mantova as part of a two-year investigation. Local media in Italy have suggested the investigation was sparked by the confession of Emanuele Sella after he tested positive for CERA in 2008.

Ballan And Santambrogio Pulled From Racing | Cyclingnews.com

The BMC Racing Team has announced on Friday morning that Alessandro Ballan and Mauro Santambrogio will not be racing pending the outcome of the Mantova police investigation, an anti-doping investigation currently being held in Italy.

Mantova Investigation Set To Reveal Accused During Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

The investigation is still big news in Italy with Gazzetta dello Sport again dedicating two pages to it on Thursday under the headline of "Un 'inchiesta che fa tremare' -an investigation that makes you shake with fear. One page carried an interview with the judge and the other an interview with Guido Nigrelli, the pharmacist at the centre of the investigation.

Nigrelli again denied any wrongdoing. He confirmed that former World Champion Alessandro Ballan used to do testing with him and confirmed he has been a friend of Lampre team manager Giuseppe Saronni for 30 years. He also said the Lampre-Farnese Vini team doctors ordered regular supplies of medicines from him but insisted he had not done anything illegal.

"The thing that has bothered me the most is that 60 families risk everything. If Lampre doesn't ride the Giro, it'll close down," he said, raising the spectre that the future of the Italian team could be at risk.