The more I read about this, the clearer it becomes that the difficulty of testing is at the root of a lot of problems.

Problems like:

• Urine only shows active presence of drugs
• HGH is almost untraceable
  
• Homologous doping is very hard to catch too
  
• you need a licensed phelbotomist (sp?) to draw blood
• you need to store samples long enough for a B test
• you draw blood, you have to comply with HIPA to correctly guard the results, forever
• what is tested for?
• even pros have all but abandoned outright testing because masking is so prevalent
  
• biological passport for amateur athletes?!?
• bio passports require real skill to read/interpret
• out of competition testing is crucial as well; but that requires all-access to the test-ees; you can't have even a few minutes warning before you are tested - not really feasible for amateurs

None of this is to say we *shouldn't* test, but as people get smarter (Clearly DA wasn't) and spend more money on disk wheels, aero helmets, coaches etc they will in time pay more money for better doping.

I support testing at park races.  Test the podium and one random in-the-money finisher.

Lastly, I say this with a wry grin being a 42 year old banker who has done pretty well at Battenkill - twice in long breaks - but *still* mysteriously cannot beat hold Perlberg's wheel going up Alpine... I am probably suspect #1 on KCC but honest, I'm racing on nothing but perpetuum, muffins and the occasional Coke-a-Cola or pilfered ziplock bag of Cheerios.

I'm pretty sure they put something in that almond brioche at Konditori.

Hmmm ... stealing Cheerios from his own kids. What else is he capable of?

^^ yeah - a whole lot of Scandinavian awesome!

It's true; that oat-y cheery goodness... I just couldn't resist!

OM-NOMNOM (crunch!)

Live and let live?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4090/

OH yes, from the CRCA statement:

Play Clean Line on 1-877-752-9253

for suspected dopers!  Sweet.  I'm gonna start calling for anyone who's better than me.  Which is about 500 local dudes.

But I doubt most guys are going to the trouble of EPO, I bet most of the local park monsters are on HGH and testosterone, etc. eh?

HGH is most likely as it is what is prescribed by the Anti-aging clinics.  Very hard to detect too, especially since the latest are HGH "releasers" which encourage your body to produce more but are not a synthetic hormone.

Personally I prefer the post-ride nap for my legal boost... and a few illicit cheerios to wash it down.

Hai.

zomg!

I now have a gruber assist implanted in my chest, but USADA won't ever find it (unless they bring a metal detector wand, that is....)....Cat 3 here I come!

In other news: ChampSys/Stan's No Tubes pony up 5 large to help CRCA create a testing program: http://nyvelocity.com/content/teams/2012/champ-syssnt-help-crca-create-testing-program

Go Stearns! I hope that thing is Ant+ compatible.

@ John: it's the cheerios I swear.

This whole thing has been a fascinating through experiment.  You start to think - ok, so testing is really expensive, we may need sponsorship to support it.  What exactly do you say to the potential sponsor?

"Yeah, so we like, can't keep our people honest and we'd like you to pay to help us do it.  In return you can put your logo over our 'police' tent.... no really, it's going to be great PR for you.  Like, you'll be the playground enforcer for a bunch of over privileged, morally challenged, type A.... wait, come back I wasn't finished!"

The guy on the left....all I have to say is that I know a roid rage when I see one...

Both Champ-Sys and Foundation are backed by deep-pocketed donors who are doing it more for love than for ROI.  It's striking that one stepped up, and the other hasn't.  At least not yet.  Don't forget Mengoni; not like Fred is getting anything back from his sponsorship.  

On the local doping matter no one said it better than another former Kissena

http://bonedeth.tumblr.com/post/27863740378/this-is-sad-funny-and-depressing-all-at-the-same

Also Owens' sarcastic comment was spot on. "I'm gonna start calling for anyone who's better than me." I find that attitude pervasive. And yes I do get the sarcasm posted here so don't think I'm taking humorous accusations seriously.

Here's the deal. We're ALL amateurs and not just we ain't getting paid. There are and will always be those with several worlds more ability that us come along and simply make us look like we are going backwards. Sometimes they are young and they breeze through and try to make a go at the sport. Think Neal Bezdek. Cat 4 to pro in the span of a year. And that was before he even lost his baby fat. Evie anyone? Perhaps there are a few folks who find out rather late in life they have the/a gift. They pop up, smoke all of uswho train, eat right, and do what everyone has always said makes you a better cyclist. Should we sit around a question every single accomplishment? Do what you want but I choose to just race my bike. Sitting around speculating about who is and who isn't "dirty" is a complete waste of time unless your at the elite level where it matters. If USAC enacts some sort of passport analysis bullsheet for guys and gals like us I will quit racing. At that point it will too fucking stupid of an endeavor.

Just ride your bike.

Keith

ps I raced with and against Bunde as well as several other "dopers". I'm sure I've competed against others and will again by year's end. Couldn't care less.

@ Mugwump: One question about DA doping: Wouldn't he have needed the help of a physician for blood work and analysis? I thought it was a little more complicated than just "shooting up" at the right time. Also, do you think it's likely he also was taking HGH or some other steroid that is hard to detect? I'm just thinking you probably don't just go from Gu Gels straight to EPO. 

He could have gotten the strong stuff from an online doc via a "life extension institute."  Just write in, they set up teh prescription and ship you the goods, probably from central or south america.  The blood work you can have done cheaply in many places, just use the same services that local md's utilze, or you can have your own tools, like a spinner.  Injections aren't hard to do on your own.  Removing a little blood from yourself is a bit harder, but certainly doable.  Having a real person monitor the dosages and blood should be safer and more expensive--and it might be hard to find a doc in the US who'd take the risk of giving someone an off-label use of a controlled drug. 

Wow, thanks for the explainer. 

For those of you who desire ergogenic effects without the moral corruption, fear not, Norm's Modified Sweet Spot Training will be coming out next year*. Indeed, in my upcoming "Training with Pastries" series, I will reveal the formula for achieving sustained sub-maximal performance... in essence, eat a lot of pastries --everyday-- ride enough to lose weight to-target and then remain at target weight. There are --of course-- some catches... you have to maintain fairly high protein and omega-3 fats, as well as veggie and fruit intake when you're not in the bakery.

*rationale for delay of publication: I'm holding publication until next year because I was unable to fully document the massive benefits this season. Those effects were so powerful, that injury becomes the primary concern --as the cardio system and musculature develop such power that connective tissue damage is nearly unavoidable when you unleash the croissant-crushing wattage built-up using my program.

 

Interview with Jared Zimlin of the Florida Clean Ride Fund by John Cutler:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QSXJqkDW0Kz0-p4K-YT47M7uBrQq_Es2LU-oB93LZ8c/edit

JP this is great interview.  Thanks for posting.

It made the NYTimes:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/28/sports/cycling/doping-in-cycling-reaches-into-amateur-ranks.html?_r=1&ref=sports

How much can this inflate his ego to get into.the times?

I think it will be a long, long time before anything DA says to himself or publicly is going to pass any kind of sniff test.  

Is it strang of me to want to invite him to join Kissena after his two year suspension ends? We have an unofficial "No Dicks" policy and dopers are by definition dicks, but if CRCA was a bad influence then Kissena could be a good counterpoint to the aggressive type A's in the Manhattan based club.

If he doped again I would be the first person to punch him in the nuts.

Well you'd have to find them first because he doesn't really have a pair. Needing to dope to race locally.