[golgiaparatus]

WTF? Why don't they come up with this crap somewhere near the time that it happened. Why does it always materialize months later, like they JUST discovered it and they are just now being analyzed.

Furthermore... Seems really fishy... Why the would they have disposed of an illegal product into an ASO provided "special container" that they know is going to be investigated?

Anyway... this is from cycling news:

Team's syringes disposed at Tour de France being analysed

Two and a half months after the Tour de France, public prosecution in Paris has opened a preliminary investigation against the Astana team... The object of the investigation is the content of several syringes that the squad disposed of at the event, according to L'Equipe.

At the Tour de France, organiser Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) provides the teams with special containers to collect medical waste. The Central Office against environmental damage and public health (OCLAESP) has opened the proceedings after discovering several "suspect" syringes in the containers that belonged to the Astana team during the race.

The content of the syringes is currently being analysed by expert judiciary laboratory Toxlab in Paris. It is not known when the results are being expected..

 

[Westy]

The French are lazy. It takes them a while to get around to work on this stuff.

 

[gonefirefightin]

they were turkey basters

 

[4xBoy]

they were turkey basters

True but you can't get enough epo in those little hospital syringes to have a real winning effect.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

The French are lazy. It takes them a while to get around to work on this stuff.

Yeah they are a little lazy at this stuff....and bathing

 

[gonefirefightin]

Yeah they are a little lazy at this stuff....and bathing

and shaving

 

[kidwoo]

All right. Who let Lemonde into the hotel room?

 

[loco-gringo]

I thought I heard they had all kinds of weird stuff. All legal, but weird. Stuff for seizures and diabetes and the likes. Any word?

 

[JRogers]

I thought I heard they had all kinds of weird stuff. All legal, but weird. Stuff for seizures and diabetes and the likes. Any word?

Wouldn't be surprised.

And, yeah, the whole thing is a bit fishy. Who went through the trash? AFLD? That has to matter for this to be a criminal matter. In any case, I doubt there'd be much of a sporting issue here because they can't trace it back to any individual (likely). So, maybe it'll just give the ASO reason to exclude Astana from events next year.

 

[golgiaparatus]

Wouldn't be surprised.

And, yeah, the whole thing is a bit fishy. Who went through the trash? AFLD? That has to matter for this to be a criminal matter. In any case, I doubt there'd be much of a sporting issue here because they can't trace it back to any individual (likely). So, maybe it'll just give the ASO reason to exclude Astana from events next year.

I think Astana is basically doomed. They aren't going to get the TDF invite, I'm sure of it, and now this. Contador is in for a bumpy ride... hopefully they won't get a UCI license and Contador will be able to cut and run. Not that I give a crap about that brat... I just want to see the showdown next year.

 

[reflux]

Yellow cake!

The French were taking le nap, but now they're back.

 

[JRogers]

I think Astana is basically doomed. They aren't going to get the TDF invite, I'm sure of it, and now this. Contador is in for a bumpy ride... hopefully they won't get a UCI license and Contador will be able to cut and run. Not that I give a crap about that brat... I just want to see the showdown next year.

If they get denied a ProTour license or even just invites, I hope Contador can get out of there. I hear there is some new financial backing for them, but who the hell would ride on the team unless they had no other choice? Pretty much everyone of note has jumped ship. And even if it does all work out for them, I can't see Assan Bazayev towing Contador up the Pyrenees.

 

[golgiaparatus]

If they get denied a ProTour license or even just invites, I hope Contador can get out of there. I hear there is some new financial backing for them, but who the hell would ride on the team unless they had no other choice? Pretty much everyone of note has jumped ship. And even if it does all work out for them, I can't see Assan Bazayev towing Contador up the Pyrenees.

I read that Contador's contract states that the team must keep a UCI license... or something along those lines. All I know is: if they don't, he is released of his contract.

As for him having teammates on Astana... Vino has said that Contador will have his full support. That's about the only person I see that might be able to help him (notice I say might). If he wins this year it will be freaking impressive... he'll have done it pretty much all by himself.

Quick note on Vino: will the ASO even invite a team knowing that the lineup will include Vino? I don't see it happening.