Blood tests show 23 “suspect” riders - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

A programme to create biological passports for professional cyclists, giving details of their blood analyses, has revealed 23 riders with suspect samples, the International Cycling Union said.

UCI Anti-Doping manager Anne Gripper said 1,500 blood samples on 854 riders had been analysed since January and that 23 riders had given samples “needing further examination.”

There will be no disciplinary proceedings as the tests are not recognised dope tests.

Separately from the passport programme, Gripper told a news conference that the UCI was pursuing five suspected doping cases following traditional anti-doping tests on riders, either during races or out-of-competition.

Significantly, the decision to test one of those riders had been prompted by his previous sample for the passport profile.

Another 11 riders are under investigation for a possible breach of anti-doping regulations after failing to give their whereabouts, Gripper said.

Almost 12,000 tests are scheduled for 2008 at an estimated cost of 5 million euros (£3.9 million).

I’m surprised … the doping stories don’t usually start rearing their ugly heads until the Giro d’Italia (with another ramp up in the weeks before the Tour de France). But we’re still 8 days away from the start of the Giro …

On the bright side, no names have been listed thus far … not even in light of this story:

Unnamed cyclist to face doping charge - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

At least one top cyclist is to face doping charges after thousands of blood samples were analysed as part of the International Cycling Union’s blood passport programme.

The UCI did not reveal the identity of the cyclist concerned, but said he is one of 23 riders who “warranted further scrutiny” following 2172 tests on blood samples as part of their far-reaching passport scheme.

Introduced as the UCI’s new weapon in the fight against doping, the aim of the scheme is to catch cheats, and ultimately deter doping by relying on previously recorded data from athletes’ blood samples.

The UCI believes that because of the comparative increase in the number of tests and the introduction of individually tailored, and more effective, profiles, most riders are now thinking twice about doping.

Proof of that may not be seen until the end of this year’s Tour de France, where the lure of international fame and glory has traditionally tempted many riders to cheat.

The UCI said Friday that of the 2172 tests carried out to April 30, only 23 had warranted further scutiny by anti-doping experts.

And it reassured organisers of the Giro d’Italia by adding that “all riders set to compete in the Giro have adhered to the blood passport scheme”.

You know you’ve got issues when even your therapist is bugging you about starting to date again …

But it’s like this; I’m scared. I’m scared to death of repeating the same mistakes that I made when I was married. I’m afraid that I will still not be able to open up and share who I am with the person I love. So right now, it’s easier to just avoid the situation.

And then there’s this … my competitive days are long behind me. I’m not intimidated by women who are better at something than I am; in fact quite the opposite, I find it extremely attractive. I prefer active, fit women, but my corresponding fitness is not there, and it will take time to retrieve.

I’m not looking for a training partner; if you’re racing, I’ll be the guy on the sidelines who makes sure you’re being taken care of during the race. Need food/water/clothing hand-ups? I’m your man. I prefer to be behind-the-scenes making an event a success for others, rather than killing myself to finish mid-pack or worse. I want to be with someone who wants support from her partner, not competition.

But it seems that most of the women I am meeting not only have this huge competitive streak in them, but are looking for the same in their partner; which just doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t see how two people can have a healthy relationship when they’re always competing with each other, and yet it seems like when athletes get together, much of the competition is within the relationship as well.

And to me, that’s just wrong.

I ride my bike to ride my bike … and the main reason why I seldom ride with more than one or two other people (when I’m not riding alone) is because most group rides turn into some sort of big swinging (virtual or actual) dick contest. That’s not what I’m about. If I’m not paying money and pinning a number on, then I’m not racing … and it’s really easy for me to just say “see ya!” when the people I ride with start acting as though every ride is a race.

The downside of this is that I spend a lot of time alone … which when you are dysthymic is not really healthy either. I reach out to my friends, but unless we have made specific plans, I tend not to follow-through and nothing happens. And thus I get lonelier and feel like my friends don’t want to hang out with me; when in reality, they could very much feel like I don’t want to hang out with them either, because I don’t follow-through or flake. I know that friendship is a two-way street, but I find it very difficult to offer much of myself, even when I think that the people I’m with are some of the nicest, kindest, and coolest people I’ve ever met.

I’ve been this way nearly all my life … and I know that much of it is a protective measure from how much I used to move around when I was a kid; a different school every year or two doesn’t lend itself to long-lasting relationships … and when I do start building a relationship that means something, inevitably I feel like I’m going to sabotage it somehow.

And so I keep working on myself; keep seeing the crazy doctor, keep taking the happy pills, keep reaching out … and keep trying to follow-through.