theswordsman's Diaryland Diary
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cows in caves
I'll put this at the front, so that the inevitable boring stuff will drive it from your mind before you leave. I'm worried enough about my health this weekend that if it was five years ago and I was part of the health care system, I'd probably have gone to the Emergency Room today. I might even have called and asked for a ride there.
I had a five or six hour build-up Saturday waiting to see what Contador would do on the mountain finish. He ended up staying with the top guys, but couldn't attack. He's got three and a half stages starting Wednesday where he can try to take time back on the six guys ahead of him.
There are a few guys who look really suspicious in terms of performance.
My pre-race time was ruined a bit by video interviews of Floyd Landis discussing a lot of things. Some was really interesting, about how Lance traveling by private plane wasn't required to go through Customs in Girona Spain and elsewhere, because of his Fame or whatever. It meant he could smuggle illegal substances from country to country as much as he wanted. He talked about Lance being a bully, which is well documented, and how he liked to brag about speeding or breaking laws in Austin, getting stopped and let go. His American "coach" who has sold books about training Lance, was a smoke screen because Lance worked with a doping doctor named Ferrari.
The distressing part for me was the segment titled "Contador's coach was my drug dealer". I knew the claim for over a year, when he said Pepe could get him whatever he needed back in the day. Years later, the guy coaches Contador's training. It doesn't necessarily mean he's doing anything wrong, because Alberto has had great talent and a work ethic since he was a kid. Still, with a week left in the Tour, and a CAS hearing in a couple of weeks, it wasn't a good time for that title to hit the web, especially since it covers thirty seconds of a fifteen minute segment about other stuff.
Since you only hear my side of the Contador thing, here's a Google Translation of a recent Q&A with a doctor who has written books about doping.
Jean-Pierre de Mondenard is a doctor who specializes in issues related to doping. Author of numerous books on this subject including "the dictionary of doping" or "The great deception", he has just published "33 winners of the Tour de France doping face." It analyzes uncompromising if Contador and predicts a favorable decision before the Spanish Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
About the case Contador the Tour in 2010, what are your feelings on the upcoming trial of the CAS, Court of Arbitration for Sport, scheduled from August 1 to 3 next?
I think that WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) now realizes its mistakes. For me, Contador will be laundered by the CAS. It has no qualms and judges only on the facts. But if the AMA can not prove the will of doping clenbuterol, the decision is clear ...
What is your feeling about a possible contamination of meat?
Contamination of meat is plausible. Studies are there to show it. Scientifically, the AMA is not doing its job. It should initiate studies for many years. By mouth meat contaminated with clenbuterol runners, assess the effects on performance, set the time of disposal ... None of this has been achieved. Professional sport is controlled by amateurs. But, of course, all this does not exonerate the sport itself, just waiting to slip through the net.
Can you detail what you think consistent in defense of Alberto Contador?
It would have been suicidal for Contador to take clenbuterol in these conditions. He tested positive July 21, 2010 during the rest day in Pau. On 20, there are no traces of clenbuterol in Spanish. We know that there was a single dose, as the following days, there are only residues of clenbuterol. This corresponds to the disposal. Clenbuterol has only a single dose stimulating effects. You agree that during a rest day, these effects are not appropriate.
http://tourdefrance.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/07/16/jean-pierre-de-mondenard-contador-sera-blanchi-par-le-tribunal-arbitral-du-sport/
Below is a screen print from French TV coverage today. On the right is a tunnel with a road heading into it. On the left is a bit of the prehistoric cave art inside.
2:22 a.m. - Sunday, Jul. 17, 2011
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