September 30, 2010. The cycling world stood still for a moment. A shocking news was sent into the world with a telling headline above: “Alberto Contador tests positive ‘. It says enough and at the same time, it says too much. A whole series of questions then go through your mind: What? Where? When? Why? And especially, how? What has Contador done, how did it happen?
If we dig deeper into the first messages, we get a range of data. The first question can be answered immediately. What: clenbuterol. It is a medecin that is often used for horses with asthma. It frees the lungs and the trachea, it helps to get a mucus reduction and provides a better breathing. Moreover, it also has a muscle strengthening effect and works as a fat burner. The product is relatively rapidly gone by 50% per 36 hours and the effect is of relatively long duration. But it is not only listed as a doping product, it is also known as masking agent of EPO and his associates. One more question that we can answer is: how much was found? Grand total of 50 picograms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yypE0rq0gr4 That sounds just like this. A minimal amount, which until recently could not even be detected.
When? That is the next question. The positive urine sample is dated July 21, the second rest day during the Tour before the mythical stage to the summit of the Tourmalet. Contador knew the result already on August 24 but only came up with it on September 30. Contador is temporarily suspended, a standard procedure.
That afternoon he held a press conference, there sat an emotional and angry Contador. He indicated that the clenbuterol was in the meat was, he had eaten on the rest day. Various stories are circulating about this piece of meat. According to Contador, a friend has brought it from Spain for him; according to the cook of Astana he bought the meat in Pau, where they currently stayed. All those stories are very confusing and contradictory. Immediately, our How? – Question can be answered. Or not?
After a while, rumors begin to emerge that Contador would have done a blood transfusion. The New York Times came on September 5 with a new report out. There has been found 8 times more ‘plasticers’ in his blood, than allowed. This could indicate a blood transfusion. The rumors blaze on, because yesterday (October 8 ’10 ed.) Humo (a Flemish magazine ed.)put a preview of an article, which will appear next week, on their site, where we could read the statement from an insider of the Astana team . Claiming that Contador used clenbuterol during Dauphiné Libéré to lose weight and that he did a blood transfusion after the Dauphine so the blood values are not disrupted at his biological passport. There was apparently still a trace of clenbuterol in that blood, which ended up back in his body after he did a back-blood transfusion. Contador denied however that he did a blood transfusion.
Then we consider a final question that arises in our minds: Why? Well, it was quit clear from the start of the Tour that Contador didn’t have his best shape. Did he panicked when he noticed that Schleck maybe was the better half? Or was it that piece of meat that was contaminated, as indicated by Contador? It is still hard to prove, and in the media there is currently a small war to get Contador’s skin. If he really is innocent, he still has the blemish on his name. And the label of doping user is only reinforced because of the fact that his name is (wrongly) called before in the Operation Puerto. He threatens with actions against the allegations against him, but whether it actually can change anything is another question. The best for him and the cycling world now, which was suffering in the recent weeks from the doping news (also Mosquera and David Da Peña got that same day a positive test) that the UCI would come up with a report as soon as possible, a scientific report of the found clenbuterol and his blood values. It would give many answers to our questions and from fellow cyclists.
I would love to believe Alberto Contador. The young chap who had surgery in 2004, after a fall, blood clots in his skull were found. Do you see him having a blood transfusion?! A reasonable person would come with the argument that he knows better and that he would never be so stupid to take risks for his health and his cycling career. At the same time there is so many you can doubt of … The stories are so contrasting, vague and unreliable that you do not know what the truth is. Doping shows after all this time apparently still to be present in the peloton.
I may be naive to believe that the biggest part of the peloton is clean, but I’m a believer. And I am a believer rather than to be someone who condemns without looking at herself. I continue to believe Contador, even though he is not my favorite rider in the peloton, I still believe in him until there is more news from reliable sources. Why? Because I would love to believe…
Eva D.
Sources:
– http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20100930_037
– http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/101008_Contador_bron_getuigt
De Wereld van Eva 