Lance Armstrong

[Bobby]

Per France, its a "scientific fact" that Lance used steroids - or performance enhancers - in 99.

I tend to believe. To win like 7 tour de frances in a row -- too freakish.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/08/24/D8C65QM00.html

[Bubbles]

I tend to believe, as weird as this sounds, both sides here. Armstrong had a case of cancer where he was fighting an uphill battle all the way. I believe that at one point, he may have needed steroids to survive. However, cycling is amazingly competitive nowadays. If he was on steroids, wouldn't he have won his last few Tours by more than he did, tipping everyone off? Also, cycling's supposed to be a European sport, you gotta think there's jealousy there that an American, supposedly a culture SO inferior to the French way of life, has dominated the sport the way Armstrong has.

[JustRalph]

I think I am with Lance on this one. If they had proof that long ago, they would have used it immediately. They wouldn't have waited to smear him now. No way......

[Fwizard]

Exactly, why break this news now? He's done and now try to discredit him? Remember cycling is more a team sport anyway---Lance couldn't win without his team members setting formations for him.

I think France had nothing else to do--so it was how can we bash the USA>

[PaceAdvantage]

This is what happens when you go bicycling with President Bush....LOL

[Tom]

The French have no word for "winner" - closedt thisng they have is weiner!

"Mutiple winner" has them in a tizzy!

[kenwoodallpromos]

The French have official changed all their apostrophes to ass-tericks since going 0-20 in the Tour* De* France*! :D BS*.

[SAL]

He's never failed a drug test. Ever. Case closed

[Wiley]

The issue comes to the fact that it is a 1999 blood sample from Lance (at least per this article) and at that time EPO could not be tested for (not possible until 2001) though use of EPO was deemed illegal in 1990. If you cannot test for a substance sure the results will come out clean. I am not saying all of these revealed results are correct and it is true Lance has been tested more thoroughly than any other athlete out there but given the circumstance that at the time every other rider was using EPO without penality (I would like to see the overall EPO test results of all available rider samples at the time to test this theory) that Lance could have looked at it as an equalizer with other riders. Lance did change the face of cycling with his intense training, advanced scrutiny of equipment, team riding strategy and raw genetic superiority but he did look for all edges over other riders.

[Ron]

Its pretty similar to horse racing. Testing for substances is always years behind. It's interesting how they are saving blood samples. THAT should be illegal. You test it and dispose of it. That's my blood!


Some say steroids cause cancer.

[46zilzal]

EPO was designed to replenish the acute anemias cancer treatment victims often get...would it surprise anyone that a cancer victim would have a some of it in their system?

[46zilzal]

since when is that a steroid?
EPO is a protein with an attached sugar (a glycoprotein). It is one of a number of similar glycoproteins that serve as stimulants for the growth of specific types of blood cells in the bone marrow.

What exactly does erythropoietin (EPO) do?

Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. The resultant rise in red cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

As the prime regulator of red cell production, EPO's major functions are to:

1. Promote the development of red blood cells.
2. Initiate the synthesis of hemoglobin, the molecule within red cells that transports oxygen.

[Wiley]

46,
So you are saying the genetically manufactured from recombinant DNA EPO found in these samples, as opposed to the natural EPO hormone produced in small amounts by the kidneys, is residual to his cancer treatment in 1996-1997 to the July 1999 Tour de France? Doubtful, especially given the fact it is primarily used to combat fatigue in cancer treatment patients though another possible way to reduce fatigue is through exercise, something Lance was doing a considerable amount of in cycle training for his first Tour win. So to me he most likely did not need any EPO treatments. Though I guess the thought could be he used it to help enhance his ability to train, don't know? I am pretty sure Lance did receive some type of steriod treatments post cancer to help regenerate lost muscle mass but this was short term and prior to training.

[46zilzal]

46,
So you are saying the genetically manufactured from recombinant DNA EPO found in these samples, as opposed to the natural EPO hormone produced in small amounts by the kidneys, is residual to his cancer treatment in 1996-1997 to the July 1999 Tour de France? Doubtful, especially given the fact it is primarily used to combat fatigue in cancer treatment patients.

FATIGUE??? Well my Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine says otherwise, as does personal expereince. MOST cancer treatments kill of rapidly growing cells and with the bone marrow as one of it's principle secondary targets of loss. EPO is used to combat anemia

Whether it is from the Ca treatment or not, I have no idea

[superfecta]

EPO was designed to replenish the acute anemians cancer treatment victims often get...would it surprise anyone that a cancer victim would have a some of it in their system?
Thats what makes me think Armstrong is not being truthful,he denies any positives yet doesn't acknowledge that he may get "false" positives now from old samples that were not tested for EPO.Tappin Sheryl Crow behind your wifes back doesnt help his honesty quotient either. :lol:

[Wiley]

FATIGUE???
OK, sounds like you know a lot more about it than me, but isn't fatigue a main sympton of anemia? And there are other treatments for cancer treatment induced anemia than EPO, correct? I just don't buy the EPO treatment for cancer in '96/'97 as being a reason for a positive EPO test on the '99 Tour.
Something I missed initially is that they mention at least 15 positive EPO samples from the Tour in '99 and I wonder if this is from the whole tour sample or only a certain number of samples meaning do they test everyone or only the top flight of finishers?

[46zilzal]

OK, sounds like you know a lot more about it than me, but isn't fatigue a main sympton of anemia?
yes, but that could have been induced MANY ways (i.e the cancer itself draws lot of energy from an individual) and you treat the CUASE not the symptom

[Ron]

I thought we got rid of this guy.

He retired for one month.


http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=2154059

[cj]

I hope he does come back and sticks it to the French...AGAIN! Why should he retire? Michael Jordan made that mistake, I hope Lance doesn't.

[JustRalph]

The least he could do is stay home a year and try his best to pedal his narrow ass through Cheryl Crow .............

[Jinxed]

Lance's bout with life-threatening cancer will never be forgotten, but heros do not leave their wives and kids for singers. End of discussion.

[cj]

Lance's bout with life-threatening cancer will never be forgotten, but heros do not leave their wives and kids for singers. End of discussion.

I am not defending Lance, because I don't know the details of what happened. But guess what, neither do you.

[Tor Ekman]

I agree that nobody but Lance and his wife know the whys and wherefores, but I can't help but think that Lance looks very bad for "better dealing" his wife and kids for Sheryl (I didn't have a nose job) Crow.

[Valuist]

CJ-

I assume you mean MJ's first retirement (1994), when he played double A baseball. IMO, coming back the second time w/the Wizards was a big mistake. He had the perfect ending; hitting that shot over Byron Russell to beat the Jazz and win the 1998 Finals. It was the perfect way to go out....until he decided to come back as half the player he used to be,