reply to post by atlasastro
Well-l-l, I could write a book on what's going on and what I think is happening, but suffice it to say, not all is what it appears to be.
On the test for a third gen substance, basically, the first gen stuff was manufactured using a guinea pig clone, I think it was, and thus the
structure of the compound was a little different than human hormone. That made it possible to test for it and then make a determination.
The next stuff had a human clone and it was harder to test for, but they also used indirect methods, such as the amount of new/immature RBCs present,
called 'reticulocytes'. If you have too many of those it means you've gotten your progenitor cells stimulated by something.
Now, that's complicated by other stuff, such as guys using altitude tents (actually the have lower oxygen than usual, simulating high altitude, which
causes the body to make more cells). And it's complicated by people who go out and train at high altitude. Those both end up with higher retic counts
and higher hematocrits.
With the third gen substance, which is 'pegylated' or has a molecule which slows the breakdown and clearance of it, the dosing can be a lot less
frequent.
Anyway, I doubt they had a test for it, unless the manufacturer secretly 'tagged' the molecule, allowing them to run a test for that tag.
That's the gist - it's even more complicated but that's it in a nutshell.
On the Astana situation, I seriously doubt they did it to 'pay back' Lance or Johann. After all, it was because of them that the Tour made so much
money, and Lance even donated $400,000 to the coffers.
I'm not sure why Astana was excluded but it may be multi-factorial. Maybe they had something on them, maybe they wanted French riders to win more
stages and break the dominance that 'the house that Lance built' had going for 7 years or maybe they just felt that there was ample evidence against
some of the riders who were still on the team.
But as it turns out, it might have been a blessing in disguise for Astana.
Did you know that even though Boonen is out of the TdF, he's riding the Tour of Austria? LOL. He even won a stage the other day.
Levi and Horner won some races in the US, small ones, but made some pocket money tearing up the domestic riders (who, incidently are probably cursing
the French for Levi and Horner being over here winning those little races, haha).
Almost time for it to start here. Thirty minutes.
Hope this answers some of your questions.
