Doping by the dozen: 3-year ban for French amateur who tested positive for 12 illegal substances… in one race

19 Years of age? What the hell are his parents and coach doing? It's the influence of more senior athletes that needs to be challenged. If his coach was involved in supplying or even supporting the taking of drugs he should be banned for life. Youngsters need guidance to develop not quick fix, short term results that lead to a ban or even worse.

Oh, and by the way I spent 10 years coaching youngsters to international level in competative sport so I do know what I'm talking about.

You may gather, it makes me so angry to see young lives jeopardised in this way.

Just reading Dave Millar's account of his 'fall' into the world of doping. I guess some people never learn - and that includes an awful lot of French riders

I would suspect that he is not the only one in his club doping, it's just that he isn't very good at it. In a club environment where there is a distinct possibility of being picked up by one of the pro teams, the pressure must be immense. No doubt this would trickle down through the lower echelons of the club.

I also can't help thinking that this may be more common than people would like to think. If there was no reason to suspect a cat3 rider, they wouldn't be testing.

Rober Millar was with ACBB too.

Edit: Quick visit to the Wikipedia page reveals a long list of famous cyclists, too numerous to mention here.

Joking aside, an ACBB jersey would be a catch anyway, I'm sure. Not sure if it's still the case but back in the day ACBB was one of the clubs young British riders aspired to join and race with as a final amateur step on the way to a contract in the professional peloton. I may have imagined this but I believe Tom Simpson was briefly a member and I'm slightly more certain that Sean Yates was.

Anyone know if you can purchase AC Boulogne-Billancourt jerseys in honour of this nut job?

Sounds like he has a bad case of arthritis...ahem!

The fact he is a 3rd cat rider just show you doping alone does not turn you into a winning rider...
He was obviously one of those deluded people who thought doping would make him perform like Ricco
There are just as many anti dopers (probably more) who also believe this same delusion

Bit disappointed that these are all steroids. Would have been more "impressed" with a broader range of doping products. It is possible that he may have only taken one thing; some kind of magic steroid cocktail sold to bodybuilders.

It must be hard to race in a professional peloton knowing that your rivals may be taking 'enhancements'. Ignore the health issues,cost,criminal,is it real, etc; just on a simple 'to cheat or not to cheat' decision; how many would? It would be great to go blasting past rivals; but the best part of any race is that 'buzz' at the end of either a personal best or good position on the back of dedicated training. Surely this 'buzz' would be diminished if your chemist/doctor also jumps up and down shouting 'yay'!!!

I'd reckon this was more than just one inhaler though. Maybe the cow was asthmatic - "Mooo! [wheeze] Hola, gringo [wheeze] mooo!"

Shay's description of one of prednisolone is interesting - I've just finished Lauren Fignon's memoirs, and he talks about being approached by people who asked him about his 'preparation' (meaning 'what drugs are you taking') - I can well see how the culture encouraged riders to dope. Hopefully that's on the decrease now.

I have looked up some of these drugs; most seem to be to do with asthma....and respiratory problems. I wonder if he was just asthmatic??? Or using someone elses asthma medication?? As I understand you can take these despite their status as banned substances if they are prescribed for a recognised medical need???

If you're Spanish.

Provided it was a Spanish judge, you'd be let off.

But, did anyone consider that he could have dined on a Spanish beef with a bad case of hay-fever?

Actually prednisolone is sometimes used in the treatment of persistent allergy and also for treatment of some inflammations (in my case treatment for an eye disease which put a stop to me cycle racing for a few years) - it is another steroid.

Tuaminoheptane is however a nasal decongestant and also acts as a fairly strong stimulant.

The rest are steroids (anabolic and cortico) and some metabolites of some of those steroids.

Steroid effects do wear off but if that lot was found in his blood I'd assume some of the effect wouldn't have gone yet.

When I was treated with high doses of prednisolone I had to stop racing but the effect in terms of short burst power was impressive and a bit scary.

Shay

Tuaminoheptane is a nasal decongestant. Prednisolone is an anti-allergy medication. The rest I think are steroids. How pissed off would you be to take all that shit and still be shit? Am I right in thinking that the effect of steroids wears off? AND how much must that shit have cost? Maybe he should have put some of his blood in the fridge and done home transfusions like that other idiot! Maybe he could progress to a second cat!

Anyone got any idea what the above cocktail is or what effect may be expected from it? From all I know it could be an over the counter cough medication, but I rather think not.

Pumping his body full of shite, and just to race as a third cat? Sheesh.

As Michael (doc) Hutchinson put on Twitter :"Here's a man whom I think we can safely say wasn't expecting the dope testers at that particular race"!

probably the scorching start and burning rubber that aroused suspicion.

If you're going to cheat, cheat like a BOSS.

Did he win the race?

He must have been raging with all those 'roids?

Well I suppose if you're going to do it do it properly