The successor of EPOMassimo Besnati (Doctor of the Batik-team and chairman of the Italian Cycling Doctors Federation) said in the Dutch weekly 'HP/De Tijd': "Cycling became more human after the blood tests. We're back to the level of five years ago. Riders need more time to recover from efforts."Leen Schattenberg, member of the Anti-Doping Commission of the UCI, knows that the UCI planned between 600 and 1000 blood tests this season. Up until now the Commission has conducted 130 tests with 7 positive results. Schattenberg: "EPO stays in the blood for only one day; but you can find the effect - thickened blood - for several weeks. It's strange we control EPO-use without knowing for sure the riders use it. But we had no chance; the rumours were too strong." Maurizio Fondriest: "I don't say that we were in front these last years because of the EPO; I don't say that it isn't the truth either. I'm glad with the blood tests. But it's only the first step. I'm waiting for new methods for finding EPO and other forbidden stuff." Massimo Besnati: "The developments go further. Big teams are spending a lot of money to search for new compounds which will give them an advantage. Before we have a method to find EPO; there will be a new compound." With Fondriest he is glad with the tests: "The average speed is lower than the last years". Besnati warns the amateurs: "While we check the professionals, we don't as yet control the amateurs. They are still using these compounds. I have observed it during pro-am races in Italy: the Amateurs are riding away from the professionals." Besnati already has identified the successor to EPO. He (including doctor Yvan van Mol of the Mapei-team) knows they are talking about it in the peloton: EGF 1 (the grow-hormone somatomedina). Van Mol: "Your organs are growing after using EGF 1" Besnati: "Perilous! EPO is kids-stuff in comparison with EGF 1. They are testing this medicine now by MS-patients. But they don't know much about it yet; except it's sure EGF 1 causes diabetes." |