TdF Cycling News Flash for July 2, 2005
Edited by Jeff Jones
French government random dope control tests one rider: Lance Armstrong
By Tim Maloney, European Editor in Nantes
As defending Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong was relaxing Friday
afternoon in his hotel room in Nantes before the 2005 Tour team presentation
in Challans later on Friday evening, he was summoned to a surprise out
of competition anti-doping test conducted by the French Ministry of Youth
and Sport at 3:30. Although the test was deemed "random", Armstrong appeared
to be the only Tour de France rider tested by the French government Friday.
The test likely came as surprise to Armstrong, as he and all the other
riders at the Tour had their blood tests performed yesterday. Armstrong
is considered as perhaps the most tested athlete in any sport and sources
later confirmed to Cyclingnews that today's test was the American's
sixth out of competition test so far in 2005.
Cyclingnews was at the Discovery Channel team hotel Friday afternoon
for tech coverage of Armstrong's time trial bike when suddenly, Armstrong
appeared up amidst the team tech area. We thought he might be there to
check out his TT bike set up, but in reality, he was performing a surprise
out of competition anti-doping test conducted by the French Ministry of
Sport and Youth. The French government sent two functionaries, one a medical
doctor and they were accompanied by two UCI representatives. A stone faced
Armstrong went into the team bus with the four medical control officials
and emerged almost an hour later after blood and urine samples were taken
on the spot.
Two of Armstrong's blood samples were checked in the team bus, while
two others were retained by the French officials, perhaps to be sent for
further testing by Dr. Jacques de Ceaurriz, chief of the French national
anti-doping lab in Châtenay-Malabry. Once the surprise tests were over,
Armstrong showed no emotion and greeted some friends who had come to see
him, joking and taking some pictures before returning to his team hotel.
No word whether the French Ministry of Sport and Youth plans a series
of surprise out of competition anti-doping initiatives during the Tour
that target other race favourites, but today Armstrong was the random
choice.
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