scrambled channel

Do you think anyone in the peloton had any spare horse tranquiliser?

Reports are just in (ok, 12 hours ago) that Riccardo Ricco has tested positive for EPO. Not just the regular EPO favoured by his hero il Pirata, but a so called 3rd generation EPO called CERA or something. You can almost see the pharmaceutical reps handing out flyers emblazoned with ‘New 3G - 51% haematocrit - naturally!’ Well the advertising hype was just that and the Cobra is gone. The rumour mill suggests that some of his teammates might be asking for their B samples soon too. Let just hope he doesn’t further emulate his hero and perish alone in a puff of charlie.

Beltran was a has been and Duenas barely on my radar. Ricco hurts though. I’m too cynical to be surprised but he was young , had flair, and I wanted it to be true. But if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. I always liked Pieopeli too, and I suspect his charge up le hautacam was his final bow. Hopefully at 37 maybe he can afford it. It’s not so great for the kids too young to see past the podium girls.

Sadly, I loved watching him up Col d’Aspin, it evoked memories of Chicken, Mayo, Vino and, of course, Pantani. He didn’t ride out of the mist Roche style, but his attack was so ecstatically brazen, even if the peleton did let him go. The thing is I love all the drama of le tour - the rides that defy belief, the comedy crashes and the bizarre interviews of tired people. I must admit, I’ve even enjoyed the doping melodramas of the past couple of years. Now it feels a bit lazy on my part.

In other cycling news, Cav won his third stage and looks the new McKewan and maybe more. Baden Cooke contrived to crash in the first 2km and withdraw leaving Barloworld with about 2 riders. Zabel proved he is still the most competitive man in the bunch even if his older than your father and Cadel stayed out of trouble and keeps the maillot jeune.

We haven’t even hit the Alps!

I’m not sure I go for the ACDC (how do you spell acker dacker?) soundtrack.