July! (TdF time)

July is finally here and the Tour de France starts tomorrow.  I can't wait.

that's that thing with the bikes and the steroids, right?

No, not steroids, EPO.  (Edit: and other forms of blood doping.  Part of the fun is guessing who will get caught.)

i googled EPO but i'm having a little pseudo-migraine thingy this morning (aura, no pain) and it's hard to read.  especially big words.  and i totally don't know if i put an I in especially.

Erythropoietin, it raises you hematocrit level so your blood can carry more oxygen to the muscles.  It's very handy for endurance athletes but it is not legal. 

Also popular is banking your own red blood cells and reinjecting them before a big event.  This is much harder to detect.

oh yeah, i've heard of those neat tricks. 

anyway, i'm not into the TdF, but you have fun!

I will, thanks.

Original Post by trhawley:

Erythropoietin, it raises you hematocrit level so your blood can carry more oxygen to the muscles.  It's very handy for endurance athletes but it is not legal. 

Also popular is banking your own red blood cells and reinjecting them before a big event.  This is much harder to detect.

 That's just sad.  People will really do anything to cheat these days, won't they?

Original Post by peaches0405:

Original Post by trhawley:

Erythropoietin, it raises you hematocrit level so your blood can carry more oxygen to the muscles.  It's very handy for endurance athletes but it is not legal. 

Also popular is banking your own red blood cells and reinjecting them before a big event.  This is much harder to detect.

 That's just sad.  People will really do anything to cheat these days, won't they?

 What's sad is that cycling is the only sport that is even attempting to stop the cheaters.  All the other sports just look the other way.

YAY!!!  Tour de France!!  I, too, cannot wait.  So many exciting stories and dramas and challenges are just waiting to unfold.  Plus Bob Roll's unique flavor to the already great commentary.  Love him!

God, id love some epo. im not a competitive athlete anymore so imagine how well i would exercise if i had some of that magic stuff!!!

Bicycling?  In July?  Where are you, Antarctica?  Surely you jest. 

*sips her gurly cocktail in the comfort of her air conditioned home*

Original Post by mspw:

Bicycling?  In July?  Where are you, Antarctica?  Surely you jest. 

*sips her gurly cocktail in the comfort of her air conditioned home*

Half the world is in winter right now. Not everyone lives up North you know!

Original Post by peaches0405:

 That's just sad.  People will really do anything to cheat these days, won't they?

This isn't a new phenomenon, people have been going as far as they can get away with to cheat for as long as people have been competing