More on the Tour du Dopage 2008

The French newspaper Le Monde is reporting today that Riccardo Ricco, the rider who was expelled from the Tour de France yesterday, tested positive for Continous Erythropoïetin receptor activator, what the paper describes as “third generation EPO”. The drug in question, Mirecera, made by Roche, has only been commercially available for a year (it’s used to treat some forms of anemia secondary to cancer-related renal failure) but cyclists, say Le Monde, have been using it since 2004. Instead of requiring two to three injections per week, this new “super-EPO” requires a single monthly injection.

Le Monde points out that Roche worked with a Swiss anti-doping lab to develop a test for the product, and that Ricco is the first rider to be caught having used it. So, regarding my tacit question of “how can they be so stupid?”, it turns out that Ricco truly thought that, with this new form of EPO, he could not test positive. So strike stupidity as a reason for doping; it’s simple greed. He thought he had a secret weapon and could get away with it.

Ricco is still being held by French police. While he probably won’t do jail time, he will be tried for this offense. France has the stiffest laws regarding doping of any country.