Ed Hood Speaks to Hamish Haynes for VeloResults UK

On Being a Pro by Ed Hood

"I clicked on Hamish Haynes' name on a palmares website, just to see who it is that he's beating to win these races in Flanders;

'Melle 2005' - that was Steven de Jongh, twice a Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne winner.

Or how about when he won the British Elite road champs in 2006 - Roger Hammond was the victim.

Despite the fact that year in, year out, he competes with and regularly beats the best cyclists that Flanders has to offer - including quality East Europeans - he's one of British Cycling's forgotten men..."

Read the full story, here!

Endura Racing

That review of Scientology leave you feeling icky? Well, it's back to bikes, with this VeloResults UK interview by the estimable Ed Hood, speaking with Jim McFarlane about the Endura cycling team. Hood leads with his usual intro - complex, funny, inside...definitely not VeloNews:

"Goodie bag!" I'm not used to "freebies"; by the time Dave or Martin and I stumble into the press room at races, all the goodies have gone - but we have the best suntans.

However, when Jim McFarlane mentioned "goodie bag" I was out to Livingston like a ferret.

It seemed like a shame to waste a trip to Endura and not interview the main man. The timing was perfect, Jim was just back from seeing his boys in action at Haut Var.

EH: Was the pro team your decision, Jim?
JM: "It was a joint decision between the directors, Kevin Haig, Pamela Haig and myself."

EH: For the cost of a team, you could have done a lot of glossy advertising.
JM: "In the UK we're market leaders in the mountain bike clothing field. But to be competitive against the high end road clothing manufacturers we need a platform, a show case for our new Equipe range which is launched at the end of March. We need to show that our road clothing is credible - and of course, there's the product development aspect."  Continued...

VeloResults UK Interview

I spoke with Ed Hood last week, giving an interview to the VeloResults UK Senior Correspondent that was published today on their site. While you're there, be sure to read Ed's lament for Tom Zirbel, "What a Waste of a Great Career."

Zirbel: What a Waste of a Great Career

VeloResults UK laments the Zirbel Affair, as Ed Hood writes:

Fourth in the Worlds Elite TT, second only to Zabriskie in the US TT champs and with a Garmin contract neatly signed. But scratch all of the above and file under, "Another one bites the dust !" albeit the 'B' sample might just be 'clean.' We asked Paul Coats, who's a lecturer at Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, for an expert view.

"Zirbel, Jesus who knows these days!

Seems a strange one though, as I mentioned to you when you asked me about Landis; testosterone or any of the androgens are only useful for recovery.

And you can beat the test if you are smart and most pros are, or at least they have someone keeping them right.

Long gone are the days of using steroids, too easily detected. Only dumb asses get caught on test these days, my gran mother knows that. DHEA is a pro hormone and is metabolised to more active testosterone, produced naturally and can also be taken as supplement.

Its readily available to buy on internet; first Google hit: http://www.cybervitamins.com/dhea.htm

The problem with supplements used in body building is that they add DHEA without listing it.

Thus making the customer think the product is great and they buy more.

This was a big problem a couple years ago; in the USA there were a few well documented cases of track athletes testing positive due to protein supplements which were contaminated (so the manufacturer said) with DHEA.

Now all the reputable supplement manufacturers provide test results to show their products are free from substances that may produce positive result.

Zirbel will know what he has taken, he clearly has tested positive and unless there is a total screw up his B sample will be positive.

It would be useful if the numbers were presented; then we could see how much was in his system.

He states on Cycling News he knows nothing and is ignorant of all this kind of thing.

Well, we know all pros know this game inside out and he is seasoned pro.

Diet will be a major factor in his training and I'm sure he knows exactly what supplements and food he has taken, so what's happened?

1) His body produces high DHEA, ok, why not tested high before? So unlikely.

2) Someone spiked his recovery drink, wild claim, possible but unlikely.

3) He took a supplement contaminated with DHEA, possible yes it happened in the past, but nowadays quality supplements come with quality control, also he's probably taking the same supplements as others on his Bissel team - they have not tested positive.

Unless he has his own supplements; but as mentioned he will know what he takes and could provide this to authorities to check for DHEA contamination and, in a way, help explain the situation.

4) He is a dumb ass - applying Occam's razor principle (the simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one) 4 seems the most likely.

We will likely never know the truth; but if 4 is correct, what a waste of a great career and potential great 2010 with Garmin.

I cant believe someone at his level can test positive for DHEA, its not like EPO or CERA, it has no big benefits but carries the same penalty

Paul Coats (PhD)Lecturer Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences."

'waste of a great career' - for sure, Paul.

With thanks to Paul for his time and expertise.  

[Editor's note: And thanks to VeloResults UK for making this information available to the readers of Pappillon. We encourage you to visit both sites regularly.]