Lotz admits EPO use

From VRT teletext, my translation:

Marc Lotz, the Dutch rider from Quick-Step, has resigned from the team.
He admitted EPO use and faced the consequences. "During a court
investigation I admitted the use of EPO for the Tour. The pressure to
not let my team and surroundings down, made me seek refuge in taking
EPO. I realize now that my behaviour is unacceptable. I don't want to
avoid any responsibility and therefore resign from Quick-Step. This way
I hope not to do damage to my team", said Lotz.
When or how Marc Lotz was caught, he didn't say. By admitting the facts
he hopes to be able to find some peace with his family. "I regret to
have betrayed the trust of my team, family and fans", said Lotz to press
agency Belga. "I ask the press to give me and my family the time and
peace to get through all this."
Marc Lotz is 31 and previously rode 8 years for Rabobank. Last year the
Dutchman took a chance and switched to Quick-Step. He now risks a 2 year
suspension.

From http://193.121.55.225/tt/tt.php?p=421&g=0&s=1&r=0&x=1

Marc Lotz, de Nederlandse renner van
Quick-Step, heeft ontslag genomen bij
de ploeg. Hij gaf toe dat hij epo ge-
bruikte en houdt de eer aan zichzelf.

"In het kader van een gerechterlijk
onderzoek heb ik toegegeven epo te
gebruiken met het oog op de Tour. De
drang om de ploeg en mijn omgeving niet
teleur te stellen, zorgde ervoor dat ik
mijn toevlucht nam tot epo. Ik besef nu
dat mijn gedrag onaanvaardbaar is."

"Ik wil mijn verantwoordelijkheid niet
ontlopen en dien daarom mijn ontslag in
bij Quick-Step. Ik hoop dat ik zo mijn
ploeg geen schade berokken", zei Lotz.

Wanneer of hoe Marc Lotz betrapt werd,
vertelde hij niet. Hij hoopt dat hij
door het toegeven van de feiten bij
zijn familie tot rust kan komen.

"Ik betreur dat ik het vertrouwen van
mijn ploeg, familie en supporters ge-
schaad heb", vertelde Lotz aan het
persagentshap Belga. "Ik verzoek dat de
pers mij en mijn familie de tijd en de
rust geeft om dit alles te verwerken."

Marc Lotz is 31 en reed eerst acht jaar
voor Rabobank. De Nederlander waagde
vorige zomer de overstap naar Quick-
Step. Marc Lotz riskeert een schorsing
van twee jaar.


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Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
From VRT teletext, my translation:

Marc Lotz, the Dutch rider from Quick-Step, has resigned from the team.
He admitted EPO use and faced the consequences. "During a court
investigation I admitted the use of EPO for the Tour.

He was still riding for Rabobank during the 2004 Tour.

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 17:13:27 +0200, Robert Chung wrote:
admitted the use of EPO for the Tour.

He was still riding for Rabobank during the 2004 Tour.

Yes, but his wording is multi interpretable, "met het oog op" means for
the purpose of, not necessarily before. So it could be last year's or
the upcoming, or really any Tour. I thought last year's was most likely,
but teletext has added a reaction of Lefeve "I don't think Quick-Step
now has to fear being banned from the Tour. This is not an organized
thing. Only one rider doing stupid things." Which suggests the EPO use
took place while Lotz was in QS's employ. sigh of relief


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Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
Which suggests the EPO use
took place while Lotz was in QS's employ. sigh of relief

Do you think that EPO use can be episodic?

Robert Chung wrote:
Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
Which suggests the EPO use
took place while Lotz was in QS's employ. sigh of relief

Do you think that EPO use can be episodic?

Not just EPO. Do you think that doping can be episodic?

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 18:10:51 +0200, "Robert Chung"
wrote:

Not just EPO. Do you think that doping can be episodic?

Yes, in general. Best that you choose the right drug, though.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 18:10:51 +0200, Robert Chung wrote:
Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
Which suggests the EPO use took place while Lotz
was in QS's employ. sigh of relief

Do you think that EPO use can be episodic?

Not just EPO. Do you think that doping can be episodic?

Well, I wouldn't know really, I guess so. I do think the pressure of
performing for a new team may have been higher than what he felt after
riding for Rabobank for 8 years.


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Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
Robert Chung wrote:
Do you think that doping can be episodic?

Well, I wouldn't know really, I guess so. I do think the pressure of
performing for a new team may have been higher than what he felt after
riding for Rabobank for 8 years.


Perhaps. Maybe he switched to QS because he saw the writing on the wall at
Rabobank and figured he needed to show results. In any event, I think that
it's too simple, too black and white, to think in terms of "who's a
doper?" as if riders could be classified from birth as "never dopers" and
"always dopers." I think the reasons why riders dope are more complex and
many will decide on an event-to-event basis, for one race, or for one
contract renewal, or maybe for one mortgage payment. It's more interesting
to ask "under which conditions might riders decide to dope at a particular
time?" Pressure varies, stress varies. Why wouldn't the response to
pressure and stress result in varying decisions about doping?

"Robert Chung" writes:
Perhaps. Maybe he switched to QS because he saw the writing on the wall
at Rabobank and figured he needed to show results. In any event, I think
that it's too simple, too black and white, to think in terms of "who's a
doper?" as if riders could be classified from birth as "never dopers" and
"always dopers." I think the reasons why riders dope are more complex and
many will decide on an event-to-event basis, for one race, or for one
contract renewal, or maybe for one mortgage payment. It's more
interesting to ask "under which conditions might riders decide to dope at
a particular time?" Pressure varies, stress varies. Why wouldn't the
response to pressure and stress result in varying decisions about doping?

I don't know. It is a fascinating question.

I think Fotheringham's _Put me back on my bike - In search of Tom Simpson_
did a good job of looking into the rationale behind doping, even if the
technology and doping culture might have changed a lot in the meantime.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...tomsimpsonbook

I thought the writing was so-so and that it went over the same stuff a bit
too much, but it was a quick read. I'd recommend it.

Morgan
--
Morgan Fletcher, Oakland, CA, USA

I immediately thought he was talking about this year, with his reference to
the pressure.


RC,
Doesn't EPO have a strong record when it comes to effectivity after episodic
use?
- Lance post-treatment
- The Festina guys carrying on -with relative succes- until a more elevated
age than the average pro.