[whattajoke]

How did he pass over 500 tests and never get caught once?

Because the usage of EPO isn't like taking a conventional PED like steroids. For many years, EPO was unknown to the testers. When they became aware, the way to bust a user was to measure his red blood cells as a ratio. If that ratio went over a set limit (say, 50%), he was busted.

(By raising red blood cells, one increases his ability to oxygenate one's blood, providing a rather large advantage in endurance events.)

When users are very careful and have done all the science and employ their own doctors and scientists to keep on top of things, the user only uses enough to keep his levels just under the max allowed. Those close to pro cycling would say that every top pro rider has used EPO in the last 15 years many times. It's viewed as no worse or different from oxygen tents, which acheive the same desired effect - and which the UCI thought of banning at one time.

There is a newer sort of synthetic EPO called CERA which allowed users to control their counts better, but it's now easily seen in blood testing. Then there are the transfusers who store up their blood and infuse it back into themselves to increase blood volume and therefore, RBC counts again.

Every now and then, you have real idiots like Vinokourov who transfused his FATHER'S blood into himself.

And yes, the Feds are interested because of other types of issues, all tangential (and arguably more important) than the doping itself.

[golux]

Vinokourov did not infuse his father’s blood. That was just an ‘urban’ myth.

He heard about this myth and once joked “I assure you that if I had infused my Father’s blood I would have tested positive for vodka!”

I really appreciate these cycling threads. Do you suppose anyone might step up to manage a pinglist? Maybe I could do it.