Let's look at the Alberto Contador situation first. Contador tested positive for an illegal substance during last year's Tour de France. He tested positive at a very low level, but still tested positive. He claimed to have eaten some infected meat, but could offer no sample of meat for proof. Everyone assumed he would get at least a one year suspension, but the Spanish decided to let him off. We are still waiting to see whether or not the UCI challenges the Spanish ruling. I'm pretty sure they will and I'm pretty sure the original ban will be upheld, and he'll be out for the rest of the season and probably back next. It will create a huge wave of anger in Spain as this will be the second rider in three years that the Spanish Federation has let off only to be overruled.
Second we turn to the issue of race radios. The UCI has decided that it is in the best interest of the sport if they ban the use of race radios. Race radios are small radios the cyclist wear which allow them to stay in contact with their race manager. The UCI believes it will make for more exciting competition to ban the radios, the riders say they want the radios for safety reasons, and the teams are angry that the UCI made this decision with no input from them, the people who actually supply the money for the sport. No one is quite sure how this one is going to end, but the teams have decided to join together on this issue and have already stated that they will fight this in a very dramatic fashion if the UCI doesn't rethink their choice. I have no idea what this means, but am very curious to see.
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