Team Sky's Sergio Henao currently off active roster for altitude tests says team hope he can race Tour de France

RobD wrote:

It does seem a bit odd, but if Sky were trying to cover it up surely they'd have said that he had a virus and was heading back to Columbia to recover rather than getting other agencies involved and flagging it up?

.....unless other agencies were already involved - I don't think is has ever been established if the initial tests that they 'had questions about' were true internal tests or if they were external (or at least had to be reported externally). The following quote from the article makes me think there is an external element to the tests:

"our experts had questions about Sergio’s out-of-competition control tests at altitude – tests introduced this winter by the anti-doping authorities."

I completely agree with you brackley88, but again I think Henao's choice of language speaks volumes. All his statements about returning have been qualified, "Assuming everything is in order once I’ve gone through this", "Hopefully I can be in the best condition to make my case" etc, doesn't exactly read like a man confident in his situation. One wouldn't imagine a rider like Cavendish or Wiggins being quiet in such circumstances if they were certain of being clean and being prevented from racing by team management. Look too at Contadors loud protestations over his Clenbuterol steak saga. Then again perhaps that's just Henao's nature. The whole business is both unprecedented and strange.

Let me hypothesise. Normal Hematocrit within individual variability is about 3%, however differences in testing techniques mean that 15% is not considered extraordinary. There will be a natural fall in hematocrit levels for a person moving from living at high altitude moving to low altitude after the acclimatisation period of, on average, about 7 percentage points. If, for example, Henao exhibited a 60% HCT level while at home and, when retested at sea level, had a level of 48% it would raise suspicions but would be within the 95% limits for variability. Sky have probably repeated tests at sea level and are now doing the high altitude tests. If his HCT does not go back to the level shown in the winter tests then it will be considered as 'unusual' and will result in elongating the suspension, but is still not certain proof of doping. That is the scenario that Henao is wary of.

giobox wrote:

I completely agree with you brackley88, but again I think Henao's choice of language speaks volumes.

It's not clear to me how you reconcile this with your statement

Quote:

I agree people should be careful when speculating, but on balance, especially given Henao's very timid response, it is difficult not to conclude that he has been caught by sky management doing something he shouldn't. Especially when Brailsford, in his own words, says "We want to do the right thing and we want to be fair. It’s important not to jump to conclusions." What sort of conclusions could he be referring to? Clearly the tests are indicative of, but not proof, of some malpractice on Henao's part.

...I think that last sentence pretty much contradicts the point about variability, but if i've mis-interpreted it please let me know.

giobox wrote:

All his statements about returning have been qualified, "Assuming everything is in order once I’ve gone through this", "Hopefully I can be in the best condition to make my case" etc, doesn't exactly read like a man confident in his situation. One wouldn't imagine a rider like Cavendish or Wiggins being quiet in such circumstances if they were certain of being clean and being prevented from racing by team management.

Not sure if they'd be the same or not, seems unusual to condemn someone for being a bit quiet though surely ? I know sane people aren't saying that's the only reason but it does appear to be a tipping point for some.

giobox wrote:

Look too at Contadors loud protestations over his Clenbuterol steak saga. Then again perhaps that's just Henao's nature

Absolutely.

giobox wrote:

All his statements about returning have been qualified, "Assuming everything is in order once I’ve gone through this", "Hopefully I can be in the best condition to make my case" etc, doesn't exactly read like a man confident in his situation. One wouldn't imagine a rider like Cavendish or Wiggins being quiet in such circumstances if they were certain of being clean and being prevented from racing by team management.

I see what you're getting at, there's a significant difference between being quiet in such circumstances, and being absolutely fuming BUT remaining professional about it and not discussng with the media. They might, however, look like the same thing to us.

I think this talk of 'people of high altitude' is smoke and mirrors. What they refer to is a gene pool of people, who, after centuries living at high altitude, have developed physiological adaptations. I don't think Henao comes from those gene pools.

Colin Peyresourde wrote:

I think this talk of 'people of high altitude' is smoke and mirrors. What they refer to is a gene pool of people, who, after centuries living at high altitude, have developed physiological adaptations. I don't think Henao comes from those gene pools.

As has been mentioned before, there is already evidence for genetic factors leading to hematocrit adaptation. There is also plenty of work showing some of the gross environmental effects (temporary adaptation, CMS and excessive hematocrit levels, adaptation periods and links to altitude). What perhaps there is less of, is research in the combined effect of genetic, environmental and training influences. This appears to be what Sky and the researchers are looking at, at least that's what coming across to me from what i've heard and read.

You know his ancestry and genotype then right? that he has no variation in the EPAS1 gene, and other variations? OK, I fully declare I don't, and I am not saying this is why he isnt a doper...what I meant is that this my ill informed hypothesis as to why they are looking at it more closely than just taking readings at face value. However, to indicate it's not smoke and mirrors, but some facts here if you look at the Columbian ethnic groups, those living in mountains have a much higher likelihood of having native columbian ancestry rather than European (who are higher in coastal and urban areas). And Sergio comes from the mountains. All conjecture I know...but enough to say, 'hey, let's look at this before we crucify him' If there proves to be no good answer then we will, I think, see him not riding for Sky again...and rightly so, if there is no good answer.

Having said all this....I think I may form a Team Sherpa Shimano....just imagine them climbing hills...!!!

brackley88 wrote:

All conjecture I know...but enough to say, 'hey, let's look at this before we crucify him'

I'm not sure the internet is ready for that yet...

brackley88 wrote:

If there proves to be no good answer then we will, I think, see him not riding for Sky again...and rightly so, if there is no good answer.

Hear, hear.

You know his ancestry and genotype then right? that he has no variation in the EPAS1 gene, and other variations? OK, I fully declare I don't, and I am not saying this is why he isnt a doper...what I meant is that this my ill informed hypothesis as to why they are looking at it more closely than just taking readings at face value. However, to indicate it's not smoke and mirrors, but some facts here if you look at the Columbian ethnic groups, those living in mountains have a much higher likelihood of having native columbian ancestry rather than European (who are higher in coastal and urban areas). And Sergio comes from the mountains. All conjecture I know...but enough to say, 'hey, let's look at this before we crucify him' If there proves to be no good answer then we will, I think, see him not riding for Sky again...and rightly so, if there is no good answer.

Having said all this....I think I may form a Team Sherpa Shimano....just imagine them climbing hills...!!!

stumps wrote:

He has had some adverse findings, not a failure of a drugs test.

No doubt some will put 2 and 2 together and get "drug cheat" or "sky cover up".

I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong but if a rider fails a drug test whether in or out of competition then the relevant authority have to be informed and an enquiry is launched.

Absolutely, if it is an 'official test'. The point here is Sky appear to be conducting their own testing to avoid inquiries, hence why the whole thing seems a bit suspect. One could argue Sky have "sin-binned" Henao pending their own investigation to avoid UCI sanctions.

I agree people should be careful when speculating, but on balance, especially given Henao's very timid response, it is difficult not to conclude that he has been caught by sky management doing something he shouldn't. Especially when Brailsford, in his own words, says "We want to do the right thing and we want to be fair. It’s important not to jump to conclusions." What sort of conclusions could he be referring to? Clearly the tests are indicative of, but not proof, of some malpractice on Henao's part.