For the second time in its history, Team CSC-Saxo Bank has made public the results from their anti-doping program, which is carried out in cooperation with Rasmus Damsgaard and Bispebjerg University Hospital.
Since the launch of the program in December 2006 until April 2008, a total of 941 anti-doping tests have been collected and analysed. All tests conducted under the WADA code have been declared negative. 80 percent of the tests were collected out-of-competition, with 9 and 11 percent collected pre- and in-competition, respectively.
The team's riders underwent a total of 441 urine tests for steroids (223) and EPO (218), as well as 450 blood screenings. Three blood screenings were exceeding the limits of either haemoglobin or reticulocytes but could be fully explained by physiological reasons i.e. pre-season haemo-concentrations and medical conditions. In addition, 38 tests for homologous blood transfusions were conducted and nine samples for Human Growth hormone were stored for later analyses.
"With the combination of very specific blood profiles based on unannounced tests throughout the entire year and the hundreds of follow-up tests, we have the most extensive and thorough anti-doping program in existence," commented Rasmus Damsgaard, who is responsible for the program at Bispebjerg University Hospital. "We have launched an extremely ambitious project and in reality all the riders at Team CSC-Saxo Bank have had a valid Biological Passport for the last year. In this way the team and its riders have played a very important part in paving the way for the future fight against doping."
Also see: An interview with Rasmus Damsgaard, January 7, 2008.
