Robert Heras’ popped positive for EPO in his last test in the Vuelta. He won a record fourth Vuelta a Espana in September.
I wouldn’t be especially bummed about this, except for the potential Lance fallout. Heras was a key player in the USPS juggernaut, and was supposedly tight with Armstrong prior to leaving to lead Liberty Seguros. Much like Tyler Hamilton…
Hamilton’s still appealing his positive test from late 2004; I’m starting to feel sympathetic for him again, by the by.
But what’s bugging me (am i buggin’ you? don’t mean ta bug ya. OK, Edge, play the blues!) is the whole proximity of this to Armstrong. Can you tell someone’s character by the company they keep? I hope not. But there’s the part of me that keeps wondering “Maybe LA figured it out. Maybe he was cheating for seven years, but managed to stay just far enough from the fire to avoid getting tagged…”
Again, I still want to believe in Armstrong. I want to believe…