Wiener Blut

You just knew if it was such a profitable business, then the lab in Operación Puerto couldn’t be the only one didn’t you? Cyclingnews has the call:

A blood bank in Vienna, Austria, is the newest source of a blood-doping scandal, and its customers are said to include Georg Totschnig, Dennis Menchov, Michael Boogerd and Michael Rasmussen, according to German ARD television. The broadcaster also said that two-thirds of the blood bank’s 30 athletic customers come from Germany and include cross-country skiers and biathletes.

Maybe this time we’ll get some of the non-cyclist names? Ahh, I kill myself. Seriously, mark down these denials on your scorecard, you’ll be wanting them later for the tearful confession stage:

“It has never been proved that Michael Rasmussen doped,” Rasmussen’s manager Mads Frederiksen said to Danish news agency Ritzau.

“This is an enormous blot on my career,” Boogerd told telesport.nl of the news. “None of what is being reported is true, but who will believe me? I had to read the news on the internet. I have heard nothing from an official agency. I deny all involvement.”[Georg Totschnig] … vehemently denied any involvement, telling the Austrian newspaper Kurier, “I don’t know how my name could have popped up.” He wasn’t sure at the moment of his next step. “I have to wait and see where this comes from. I hope to find out more details.”

And not to be left out, the lab itself is in denial mode:

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Human Plasma director Lothar Baumgaratner at first denied that the firm could perform blood-doping, but later confirmed that it does indeed have the appropriate equipment.

Another pro cycling season starting and another doping-fest is already underway. Fasten your belts bike fans.