He finished fourth in the Tour de France. He slipped by doping control with problems...until a retest of CERA EPO revealed his urine was dirty. Now, Bernhard Kohl admits during the 2008 Tour de France he doped with CERA EPO. To Sporting Life:
Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl has admitted to taking CERA, according to a report.
The 26-year-old, who finished third in this year's Tour de France, tested positive for the new generation of the banned blood booster EPO both before and during the Tour after samples were re-tested at the French laboratory in Chatenay-Malabry, France's national anti-doping agency revealed on Monday.
As well as claiming a place on the podium, the Gerolsteiner rider also won the Polka Dot jersey as the best climber on this year's Tour.
And, talking to Austrian national broadcaster ORF, he has now admitted the weight of expectation drove him to use the banned substance.
"I gave in to temptation, because the pressure for success on my shoulders was unbelievably great.
"I am only human and like many humans in an exceptional situation I became weak."
Kohl was the fourth rider to test positive for CERA on this year's Tour.
Disturbing that Kohl evaded doping control until a special re-assay found CERA EPO. We find that disturbing.
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