Engner66 wrote:
There is a lot of weird videos about bikes moving in a weird pattern when stopped during a crash or a mechanical. Simple vector analysis indicates that there is a force making the bike behave it does in those videos. There is also a video of very famous bicycle racer seemingly pressing a button on the handlebar when changing bikes due to a mechanical. Lots and lots and lots of bike changes. Experience has told us that when it seems that there is something going on...there is usually something going on. Let's not forget that the only reason Omerta was broken in the late 90s was due to Festina's Voet making it a drug trafficking's affair by getting caught crossing a country border with tons of drugs and cops got involved.
I think we're entering conspiracy theory territory here. For just one guy to use a motor would take ~10 people minimum to implement. Possible that could be kept secret for the last 20 years, unlikely but possible. Now if we're saying motors were everywhere? There would be hundreds of people in on it. There's no way it could be kept underground. It's not like doping where it's a doctor and a cyclist. Mechanics, team principles, bike suppliers, teammates, and motor manufactures all have to be in on the game.
The other big difference between this and the Festina/USPS/doping scandals is the information environment. 1990s had media controlled by media outlets. L'Equipe could care less about doping unless it was Lance. 2010s and social media is ubiquitous, somebody would have found credible info and got it out there.