This year there has been something in the neighborhood of 6-7 riders suspended for PED use out of approximately 600 pro riders (about 25 teams with about 25 riders on each team). These guys are tested by the latest technology and only 1% of them test positive. I’m not sure how many professional Ironman distance triathletes there are, but I’m guessing around 100 or so and one of them tested positive at Hawaii, which is 1%.
Why do so many of you find it hard to believe that these guys can ride at that level without assistance? The average speed in the tour this year was 25.8 mph. Yes, they have lots of climbing, but they also have the advantage of the peleton. The top men’s riders at the 6 North American IM’s average about 23.6 mph. I don’t get why it is so hard to believe they can ride that fast. Or do a lot of you also assume the pro triathletes are also doping and just not getting tested enough?
This year there has been something in the neighborhood of 6-7 riders suspended for PED use out of approximately 600 pro riders (about 25 teams with about 25 riders on each team). These guys are tested by the latest technology and only 1% of them test positive. I’m not sure how many professional Ironman distance triathletes there are, but I’m guessing around 100 or so and one of them tested positive at Hawaii, which is 1%.
Why do so many of you find it hard to believe that these guys can ride at that level without assistance? The average speed in the tour this year was 25.8 mph. Yes, they have lots of climbing, but they also have the advantage of the peleton. The top men’s riders at the 6 North American IM’s average about 23.6 mph. I don’t get why it is so hard to believe they can ride that fast. Or do a lot of you also assume the pro triathletes are also doping and just not getting tested enough?
It may be the latest technology testing the athletes but the techniques used to avoid a positive result may be one step ahead. Just look at Ben Johnson - he was able to avoid testing positive for quite some time until eventually he was caught.
Obviously it comes down to what your own personal beliefs are. I believe there is not a lot of drugs in triathlon. I believe this because of a variety of factors which I will not go into now. As for cycling, it is a well known fact that drugs at the pro ranks is almost part of the culture - it’s just that it has been largely ignored.
I’ll say one thing about triathletes that, in my view, differentiate them from many other single sport events and that is triathletes (even at the pro level) compete at triathlon because it is seen as a sporting event that creates a well rounded healthy athlete. Many may disagree with me, but myself and many of my friends were drawn to triathlon in the pursuit of health and physical fitness and a multisport event provides that.
Perhaps a good question is whether a pro triathlete has the money available to afford a team of doctors and trainers to supply the drugs and keep them one step ahead of the testers. With most triathlon pro’s scrapping to make ends meet, I would guess the vast majority are innocent.
So would I, but I guess I’m stupid enough to believe most of the peleton is innocent as well. They got on their bikes at a young age for the same reason we all do sports, for the love of it. Most of them, in my opinion, would prefer not to have a heart attack and the age of 35. I know some of them dope, but I think the percentage is way lower than most assume.
All you need to do is talk to your local Cat 1 cyclist who has spent some time in the amatuer european cycling scene. They claim they see it all the time. Some of that makes sense to a degree, because the less talented need to keep up to those they are sure are doping. I have a story of two friends. One of was hooked up with a small Belgian team through Greg Lemond. They tried to give him injectibles from time to time. He had no clue if it was vitamins or steroids and always said no. The other did the same but never had any pressure and finally returned home. He raced and trained as much as anyone, but was getting no where and convinced himself that there is only one way to get that much better. He doped and got caught, served his suspension, and is out there again. He’s right where he left off, now he’s clean. Local suspendee Adam Bergman from Jelly Belly got a positive EPO test from last years Tour of Georgia. He was a top local guy and felt compelled to dope cause although the average speed is 26mph, it’s not natural for the pack to do 35mph. Then you have the stolen underground guy actually naming names of known drug users, and Wiley Voets, book and so on. From those I have suspected of using PEDs to go faster, and those who have been caught (whether local or intl) they all have one thing in common. The go well for a while and then don’t. This is one reason I think many of the greats did not dope, as they were always at the top. To me this is Lance’s best defense as you can’t be that good, that long without getting caught. As for 99 I could care less if he raced with heroin in his blood stream. I really see doping a greater problem for the guys just barely holding there job, looking for anything to stay in peloton cause what do you have to loose.