I'm always a bit amazed that many pro cycling fans, especially in the U.S., think the TdF is relatively doping-free. Considering that (i) the TdF is arguably the most physiologically demanding event in all of sports, and (ii) athletes are doping in many other sporting events, no one should be surprised that PEs (performance enhancers) are a routine part of life for elite cyclists. Ask the Europeans if they think the sport is drug-free.
Tour de France and doping - is anyone surprised?
Tue, 02/06/2007 - 12:35pm
Tue, 02/06/2007 - 2:31pm
#1
American sports fans have their heads buried in the sand
"I second that. It's ironic, really, that bicycle racing in Europe has grown so tiresome to me, now that the authorities are finally serious about cracking down. Now that the full extent of the doping is apparent (every TDF winner since Miguel Indurain in 1995 has been at least under suspicion of doping) it's hard to know how to root. Should you turn cynical about the doping, or look for apparently ""clean"" riders?
In the U.S., all the major sports have a history of looking the other way. This grew ridiculous in baseball a few years ago, when it became obvious that many players were puffing up like balloons, due to steroids. Look at a replay of a 1980s game and compare it with a 1998 game. If anybody thinks baseball has really made a dent in its doping problems, I think that person is sadly mistaken. Pro football, basketball and hockey aren't much better. I suspect if the truth were known, a high percentage (50 percent or more) of those professional sports players are taking something illegal. (Do you really think those 350-pound offensive linemen got that big just on Big Macs and frequent visits to the weight room?) The reason this is becoming such a problem around the world is simple: doping, done the correct way, often works and usually is not detected."
Wed, 02/07/2007 - 11:02am
#2
I'm shocked, shocked and appalled that there is doping in the TDF! I'll take those steroids to go, please.
Bonus points to you if you name the movie that's paraphrased from.
Wed, 02/07/2007 - 12:03pm
#3
Play it again, Sam
"It's ""Casablanca,"" Claude Rains as Captain Renault, about to shut down the club run by Humphrey Bogart, who plays Rick the owner: ""I'm shocked, shocked, to find gambling is going on in here!"""
Wed, 02/07/2007 - 4:29pm
#4
"And it's ""Play it, Sam."" And yeah, doping in the peloton is omnipresent. To suggest otherwise is to live in a faith-based reality."
Thu, 02/08/2007 - 7:13am
#5
Tour de France and doping - is anyone surprised?
Making generalizations out of Americans or Europeans (of which there are more than 200m a piece) is about as dumb as saying that all sports are clean.
By the way, how many people in either culture make it thourgh the day without their drugs? Coffee in the morning, nicotine in the day, alcohol in the evening and Viagra before bed. Welcome to the pill culture.
Wed, 02/07/2007 - 5:53pm
#6
betcha for at least the last 25 years 75% or more of every high school scholarship winner in football was juicing in some way.
college to pro 100%.
probably any sport you look at it has been rampant before the 80's. Probably at least 20% of nypd is currently doping , hell i don't care if athletes do it, it is the police that scare me, ala volpe and Abner Louimer
back in the 80's it was easier, it wasn't even illegal to posses or sell in a lot of states.
