I have tried to make it a point to stay away from all this doping stuff in cycling nowadays. It is so mind boggling, frustrating, and old news. And, frankly, I’m tired of it. But, it never stops and keeps getting more convoluted.
So, these Polish brothers that got 1st and 2nd at U23 Worlds tested postive for EPO. Now they will give the jersey to the French guy that finished 3rd. I bet he is thinking “great”. But, how to you think Belgium phenom, Tom Meeusen, feels now?
Read this report on the race. Tom Meeusen was the prerace favorite by miles. He had been beating up on the Elite riders all season long. During the Worlds, he killed himself trying to keep the Polish brothers in check and eventually faded to 4th. It was a 1st or who cares mentality I’d guess. So, does it seem right that they give the jersey to the French rider? It’s better than nothing. But doesn’t make it right. I don’t think so.
It is such a shame. Cyclo-X is such a perfect sport. But, it has become pretty polluted, as the rest of the cycling has, with drug usage. When the young riders that are moving up to the Elite ranks are still willing to use drugs to cheat their fellow competitors, it doesn’t make the future look that much better than the past.
Cheater brother #1 and cheater brother #2.
It sounded kind of shady when two dudes that no one had really heard of won like that over guys like Meeusen and Jouffroy.
Dopers suck!
There should just be a zero tolerance policy towards doping: One bad test, and the bike racing career is over. You don’t just lose the race, you don’t ever get to race again. That’s what will stop people from trying… Otherwise there’s just too much money involved, the rewards are too great and the risks aren’t big enough to deter people from trying it.
Then there’s this tragic news.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kacper-szczepaniak-attempts-suicide
The problem of doping is more complicated, I think, than just blaming the riders who are often just kids. There is a corrupt system that sucks these kids in and chews them up.