Velonews had an article that said that five guys in Costa Rica were caught doping. 4 of the guys rode for the same team. Something must have been up there. I don’t see how that many riders on the same team could have been tested randomly without someone having something out for them.
I pretty much gave up on racing South of the border. I went down and did a UCI race, the Vuelta Chihuahua Internacional, way back in 2006 and what I saw there pretty much convinced me that racing in Central and South American was out of control drug-wise.
The Tecos/Trek team had just finished the Tour of Venezuela, which I think was 11 days, then they jumped on a plane and flew up to Mexico and started Chihuahua. The Colombian guys on that team legs looked like something from another planet. And they rode like that. A couple years later, one of their riders died of a heart attack right after racing Bisbee or some race in Arizona.
Last year, Juan Pablo Villegas, a Colombian, did an interview and talked about the sorry state of cycling in his home country. It is hard to not notice how many Colombians are now on Pro Tour teams with aspirations of winning Grand Tours and/or the Olympic Games. It is a historical disproportion.
Anyway, after Costa Rica, then the Tour of Guatemala a few years back, where the first 13 guys or something were positive, it is not a stretch to say that if you’re racing down there clean, don’t expect to be able to keep up.
Anyway, at the Doug Report, I saw a list of riders that are currently under suspension. It is something over 60 riders. The list is kind of strange since it lists Lance Armstrong as a lifetime ban, but doesn’t have Phil Zajicek as a lifetime ban. Plus Tyler Hamilton, who’s suspension is still in force until next year, isn’t on the list, so I guess it isn’t complete. I wonder when Tom Danielson’s name is going to be added to that illustrious group? Seems like that has been dragging on for quite a while.
Anyway, when you start looking at the numbers and then seeing that 4, 5 or more guys are getting popped at big National events throughout the world, it shows that cycling still has a long way to go to ensure credibility. It is pretty depressing really.
I got this from an article by Simon Crisp at SICYCLE. It is a crazy long article at goes into a lot of aspects of doping in cycling and the fans perspective. If you have some extra time you should check it out. Click here for the link.
Tucker has no issues getting comfortable when he needs down time.
I swear I can see Tucker growing daily.
when I was racing Costa Rica, the Colombians were king. Costa Ricans (Ticos) were up next…
no doubt doping is etching into that arena for sure. But, then again, lots dope. Starting weighlifting at age 14 in gyms, I saw my share of steriod users, luckily I never went that root. So easy to stray towards it, it was everywhere. I then took up running, didn’t see much doping. I saw lots of drinking though, probably just as bad (?). Then after years of school, I took up mtbing, didn’t see much doping. Road riding, a bit, but it wasn’t out there in the open. Could always tell those doping, they’d make huge gains fast. I really admire those racers that didn’t dope – Tinker, Jeremiah Bishop etc…
Have great respect for those racers at the top that don’t dope, it has to be tough with all that competition.
Would You Just Relax Tucker!?!?!?
Ppl I know go to Colombia for quite different reasons… than racing bicycles. So, these “revelations” don’t surprise me. Not at all actually…
Steve, I would love to know your opinion of Lance’s former coach who also doped up and coming juniors. He is now making big money with his coaching company that sticks unknowing athletes with unpaid intern coaches. Tucker is great. I have a choc lab named Tuckerman, after the ravine.
the 4 on the same them are lucky their teammates didnt get caught, cause every pros cheating… no new news here. this is cycling …every pro cheats, and has for 50+ years.. and while on the suject of doping , a subject that never goes away, whats your honest opinion on every pro on the bmc team? they drug free?
Not surprised by anything that goes down south of the border. Great training grounds irregardless but probably doesn’t hurt that Tucson and San Diego are basically border towns.
On a more positive note saw this awesome article http://www.velominati.com/racing/six-days-of-the-worlds-chambery-france-1989/
Great that Steve chose the pre ’87 Lemond but this might have been his greatest race – and there is no better cycling picture out there
Dope, dope, dope! Middle aged men dying from Heroin. Millenials need aderall to pass a test or interview for a job. Everyone, including grandma, is popping something. Need a pill for the freaking symptoms caused by your PPI? Watch the super bowl? Count the big pharma ads. Big bucks people. So Steve, let it go, its over. Talk about the good old days when it was hair nets, friction shift & you hammered home on a Coke!
What are you talking about
Ironic that you used “hammered home on a Coke!”
Now its a dbl 5 hr energy & Tram.
I’m so sick and tired of hearing that every pro cheats. Do you realize that your attitude is exactly what the dopers use as an excuse. “Everyone is doing it, so I had to as well!”
The problem is, nobody gives a crap about the riders who are clean. All the talk about doping focuses on the cheaters and not on how it affects the clean riders. A clean rider has no way of proofing that he is clean. If he wins a big race, he’ll be accused of doping.