Originally Posted by
pcfxer
Talent gives a child only a leg-up on their initial training/competition it does NOT make a pro by any means. You do not have to give up any dream of being a pro by NOT taking drugs. Becoming pro, is some talent, a LOT of dedicated TRAINING and even more LUCK.
PERIOD. Caffeine and Sugar are both drugs but because BIG POPPA says, "These drugs are okay" you find that okay too? Last time I checked, popping a pill was exactly what the feds want Americans to do; hell they are even supporting the US Pharm industry, what is wrong with that?
You're missing the point, even with talent, luck, training, and extreme dedication you're not going to be successful as a European level cycling professional if others are tacitly allowed to take PED's and you don't. Your competitors will also have all that, talent, luck training, extreme dedication, and also have drugs that actually alter performance.
That is why it matters that we make real attempts to enforce anti drug rules, so people are not compelled to use PEDs.
In the EPO era (i.e. before there was an effective test late 90's to mid 2000's ) it's pretty friggin clear you could not win a Grand tour without using PEDS.
Its not entirely clear you can win at an elite level now without using PED's.
Its certain that you can't win at the elite level without PED's if no effort is made to enforce the rules.