Originally Posted by
AzTallRider
You're missing something in your assessment of the culture if you think those doping are "too lazy to do the work". Lance worked as hard as the other guys, and if you could ferret out those doping in the amateur ranks, I'd bet you would find the same thing. The desire to win at all costs drives them not only to PEDs, but to other sacrifices in the quest for the podium. They devote the time and energy, and then look to PEDs to push them to the top of the ranks. Not everyone is genetically equivalent in their potential to succeed in cycling. EPO, while it didn't level the playing field, certainly changed the list of who had a chance to win. Given equal training, those near the top with a naturally high hematocrit level can't boost their performance as much as someone near the top with a lower natural hematocrit level.
There is occasional testing in the amateur ranks. A guy was caught using EPO at the NY Gran Fondo in the last year, and a local racer I know was awarded the US 30+ Masters RR championship last year when the only guy who beat him (by inches) tested positive. But it's way too expensive to try and enforce the rules in amateur cycling. Those of us racing just have to accept the fact that some of guys winning may very well be using PEDs. But there are a host of ways to lose: that's just one of them.
I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities on this, but you may have well illustrated my point in your second paragraph about the local racer you know was beaten by inches by a guy who doped.
You see, one of you (or even several) up in the 50+ training subforum got upset not so long ago when it was suggested that doping may well be something that even exists within your own ranks.
It's now at the point where the general public who was so mesmerised by Armstrong's exploits are now so disillusioned with the outcome that they look at any cyclist -- road racer, track rider, commuter! -- and think "doper". I can see people hanging out truck windows and instead of shouting "Lance!" like they used to, or "Cadel" as they have to me in Australia, now shouting "Doper!", and with a large degree of spite attached.
What has happened impacts on cycling right the way down the community. Make no mistake about it.
I tell you what, why don't you and all the other racers around the world go on strike for a weekend? Announce that all bike racing is suspended in protest at what Armstrong has done, what the UCI has done, and what the GT pelotons have done over the decades.
Use the social media, a very powerful force, to spread that message and co-ordinate the strike.
Then maybe the community will see that cycling is serious about cleaning up its act, and the grassroots level is prepared to make at least some token effort to do something about it.