Originally Posted by BeeTL
There have been many posts that put forth the idea that every pro dopes. Also, the risks associated with EPO overdosing have been covered pretty well, as have been the challenges associated with keeping up with the dopers from a testing perspective.
So then assuming a pro is seeing a qualified Doctor and staying within "normal range" on each of the substances being tested for, what are the dangers to the rider himself? Beyond the obvious competitive advantage, is the "optimized" rider potentially "healthier" than the clean rider?
Normal range or allowable range? They are totally different things.
Also remember a lot of banned substances are banned not because of what they do but because they mask something else. One can use drugs to enhance performance with minimal risk, but once the process starts the guys want the maximum boost and that means pushing it to the limit. In the end that means risk and lots of it. If for no other reason because they will try untested drugs because they are untested, or to be more accurate because they either are not yet on the list or because there is not yet a test.