ravenmore

Is when its done on the local amateur level. I mean its disappointing and sucks big time when your favorite pro rider gets popped for it, but its really frustrating when its going on with competition your racing against. There's no testing that I've ever seen, and I know for a fact that it happens as low as the Cat 3,4 level even (around here).

Was just thinking about it because a friend of mine races at a pretty elite level in duathalons. He just took 3rd in a race where he was convinced the guy who won was 'on something'.

rankin116

I can not believe peope cheat in amateur events. How pathetic is that? Years from now, will they look at the trophy (or jersey, whatever) and be proud of it? I just don't get the mentality behind that.

Someone who's paycheck may depend on their results? I can understand the desperation in that.

patentcad

Is that I don't have any, and besides, I hate needles.

ri_us

It only seems worse because you have more invested in it.

It is, actually, worse when a successful pro does it because it taints the sport, suggest you need to dope to win, and cheapens the achievements of people who literally have spent their entire lives preparing for this.

yak

The really frustrating thing about doping...

is that it's only available on the amateur level as a suppository.

Allegheny Jet

As with all bike swagg, after the pro's conduct R & D while racing with new stuff, the technology filters down to the the every day rider. Coming soon to a Performance Bike Shop near you, "buy a 500 unit container of HGH and get 20% off your next order of the latest generation EPO with free shipping and double the awards points"

euphoria

does your friend know him outside of the arena or is he frustrated he lost?

chipcom 

Quit yer griping, the fact that I am high from hitting a doobie before a race is the only reason you skinny wussies can beat me. (plus the fact that I am fat and slow)

Lazyrider

The thought of an amateur cyclist doping gives me the "DUMB CHILLS".

veloGeezer

believe it.

It's human nature, really. If you have cometition, there will be somebody who tried to get an advantage. If they aren't testing (and let's be honest, it isn't worth the money for the tests to try and keep a local CAT 4 field clean), then who's to say what's really cheating then?

And don't underestimate how much people have invested in amature sport. not just money, but the investment of their passion. And if you think everybody winning is doing something illegal anyway, then it gets easier to do, doesn't it?

I've seen guys show up for the new season noticably leaner and really riding stronger than any of us remember seeing before. All you can say is "fair enough", for all you know they really worked their butt off over the winter.

just remember that people are human

Psimet2001 

...damn munchies.

ravenmore

He wasn't that upset about losing, and he's never been the type to whine about stuff. My experiences in the past made think that his suspicions weren't too far fetched. I had an ex teammate that I'm pretty sure was doping(won't name names - he's not racing anymore anyway). El Diablo Rojo had the same suspicions about him (we were on the same team at the time). Plus, I've been in amateur athletics since I was 13. I've seen doping in other sports as well. Heck, I had a guy at a gym one time offer to sell me a cycle of roids.

CAAD5AL

Is anyone aware of any research that shows the degree of performance enhancement EPO and the like actually offer as a percentage? I.e., is the typical pro-level rider's performance increased like 2%, or is it more like 20%? I've always been curious if it can make a middle-of-the-roader suddenly great, or if it's in that incremental, "just that little bit more" category along with bike weight and aerodynamics when you're talking about athletes who have already achieved a very high VO2 max and all the rest.

Bantam

Did you see Ricco in the Tour?

vic32amg

it i even more prevalent on the amateur scene.

ravenmore

yeah - I think it might be more prevalent on the amateur scene. These people have enough $$$ to buy $5k and up bikes and the motivation to race them. Its not a big jump to pay $$$ for some "juice" - especially when they're never tested and no one will know.

mazdaspeed

All the sudden that mcdonalds in the distance may become far more important to you than finishing that tedious and pesky race