Oh dear. contador to be stripped of TDF.

Originally Posted by Londongal76

I reckon it's rife through them all at that level sadly, and if they're not using a banned substance, they're using something similar which isn't tested for yet, else none of the others would keep up with the ones that are. They should all be tested before the races start and then every other day or something, as it's just terrible for the sport the way it is at the moment.

Spot the problem? EPO posed exactly this problem and HGH I think still does. I genuinely believe that there is a swell against doping amongst many riders and teams and this is backed up by the difference in performances compared to ten years ago say, and particularly in the big Tours. The races are slower, they are climbing the cols at a steadier pace - which is what ordinary mortals have to do - and speeds only really increase when they put on much shorter stages. You can see the differences in the style of racing and the pattern of the race; riders crack more easily, they don't obliterate the field in the way they used to and they seem to just have one big attack in them and that's it. It all points to not having the power and the reserves that some had in the past.

Originally Posted by rockjock

It'll be Armstrong next, then Boosen-Hagen, then Karpets, then both Schlecks, then.............and then.............Millar again, then someone else......perm any 90 from 100.

Originally Posted by hawker

Spot the problem? EPO posed exactly this problem and HGH I think still does. I genuinely believe that there is a swell against doping amongst many riders and teams and this is backed up by the difference in performances compared to ten years ago say, and particularly in the big Tours. The races are slower, they are climbing the cols at a steadier pace - which is what ordinary mortals have to do - and speeds only really increase when they put on much shorter stages. You can see the differences in the style of racing and the pattern of the race; riders crack more easily, they don't obliterate the field in the way they used to and they seem to just have one big attack in them and that's it. It all points to not having the power and the reserves that some had in the past.

I'd like to believe so but it's hard not to be sceptical. Just look at the below and the Hall of Shame it largely represents:
List of Tour de France winners - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pick any name from the past 20 years and click on it and you'll find the majority seem to have admitted to doping post-retirement, or were caught during their careers.....and of those that haven't/weren't, there are the obvious suspects who did just that that you have referred to (eg destroying the opposition, and/or "cracking" and then making a miraculous recovery later on the same climb) for years on end.....or the "one tour wonders" who suddenly thrashed everyone one year and won very little apart from that.....and so on and so on

Originally Posted by dodgy

I'd like to believe so but it's hard not to be sceptical. Just look at the below and the Hall of Shame it largely represents:
List of Tour de France winners - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pick any name from the past 20 years and click on it and you'll find the majority seem to have admitted to doping post-retirement, or were caught during their careers.....and of those that haven't/weren't, there are the obvious suspects who did just that that you have referred to (eg destroying the opposition, and/or "cracking" and then making a miraculous recovery later on the same climb) for years on end.....or the "one tour wonders" who suddenly thrashed everyone one year and won very little apart from that.....and so on and so on

Oh yes, I agree, it is very depressing loking at previous winners and I'm sure that many, many more were guilty of doping. Most top riders had positives in their CV: Kelly, Moser, Merckx, Delgado, Hinault, Riis, Virenque, Pantani, etc., etc., etc. But I still think that the pace and style of racing for the last two or three years has changed suggesting that most riders are down on performance (for one reason or another ).