A cleaner tour? Which riders benifited?

[mustachestaff]

Seems that most posters here think that riders aren't charging up this year as they have in the past. If this is true, which riders have improved or diminished their placing relative to the rest of the field? Which riders have dropped off because they're off the juice? Obvious examples are the French, who have won several stages, while guys like Armstrong have embarrassed themselves on most stages. Who else?

 

[hrotha]

The kind of analysis you're suggesting would inevitably be very simplistic. There's not enough data for statistically meaningful analysis. While some riders might have underperformed due to not being able to dope (as much), some others might not have managed to peak when they wanted to, others are sick or injured, and some are simply not getting any younger. Consider Van den Broeck, who was 15th last year. Has he moved up because the Tour is cleaner, or because he's progressed (being 27, he's still in the age to grow as a rider), or on the contrary because he doped more while his opponents doped less?

As things stand right now, it's all baseless speculation.

I do think the connection being made between more French victories and a cleaner Tour is misleading. Only Riblon hadn't won a TdF stage in previous years; all the others were reasonably sure bets for a stage win.

 

[mustachestaff]

The kind of analysis you're suggesting would inevitably be very simplistic. There's not enough data for statistically meaningful analysis. While some riders might have underperformed due to not being able to dope (as much), some others might not have managed to peak when they wanted to, others are sick or injured, and some are simply not getting any younger. Consider Van den Broeck, who was 15th last year. Has he moved up because the Tour is cleaner, or because he's progressed (being 27, he's still in the age to grow as a rider), or on the contrary because he doped more while his opponents doped less?

As things stand right now, it's all baseless speculation.

I do think the connection being made between more French victories and a cleaner Tour is misleading. Only Riblon hadn't won a TdF stage in previous years; all the others were reasonably sure bets for a stage win.

This response is probably about as definitive an answer I'll get. Still, I haven't followed pro cycling all that long and am just interested to hear speculation from more knowledgeable cycling fans. What would a forum be without speculation?

 

[Ferminal]

Until the Tour winner comes out and posts their blood profile like Basso, I'm unconvinced that it's a "cleaner" Tour.

(Note: I still don't have 100% confidence in what happened at the Giro)

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Speculation is fine. But hrotha is correct - there are way too many mitigating factors to take into consideration. The general power numbers indicate the Tour isn't that much cleaner, but there's way too much to analyze beyond just that.

 

[Old School]

I know I didn't dope this Tour! You can take that to the bank.

 

[movingtarget]

It is almost impossible to know. I find it interesting that most of the riders that returned from bans are almost riding at the same level as pre ban days.

Basso in the Giro. Petacchi. Millar. Vino. Age is probably effecting some of these riders as well. Millar has lost a bit in the time trial and Vino in the high mountains that were never his strength anyway apart from the Vuelta he won where he was possibly juiced. Looking at Vino in the Liege, Giro and Tour, I can't see much difference.

As for the French, are they getting closer to the podium let alone winning winning any of the grand tours ? NO. The business about the French, racing cleaner is just a media beat up from the French themselves.

And when they do win something it is usually the same handful of riders. Casar, Voeckler and Chavanel. At least the Belgians have VDB to cheer on and the French football team has given their public someone else to criticise.

 

[ProfTournesol]

Popo is riding just as poorly this Tour as he did during his year at Lotto.

 

[TopCarbon]

Based on Armstrong's performance this tour, I say he laid off some stuff in the suitcase.

 

[Cloxxki]

AC and LA are missing the Bruyneel prep disabled due to lesser control over the anti-doping preceedings. Heck, Horner turned out the best GC rider, although his results couldn't reflect it as a domestique for less riders. Look at his Tourmalet performance, with at least 2 of his lead men cracking before it started.
Menchov seems to take advantage. He's beat dopers before, but with tight margins. Now he was way consistent, and the best TT rider by far, with all the headwind he was dealing with.
The French one-day stars benifitted.

Let-downs due to possibly cleaner preparation, were more numerous or at least more obvious. Did Hincapie even take part in this race? Seems to have Lance's aging problem, quite acutely, exactly in 2010.
More regular followers will be better at naming unexpected fair play prize winners.

 

[Escarabajo]

The kind of analysis you're suggesting would inevitably be very simplistic. There's not enough data for statistically meaningful analysis. While some riders might have underperformed due to not being able to dope (as much), some others might not have managed to peak when they wanted to, others are sick or injured, and some are simply not getting any younger. Consider Van den Broeck, who was 15th last year. Has he moved up because the Tour is cleaner, or because he's progressed (being 27, he's still in the age to grow as a rider), or on the contrary because he doped more while his opponents doped less?

As things stand right now, it's all baseless speculation.

I do think the connection being made between more French victories and a cleaner Tour is misleading. Only Riblon hadn't won a TdF stage in previous years; all the others were reasonably sure bets for a stage win.

This is a very good answer. I'll probably argue about the level of the Radioshack dropping because of less dope. Whatever the reason was I think they did not dope as much (I don't know how much, maybe recuperation meds only). As for the rest of the answer is spot on.