Books that deal with Doping

[Sandeep]

Hello,

I've been a lurker here for a little over a year and have spent an unhealthy amount of time going through the various threads on The Clinic.

The thing that strikes me the most is just how horrific some of these methods seem. I can't imagine how some of these guys must have felt when they were first confronted with the actual process. And to do this during an event, after spending hours racing, all the while afraid of the inherent risks, worried about getting busted, it just seems really, I guess sad (not sure what the right word is).

Are there any books by cyclists who have doped that explore this aspect of the process in a non-superficial way?

 

[D-Queued]

Hello,

I've been a lurker here for a little over a year and have spent an unhealthy amount of time going through the various threads on The Clinic.

The thing that strikes me the most is just how horrific some of these methods seem. I can't imagine how some of these guys must have felt when they were first confronted with the actual process. And to do this during an event, after spending hours racing, all the while afraid of the inherent risks, worried about getting busted, it just seems really, I guess sad (not sure what the right word is).

Are there any books by cyclists who have doped that explore this aspect of the process in a non-superficial way?

The best book for a detailed look at what is done, and how they get away with it is Breaking the Chain by Willy Voet.

Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage.

From Lance to Landis by David Walsh.

I have not read the following, but they are notable subject and occassionally cited here:

The Death of Marco Pantani

Put Me Back On My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson

Dave.

 

[Sandeep]

Thanks Dave.

 

[hiero2]

"Dog in a Hat" describes pre-EPO doping in the peloton. Author=Joe Parkin. I found it useful for his description of the basic attitude of the peloton and teams towards artificial aids.

While this may be tmi for your purposes, I also found the book useful for a reality check and timeline check. Parkin also gives us one rider's opinion on how much help speed was (or wasn't) in a race. I have personal experience with speed - but that was back years before I raced, and it was in a much different manner. Parkin validated what my experience and knowledge told me about the relative value of using speed. The time he writes of is just barely pre-EPO - so we get a left-handed validation of when EPO began to appear.

 

[spalco]

Parkin validated what my experience and knowledge told me about the relative value of using speed.

Which is what exactly?