Is UAE Over the Top?

[b0ydman]

And ironically that was when the sport was seen as being at its absolute dirtiest in the eyes of the general public.

The only thing functional testing taught us in the end is that over time, anti-doping is basically an unwinnable game, because you either
1) Convince the general public of the truth; that the sport is extremely dirty already and that every positive test is a small step in the right direction. A dirty sport is fundamentally unattractive to sponsors to begin with, but the very process of cleaning the sport up also involves banning all the best and most recognisable riders, who have been generating all the interest over the last few years which further drives fans, and thus also sponsors, away from the sport

or

2) Challenge the existing narrative that the sport is totally cleans every time there's a positive test from a big name rider, which makes the sport more unattractive to sponsors with each passing test.

As long as the sport remains a PR machine on wheels it can never be clean. There's simply no actual incentive to catch anyone worth catching. But as long as you torch the guy from some backalley Conti team who's glowing so brightly the lab techs need to wear a welding mask when they handle his sample you can eat your cake and have it too. The public says "Look! Testing works!" and the sponsors say "You caught Mustafa who??? Never heard of him... Anyway, here's your massive oil-soaked cheque. Tadej's going to have a good season this year, right? Wink wink!"

Oh, and there seems to be a window of time that stretches about 10-15 years back from present day. As soon as the former high-profile riders are outside of that window you can safely bust one or two of the more problematic ones and the public will say "Of course he was doping, everyone was back then! Testing just wasn't sophisticated enough, but it totally works now!" and they can stay blissfully ignorant of the fact that another 10-15 years down the line they'll be saying the exact same thing about those same riders who are supposedly so ultra clean now, and on and on it goes. The sport was always dirty, but is always clean.

You nailed it in every paragraph

 

[ashhutch1997]

And ironically that was when the sport was seen as being at its absolute dirtiest in the eyes of the general public.

The only thing functional testing taught us in the end is that over time, anti-doping is basically an unwinnable game, because you either
1) Convince the general public of the truth; that the sport is extremely dirty already and that every positive test is a small step in the right direction. A dirty sport is fundamentally unattractive to sponsors to begin with, but the very process of cleaning the sport up also involves banning all the best and most recognisable riders, who have been generating all the interest over the last few years which further drives fans, and thus also sponsors, away from the sport

or

2) Challenge the existing narrative that the sport is totally cleans every time there's a positive test from a big name rider, which makes the sport more unattractive to sponsors with each passing test.

As long as the sport remains a PR machine on wheels it can never be clean. There's simply no actual incentive to catch anyone worth catching. But as long as you torch the guy from some backalley Conti team who's glowing so brightly the lab techs need to wear a welding mask when they handle his sample you can eat your cake and have it too. The public says "Look! Testing works!" and the sponsors say "You caught Mustafa who??? Never heard of him... Anyway, here's your massive oil-soaked cheque. Tadej's going to have a good season this year, right? Wink wink!"

Oh, and there seems to be a window of time that stretches about 10-15 years back from present day. As soon as the former high-profile riders are outside of that window you can safely bust one or two of the more problematic ones and the public will say "Of course he was doping, everyone was back then! Testing just wasn't sophisticated enough, but it totally works now!" and they can stay blissfully ignorant of the fact that another 10-15 years down the line they'll be saying the exact same thing about those same riders who are supposedly so ultra clean now, and on and on it goes. The sport was always dirty, but is always clean.

This is spot on.
The UCI realized that doping isn't good for business in the 2010's. I do wonder what happens if Pogacar dominates so much that the popularity and viewing figures start to go down, because people will get fed up with him soon.

 

[Red Rick]

People love Ricco because he's the closest dopers get to honesty.

 

[cnort]

I do wonder what happens if Pogacar dominates so much that the popularity and viewing figures start to go down, because people will get fed up with him soon.

I don't know when the concept of a GOAT became a thing, but it is all over sport now. People love to witness a GOAT, and because for many sports the definition of the GOAT is quite subjective and fluid, it stimulates a lot of debate. There will be plenty of people who tune in for Tour highlights and say "look, there goes Tadej the GOAT!" They don't watch the classics or the shorter stage races, so they don't get Tadej fatigue or recognise the impossibility of what he does. They do, however, push up the Tour's viewing figures and revenue that keeps this whole circus thriving.

Is the Tour not the most watched annual sporting event? I wonder how many of those viewers care how the magical feats are achieved or have our level of cynicism (borne out of decades of predictable and reliable precedent). The general viewership will not get fed up, and us cynics will also begrudgingly keep watching, hoping to witness the toppling of a tyrant.

 

[AlfTupper]

I don't know when the concept of a GOAT became a thing, but it is all over sport now. People love to witness a GOAT, and because for many sports the definition of the GOAT is quite subjective and fluid, it stimulates a lot of debate. There will be plenty of people who tune in for Tour highlights and say "look, there goes Tadej the GOAT!" They don't watch the classics or the shorter stage races, so they don't get Tadej fatigue or recognise the impossibility of what he does. They do, however, push up the Tour's viewing figures and revenue that keeps this whole circus thriving.

Is the Tour not the most watched annual sporting event? I wonder how many of those viewers care how the magical feats are achieved or have our level of cynicism (borne out of decades of predictable and reliable precedent). The general viewership will not get fed up, and us cynics will also begrudgingly keep watching, hoping to witness the toppling of a tyrant.

Colin Edwards, teammate of Valentino Rossi, nicknamed Rossi the GOAT. I do not consider it cynical to think Pogacar is doping.

 

[ColonelKidneyBeans]

Funny thing this guy is also a member of the uci medical commision

 

[Ripper]

And ironically that was when the sport was seen as being at its absolute dirtiest in the eyes of the general public.

The only thing functional testing taught us in the end is that over time, anti-doping is basically an unwinnable game, because you either
1) Convince the general public of the truth; that the sport is extremely dirty already and that every positive test is a small step in the right direction. A dirty sport is fundamentally unattractive to sponsors to begin with, but the very process of cleaning the sport up also involves banning all the best and most recognisable riders, who have been generating all the interest over the last few years which further drives fans, and thus also sponsors, away from the sport

or

2) Challenge the existing narrative that the sport is totally cleans every time there's a positive test from a big name rider, which makes the sport more unattractive to sponsors with each passing test.

As long as the sport remains a PR machine on wheels it can never be clean. There's simply no actual incentive to catch anyone worth catching. But as long as you torch the guy from some backalley Conti team who's glowing so brightly the lab techs need to wear a welding mask when they handle his sample you can eat your cake and have it too. The public says "Look! Testing works!" and the sponsors say "You caught Mustafa who??? Never heard of him... Anyway, here's your massive oil-soaked cheque. Tadej's going to have a good season this year, right? Wink wink!"

Oh, and there seems to be a window of time that stretches about 10-15 years back from present day. As soon as the former high-profile riders are outside of that window you can safely bust one or two of the more problematic ones and the public will say "Of course he was doping, everyone was back then! Testing just wasn't sophisticated enough, but it totally works now!" and they can stay blissfully ignorant of the fact that another 10-15 years down the line they'll be saying the exact same thing about those same riders who are supposedly so ultra clean now, and on and on it goes. The sport was always dirty, but is always clean.

And funnily enough, in modern cycling, clean racing is actually a bit boring (at least if you think of today's racing as exciting). Everyone is so close and then there is a sprint at the end. And that is actually more believable, with science, progress, and specialization - races get tighter

 

[Ripper]

Funny thing this guy is also a member of the uci medical commision

Which guy are you talking about?

 

[ColonelKidneyBeans]

Which guy are you talking about?

de Lima Quintas, the UAE team doctor (the text is a link)

 

[AttaqueDeRolland]

We haven't talked enough about how ridiculous Narváez has become since moving to Gianetti and Matxin's magic team. He's basically climbing like he's a top-10 climber in the world at this point. Not even 12 months ago, he couldn't follow Pablo Castrillo and Max Poole.

 

[meat puppet]

Well, he changed trainers. And also is a generational talent.

 

[Ripper]

Well, he changed trainers. And also is a generational talent.

Indeed! Counterargument to everything - he's the best rider ever So good, he was already ahead of almost everyone, all the time, even without training. So new trainer and we know what that means .....

 

[E_F_]

Casual podium sweep in Ordizia while cruising to the overall victory at the Tour.

 

[proffate]

Casual podium sweep in Ordizia while cruising to the overall victory at the Tour.

I mean that race looks like it was maybe a half a step above a gran fondo, i.e. a race literally for casuals

 

[Mayomaniac]

Funny thing this guy is also a member of the uci medical commision

de Lima Quintas, the UAE team doctor (the text is a link)

The whole UCI medical commission has 1 president and 3 members that are appointed by the UCI and somehow UAE are the only team that has a team doctor among one of those 3 people. UAE (The state) paying off the UCI by hosting all those various meme cycling WCs and upcoming road and track WCs goes a long way. Now they have someone within the medical commission and are pretty much ahead of the curve when it comes to new testing and restrictions.

 

[Monoxidator]

Arensman in his post-stage win interview called Pogacar and Jonas "the two aliens" which to me was a pretty clear indictment.

 

[b0ydman]

I do wonder what happens if Pogacar dominates so much that the popularity and viewing figures start to go down, because people will get fed up with him soon.

How soon is soon?

Anyone have worldwide viewing stats? So much is streaming do we really know? I can't watch it any more, but I'm an outlier due to 30 times bitten 20 times shy deja vu and skeptical nature

Maybe the public love this?

 

[cnort]

It's not just Tadej at it in UAE. From Cyclingnews commentary at the Tour de France Femmes today:

"A superb seated attack by yesterday's stage winner [Maeva Squiban - UAE Team ADQ]."

That's two in a row for Squiban.

 

[kingjr]

It's not just Tadej at it in UAE. From Cyclingnews commentary at the Tour de France Femmes today:

"A superb seated attack by yesterday's stage winner [Maeva Squiban - UAE Team ADQ]."

That's two in a row for Squiban.

The attack that won her the race was very much out of the saddle