Mechanical doping accusation against Contador

[Benotti69]

You'd only need a few watts for a limited time on the decisive climbs to make an appreciable difference and that could be achieved with a tiny motor and battery.

Just because it's possible doesn't mean that anyone is actually doing it though.

I imagine the extra weight would have to be compensated for by the motor continually working while the bike was in use, say the final 10k of the climbs in Contador's case......should he actually be using it!

 

[ElChingon]

I imagine the extra weight would have to be compensated for by the motor continually working while the bike was in use, say the final 10k of the climbs in Contador's case......should he actually be using it!

Hence the bike switching accusation. Light on the uphill, heavy on the downhill. Then again, motor on the finishing climb

True or not, if the other DS's are starting to spit these statements come tour time, its only going to get worse. Riis should consider hiring body guards that can ride along side Contador.

 

[SiAp1984]

I am absolutely sure, AC uses something the rest of his opponents don't have. My money's on a combination of high level medication and blood doping combined with protection by UCI and Spanish authorities. Not sure if it is mechanical doping- but if there is anybody in the peloton who would use this trick it has to be AC and his entourage. He learned playing dirty - and only playing dirty - under Saiz, he got his first major results under Bruyneel (dirty again) and now rides with the notorious Riis... those guys and AC don't ride fair (scil. obey the rules)... they ride to win. Anyway, no mechanical doping, I guess...

 

[Escarabajo]

Through the commentary during the giro, I know that at least the bikes of Contador, Gadret and several others were checked on 1 day and that the bike of Contador was checked on other days as well

In that case Velonation has it wrong.

Contador and Riis are certain to be critical of Guimard’s statement. Unfortunately, with mechanical scanning now appearing to have been abandoned, he and other riders are left open to accusations of this nature...

 

[Escarabajo]

Another looking for some attention now that he's out of the sport, or maybe he's just getting old and senile:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8...Cycling+News+&+Race+Results+|+VeloNation.com)

Personally, a complete load of crap and easy to make an accusation without any substantive evidence to support it.

Nah! It is just plain chemical doping not mechanical. that's all. Nothing to be concerned about.

 

[Barrus]

In that case Velonation has it wrong.

Could be possible, or they performed some other check than a scan, however if I am correctly recalling it, the guys at Sporza were saying the bikes went through a scanner

 

[peloton]

however if I am correctly recalling it, the guys at Sporza were saying the bikes went through a scanner

the RAI commentators said the same

 

[bobs nob]

This stuff is hilarious. If this were true, I don't know how the riders around him didn't notice the huge battery attached to bis bike, or the strange engine noise.

All of this is more of a commentary on a state of the sport rather, particularly the lack of credibility of its governing body and the integrity of the competition, rather than a commentary on the accuser. Gets harder and harder to justify giving it any attention.

 

[ElChingon]

Well mechanical doping or not it makes the frame and component manufactures look bad. Who wants to buy a bike or components a Pro rider can't even finish a stage with? Then switching multiple times, not quite the quality the average person would want to buy, special and lightweight or not it should last a whole stage or its defective.

I'm sure people will add in how a pro demands special equipment for each section of a stage but come on it should last a freaking stage and not have to switch out a bike three times. I think there should be a new rule that if a bike is switched out it can't be re-used in the race unless and if the component in question is truly broken/defective and has been repaired, I mean if they are keeping the rider and group's safety in mind right? Anything with N number of failures or cause of an accident, instant ban or put on hold to not be used till cleared. With all the concern by the riders on road safety I'm sure they don't want some team riding bikes that will fall apart and endanger the group, right?

 

[danjo007]

Through the commentary during the giro, I know that at least the bikes of Contador, Gadret and several others were checked on 1 day and that the bike of Contador was checked on other days as well

well thats that then.. close. the man has spoken.

 

[gregod]

i posted this elsewhere on the forum, but i thought it would also work in this thread (and i think it is kind of funny)

on the podium after the finish of the Japanese Men's road race, Yukiya Arashiro of Europcar joked, "you should scan Beppu's bike. After all, it's the same a Cancellara's."

 

[uspostal]

When I tried to hang on to a couple of Top world tour riders with a 50cc moped I cooked the motor so I cant see this working in real time even if you can hide it. The motor was flat out and I was pedaling as well.

I have to question somebodies willingness to admit that they rode a moped

 

[ksmith]

Well mechanical doping or not it makes the frame and component manufactures look bad. Who wants to buy a bike or components a Pro rider can't even finish a stage with? Then switching multiple times, not quite the quality the average person would want to buy, special and lightweight or not it should last a whole stage or its defective.

I'm sure people will add in how a pro demands special equipment for each section of a stage but come on it should last a freaking stage and not have to switch out a bike three times. I think there should be a new rule that if a bike is switched out it can't be re-used in the race unless and if the component in question is truly broken/defective and has been repaired, I mean if they are keeping the rider and group's safety in mind right? Anything with N number of failures or cause of an accident, instant ban or put on hold to not be used till cleared. With all the concern by the riders on road safety I'm sure they don't want some team riding bikes that will fall apart and endanger the group, right?

In my mind they should not swap bikes at all. The bike manufacturers say they can build even lighter bikes, let them do it, if the bike fails- not goes out of adjustment- in a three week (approx 90hrs riding) race the rider is out. The results should indicate why the rider is out.

The bike makers will make their reputation for good or bad. So maybe the consumers of the bike will have a good idea of what there getting apart from a " lovely paint job".

 

[happychappy]

In my mind they should not swap bikes at all. The bike manufacturers say they can build even lighter bikes, let them do it, if the bike fails- not goes out of adjustment- in a three week (approx 90hrs riding) race the rider is out. The results should indicate why the rider is out.

The bike makers will make their reputation for good or bad. So maybe the consumers of the bike will have a good idea of what there getting apart from a " lovely paint job".

Definitely July.

 

[bobs nob]

I have to question somebodies willingness to admit that they rode a moped

What do mopeds and ehhhh..... shall we say ....err members of the fairer sex ....uuuuhhhh.... with an overactive thyroid (F-A-T)....ahem..... have in common ? ~

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

i worked at Calfee, and we would repair broken carbon frames. It would be quite easy to cut open a fat down tube, place a big battery in there, and then repair it, and paint over. perhaps the sound of the motor wouldn't be heard if it is kept at a low enough speed? so it isn't as beneficial as it could be, but if it's giving you a 50-100 watt boost, that's very substantial... you're opponent who is approximately evenly matched will be at his lactate threshold and you will be below it keeping yourself fresh and ready to attack.

i'd like to see beppu or arashiro start contending the TdF only to be caught with the latest in biketronics from shimano hidden inside their frames.

i just realised something! with how powerful the draft is when you are enveloped in the peloton, you could even recharge the batteries without doing any real work! if you stuck to peoples wheels, this battery powered bike could weigh 10lbs extra and you wouldn't really suffer a penalty, because you'd activate it on the climbs, and recharge it the rest of the time. perhaps an adjustment that lets you fine tune how fast it is recharging on the fly, so you don't induce too much drag when you can't afford it.

 

[D-Queued]

i worked at Calfee, and we would repair broken carbon frames. It would be quite easy to cut open a fat down tube, place a big battery in there, and then repair it, and paint over. perhaps the sound of the motor wouldn't be heard if it is kept at a low enough speed? so it isn't as beneficial as it could be, but if it's giving you a 50-100 watt boost, that's very substantial... you're opponent who is approximately evenly matched will be at his lactate threshold and you will be below it keeping yourself fresh and ready to attack.

i'd like to see beppu or arashiro start contending the TdF only to be caught with the latest in biketronics from shimano hidden inside their frames.

i just realised something! with how powerful the draft is when you are enveloped in the peloton, you could even recharge the batteries without doing any real work! if you stuck to peoples wheels, this battery powered bike could weigh 10lbs extra and you wouldn't really suffer a penalty, because you'd activate it on the climbs, and recharge it the rest of the time. perhaps an adjustment that lets you fine tune how fast it is recharging on the fly, so you don't induce too much drag when you can't afford it.

Cool. Friend of mine has a LeMond Calfee ridden in the Tour by Francois LeMarchand.

Another friend of mine has a brand new one.

(Note: you may not want to highlight the bolded part)

Dave.

 

[ElChingon]

i just realised something! with how powerful the draft is when you are enveloped in the peloton, you could even recharge the batteries without doing any real work! if you stuck to peoples wheels, this battery powered bike could weigh 10lbs extra and you wouldn't really suffer a penalty, because you'd activate it on the climbs, and recharge it the rest of the time. perhaps an adjustment that lets you fine tune how fast it is recharging on the fly, so you don't induce too much drag when you can't afford it.

Well the theory or rumor now is that they're swapping bikes to get it at the right time fully charged or to swap out an expired battery for a light bike when they need it. No proof yet of course.

 

[Ney the Viking]

I really want these motorised bikes the pros are presumably using. I could make a fortune adapting it to city bikes and selling them in northern europe!

I don't know what is more fun, the fact that people accuse others of using this, or the fact that someone actually believes it.

 

[red_flanders]

Mechanical doping in surfing now!

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/07/wavejet/

 

[usedtobefast]

gotta get some shoes for me. how freaking cool would that be? maybe we need to bring back Flubber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Absent-Minded_Professor