State of Peloton 2023

[Nick2413]

Well, we now know that bicarb is not the new wonder drug ...what is though is the next question?
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/if...cancer-pogacar-coach-debunks-bicarb-benefits/

Why would they talk down legal supps? Only draws more attention to what’s actually going on, even if it is all hogwash.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

bicarb is nothing new either, seems to be something in and out of fashion every 20/30 years

 

[Rob5091]

The thing that surprises me a lot about the state of the peloton in the last 2-3 years is that we hear nothing. We keep breaking records in every race and nothing. Back in the wild west days there were always people talking. If it wasn't an ex-cyclist, it would be an ex-coach, or a sour grapes rider. But nothing but crickets. This is really strange. And looking at Pogacar and Remco they really make Froome look like an amateur compared to the way they ride nowadays. Maybe cycling has learned from other sports in how to handle the business, but I am still very skeptical. We'll know in the future and maybe there is a bust just around the corner. And not just a silly bust like the one to the Arkea team in 2020, LOL. A Fuentes type bust!!!

Well we did have the breaking of the omerta apparently with riders talking about thyroid medication.

 

[Escarabajo]

Thyroid medication is probably not the reason for the records breaking, IMHO.

 

[Rob5091]

Thyroid medication is probably not the reason for the records breaking, IMHO.

I was more interested in the fact that apparently riders spoke to the press about it.

A tailor made cocktail is probably what is being used - cortisone is the other substance mentioned in the article.
(the article in dutch is here the important bits,
"Around the opening weekend in Flanders, a number of cyclists contacted WielerFlits to indicate that they are aware that Thyrax is used in the peloton today. It does not directly refer to teams or riders, but it is explicitly indicated that several riders at the highest level use the drug during training camps in the run-up to important races.
...
The cycling peloton also points to the use of the 'cocktail' Thyrax and cortisone in the preparation for races, where both products would have a strengthening effect on each other.)

 

[Rackham]

Well, we now know that bicarb is not the new wonder drug ...what is though is the next question?
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/if...cancer-pogacar-coach-debunks-bicarb-benefits/

I'm not sure Iñigo San Millán is entirely... a reliable source, in any form.

I guess the biggest takeaway from the above article is UAE's barely concealed jab (no pun intended) at Jumbo after the Vélo News article last month about their baked soda method.

San Millán is basically saying "oh ha ha that's not their secret performance enhancement!".

But we naturally won't hear much more from anyone on the subject, least of all UAE.

 

[Netserk]

Exclusive: Kreuziger speaks about his Biological Passport case | Cyclingnews.com

Tinkoff-Saxo rider insists he never blood doped, explains his relationship with Dr. Ferrari

www.cyclingnews.com

Last week he decided to publish his passport data on his personal website. He published data from 2007 to 2013. The data shows that his haematocrit rose at certain points, when it would typically fall and that his reticulocytes remained constantly high during periods of racing. Kreuziger's defence relies on his claim that he used the substitute hormone L-Thyroxine as treatment for an under-active thyroid and this affected his blood values. L-Thyroxine is not on the WADA banned list and does not require a therapeutic use exemption.

 

[Salvarani]

Remember when someone like Kiviliev was able to top 5 the Dauphine, but had to get 15 minutes as a present to do the same at the Tour de France?

If Francaise des Jeux & Gaudu are just as chanceless at the upcoming Tour de France and the peloton au deux vitesse is full reality again, the talk is going to start again.

How often do we see anyone being gifted this amount of time anymore? It doesnt happen often now that a break gets +10 minutes. Especially not group with a rider who is a decent GC-guy.

Back then they felt super-comfortable that they would gain it all back when they put the foot on the gas for real. Like they knew.

Peloton seems a bit more nervous these days. Dont want to gift anyone anything.

 

[Netserk]

I guess Vlasov's 4 minutes last year is not quite the same ballpark.

Pereiro cured the obscene gifts.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Seems like Van Vleuten is now playing it safe not to destroy her legacy after a few batshit insane seasons on the Capri Sun.

 

[macbindle]

Doping has always been a part of pro cycling. Right from the very start. I'm not sure why you guys get so het up about it, like it's some massive injustice. It's part of the circus...and it is a circus. It's part of the entertainment industry, not some sort of pantheon of god's engaging in a battle based on moral purity. It's X Factor,but on bikes.

 

[hrotha]

I don't think gifting someone like Kivilev 15 minutes was common back then either. In fact, there was a lot of talk at the time about how crazy and possibly reckless it was

 

[Cookster15]

Doping has always been a part of pro cycling. Right from the very start. I'm not sure why you guys get so het up about it, like it's some massive injustice. It's part of the circus...and it is a circus. It's part of the entertainment industry, not some sort of pantheon of god's engaging in a battle based on moral purity. It's X Factor,but on bikes.

Very simple, who is doing what affects results.

I am no fan of WWF wrestling so I don't subscribe to the its entertainment and nothing else matters scribe. Its entertainment because its sport. No sport and you have no entertainment. This is why there are things like WADA, banned lists, UCI passport, out of competition testing etc.

 

[Ripper]

I'm not sure Iñigo San Millán is entirely... a reliable source, in any form.

I guess the biggest takeaway from the above article is UAE's barely concealed jab (no pun intended) at Jumbo after the Vélo News article last month about their baked soda method.

San Millán is basically saying "oh ha ha that's not their secret performance enhancement!".

But we naturally won't hear much more from anyone on the subject, least of all UAE.

ISM - "My boy just ride lots of zone 2 and has lots of talent. He don't need no bak'n soda"

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I'm not sure Iñigo San Millán is entirely... a reliable source, in any form.

I guess the biggest takeaway from the above article is UAE's barely concealed jab (no pun intended) at Jumbo after the Vélo News article last month about their baked soda method.

San Millán is basically saying "oh ha ha that's not their secret performance enhancement!".

But we naturally won't hear much more from anyone on the subject, least of all UAE.

Inigo Milan is actually an expert in metabolism and cancer and his scientific work is centered around it so I suppose he knows what he says. As for true secrets of tweaking Teddy's engine you aren't expecting him to reveal more, are you?

 

[Salvarani]

Why would they talk down legal supps? Only draws more attention to what’s actually going on, even if it is all hogwash.

"Hogwash" is such a great and funny word.

 

[meat puppet]

This new clean (pronounced nuclear) era of cycling is even more predictable than before. I'd take gerrans era LBLs over this any given day.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Ben Healy I see you

 

[bigcog]

Ben Healy I see you

What's up with him ? How about the guy soloing off for the win in the last 30K ?

 

[Mayomaniac]

The foul 4 are in a different league in one day races.

 

[rupeni]

I have a question about what people here think the riders are doing that is not legal or maybe something that is not yet illegal but would be if anti doping agencies knew what was happening. I find it interesting that San Milan has papers on mitochondrial dysfunction and skeletal muscle energy uptake. Both areas in which AICAR has also been tested. Although I imagine that could be old hat now and there may be other newer drugs that are being used.

It makes sense to me that a drug that can now be taken in powdered form dissolved in fluids like AICAR is far easier logistically than bloodbags and epo.

However AICAR has been rumoured to be around for years, so why the sudden explosion in 2020 and increase in speed ever since. What has changed is there something new in the water?

 

[Mayomaniac]

I have a question about what people here think the riders are doing that is not legal or maybe something that is not yet illegal but would be if anti doping agencies knew what was happening. I find it interesting that San Milan has papers on mitochondrial dysfunction and skeletal muscle energy uptake. Both areas in which AICAR has also been tested. Although I imagine that could be old hat now and there may be other newer drugs that are being used.

It makes sense to me that a drug that can now be taken in powdered form dissolved in fluids like AICAR is far easier logistically than bloodbags and epo.

However AICAR has been rumoured to be around for years, so why the sudden explosion in 2020 and increase in speed ever since. What has changed is there something new in the water?

The super anorexic look from the Froome era has dissapeared from most of the top guys (besides the Fisherman), so I don't think it's AICAR.

 

[Rob5091]

The numbers to remember - 40.164km/h, (Dennis Menchov of Rabobank in 2009) fastest ever Giro. If Roglic and Remco make it to Rome this could be in danger.

 

[Red Rick]

The numbers to remember - 40.164km/h, (Dennis Menchov of Rabobank in 2009) fastest ever Giro. If Roglic and Remco make it to Rome this could be in danger.

Average speed for a GT is a *** metric, cause it's so heavily route dependent.

 

[Rob5091]

Route dependent? Sure, but those shining beacons of clean sport at the 2009 Giro, I think, could be a good reference point.