State of the Peloton 2024

[Cookster15]

WADA's 2024 monitoring program - https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/defa...toring_program_en_final_22_september_2023.pdf

Is there some new potent "caffeine" out there?
https://beastsports.com/blogs/event...-vs-synthetic-caffeine-which-is-right-for-you

If synthetic caffeine was causing a sudden crash in rider energy during races teams would not be using it.

 

[Ripper]

WADA's 2024 monitoring program - https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/defa...toring_program_en_final_22_september_2023.pdf

Is there some new potent "caffeine" out there?
https://beastsports.com/blogs/event...-vs-synthetic-caffeine-which-is-right-for-you

Synthetic caffeine has been around for quite a while in caffeine pills. These are used in studies more than coffee, which is too variable. Also easy to use pre and during races

 

[Ripper]

If synthetic caffeine was causing a sudden crash in rider energy during races teams would not be using it.

For lots of people caffeine can result in a crash when it wears off. The easy solution is you keep taking in

 

[Ripper]

is it just me or is there no actual "rise in crashes"? it feels like if anything there's actually less crashes the past 3-4 seasons than in the previous decade. we just happened to have two big crashes with high profile riders that's skewing the perception. caffeine makes you more focused and alert, i would think it'd have the exact opposite effect on crashes.

Regarding alertness - it is the right amount will do that. Too much, and you can be super jittery. Example - a bit more caffeine than I am used to and I am pumped and ready to suffer a bit more, for a bit longer, etc. This includes something technical like MTB or C. Too much, and in MTB or Cx I am making errors all over the place. I've never taken so much that road races have been a technical issue, but I raced against people who are wayyyyyyyy to jacked and they are very sketchy

As for crash rates and seriousness, that should be a question answerable by available data, if anyone wants to crunch some numbers!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Speeds are higher, probably the sport needs to adjust likewise.

Make races slower by adding more distance!!!

 

[Rob5091]

Make races slower by adding more distance!!!

Oh were it that easy! Just look at the Monuments, more then 200 km and all going quicker and quicker. Getting rid of sprint bonus seconds would help and making parcours tougher would reduce peloton size near the finish.

 

[Rob5091]

WADA testing for Ecdysterone
https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/defa...toring_program_en_final_22_september_2023.pdf

A study from 2015 no less, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4447764/

An anabolic activity of ecdysterone was clearly confirmed by our investigation. The anabolic potency of the ecdysterone was comparable or even higher as found for the anabolic androgenic steroids, SARMs or IGF-1. Moreover in-silico docking experiments support the postulated non-androgenic mechanism of ecdysterone. More likely and in agreement to the experimental data anabolic activity of ecdysterone is mediated via binding to the ER particularly ER beta. With respect to doping prevention the high anabolic potency of ecdysterone justifies its classification as an anabolic agent and therefore needs to be listed in the category “S1 Anabolic Agents” of the list of prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

 

[Sciatic]

Synthetic caffeine has been around for quite a while in caffeine pills. These are used in studies more than coffee, which is too variable. Also easy to use pre and during races

At first I read that as the studies used the synthetic because the coffee was too valuable Damn right,it is!

 

[Rob5091]

Why WADA has not banned Ecdysterone is a mystery to me. Unless they have no test for it.
https://www.testosterone.org/ecdysterone-dosage-guide

"8 to 18 hours for Ecdysterone to be fully eliminated from the system"

WADA sponsored study from 2019
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31123801/

Our results strongly suggest the inclusion of ecdysterone in the list of prohibited substances and methods in sports in class S1.2 "other anabolic agents".

If the peloton is jacked up on this, I suppose it'll explain the "durability" comment from January.

 

[Ripper]

At first I read that as the studies used the synthetic because the coffee was too valuable Damn right,it is!

Right!!!???

I tried caffeine pills when I was younger. F*ck performance, I like me my coffee!

 

[Nick2413]

Prati di Tivo in Giro d’Abruzzo today

Lmfao
2012 | 38:58 | Vincenzo Nibali
2013 | 38:23 | Chris Froome
2021 | 36:07 | Tadej Pogacar
2024 | 36:02 | Alexey Lutsenko

 

[AmRacer]

...Peloton...or Certain Riders?

 

[Slavique Nuke]

Prati di Tivo in Giro d’Abruzzo today

Btw, Nibali was a minute and a half faster on this climb in 2021 than in 2012

 

[Nick2413]

Also of note Ulissi was same group as Lutsenko, a trio

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Prati di Tivo in Giro d’Abruzzo today

Holly molly! Prati di Tivo in 2021 was a very strong performance by Teddy and Yates. What Lutsenko did is an equivalent of climbing Alpe d'Huez in circa 38'30'' (slight VAM adjustement between 7% and 8% slope). Let's see how the Slovenian answers during the 8th stage of the Giro! I think that after this stage he will have an enormous advantage in the GC.

 

[zlev11]

Also of note Ulissi was same group as Lutsenko, a trio

they did 6.4 w/kg, so an insane performance for Ulissi especially

 

[Escarabajo]

...Peloton...or Certain Riders?

It looks like a lot of riders!

 

[Rob5091]

Prati di Tivo in Giro d’Abruzzo today

What???!
https://www.strava.com/segments/17794364

 

[Rob5091]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3752189/

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is the only organization that restricts the amount of caffeine in an athlete's system by limiting acceptable urine concentrations to 15 ug/mL, which equates to ~500mg of caffeine or ~6-8 cups of coffee 2 to 3 hours before an event.

Tapentadol is also on the WADA monitor program list and it could well be a substitute for Tramadol. That would not be surprising given that the same people behind Tramadol, also invented Tapentadol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapentadol
"The potency of tapentadol is somewhere between that of tramadol and morphine."

 

[SafeBet]

Also of note Ulissi was same group as Lutsenko, a trio

Insane. Ulissi paced the group for a loooong time before being dropped and coming back on his own... and I reckon he could've won the sprint if UAE played it differently.

Might be his best ever climbing performance. At 34.

 

[Rob5091]

What is this with celery?!
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...y-was-to-blame-for-his-lackluster-2023-season

Oliver Naesen, who was seemingly on a decline, resurged at the Tour of Flanders this spring, taking a step up along with the whole Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale formation. But in the end it turned out that something else was behind Naesen's struggle.
...
The cause had to be found somewhere else, in something very innocent: celery. "My blood has been drawn countless times, but nothing has ever been found. The breakthrough came when I reacted very strongly to celeriac one day. My throat closed. Dorien happened to not be at home. I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance."

Problem solved, although that is certainly easier said than done. "Celery is in f*cking everything. On Sunday after Roubaix we ate fries. I looked it up: the only 'meat' I could order in the chip shop was a Bicky Burger, everything else contains celery. So that's what I learned this week."

 

[Netserk]

Update on Banned Substances 2013

Doping has been pervasive throughout the history of athletic competitions and has only recently been regulated by organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Damn, that’s what I get with my breakfast.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Prati di Tivo in Giro d’Abruzzo today

Ulissi 2 minutes quicker than Nibali and Froome in their prime is absolutely hilarious

 

[hulkgogan]

What is this with celery?!
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...y-was-to-blame-for-his-lackluster-2023-season

So when he was previously fast, there was no celery around?

These guys aren't the best logicians. Why not at least talk about the department store bikes, like everyone else is?

Reminds me of Bugno. I sucked because of a wheat allergy. Once I got that sorted I was fast again. Nothing to do with the EPO, right Gianni?

 

[hrotha]

So when he was previously fast, there was no celery around?

These guys aren't the best logicians. Why not at least talk about the department store bikes, like everyone else is?

Reminds me of Bugno. I sucked because of a wheat allergy. Once I got that sorted I was fast again. Nothing to do with the EPO, right Gianni?

To be fair it's absolutely possible to develop allergies seemingly at random as an adult. Dunno if that also applies to celery specifically, but on the face of it there's nothing illogical about it