Tadej Pogacar and Mauro Giannetti

[Cookster15]

Besides, even if tired, there wouldn't have been that much wrong with giving a long shot at this race anyway.

Perhaps. But this raises another question: Are doping controls at the Olympics stricter than other races? Or is it something about timing of his "program" after peaking for the Tour and risking detection?

 

[Stablo]

Maybe. But I think many would put that down to Pogacar being tired after the Tour? He did after all just complete the first Giro-Tour double in 26 years. Maybe it was suss but I think he earned the right to take a break?

The Olympics road race on August 3 was only 13 days after the Tour finished (at the Nice TT, also a maximum effort). Pogacar had also been on top form since March 2 (SB) and he also had one more realistic* big objective to recover for after the Tour - Lombardia.

*GdL was a more realistic objective as it allowed time to recover and then be ready for one last maximum performance.

Come on the dude doesn't drop form these days, the only cryptonite seems to be the TT-bike occasionally(Dauphine, WC etc.). He could have easily taken the olympics RR too and then would have had time to "rest" and then build form (like he even needs that lol) for another two months.

 

[Stablo]

Perhaps. But this raises another question: Are doping controls at the Olympics stricter than other races? Or is it something about timing of his "program" after peaking for the Tour and risking detection?

YES. You might be on to something here i think🙏🏼

 

[Stablo]

Like someone else mentioned here too, I find it hilarious and extremely suspicious, that after pog got critisized about the seated attacks in the media, he suddenly started getting out of the saddle more. Even though we had been explained, that in fact the seated attack is way more efficient and makes total sense. The whole pog-show is so laughable and unbeliavable these days, that I just don't get how do we even have to argue it with true "fans" of the sport.
Well like I said before, cause apparently the UCI is not going to do anything about it, I just have to hope others hop in the wagon too. Now it's normal doing a supercharged Pantani/Landis all the time, so maybe in a few years we have a new normal again. Doing 8+ W/kg for like 50 minutes and hey it's the gear and nutrition that has developed, nothing to see here.

 

[Ripper]

He raced the 2023 WC in a much worse state. Besides, even if tired, there wouldn't have been that much wrong with giving a long shot at this race anyway.

Yup, and the evidence has been that even when he is tired, he can still win a road race. He might have been wiped out. Or it might have been a convenient excuse, along with his significant other not going.

Here is something I find a bit interesting - technically, I have not heard that the Olympics are more strict with testing. But there does seem to be a lot more caution around the Olympics (across a number of sports) and I do wonder if the risks of getting popped are just that much bigger (or the risk of future retesting is that much bigger). Just a thought

 

[Rob5091]

Pogi just went to the gym. Close the clinic!
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...ng-secret-of-pogacar-and-his-tour-domination/

Tadej Pogačar won his fourth Tour de France thanks to a bunch of resistance bands and a yoga mat.

 

[Cookster15]

Here is something I find a bit interesting - technically, I have not heard that the Olympics are more strict with testing. But there does seem to be a lot more caution around the Olympics (across a number of sports) and I do wonder if the risks of getting popped are just that much bigger (or the risk of future retesting is that much bigger). Just a thought

Excuse my laziness and ignorance (I guess I should know or could check?) but who is responsible for doping controls at the Olympics? Is this different from who handles the Tour?

Who takes the samples?
Which labs are used
Etc.

Is this different for the Olympics?

Or is him missing the Olympics more about so called “glow times” after the Tour (or a sudden big change in his blood markers since July)?

 

[Salvarani]

Pogi just went to the gym. Close the clinic!
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...ng-secret-of-pogacar-and-his-tour-domination/

Core strength is very important.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogi just went to the gym. Close the clinic!
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...ng-secret-of-pogacar-and-his-tour-domination/

There have been various theories (i.e. top doping program, electric motor) but this one definitely looks the most believable!

 

[Salvarani]

Excuse my laziness and ignorance (I guess I should know or could check?) but who is responsible for doping controls at the Olympics? Is this different from who handles the Tour?

Who takes the samples?
Which labs are used
Etc.

Is this different for the Olympics?

Or is him missing the Olympics more about so called “glow times” after the Tour (or a sudden big change in his blood markers since July)?

It just a conspiracy theory imo.

The simple explanation is he was tired after the Tour and the situation with his spouse tipped the scale for him to not go. He said he shutdown right after the Tour, I believe, last season.

Rather than avoiding it because of some grand scheme.

 

[Cookster15]

Okay, found the time to check. Looks like both the Tour and Olympics doping controls are overseen by the same people (ITA).

So I guess we are back to what @Salvarani said? Occum’s Razor?

 

[Divergence]

Yes indeed and I already said he imho considering all we know he certainly would not be, but I guess you have already forgotten. No one relevant is/was screaming murder, yeah right if you weren't following that time yet. How do you think he got caught after all? Landis, Hamilton etc. all irrelevant I guess. Fact is in that case as it is here with pog, that on a level playing field others would have been a lot closer or beaten him on severel occasions. The transformation after cancer fir Lance was nothing short of a miracle and poggies things are even higher on the scale of not beliavable.

Landis and Hamilton were both doing his program. They just were not good enough.

 

[DONCA]

At the Olympic Games and the Tour de France, different organizations are responsible for doping controls, even though they all operate under the same international rules — the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code).

Olympic Games​

• Doping controls are handled by the International Testing Agency (ITA).
• The ITA is an independent organization that conducts doping tests on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Tour de France​

• For the Tour de France, responsibility lies with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) — the world governing body of cycling.
• The UCI also cooperates with the International Testing Agency (ITA). Since 2021, the ITA has been conducting doping controls on behalf of the UCI, including those during the Tour de France.

In short​

• Olympics: ITA → on behalf of the IOC
• Tour de France: ITA → on behalf of the UCI

So, the ITA is involved in both cases, but the governing bodies are different (IOC vs. UCI)

UCI + UAE = business partner = no problem as the UCI doesn´t want to lose his best asset (Pogi), the UAE Tour, World Tour teams and the venue for future World Championships (2028).

IOC = probably more strict

 

[cnort]

Landis and Hamilton were both doing his program. They just were not good enough.

From all I've read, Lance made sure he was on the A programme (in terms of content and support), and others were on the B programme. Also, they may well have been as physically talented or more so than Armstrong, but less responsive to doping. I guess we'll never know. He was certainly driven in an extreme way.

I think Armstrong highlights an uncomfortable truth that a sports champion has to be single-minded and ruthless in ways that can be quite unpleasant. It might not always be so overt or sociopathic, of course. Pogacar must also be ruthless, but his team knows to cultivate the image of a fun happy-go-lucky good egg. He was giving no gifts this year - he wants to win everything, which requires being ruthless.