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The "Smash-and-Grab" Doper Thread

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You mean Búfalo I think? Bisonte is Cobo, although his 2011 Vuelta would have counted for this for several years at least.
Yep! Got my nicknames mixed up a bit. A buffalo and a bison is pretty much the same, isn't it? :D

Iglinsky and Horner are great shouts too.

Let me also suggest Peter Velits' Vuelta podium in 2010. That time trial was crazy.

Wouldn't say Wiggins or Cunego fits here. Wiggins was consistently world class for a few years after his transformation except that weird 2010 where Team Sky seemingly rode clean, until he was hit by a permanent case of Geraint Thomas off-season syndrome. Cunego got lucky with low competition and suitable route in 2004, and I'd say he somewhat backed up his 2004 results for most of his career. Wouldn't think he did something exceptional doping-wise in 2004 specifically.
 
Yeah, Froome absolutely doesn't apply to this thread. Smash and grab is like robbing a jewellery store. Break the glass, grab what you can and get out of Dodge as quickly as possible to avoid the authorities. It's usually low level, but every once in a while an optimistic chancer comes along and pulls off a truly legendary heist. USPS and Sky are more like mafia or cartel-style organised crime. Huge gains over the long term, and in the worst cases they avoid consequences because they're practically running the government through their influence.
 
Does Sella count? He was of course popped shortly after the 2008 Giro, but it wasn't during competition.

I'd also like to nominate Victor de la Parte for every doping related award for being able to beat Sayar in the 2013 Tour d'Algérie, but, unlike Sayar, apparently being clever/lucky enough to avoid testing positive in that or other races during his career (so far).

However a better example for this particular thread must be Igor Astarloa.
 
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However a better example for this particular thread must be Igor Astarloa.
I thought about him, but despite being dodgy af, I'm leaning slightly more towards the Devolder award for him. The spirit of this thread, as indicated by OP's examples, is more about ridiculous physical performances I think. Astarloa was strong and no doubt juiced to the gills, but there was also a strong tactical element involved there.
 
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Johan Vansummeren winning the 2011 Paris-Roubaix.

Similar career path as Iglinski.
I don't think every surprising one-off result should belong in this thread. A Roubaix specialist with several other top tens in that race getting lucky with race tactics and winning it isn't really in the same category as Padun, Foliforov, Horner etc. if you ask me. But I might just be picky.
 
Nuno ribeiro smash and grab Volta a Portugal 2003. After that, he is suspended for doping.

He returns to cycling. He smash and grab, and wins Volta a Portugal in 2009 again. After that, he is suspended for doping.

He returns to cycling again. He smash and grab as a sports diretor for W52. He wins a couple of times Volta a Portugal. After that, he and his team is suspended for doping.
 
I don't think every surprising one-off result should belong in this thread. A Roubaix specialist with several other top tens in that race getting lucky with race tactics and winning it isn't really in the same category as Padun, Foliforov, Horner etc. if you ask me. But I might just be picky.
An 5th, 8th & a 9th & nothing else but poor finishes in over a dozen attempts in the Momuments and that's a Roubaix specialist? And speaking of Horner - didn't he have some top-20 finishes in GTs including an 8th at the Tour?
 
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My pet theory regarding Papa Horner is that he rode paniagua his whole life but before Vuelta'13 he said to himself:
"The end is near so let's have coca-cola, no risk no glory!"
The best climber ever, all things considered.
This is some admirable optimism considering the guy rode for Gianetti at Saunier-Duval, Bruyneel at Astana and Shack and was connected to USA Cycling for two decades :tearsofjoy:
 
An 5th, 8th & a 9th & nothing else but poor finishes in over a dozen attempts in the Momuments and that's a Roubaix specialist?
Yes, a Roubaix specialist. It's the one race he was perfectly suited for. Other than that Sunday in April every year, he mostly did lead-outs and domestique work on the flat. Being a Roubaix specialist doesn't mean you need to be the best in the world for that race. I would call Bert de Backer and Sebastien Turgot Roubaix specialists, too. My point is that Vansummeren's lucky tactical Roubaix win is not the first thing I think about when the conversation is about riders doping their way to big results and then not doing much before or since.
 
And speaking of Horner - didn't he have some top-20 finishes in GTs including an 10th at the Tour?
His 10th at the 2010 Tour was thanks to a breakaway, otherwise he’d have finished 17th behind teammates Levi and Klöden. 15th in 2007 supporting Evans, and 13th in 2012 behind teammates Zubeldia and Klöden. Not very promising to suddenly win a GT and dominate it.
 
Although he didn't exactly come out of nowhere with several top 10s in grand tours beforehand, nor did he disappear into obscurity immediately afterwards, with two respectable seasons after the smash and grab which was about as expected considering he was 33 when he nabbed his victory... I still consider it a smash and grab since his other main achievements consist of a couple grand tour podiums and a handful of stage wins, so this particular performance led to the biggest win of his career by a massive margin. If you hadn't clocked it already, I'm nominating Carlos Sastre's Tour-winning ride on Alpe d'Huez in 2008.

Bonus points for doing it in one of the dirtiest Tours in recent memory. Extra bonus points for playing the Miguel Indurain-style nice guy act for his entire career and charming the pesky ADAs into not meddling in his affairs. Absolutely textbook. Chapeau!