Why Tenerife?

[SocratesJohnson]

I am another long time lurker. I don't believe this has been discussed but if it has i apologise.

What do people feel are the reasons for sky training in tenerife, there are few roads, one mountain, it must get pretty boring, no?

I recall that Michael Rasmussen enjoyed success after "training" in mexico

Is it because its under Spanish jurisdiction, but not "obviously" in Spain, so less likely to cause alarm bells to ring?

Or is it as simple as being several hours flight from Europe and paying someone off at the airports to check the passenger lists on a daily basis for anyone flying in who works for anti doping?

Socrates

 

[Parker]

It's warm all year round. It has plenty top quality hotels. It has 15+ miles of road over 2000m. It has many direct flights there from all over Europe. It has good sports facilites particularly at the University. Holiday islands tend to have less traffic.

On the downside, half a dozen people on the internet will think you are doping. If you were a clean rider, would the pros beat the con?

As to your conspiracy idea - 13 million people go through Tenerife airports every year. No-one can keep track of that. And it's not remote. One hour from Lisbon, less than two from Madrid.

 

[Darryl Webster]

I am another long time lurker. I don't believe this has been discussed but if it has i apologise.

What do people feel are the reasons for sky training in tenerife, there are few roads, one mountain, it must get pretty boring, no?

I recall that Michael Rasmussen enjoyed success after "training" in mexico

Is it because its under Spanish jurisdiction, but not "obviously" in Spain, so less likely to cause alarm bells to ring?

Or is it as simple as being several hours flight from Europe and paying someone off at the airports to check the passenger lists on a daily basis for anyone flying in who works for anti doping?
Socrates

Your last paragraph pretty much explains it .

 

[thehog]

Your last paragraph pretty much explains it .

The international planes fly in to one airport from one direction. You always know your window.

 

[Darryl Webster]

The international planes fly in to one airport from one direction. You always know your window.

Cheers Hog.

 

[doolols]

It's warm all year round. It has plenty top quality hotels. It has 15+ miles of road over 2000m. It has many direct flights there from all over Europe. It has good sports facilites particularly at the University. Holiday islands tend to have less traffic.

On the downside, half a dozen people on the internet will think you are doping. If you were a clean rider, would the pros beat the con?

This. Because it was used by dopers in the past, and everyone knows it, then it *must* be being used now by Sky for the same reason. 'Cos they're that stupid.

 

[Velodude]

Dr Fuentes is a local born Spanish Canarian. Dr. Ferrari is a regular visitor to Tenerife.

If you want to lay down your EPO base you choose a location not frequented by (Spanish) drug testers on secondment by the UCI or WADA or any other drug testing authority. Throw in high altitude roads and you have a red herring as the distraction from the real purpose.

Teams went to the Spanish Canaries en masse.

Except for USPS/Discovery. Armstrong went only with Ferrari while the non descripts stayed in Girona. The only exception was Floyd Landis on one occasion when he was being groomed as heir apparent and of course that squeeze at the time who sang a song about a car wash.

 

[DirtyWorks]

A shocking doping discovery in Tenerife, OP doctor associated with football team. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuentes-signs-for-local-soccer-club

Yeah, nothing to see here.

 

[oldcrank]

Tenerife is also favoured by J-Rod.

 

[x0einstein0x]

It's warm all year round. It has plenty top quality hotels. It has 15+ miles of road over 2000m. It has many direct flights there from all over Europe. It has good sports facilites particularly at the University. Holiday islands tend to have less traffic.

On the downside, half a dozen people on the internet will think you are doping. If you were a clean rider, would the pros beat the con?

As to your conspiracy idea - 13 million people go through Tenerife airports every year. No-one can keep track of that. And it's not remote. One hour from Lisbon, less than two from Madrid.

This.

There aren't too many places within Europe with training conditions this good. The Alps comes to mind first but then there is bad weather much of the time. (By the way altitude training got more popular again since the development of EPO tests.)

I think infering that a team is doping because it they do training camps on Tenerife is unsound. Actually I know because my team was clean and we used to do that (even though I personally never got to go there, unfortunately).

 

[Froome19]

Indeed, I have seen other WT team managers express their desire to send their leaders to Tenerife if only they had the funds to do so.

 

[Arnout]

Easy really. Tenerife is paradise on earth.

As mentioned, good weather year round (20 degrees in winter, nice innit?). Cheap petrol (well, for European standards). Lot's of accomodation. Climbs from 0 to 2100 meter. Plateau with at least 50km of roads on altitude (more than anywhere in Europe in a confined space). Good roads: wide and well-surfaced.

Besides, it's EU so you get the warm weather without having to bother with visa, foreign currency and there are lots of cheap and frequent flights and all that. It's a no-brainer really.

It isn't like Tenerife is Tibet where you can hide for the UCI. Lot's of teams go there, it is a small area, so easier than any other place to test a lot of guys at once for the UCI.

 

[Benotti69]

Easy really. Tenerife is paradise on earth.

As mentioned, good weather year round (20 degrees in winter, nice innit?). Cheap petrol (well, for European standards). Lot's of accomodation. Climbs from 0 to 2100 meter. Plateau with at least 50km of roads on altitude (more than anywhere in Europe in a confined space). Good roads: wide and well-surfaced.

Besides, it's EU so you get the warm weather without having to bother with visa, foreign currency and there are lots of cheap and frequent flights and all that. It's a no-brainer really.

It isn't like Tenerife is Tibet where you can hide for the UCI. Lot's of teams go there, it is a small area, so easier than any other place to test a lot of guys at once for the UCI.

So why do lots of WT teams "express their desire to send their leaders to Tenerife if only they had the funds to do so."?

Cheap flights, cheap petrol, cheap accommodation no visas, same currency lots of flights. Why are teams not based there?

 

[Arnout]

So why do lots of WT teams "express their desire to send their leaders to Tenerife if only they had the funds to do so."?

Cheap flights, cheap petrol, cheap accommodation no visas, same currency lots of flights. Why are teams not based there?

Because it's always cheaper to stay at home. A training camp in Tenerife will always mean you will have a house or apartment at home empty and a rented one in Tenerife.

But if you have the funds to go somewhere, you might as well go there.

 

[ToreBear]

The roads look good, the climate is nice and stable all year. No temperature extremes. A quick look on google streetview showed several cyclists on the way up the mountain, and few cars. It looks like there are many different routes you can take up and down the mountain.

Lots of Hotels mean cheap prices outside the peek tourist season.

It has two full size airports due to an accident due to fog back in 1977. Both are viable and competition looks to be very good. Same with air routes. Meaning good connections and cheap flights.

If I were to set up a major doping program I would choose somewhere else to be honest. There are two airports with millions of passengers every year. Hence no way to keep an eye out for testers. There are plenty of foreigners, so no one is going to stick out as a tester.

There is just no way one can control the environment.

 

[ToreBear]

A shocking doping discovery in Tenerife, OP doctor associated with football team. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuentes-signs-for-local-soccer-club

Yeah, nothing to see here.

That is Gran Canaria, not Tenerife. It's a different Island.

 

[Benotti69]

The roads look good, the climate is nice and stable all year. No temperature extremes. A quick look on google streetview showed several cyclists on the way up the mountain, and few cars. It looks like there are many different routes you can take up and down the mountain.

Lots of Hotels mean cheap prices outside the peek tourist season.

It has two full size airports due to an accident due to fog back in 1977. Both are viable and competition looks to be very good. Same with air routes. Meaning good connections and cheap flights.

If I were to set up a major doping program I would choose somewhere else to be honest. There are two airports with millions of passengers every year. Hence no way to keep an eye out for testers. There are plenty of foreigners, so no one is going to stick out as a tester.

There is just no way one can control the environment.

According to Wiggins they stayed in a deserted hotel well out of the way of the tourist hordes.

Most go to the beaches, not the altitute which is reserved for those studying the volcanic earth and atheltes trying to convince the public of the myth of training at altitude and racing at sea level make you win.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

So why do lots of WT teams "express their desire to send their leaders to Tenerife if only they had the funds to do so."?

Cheap flights, cheap petrol, cheap accommodation no visas, same currency lots of flights. Why are teams not based there?

Because it is expensive and difficult to get the big trucks and busses there. Tenerife is great for mini-camps of 1-4 riders. More than that teams want a bigger mechanic truck to support the riders better.

You could't 'base' out or Tenerife ~ way too far from main Europe for moving vehicles around. Its already a hassle to go to islands like Sardinia, Corsica and Malloraco (200km ferry rides).

 

[thehog]

Indeed, I have seen other WT team managers express their desire to send their leaders to Tenerife if only they had the funds to do so.

Doping is costly.

So whom are these managers?

 

[ToreBear]

According to Wiggins they stayed in a deserted hotel well out of the way of the tourist hordes.

Most go to the beaches, not the altitute which is reserved for those studying the volcanic earth and atheltes trying to convince the public of the myth of training at altitude and racing at sea level make you win.

Lack of Tourist hordes is not the same as lack of tourists. It's Tenerife, there are tourists everywhere, even though the hordes are likely to be on the beach. Also I think most tourists would take a closer look at the mountain area at least once in their stay.

 

[orbeas]

Teneriffe

As someone who used to go and ride my bike in Teneriffe before it became popular, mid 80's...If you stay in Playa Los Americas in the south, the ride up to the plateau area below Mount Teidi..thats sea level to over 3000 meters - the distance is 36 miles of which 200 meters is flat the rest is climbing, for over 3 hours non stop..

 

[Arnout]

According to Wiggins they stayed in a deserted hotel well out of the way of the tourist hordes.

Most go to the beaches, not the altitute which is reserved for those studying the volcanic earth and atheltes trying to convince the public of the myth of training at altitude and racing at sea level make you win.

What's your point? The hotel might well be outside of the tourist hordes, but that doesn't mean it's far away. It can't be, the motorway from north to south is some 70km and takes a mere hour. It's tiny, if you want, you can circle the island in 3 hours by car. No way you're going to find a place where you can hide.

It's simply a very good area to ride your bike because there are long climbs and good weather year round. I'm not saying one cannot dope on Tenerife, I'm just saying that going to Tenerife means doping becomes easier.

 

[Benotti69]

Lack of Tourist hordes is not the same as lack of tourists. It's Tenerife, there are tourists everywhere, even though the hordes are likely to be on the beach. Also I think most tourists would take a closer look at the mountain area at least once in their stay.

Wiggins enjoyed not seeing any.

 

[LugHugger]

According to Wiggins they stayed in a deserted hotel well out of the way of the tourist hordes.

Most go to the beaches, not the altitute which is reserved for those studying the volcanic earth and atheltes trying to convince the public of the myth of training at altitude and racing at sea level make you win.

Wiggins stayed at the well known parador at the top of Teide. It was no big secret, indeed my parents had lunch there while Sky were out on a training ride. Wiggins showed up on his bike as they were pulling out of the car park.

 

[Arnout]

Wiggins enjoyed not seeing any.

You won't, away from the beach and Loro Parque. Every tourist in the rest of the country uses a car to get there and those cars are all rentals, with Spanish numberplates.

Really, it is so easy to get away from tourists on that island. I've done it myself, multiple times. I know you won't believe it as it doesn't fit your story, but come on, you're not going to make a stronger case by just ignoring facts.