If you look at LeMonds career, you see a steady improvement. He was racing against Fignon and Hinnault abd co. who were over the peak of their careers.
There were no impossible 10 minute gains over mountains, nothing spectacular, just steady chipping away.
Psychology played a huge part back then. Riders did not have radio comms, it was more a tactical game of cat and mouse.
I stand behind the statement that LeMond was clean.
I am an Aussie, I hate cheats, Ive studied doping for 20 years and believe me, if there was a shadow of doubt I would tell you.
The career of LeMond, when placed on a graph, represents a gentle natural "n" shape. If you overlay some of the more recent riders, you can see the difference.
In those days, amphetamines were the most commonly used performance enhancing drug. When used, they resulted in spectacular performances, not gradual improvements. Blood transfusions were used back then, as were IVs of various substances, however, LeMond was one of the first to be tested for abnormalities in his blood. Nothing was found in him. At the same time, abnormalities were being found in other cyclists using the same tests.
When LeMond was racing, there was hardly a cent in the sport. I cant find a motive for cheating. His personality is also very different from many other riders. He did not have the "win at all costs" mentality.
However, I do not know the man, so stand willing to be corrected should anyone have any facts to the contrary.
Not to be a smart **** about it, but I am qualified to comment on this topic. I am a member of the ASADA, WADA and USADA.
At present, we are faced with a number of criminal organisations that are putting all of their resources into developing new PEDs.
There is more money and less police attention in PEDs. Many who were producing MDMA, MDEA, MMDA etc are now concerntrating on producing PEDs.
The former USSR States, Netherlands, Sth Africa, NK and China are the major centres of research into these drugs.
If you want to know who is clean and who is dirty, look at Olympic records.
Doping is now a crime, once upon a time it was not. We now have chemical markers that are added to professionally manufactured drugs, that are only detectable if you have the right "key" to reveal them, as has been revealed recently.
Naturally it is a game of cat and mouse, we do not have the money and resources to win this battle at present. Consider all the billions of dollars that are involved in producing "recreational drugs" being switched to PEDs. There would not be 1% of this being spent on prevention and detection at present. One school of thought is that certain countries are encouraging research by criminals into these drugs, so that they may be bought out by the State at a future stage.
"Crooks" for want of a better word, are trawling through the scientific and medical literature from the 1600s to present to find new PEDs. Recently, a team of sham "Scientists" was discovered in Borneo of all places, looking at plants that may have Beta blocking properties. Pretty similar to how the western world is now exploiting Hoodia.
Everything can be found in nature if you look hard enough.
No country or organisation is willing to put the same amount, or more money into prevention and detection.
We are playing catch up and are generally 2-4 years behind the race.
LeMond was clean.
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