Doping in Bicycle Racing - Fact and Fiction -
Rebuttal
A rebuttal... So while it is a fact that a winner of the Tour de France is
mainly the result of genetics and training, unfortunately...
By Dr Conor McGrane
Doping in cycling has unfortunately been around
since the sport began.
Cocaine, strychnine, morphine, amphetamines, even alcohol have all
been abused in the past. There was no beneficial effect on performance of
course.
Dr Adams in his article makes a number of comments regarding EPO and other
drugs and their effects on the Tour de France. There are a number of assumptions
he makes which are difficult to verify. A number are also factually incorrect.
“What is the truth about Bjarne Riis? Riis was a strong rider in the Tour de
France in 1993, 1994 and 1995 when he was fifth, fifth and third overall. He won
the Tour in 1996, when he admitted to using erythropoietin. In 1997, he was
seventh overall, without erythropoietin. Riis was a strong rider who had the
talent to do well and even win the Tour. Erythropoietin probably hurt him as
much as it helped him.”
Bjarne Riis has actually admitted doping from 1993-1998 (source cycling4all’s
transcript of his press conference). So the only non doped tours were prior to
1993. For the record he was 95th in 1989 and 107th in 1991 compared with
5th,14th,3rd,1st,7th and 11th while doping.
Richard Virenque was a member of the Festina team in 1998 and to compare
results based on assumptions that he was doped in some and not in others is at
best dubious science.
Marco Pantini was a tragic figure and again trying to work out what wins were
doping assisted and which were clean is a matter of opinion rather than fact. As
a rule the standard scientific norms of published research is difficult to apply
in doping. This is because it is usually done illicitly and secretly and results
are rarely subjected to peer reviewed journals.
Research that has been published includes “Effect of rhEPO administration on
serum levels of sTfR and cycling performance Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise. 32(7):1238-1243, July 2000.BIRKELAND et al”
This showed an average increase in haematocrit from 42 to 50% and an increase
in VO2 max from 63 to 68. There are also various other studies which show a
higher ventilatory threshold, maximum heart rate and endurance performance with
EPO. (9 references available on request)
The risks are substantial, dehydration, embolic phenomena and even death.
So while it is a fact that a winner of the Tour de France is mainly the
result of genetics and training, unfortunately EPO for one can and has given
riders enough of an advantage to win. On talent and training alone its would be
hard to see how Riis could have achieved the results he did. EPO does seem to
have turned the “donkey into a racehorse”.
Max Sciandri put it in perspective when he said in 1993 “Jesus… beaten by a
guy like Riis!”.
Dr Conor McGrane
MB, BCh, BAO, DMH, MFSEM, MRCGP
Family practitioner and medical Officer Cycling Ireland
Doping in
Bicycle Racing – Fact and Fiction
Doping in
Cycling - Fact and Fiction a Clarification
This and other cycling events can be discussed on the
Daily Peloton.com
Forums.
Other Related Articles:
Tour de
France 1904 - 2007
Tour of
Scandals
Cycling’s
Winter of Discontent
Cycling’s Winter of Discontent The Reason Why
At Long Last,
Is There No Sense Of Decency?
Cycling: Can we
handle the truth? We are our own worst enemy
Doping in
Cycling – One Fan’s Point of View
WADA Driving
Innocent Athletes Out of Sport
Without a
Doubt - CSC Anti-Doping Program
Team CSC
Launches Anti Doping Program
Team CSC'S
Doctor Rasmus Damsgaard Responds
Team CSC
Anti-Doping Program - 6 Month Report
Doping in
Bicycle Racing - Fact and Fiction
Doping in
Cycling - Fact and Fiction a Clarification
Doping in
Bicycle Racing - Fact and Fiction Rebuttal
Recommended Reading:
Giorgio Squinzi: Mapei's anti-doping crusader
The UCI’s Hein
Verbruggen on the World Anti-Doping Code
An Open Letter
to Wada Chairman Dick Pound
Reflections on
Dick Pound
Bad News is
Good News. Good News is No News
Floyd Landis
Talks with the Daily Peloton
Without a
Doubt - CSC Anti-Doping Program
Skibby -
Forstå Mig Ret -"Understand Me Correctly"
Play the Game
Communication Conference
Message from
Phil Zajicek
Two Sides of
the Story - US Cycling Suspension
Christoph
Sauser UCI XC World Cup Winner Comes Clean
Andy Hampsten
Speaks on the Dopage Issue
Andy Hampsten -
An American Pioneer
Andy Hampsten -
The Interview
A Prime
Alliance
How to Deal
With the Problem of Doping
Student of
Life: An Interview with John Lieswyn
Interview with
Amber Neben
Chuck Coyle's
Racing Chronicle: Scott Moninger
Chuck Coyle's
Racing Chronicles
Cannondale Open
Letter Re: Simoni
Saeco Speaks
Out!
The VDB Fiasco:
A lot less than I would like to say
Interview with
Doping Hunter Professor Frank Delbeke
Amber Landis:
The Interview, Part One
Amber Landis:
The Interview, Part Two
Amber Landis:
The Interview, Part Three
Lance
Armstrong – No More heroes
The Tour, Tour
de France Novel - Author Interview
I've Got to
Believe it's Getting Better: Doping 2004
Lance Armstrong
Cleared by Independent Investigators
Fallout From
Operation Puerto - Dave Shields
Official
statement from WADA on the Vrijman Report
Blood doping
Cycling: Dopage
A Doctor’s
Perspective - CASM Annual Conference Part 1
Tyler Hamilton
Interview Part 1
Tyler Hamilton
Interview Part 2
"You Can Ask Me
Anything" A conversation with Tyler Hamilton
Simeoni's
verdict
Adam Bergman
Comes Clean
| 
