Dope duped

I've been a fan of cycling for some time. I can remember watching very limited weekend coverage of the Tour de France when I was growing up in rural Ohio. As a fan I've always wanted to believe in my heroes, and I did so for perhaps a little longer than I should have. When Tyler was busted I felt slightly duped. How could you not wanna somehow live in a world where a guy like Tyler can win a race on grit, determination, and good guy charm?

I've read every book on cycling I could get my hands on in the PLCMC system. I've read all of the Lance books; It's Not About the Bike, Every Second Counts, Lance's War... you name it. If it was a Lance book, I read it. Such an intriguing story, and I have to say it made a great read. Most of them I had a hard time putting down, and I usually finished them within days of picking them up.

I've also read this book:

It was a great book too... although I wonder at what point it went from reality to fiction. I know I believed what I was reading was the truth, and how about that story? So detailed, exact, and inspiring it had to be true. Then again, the Harry Potter books are probably pretty detailed, exact, and inspiring, but I don't think my daughter's going to attend Hogwarts at any time in the near future. I think if he had just admitted to doping and told his whole sordid tale it would have been just as interesting.

Loren Mooney, co-writer of the book, has an interesting perspective on being part of the lie. You should read it (after you finish my post).

I wanted to believe in Floyd. I had witnessed him riding never ending wheelies around race venues wearing his TWP kit in Pennsylvania and West Virgina back in the early 90's. I have race results (from back in the day when they printed them off and mailed them to you) with he and Old Man Shogren topping the elite riders podium. I've seen his parents stand along the course tape and watch their boy do what he did best. That was real. The book? Not so much.

I have to admit I've believed every fairy tale in cycling, and I've been duped on a number of occasions. I could rattle off the names, but if you read cyclingnews.com or velonews.com or have watched any Tour de France since 1998 (the year of the Festina Affair) you already know them. Some of them I idolized as I watched them fly away in the mountains while others I admired for their grit when riding with wanton abandon off the front to steal away with a solo victory. Most of them argued their innocence, and most of them never admitted it when they returned to the peleton.

Within the past couple of years fellow courier Patrick Swayze has handed me copies of books he has gone out of his way to purchase.

Books that I feel at least show the other side of the story, and as I grow old and cynical I find that I'm not convinced of anything until I hear both sides of the story.

I just finished the "Lance to Landis" book. Another great read that I was able to plow through in a few days at work. It was interesting enough that I was pulling it out in elevators anxious to read on and get to the bottom of this story.

I'd love to read Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, but PLCMC doesn't have it, and I'm too cheap to buy a book. I just might have to put it on my Christmas wish list, or hope that Swayze buys a copy he can loan out to me.

What do I believe? I think that if you have enough money, a lot of money, a rider or team can afford to initiate a medical program that uses autologous blood doping. Why "A LOT OF MONEY?" You have to have a medical professional that can carry it out properly, store the blood, infuse it safely back into your body when you need it, and risk his medical license. A lot of people need to keep quiet, but in the end you can't get caught at controls.

If you don't have as much money you look to drugs. EPO can be bought in Europe. Figuring out how to use it and beat the controls? The information is out there. Why do some people get caught and some people slip through the cracks? Dunno... maybe they fuck it up or get a little greedy for a win (Ricardo Ricco anyone?).

I didn't watch too much of the 2010 Tour. I'll probably watch even less of the 2011 Tour. I've lost my stomach for it. To all the "I told you so" folks out there, yes... you told me so. To Greg Lemond (who raced during a time of amphetamine, steroid, and cortisone abuse and whose career ended just as EPO hit the scene), I'm sorry I always thought of you as a washed up, bitter, chubby has-been when you're just a chubby guy, and perhaps every bit of a hero that I thought you were when I was seventeen. Maybe you doped too, but I'd like to think not.

If I was a high dollar racer/doper at this point in the game I would sell my story to the highest bidder. Tell the whole thing. The who's, the what's, and the how's. Take all the modern secrets and make them known and perhaps make it easier to catch and expose those who can't ride a bike and have morals (scruples, ethics, whatever) at the same time. Then buy a bunker with the money and hide.

Do I think that anyone is doping in the endurance mountain bike scene? I sorta doubt it, but then again I was surprised by Frankie Andreu's admission and just how easy it was for him to jump on the program in 1999. There's not a lot of money in it, but when you throw ego into the equation I start to wonder. Doping does wonders for recovery, and endurance racing is 50% recovery (a statistic I made up in my head).

No, I am not a washed up, bitter, chubby has-been looking for a reason behind my lack of podiums. I know that's all my fault, and I know my single speed competition isn't cheating by using drugs... well, the kinda drugs that ENHANCE performance anyways. The purpose behind this post is just an admission of currently having my eyes wide open while reserving "hero status" for people I know and love.

Also to explain just why I want to wear one of these next year as much as possible.

Whenever they're available.

More about the new bike (it is about the bike no matter what some people say) tomorrow.