Originally Posted by
Zinger
Nevertheless that's going to leave question marks for a lot of the fans who were expecting lower ETs on the climbs now. It's going to take some explaining.
Ok, apparently Lance Armstrong does still hold the record for the fastest TDF.
One of the problems with drugs like steroids is that the effects may far outlast any typical washout period. Perhaps EPO might aid with training, even if not used during competition. The "passports" are supposed to help with detecting those, but are they good enough?
There is a slow improvement of bicycles. Perhaps only subtle changes, but the new frames are supposed to be stiffer where stiffness helps, and more compliant where a little flex is nice. Better tires. Better wheels and rims. Better spokes. Better understanding of rolling resistance and wind resistance. Aerodynamics. Absolute minimum legal weight for bikes.
The rider's only job is riding, with the best coaches, best nutrition. And best teamwork.
I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect TDF riders/bikes to be 5%-10% better than those a decade ago, so riders never having used PEDS may well be able to compete with those that have used them in the past.