Originally Posted by
ZHVelo
Are they faster than ever though? And if they are, is it just compared to his generation? If not, how much is technological progress responsible? How much is the internet responsible for hyping up such a talent?
And isn't it the same in every sport? You always have a few exceptional talents in every generation. How is that evidence for doping?
And it's the same not just in sport, how many humans alive today are in the same league as Einstein / Newton / Gauss? I find it very hard to believe that we should believe exceptions must be doping, since that implies without doping all the riders would be within a few % of each other. That is absolutely not the case, in any setting.
The effect of doping is far more significant than the few % points (and yes, elite pros are all within a few % points of each other) difference between the top guys. The effects of doping, in cycling at least, are also far more significant than the effects of advancements in technology.
This isn't to say that exceptional talents don't exist, but it would be foolish to not treat them as suspect given cycling's past and the decisive effects of performance enhancing drugs in cycling.