hack

True ... although, if guys are stupidly getting popped at races they just might be the type to keep on doping during their 2 to 4 year "break" from racing.

Doge

So since masters/amateurs do it, is it because there is not enough testing? Or is it "beating the system", is also sport?

topflightpro

I think it's more about trying to overcome aging.

About four years ago, I messed up my knee pretty badly. Took more than a year for it to fully heal. After I got back to riding and racing and training, I was struggling mightily. Guys that I had once had no problem beating were now crushing me. It was really hard and demoralizing. At one point during that time, I remember thinking, "Man, if only I could take something that would help me get fast again." And really, I could have. I could have started doping to help with the healing process as well as to help me get back to riding strongly. But I didn't. Others may make a different choice.

Here's a pretty good article about a local guy and former national and world's masters champ who got busted for doping: Legendary local bicycle racer gets two-year suspension for banned drugs | News & Observer

hack

Interesting read. I know nothing of the guy as his reign was before I had a bike let alone paid attention to the race scene. I always love the spin that people in that situation use ... "Yeah, I took the stuff, but I just started and it hurt me more than it helped. So, really, all the stuff I won over the past 20 years is totally legit because I wasn't cheating then. Honest."

Heathpack 

I think its because people like the feeling of doing well relative to their competition. Its more fun and the possibility of achieving that is what drives racing and training for racing. If people can't get there on a level playing field, they still want that feeling and they want it enough to cheat. Doping does not feel like cheating to them, because they're still doing the work. But it gives them a physiologic advantage which is why its unfair to people who don't dope.

It made sense for you to not dope, because it was reasonable to to believe that your situation was temporary.

You describe the situation as "demoralizing". Would you have continued to race if your circumstance was permanent, if every race was demoralizing?

topflightpro

Every race IS still demoralizing.

Racer Ex 

Raced him several times. Nice guy otherwise, but pretty much everyone rolled their eyes at his performances. Smoked me on the hilltop finish for TOA.

As Ygduf noted, you have to be pretty dumb or careless to get caught at any of the "A" events. And what's happened because of increased testing is the big time dopers cut back and just race the big events when they are no longer "glowing", a few small events around that time period, or events that are too small or unsanctioned to be on USADA's radar.

Heathpack 

Lol, well I guess that proves it then: no need to have fair competition. Its going to be demoralizing anyway.

Racer Ex 

shovelhd

The last time I raced a Masters event at an NCC crit, 25% of the preregistered riders didn't show after the Race Clean logo was posted.

carpediemracing 

Sort of sad. But heh.

hack

Perfect opportunity for USAC/USADA to put on their thinking caps and complete some unannounced, yet targeted, out of comp testing.

tetonrider

pretty hard to run an effective OOC testing program when (amateur) athletes are not part of a whereabouts program.

happybday29475

Earlier this year, one of our local road races had the "surprise" USADA testing. Our team was volunteering at the race, and the call went out for "volunteers to escort riders to USADA", and the secret was no more.

hack

True ... I thought that was how USAC was able to nab Buckley though. Just showed up at his door one day. It may be leaning a bit toward a witch hunt, but I'd think USAC could ask the director for names when it's clear people are skipping out on tests (like your Idaho incident).

Ygduf

dz_nuzz

"I was only doping to get Strava segments, I swear!"

hack

Totally believe him when he says he only got worse while doping.

tetonrider

honestly, i don't know how they figured out he was home. seems like that would involve a whole 'nother level of detective operations and costs....beyond the scope of USADA.

also.... "my idaho incident" just sounds wrong! careful there!

I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse.

jdms mvp

haha i know right. that's the line "i only did it once", "i never doped when i won", and "i've been clean ever since"

Da Reef

Cheaters going to cheat but if he said half the the things attributed to him in that article he is a real jerk. He doped to keep getting national titles, the WC bands and the admiration that came with it. He is worse than Lance. Loved the 2016 results. Not so easy being clean...

jdms mvp

para olympian from austrailia gets popped
Australian Paralympian Michael Gallagher to miss Rio after testing positive for EPO | CyclingTips

then some french masters dude who was popped for drugs in 2014, gets popped for motor. Tries to run from race officials after race. "Through a concrete evidence from the scene, the organizers of the affected french at the road race of the license driver Masters Cycling Classic before starting to want to control. He has a spectacular then the control, loose and ran. He was disqualified and also at the world cup races his ak (1952-1956) He was later disqualified. The event has been reported to the uci."


7e titre de champion de France pour Robert Massot - 20/08/2016 - ladepeche.fr

carpediemracing 

How is this not all over the news? Also the article only says he won the race, according to whatever translated it on my browser.

happybday29475

"I can't think of a bigger waste of public money than testing masters bike racers for doping"
- Floyd Landis

CyclingTips Podcast, Episode 11: Floyd Landis interview, Part 2 (with Dave Zabriskie) | CyclingTips

around about 40 minutes in.

"USADA and WADA are beholden to the Olympic committee, which is all about selling the Olympics."


I know there are a lot of Floyd haters, but his argument is interesting.

And geez, Zabriskie seems like a waste of...everything.

jdms mvp

hrm there was a post that linked that website (so i think i posted the wrong link), but had the statement

"Ein neuer Fall von Motordoping im Radsport beim Radweltpokal der Masters am vergangenen Wochenende in St. Johann
STNR. 219 - MASSOT ROBERT (FRA) - DISQUALIFIZIERT NACH UCI §12.1.013 VERSTOß GEGEN §1.3.010 - TECHNISCHE MANIPULATION
Leider auch nicht das erste Mal, dass er mit den Regeln in Konflikt gekommen ist. 2014 war er suspendiert weil ihm Anabolika nachgewiesen wurden bei einer Kontrolle."