Being that they've just spent 3-4 days static location in very closely proximity to a 4800m high piece of land, might it have been possible to have done something weird to do with using altitude adaptation for a marginal gain? Along the lines of quickly (heli) get JV up high for a period of time that is just enough to give a benefit for the TT or the (high altitude) Queen stage?
Being that they've just spent 3-4 days static location in very closely proximity to a 4800m high piece of land, might it have been possible to have done something weird to do with using altitude adaptation for a marginal gain? Along the lines of quickly (heli) get JV up high for a period of time that is just enough to give a benefit for the TT or the (high altitude) Queen stage? Or just use an altitude tent? Seems unlikely though in the short periods of recovery between stages, even with a rest day..This says: ''In a widely referenced 1982 study, Squires and Buskirk found a predictable reduction in VO2 max of approximately 8% for every 1,000 meters above 700 meters.''
I’d like to think that the current era of pro cycling is relatively clean, given the massive level of scrutiny the top riders now live with. In addition any doping would require involvement from the teams (or at the very least a very blind eye to be turned), and given the damage the sport suffered due to doping in the past I don’t thing there is the desire from teams for that to happen.Cycling is always going to suffer from the shadow of drug use, mainly due to it’s past (once upon a time I thought Armstrong was clean, and it was just the French press who hated him). But also because of ongoing issues with the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) system: it’s doctors employed by the team who issue TUE’s, a fairly obvious conflict of interests.In addition if you wanted to design a sport in which to win by doping it would look very much like a cycling grand tour. Once you ignore the drama and romance whoever can consistently churn out the most watts per Kg over the 3 weeks is probably going to win. Most other sports are more dependent on skill, luck, equipment, and the like.I’m a fan of pro cycling, despite its past, and as such I often quite aggrieved by the constant claims of doping. Compared to many sports it seems willing to proactively pursue and punish dopers, despite the reputation all damage that ensues: something that sports like athletics and football have little stomach for.PS I suspect the worst ‘proper’ sport for doping is MMA/UFC, they may as well go full professional wrestling and say “as long as you don’t take the piss, and the fans don’t care, then it’s all good”.
If you're going to cheat do you not try and conceal the fact by not looking freakishly better than everyone else? Maybe puff and pant a bit? Say "ooooh, that was hard. Yes, Pog nearly had me there, ha ha". It seems a bit daft to go out and break all the models for VO2 max/W per Kg.
him mentioning that he thought his computer was broken with the power figures that he was putting out during the TT
Quote from: Will Hunt on July 20, 2023, 12:45:21 pmIf you're going to cheat do you not try and conceal the fact by not looking freakishly better than everyone else? Maybe puff and pant a bit? Say "ooooh, that was hard. Yes, Pog nearly had me there, ha ha". It seems a bit daft to go out and break all the models for VO2 max/W per Kg.Easier said than done. A crash in a later stage could quickly eat in to any lead, and you'd feel a bit of a dunce if you lost it because you held back earlier on to make yourself look less dominant.
Quote from: remus on July 20, 2023, 01:43:34 pmQuote from: Will Hunt on July 20, 2023, 12:45:21 pmIf you're going to cheat do you not try and conceal the fact by not looking freakishly better than everyone else? Maybe puff and pant a bit? Say "ooooh, that was hard. Yes, Pog nearly had me there, ha ha". It seems a bit daft to go out and break all the models for VO2 max/W per Kg.Easier said than done. A crash in a later stage could quickly eat in to any lead, and you'd feel a bit of a dunce if you lost it because you held back earlier on to make yourself look less dominant.That and he was clearly massively jacked up to give it everything. Regardless of whether there was any special sauce involved, I believe him when he said he had surprised himself by how fast he was.
PS I suspect the worst ‘proper’ sport for doping is MMA/UFC, they may as well go full professional wrestling and say “as long as you don’t take the piss, and the fans don’t care, then it’s all good”.
It's a good point. I also think the historical comparisons need to be taken with a large pinch of salt - the differences in training, selection pool, equipment etc. are vast. Like in similar sports, doping aside, you would expect major advances in performance over this sort of time period.
Quote from: lukeyboy on July 20, 2023, 06:54:07 pmIt's a good point. I also think the historical comparisons need to be taken with a large pinch of salt - the differences in training, selection pool, equipment etc. are vast. Like in similar sports, doping aside, you would expect major advances in performance over this sort of time period.Actually, no. There was a very good documentary a few years ago and it went into the gains made since the 60s in running. Unless the science has changed since then, or it was in accurate, they were basically stating that hanian performance in the 60s was already hitting physiological limits and when you accounted for improvement sin shoes, track etc. there had been surprisingly little chbage in human performance.I think it's a little different in cycling, especially the tour as recovery is so important, but still. If it quacks like a duck...
