I’m not going to be all tipsy-toey about it, that doesn’t help anyone. As I look down the list of riders in this years tour who have achieved amazing results in the past, Alberto Contador stands out.
Now this isn’t an article aimed at insinuating anyone is being naughty, no, it’s just a good old-fashioned retrospection.
Wow, whatever those guys must have been taking before they got caught, whether it was a cocktail of non-prescribed goodies in all shapes and sizes, or whether it was just a couple of ‘red pills,’ was good.
It’s a matter of cause and effect and I only care about the effect.
Contador used to be much stronger than he currently is, so I am led to be amazed at exactly how much so.
It’s just the same as many in the past, but the other most common example I use is that of Damiano Cunego.
That punk was hilariously strong in 2004 when he beat a series of equally shady members of the peloton; but he never went positive.
Men like Andreas Kloden have been tied up in teams and scandals ranging from 9.9-10 on the suss-o-meter, but never positive, and only now can we see what appear to be ‘real performances’.
Alejandro Valverde, too. He was phenomenal once as well. Now we see him struggling to scratch himself relative to the current GC strongmen. The pre and post-positive (PPP) results tells all.
Age, team motives, or even riding style, may be factors, but let’s not look too deeply right?
The proof is in the pudding my Nanna used to say (even though she always prepared the superior ‘trifle’ over pudding), and so here is the proof.
The difference in results between Contador pre and post-positive (PPP) is tangible.
So is it really that simple? Do they just literally drop that much speed when they leave the needle at home? Good question I say.
The fact of the matter is these guys may not actually have the form they once did, and their motivation may have suffered because of the proverbial public cold-shouldering, but the PPP differences are just too large for my liking.
I don’t believe it.
Motivation and training programs are one thing, but being demolished is another.
So we sit back on the couch and take stock. There are some guys in this race that I once believed could win, but now I do not.
There are guys here that sparked me to scream at the tv even though they themselves were lit to the ceiling just as my lounge room is right now.
I don’t care though; innocent until proven guilty, right? It’s all just good fun anyway, a game, let’s not forget that.
Follow Adam on Twitter @adamsemple
Simoc
Guest
The doped riders say they felt much stronger riding doped up and always believed everyone else was so it was ok. You'de have to think micro dosing is still happenning though. The problem this year is that Froome is so much better than everyone and he is clean.
Lee Rodgers
Expert
You reap what you sow. Of course, they all receive hefty salaries and, if they're smart enough, very decent investment portfolios, but finally it seems that the past is catching up to several of these riders. Way to nail it Adam. It's interesting to think what kind of reaction an article like this would have received just 2 years ago, that too is indicative of a changing environment though the fact that it has taken the accumulative efforts of disenchanted fans, generally, to bring it about says a great deal about the failings of the sport's leadership.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Completely agree Steve. If I had to put a grand on a top 20 rider I think has always been clean in the last decade or so it would be on Cadel. The sad thing about all this is that Contador, LA, Ullrich and co were all fantastic athletes and am sure we would all have enjoyed watching them ride clean. what a waste!
Trent
Guest
Your radar must be going nuts now then, no? Some of the fastest times ever on the ascents of Ax 3 and Ventoux while only 12 seconds behind the watt machine Martin on a flat 30 km course.
Steve Mercer
Guest
Cadel Evans hs always been clean. His form is on a consistent curve, perhaps having peaked a few years go when he finally one. I'd sayhe is on the downward curve now, but e could still get lucky. Evans is unlucky not to have 2 Tour wins. He would have won the one he lost by 23 seconds if the leaders had been clean (as proved subsequently). Look at Contador and Armstrong when they both came back and rode clean. Consistent riding yes, but back in the pack. I tink Armstrong could have pickd up one or to wins if he had ridden clean, but e will never know now. There must be doubts over the great Induran too.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
Yep, drugs also made Jobe very fast and strong
Stu
Guest
I'm willing to give Schleck the benefit of the doubt, given he smashed his pelvis last year and it's a notoriously difficult injury to return from.
Haradasun
Guest
If you took out Froome it would be one of the most competitive tours ever....
Haradasun
Guest
Schlek is still recovering from a bad injury from last year as well.
silegusta
Roar Rookie
Good article. On an aside I was really hoping for a far more competitive tour this year, in my mind it has not been as exciting as past tours. Is it possible if they were all jacked up we would see some more interesting and dramatic competition? Not encouraging or anything just a thought.
liquor box
Guest
I think the drugs are a lot more toned down today. If you can just stay 40m ahead of your rival for a minute on the final climb they might give up. An example of this might be Ventoux, once Quintana realized he could not catch Froome he just went about completing the stage, not trying to win. Go back to Pantani or Armstrong and you needed to perform at maximum from 15km to go to have a shot at winning. PEDS have changed,
shudd
Guest
Also look at the Spanish riders at the Tour de France versus their performances at la Vuelta... Valverde in le Tour last year was a very different animal to Valverde at la Vuelta. And Cobo from Movistar? One year a Vuelta winner, out-climbing Froome and Wiggins on one of the toughest roads in Europe (the Angliru) and what has he done since? Spain's anti-doping stance is not exactly whiter-than-white when you read of alleged government interference in Operacion Puerto to destroy the blood bags of footballers and tennis players
TerribleTowel
Guest
I think with Andy Schleck, while certainly I'm suspicious, the "tell tale signs" are a bit less because he was always a pure climber who would sometimes do absolutely laughauble ITT's. When you see a mountain goat start bossing out ITT's as though he's Fabian Cancellara, or strong powerful ITT riders start shelling mountain goats up climbs is when the doping radar goes nuts
el_smith
Guest
Does the same apply to Cadel? Or are you content that he is just "too old"?
Justin Curran
Roar Rookie
I agree with the sentiment in this article. Do you think the same argument applies for Andy Schleck? He was smashing the field to pieces in the white jersey years ago. Now his brother tests positive and he is nowhere to be seen on the climbs these days. Coincidence? Just putting it out there.
Nick
Roar Guru
I've been thinking the same about Contador too. Though, I think age might be a more accurate excuse of Cunego and Valverde....while they arent Cadel Evans old, they have been cycling around France a few times now.