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This morning Australian cycling fans woke to the news that Michael Rogers, of Saxo-Tinkoff has tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol.
This is the same drug that his team mate Alberto Contador was given a two-year ban for.
The failed test sample was taken after the Japan Cup in October this year. Rogers won the one-day event.
The Japan Cup was raced a week after the Tour of Beijing and the media is reporting that Saxo-Tinkoff suggest that the failed sample may be due to Rogers eating contaminated food while in Asia.
Interestingly, Contador used a similar defence for his case.
In the wake of so many allegations of cheating in cycling, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s, when Rogers was at his peak, it is hard to know just who to believe.
Yes, Rogers may well have eaten food that was contaminated, he may not have.
Clenbuterol is used for weight-loss and is known to be highly detectable with tests being very good at picking it up in tiny amounts. The logic behind the use of the drug towards the end of the season would seem to be unusual.
Rogers has been suspended by his team and he has requested his B sample be tested.
It is very tempting to argue where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
It’s also tempting to question what seemed like a sudden departure for Rogers from Team Sky at the end of the 2012 season.
Rogers has insisted he moved to Saxo-Tinkoff for purely financial reasons.
The move, which came at the time the British team were insisting all riders sign a statement to say they have not doped, did raise eyebrows.
Rogers was also named as a client of Michele Ferrari, who infamously worked with Lance Armstrong, in 2005. Rogers has publically said working with Ferrari was a mistake.
Cycling fans are the most sceptical sports fans and we have to be. Without our healthy scepticism we would be crushed by this news.
Without our scepticism we would be reaching for the razor blades and sticking our heads into gas ovens.
Once upon a time, Australian cycling fans would have been crushed or devastated by this news.
Rather, we face these allegations of doping among our professional cyclists with the maturity and realisation that our athletes are not above others.
We are not superhuman. We are not morally above any other group on the planet.
The myth that Australians would never dope is dying a timely death.
As we eagerly await the results of his B sample, Rogers’ provisional suspension is a timely reminder to Australian cycling fans that our riders are not immune to allegations of doping and that they may have doped during their careers.
Cycling Australia will now investigate this matter and Rogers will have the opportunity to put his case to the national body in the new year.
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