How Clean Is Pro Cycling Really? With Journalist Ned Boulting

[@mjhfrc]

there is too much money in sports, generally speaking, for integrity to be the priority

[@DublinDapper]

Genie is out of the bottle

[@slang3164]

Ned is an outstanding Journalist. Champion human.

[@SvalbardSleeperDistrict]

While discussions about doping - or potential doping, or theoretical doping - are all good and should be had to ensure scrutiny of a sport we all love, I find it discomforting that all these podcasts and channels only see doping as a problematic or dark spot for cycling and never extend that discussion to the very apparent, actually existing epidemic that is engulfing the sport today - that of it selling out to sportswash some of the most despicable political regimes around the world and greenwash some of the most horrible corporations that are wrecking our future through climate heating while using cycling to present a clean and healthy image of themselves. If I was a cycling journalist, I would feel a great unease about not talking about that.

[@winterwatson6437]

yeah, i’d prefer dirty racers to dirty money

[@chrissimpson2617]

well said

[@Marco-717]

You wouldn't say a damn thing about china, india, or Germany being the worlds biggest polluters. You're a hypocrite. Don't drive, don't eat beef, don't fly, don't have kids, and live in a cube 🤖👌 NPC

[@Southerncyclist]

UAE 😂

[@EndurancePerformanceOptimized]

Only the naive believe today's top performers (in any sport) are clean. I truly enjoy the smoke-screens they often offer as distractions. Ketones, crank arm length, single chainrings, baking soda, etc, etc. Every era has had theater curtains, but it has certainly intensified the last 4-5 years and they're used to suggest this is why I can ride at 7-7.5 watts/kg for 30 minutes at the end of a 100 mile/5k elevation stage, in week 3!! Where's there's smoke, there's fire.

[@tolstoyed]

you should expose them if you know something

[@EndurancePerformanceOptimized]

@@tolstoyed I think you just exposed yourself.

[@tolstoyed]

@@EndurancePerformanceOptimized like i thought. all you can come up with are silly assumptions

[@EndurancePerformanceOptimized]

@@tolstoyed A wise man once said, never argue with a fool lest you be one too. You are classified in the first sentence of my original post. Remain in your ignorance, it doesn't change my life.

[@tolstoyed]

@@EndurancePerformanceOptimized why can’t you come up with a counter argument to what i’m saying?

[@adammillsindustries.]

I went to one of his tour shows, amazing so gutted about the tour coverage. Hope Ned can still do future shows.

[@DanCave]

the example ned gave about roger hamond and 'not getting with a programme' echoes with a guy we used to hang around when he rode for Cannondale's mtb team in the nineties.. he was immensely talented and chose to come home instead of take vials..

[@englishteacherdon]

This conversation was only speculation. They were very careful to avoid the data points. Also notice that their only historical references was post-2003. I think a lot of these newbies confuse 1990 with 1909. The science of getting good results was already established by 1980. Remember, in the 1990 Mountain TT that Erik Breukink won, there were 13 other cyclist within 2 minutes of him. It was exhilarating to watch because nobody knew who would win next. It was a level playing field.

[@paulweber624]

I ask just one question to help you decide whether the sport and its biggest stars are clean today... Can someone be clean and 10% faster than a juiced Lance Armstrong in his prime? Tadej Pogačar set a new record on Pla d’Adet (9.15 km, 8.54%, 781 m) He was 2 minutes faster than the old record set by Lance Armstrong in 2001 • 25:09 - RECORD • 6.70 w/kg (est. 65 kg standard) • 1863 m/h VAM • 21.83 km/h

[@peterfireflylund]

What I don't understand is how they can do it with much lower hematocrit values than back in the 90's. If they are doping, they must be doing it differently.

[@matejstankovic9843]

So what's your conclusion? Because 6,7w/kg (which is an estimate) for 25 min does NOT scream doping

[@pacif1st.]

By this logic every top athlete in every sport is a doper, because there is a doper that perform worse than them 🤷‍♂️

[@andy_ppp]

Okay but also sometimes you get genetic outliers for example Michael Johnson, Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt, it’s hard to say for certain.

[@paulweber624]

Jonas Vingegaard also beat Lance’s record on that same climb making the “Usain Bolt” freak argument (edit - less likely).

[@iamthedalilama]

Hang on. Roger Hammond was asked directly about Armstrong doping and he denied ever seeing or knowing he did it. Which I didn’t believe he didn’t know for one minute.

[@leedsunited007]

Of course Hammond didn’t see or know anything about Armstrong. Nobody knew back then. Do you suspect….. would have been a better question.

[@happyharry7331]

There seems to be almost a delight in trying to find out if cyclists are doping . Yet the most played sport in the world football never seems to get a positive. Could it be because so many people’s jobs depend on football and nobody wants to rock the boat, or do we think all the teams, trainers etc are squeaky clean ?

[@michaeldellorso889]

It happens in football, but not a big topic. The reasons for this are several, in my opinion; the governance is corrupt, team sports generally have less PED scrutiny than individual from the public, and it’s more of a skill sport compared to cycling.

[@mace9770]

It’s a high skill sport. Cycling is a very,veery low skill sport.

[@andrewpodmore2440]

I can live with dominating the giro, or the tour, but both, 4 weeks apart. And no bad days, like totally dominant.

[@tolstoyed]

wow, that’s next level logic

[@andrewpodmore2440]

@tolstoyed another dope. I have spock ears too

[@MarkKanaster-ev6pq]

The UCI and the teams are in each other’s pockets

[@tolstoyed]

the anti doping agencies are independent though

[@johnstoddart4505]

Oh my. Jimmy grew a moustache since I last watched 😍

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

What I find interesting is that we think any form of "doping" is done. We will look back and see that it still exists and that it went way underground. I suspect that the bikes are doped not the riders. A 50 watt motor is not that hard to hide and would take a 5.9 kg bike to the legal limit. This is why the limit needs to be eliminated to remove the availability of the space needed to put in a motor.

[@2011hwalker]

nah, they can and do check the bikes regularly.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

@2011hwalker So we are told. A lot of "grease" and things are overlooked for the "betterment" of the "game". There's a famous case of a Cross-country racer being caught. But there's tons of videos with unusual stuff happening.

[@2011hwalker]

@@jamesmckenzie3532 True, especially ten or so years ago. The Cancellara flanders moto case is very suspicious when he drops Boonen with minimal effort 🤫

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

@2011hwalker I'm of the thought that many of the bikes have micro motors installed and are designed to run off of internally mounted batteries. In some cases, the Shimano shifter batteries. I'd like to be proven wrong, but a 50w 10 second burst is all that's needed.

[@wjs1]

@@2011hwalker watch froome - his antics are far worse. Power actually drops, heart rate barely changes while he acclerates heavily while climbing.

[@Kanonka28]

They are clean like the air in Norilsk.

[@aaronhamlen8215]

When a pro rider wins a race(stage) by a large margin it's hard to understand without questioning how did this happen. I'm sure the training between riders/teams is very similar, training at altitude, nutrition, equipment. The fans deserve transparency show us the data rider weight/power output/medical exemptions. The stakes are too high $$$$ I doubt this would even be shared with the public. I enjoy watching/following races when the margins for victory are close, it's more exciting to watch.

[@tolstoyed]

so everyone that wins with a big margin should be automatically disqualified just because you don’t find that entertaining?

[@barrytantlinger1033]

They're all doped to the gills. The entire peloton is so fast and still can't keep up with the stars of the sport. That can't be put down to aero bikes and eating more carbs. They all have that effortless look that Armstrong had while they tool along at superhuman speeds.

[@johnnycab8986]

Armstrong looked way more gassed than Pogacar at the top of a mountain. Pogacar puts down 7w/kg breathing out of his nose. All the other people like Vingegaard, Remco, Roglic look absolutely destroyed when they put out big efforts. I hate this thing they do while discussing this that the focal point is still basically "Lance Armstrong Bad" instead of talking about what matters. The change in journalism between the Armstrong era and now is so stark. Back then it turned into basically every article discussing doping and suspicious performances despite no evidence, now all these journalists tip toe around (or actually run cover with ridiculous talk about 'carbs' or bike tech) what is so completely obvious to anyone who has followed the sport for the past couple decades. Just look at this podcast, it turns into licking Pogacars chamois.

[@2011hwalker]

@@johnnycab8986 Well said. Lance got absolutely hammered for a decade after his story, it became overkill and avoided the real systemic issues. Suddenly they do mental gymnastics to explain the crazy performances.

[@ianfranklin6495]

You say that they are all doped to the gills without offering any evidence. Don't confusr your opinion with facts. You don't have evidence. Speculation is not evidence.

[@seanadamson280]

Yep

[@tolstoyed]

just because you think that it of course doesn’t mean that’s the case

[@justinbergmans36]

The Jamaican sprinters were doping though.

[@JimboMauiDownhill]

Mauro Gianetti has never managed or raced for a clean team in his career. UAE got stomped on last year at the Tour and now all of the sudden Pogacar goes on a tear and it’s because he’s just that good? This sport is becoming a fucking joke😂

[@johnfoord9444]

Becoming? I love Pogacar but is is a bit much when he is winning monuments by minutes and he looks like he's on a training ride - hands on the hoods!

[@tolstoyed]

why don’t you expose them for cheating?

[@cliffkennell3854]

Doping at the highest level is happening. Full stop. One cannot be tested between 12am and 7am. Do the math on this when it comes to micro dosing etc. It's a business.

[@Gareth-pu5so]

I remember Phil Liggett in the 90's saying the riders were eating 6,000 cal during a tour stage. It's sugar, but we act like it's rocket science. How stupid and naive are we. Looks like salt is going to be the next big thing, now that we've hammered the Keystones and bi carb to death, which are certainly nothing new either. Then the public end up destroying their own stomach with cake ingredients. Where will it end...

[@simonfunwithtrains1572]

There are many improvements in the field of all athletics, let alone cycling, with better training regimes, better nutrition, a greater understanding of what works and what doesn't and the vastly improved equipment, particularly in cycling. I'm inclined to think that doping now, as suggested, is amongst the outliers rather than in the greater majority of competitors.

[@greg4318]

Naive fool

[@2011hwalker]

"many improvements in the field of all athletics", yes but doping takes performances to another level. Ever wondered why the 100-800m world records in womens athletics are *all* from the 1980s....they were all doped to the gills and the newer equipment and nutrition hasnt enabled women to surpass those times.

[@stevedouglas3975]

The only thing that occurs though is if Pogacar is clean and I'm not suggesting he isn't, then if there are riders in peloton who are doping but they can't get near him then either they are pretty average at best or something isn't quite ringing true.

[@tolstoyed]

in lances times apparently lots of riders doped… yet lance always finished on top

[@T1taNo]

What is the definition of "clean sport"? Isnt it "just" that anything this is not on the doping list, can be used, even though it is performance inhancing?

[@gregmarcus3064]

Tadej is a nice, lovable, and humble guy. The hammer won't fall on him unlike Lance. Lance rubbed the ruling class of the sport during his time and was asked "nicely" to retire. He thought FU and I'm the TDF. That's how they unchampioned him. Tadej and all the riders now know what's up. If they ask you to leave, you leave and give a chance to others.

[@wjs1]

Yes - just ask ol froomey and his TT bike "crash" from a strange gust of wind while riding no handed and "blowing his nose" during a recon. No photographers nearby and conveniently an ambulance waiting metres away to whisk him off before anyone could see the "damage". froomey never did a single thing again in cycling after that day and returned to being the donkey that he was before he mysteriously found form after being without a contract when he rode for Barloworld. That guy reeks of not only chemical but also motorised doping and is frankly an embarrassment to the sport. At least Lance was a pedigreed athlete to begin with and then took it to the Nth. froomey was just a donkey and after leaving Sky returned to being a donkey again but is tight with enough people high up in the UCI that he is allowed to keep on showing up at races even his boss despises him and would rather him retire asap.

[@tolstoyed]

there were constant rumors about lance and his failed tests. there are no rumors like that about pog

[@gregmarcus3064]

@tolstoyed If you know anything about doping and TDF. It did not start with Lance. It was there long before. LA was just an acolyte of the TDF temple. It's there and will always be there. You gotta be doped to be beat a doped recor

[@gregmarcus3064]

@@tolstoyed Exactly, I'm sorry, I'm not naive anymore after Lance and all his closest rivals admitted to doping. This tells me that it really is a tolerated and systemic part of the sport and everyone is on it. I really don't mind and it would not diminish my admiration for all these top athletes. It's a fair battleground . What's shit is motor doping. That's a disgrace. Pogi is such a good guy that's why you won't hear anything. He is protected and a cash cow of the sport. He is loved by almost all the fans of the sport. All he has to do is quit when the time comes after winning so many times and fans are getting tired of him. His titles will be safe.

[@tolstoyed]

@@gregmarcus3064 so you think everyone is involved in conspiracy? the cycling officials, organization, anti doping agencies, riders, teams, all the technical staff? remember lance? it was enough for a masseuse to speak and then other people opened up. you can’t keep a thing like that a secret… someone who who would know something about it, could anonymously reveal it to the media and make more money than what they would get paid in cycling

[@christopherandstephaniehil5782]

Love dopers

[@icejam-xq5hj]

You can't turn a donkey into a racehorse. While some riders may not be clean, I doubt they are using a cocktail of drugs but possibly something in the grey zone? Either way, I'm enjoying the sport.

[@blackflamesolutions526]

"You can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" Some of the least talented riders got the biggest performance boost from EPO. Also, for years, the UCI operated a 50% heamatocrit limit. This basically meant riders could use EPO as long as their HcT stayed under 50 (at the time it was measured). A rider with a lower natural HcT could therefore use EPO to get more of a boost than a rider with a naturally high HcT. At one stage a couple of decades ago, pro teams were looking for juniors and U23 riders with low natural values, instead of 'super talents', as these riders could be boosted more using the doping protocol of the time. There are numerous examples of riders who went from 'decent one day riders' to 'Grand Tour winners'.

[@1afterthep]

if you ride yourself, and even if you ride a lot, it's super hard to imagine the pros' average speeds over double the distance you normally ride

[@pandemicratparty2277]

Perhaps, but they are in a peloton, or flying through mountain hairpins a lot more than any rider I've ever known.

[@mikestunt77]

This comment is really dumb, is it possible to think that u can't win a game against alcaraz? Is it possible to think u can't land a punch against canelo? U can't compare yourself to pros, and btw they are not as fast as u believe, they don't ride 2 times faster than an average amateur who race in GF

[@dajogb3330]

@@mikestunt77 Maybe you need help with with your reading & comprehension. The poster did not say they were travelling at twice the speed (although at times in certain conditions they are) he mentioned their average speed over double the distance!

[@1afterthep]

@@dajogb3330 what I meant: if you see the pros ride 250km races at an average speed of 45kmh or more, I just can't imagine how you get to that level of endurance. I've been riding 20.000km a year for a decade and it's still unfathomable how fast they are. sure, they ride in a peloton and do nothing else but ride their bikes and train very hard, but still... they're total beasts, genetic freaks or doped or both

[@iecrime]

It seems rather absurd to suggest the current generation has a night-day different incentive structure than the past when increasing money is involved. This would suggest a likely increased incentive to dope and to cut corners in whatever way possible.

[@robinseibel7540]

Sure that's one assumption to make, but it's certainly not based on any objectivity.

[@iecrime]

@@robinseibel7540 Not an assumption, but skeptical of the claim that there has been a 'night-day' incentive structure change in pro cycling as Ned suggested when a/the driving incentive involves large sums of money.

[@robinseibel7540]

@@iecrime That might be true, but it's also true that sponsors are far less tolerant of doping because it looks bad for them. Then teams lose sponsorship money, and that's not good for them when sponsors are seemingly more difficult to find.

[@iecrime]

@@robinseibel7540 I don't object to your point. Though I just read how the UCI is looking to ban carbon monoxide use. Suggests that riders/teams are motivated to push the limits, get around rules (think rampant use of TUEs etc.) because that incentive structure is massive.

[@thewagchannel8986]

Are now going to say that Federer cheated because he won so many tennis matches or the best 100m runners because they come out on top. somebody had to win. someone has to be on or off form. someone has to be the fittest. Someone has to be the quickest. Please provide proof of every allegation.

[@kellyjones2974]

I'll say it if he won't, you can't achieve the performance and margins of victory that Pogacar has and not be doping..... he's doping. The maddening part is that the cycling 'journalists' fawn over Pogacar and won't admit to themselves that's what is taking place. When the lid is blown off it will destroy pro cycling.

[@davidtydeman1434]

They used to fawn over Armstrong

[@andy_ppp]

So there’s no genetic freaks? Bolt, Johnson and Phelps all cheated?

[@2011hwalker]

@@davidtydeman1434 Until they didnt. The british press still demonize him like he is to blame for modern protocols.

[@ianfranklin6495]

Kelly: if you clarified your point by saying that it is 'your opinion' then you are allowed that, but by saying it is a fact without evidence is totally wrong. All it does is highlight prejudice and ignorance with no attempt to discover why Pogacar is so dominant. Ned in the interview takes an intelligent and balanced view. You could learn a lesson from him. One interesting point is that Armstrong displays narcissistic behavior whereas Pogacar does not, on the contrary he seems quite humble and normal. That says a lot.

[@kellyjones2974]

It's not "wrong", it's an opinion. We're not in a court of law. And where is the 'prejudice' and 'ignorance'..... anyone looking at TP's performance numbers objectively and comparing them to the BEST riders in the WORLD would have the same response. I don't care what his behavior is, he appears to be a nice guy. Of course, I would be too if everyone was looking the other way as I was making millions and not getting caught doping.

[@ChromeLuxx]

Come on mate, Pogie is not some freak of nature, he’s a solid cheat! It’s not just rider’s health, it’s man and machine against another.

[@tolstoyed]

why don’t you expose him?

[@billfletcher5495]

His intro about people and cutting corners is so true. And now Armstrong has his own YT Channel and everyone forgets what a scum bag he is/was.

[@audrichvuneo181]

Imagine if Pogacar were on EPO

[@macimages4215]

To believe that a large percentage of cycling is not doping is like believing in Santa Claus after the age of 10

[@tolstoyed]

except you have evidence santa isn’t real. and no evidence about who might be doping

[@macimages4215]

@ besides they’re superhuman feats and the history with cycling?

[@tolstoyed]

@@macimages4215 who says it’s superhuman? because some have failed tests in the past, that doesn’t mean every cyclist dopes of course

[@macimages4215]

@ say hi to Santa for me.

[@tolstoyed]

@@macimages4215 there’s no santa. why don’t you answer my questions?

[@user-ge2it7do7g]

How clean it is! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@two20john]

Like Ned Boulting’s going to know, please.

[@matthewjam3s]

So many comments with no one understanding the science, nutrition, tech in cycling (me included). The list goes on. If anyone, more specifically these podcasts, want to make claims, they need to have a full understanding of the progression that has been made in all of the above to understand what is questionable in terms of performance.

[@Milkywayboy]

If anyone thinks cycling is clean you are looking with your eyes closed

[@DR-cs6dl]

😂😂😂

[@dhldt1021]

The pro teams pay for the best legal and medical experts to advise how best to work within the parameters, without breaking the law. IMO.

[@costelloandsilke7321]

Exciting isn't a good criterion. Pantani on Alpe d'Huez was the epitome of exciting. However, I agree with the "doping levels the field" thesis. Regardless of what performance enhancers are available, the best cyclist in the best team will win. And one of the real tests of cyclists is their descending ability - not much benefit from doping there.

[@jaimie072]

The huge red flag is an athletes performance and this was why Lance Armstrong was initially suspected. His performances were just too good to be true. And that is what we are seeing now. Anyone that rides with a group knows how much easier it is riding in a pack, drafting. There is no way a single rider should be able to get away from a group of riders of a similar ability or even riders of a lower standard. That is what we are seeing today with the likes of Pogacar and Vingegaard. I'd love for them to be racing clean, but as history has told us time and time again, these unbelievable performances re unbelievable for a reason. Unfortunately because of things such as micro-dosing it is nigh on impossible to catch an athlete these days. The dopers have won.

[@behindtheboxx]

Jonas beat Pogacar the prior year after Tadej broke his wrist. Everyone forgets that he wasn’t fresh. Technically, Jonas has beat him once when they were both fit.

[@tolstoyed]

and that one time was because pog was unexperienced and naive. he tried to answer every attack by either vinge or pog and that wore him out by the 3rd week

[@OUTDOORS55]

If pro cycling was clean somewhere there'd be a guy doing 8w/kg doped to the gills utilizing "today's advanced training methods". 7w/kg doesn't lie. Pogi doing 5+w/kg in Z2!😂🤦‍♂️

[@neilgj6305]

People are getting cofused with TP Z2, It is well known that he trains to Heart rate and not power. I am a average cyclist with a good Resting heart rate of 41bpm. My Zone 2 heartrate is equivalent to my Zone 4 Power. Big difference.

[@ivormctin6367]

Pogacar is obviously dirty. It's ridiculous to claim otherwise

[@Chickenbonetony]

Ned talking about cycling is like getting Harvey price to talk about nuclear physics Ned is clueless about cycling and darts he embarrasses himself

[@Krunch2020]

“Microdosing” won’t give you this kind of advantage. Testing needs to catch up again.

[@cd0u50c9]

For the circus to remain entertaining the jesters need to be progressively better. Then add the money the circus makes out of the jesters and the answer becomes obvious.

[@mokasusa]

The new tech dopibg is Nitochondira transplanting

[@samlevi3821]

Cycling as a sport has almost no interest compared to the EPO years. It’s funny hearing the dude speak about the financial model when EPOs were clearly profitable for all parties involved.

[@oOcrashOo.]

Look at all the positive doping tests lately. It's no question if there is still doping going on, it's clearly still a problem. And about riders who dope are toxic.. no rider is doping because he thinks about what happens when is getting caught, people cheat because they think they are not getting caught. I wish doping would be the only problem cycling is facing currently, but UCI doesnt care about the health of riders, their safety and cycling. Then take a look at the sponsors.. gambling and betting, sports washing, etc.. Unfortunately I start enjoying professionell cycling races less every year it continues without changes..

[@russme5463]

how on earth does a "clean" rider beat the times of doped riders of the past

[@LordAus123]

The arguments are better nutrition, better training, better bikes, better aero. Whether you find the arguments persuasive is up to you.

[@jerrychicken967]

The head of the UCI isn't interested in having Positive dope tests, it's bad for business. I think that is the business model. The way races are now with a single rider breaking aways constantly through the year, I am starting to think the races are won before the start line in a dutch auction. Teams put in the price they get the golden ticket and the winner gets a free pass on the dope test. The UCI has a very bent history and we are still living in these times. I guess the only rule is that Riders aren't dying in the numbers they did in the 1990s thankfully,. There is no limit to what a rider will do to win races so having their moral compass as the back stop is a no go. In the 90s riders knew the risks of EPO but still took the risk.

[@tribalypredisposed]

Problem is, once you lose fans with a doping or cheating scandal, it is unlikely they come back. Bicycle racing might be cleaner now, but I don’t watch anymore and don’t know who the riders are. Basketball is hemorrhaging viewers because the Lakers get an astonishing number of free throws compared to every other team. There is no thrill for the fan of seeing who cheats the best. With cycling we know there was doping, they say it is mostly controlled now, but the speeds never went down and actually kept going up. You cannot ever prove you are clean really and for myself I will assume if you are a pro rider you are doping somehow.

[@Servicevelo]

I recall commentators saying the US postal service would be crazy to dope due to scrutiny on them following the Festina era. History shall tell.

[@tolstoyed]

and if history doesn’t tell?

[@SuperGarden78]

Cyclists dope to go fast, the winners generally just dope for bigger bucks to win to be able to drive their dream car.

[@leedsunited007]

Going around in circles, talking but not saying much. Waste of time mate

[@umutaymakoglu4418]

Armstrong was doping just to ride and win TdF. In this era of cycling, many riders including Pogacar are riding so many races in a season. In order to ride and win that many races in a season - if they are doping- they should be doping all the time and I do not think that is possible.

[@2011hwalker]

you can dope in the off season

[@tolstoyed]

@@2011hwalkeryou should probably learn about how doping works

[@johnandrews3568]

To think that only 'outliers' are the only ones doping is either a media member trying to sports wash so they'll still have access to riders around races, or you really have your head in the sand. While yes, there are doping controls and lots of media scrutiny (in theory) but cycling has always been dirty and ALWAYS will be. The average speeds of races are faster than in the Armstrong era. And for sure, Pog is doped to the gills... there's NO WAY a clean rider can drop a hungry pack of top pros 100km from the line and keep them away. That was a commercial for whomever Pog's Pharma provider is. No question Pog is gifted, but NO one is that much better. UAE's doctors have found the magic mixture that works perfectly on a gifted rider like Pog. Lets be clear, the cheaters are always looking at ways to cheat and the authorities are always playing catch up. And to say accusing doping because someone wins a lot is doping is childish, is again, sports washing. EVERYONE DOPES in the pro peloton.

[@phillippitts6294]

How clean are any sports? Apparently people want to win bad enough will do anything to win

[@pandemicratparty2277]

I think they conflate money with winning. Let's not encourage them by also calling it a 'win'.

[@jamessoperDOTcom]

If cycling wanted to stop doping it would ban dopers and medics who doped going on to run teams. The fact they are not just tolerated but welcomed back tells you all you need to know. And it’s BS for Ned to say it’s cleaner now like he’s an authority. He spent the whole of the Armstrong era telling us the sport was clean then. Today’s riders are going faster than the EPO generation. Only a naive fool (or someone paid to promote cycling) would suggest that’s possible clean.

[@rafalpruszynski6129]

Oh god, another video about this? Wtf, Will you keep going until you get the answer you want?

[@thegreatexaggerator9077]

How is it exciting? If the same guy wins every race, he enters by a country mile?

[@behindtheboxx]

I was a big fan of Roger Hammond, but to say that he got 3rd at Roubaix and podiumed twice at Dwars when everyone around him was doping is hard to believe. Having said that, I would agree that he probably did not take it to the levels others did. I respected him as a rider.

[@c.b.4270]

Look the Tour de France average speed : Top doping years and now , they're nearly the same. As the challenge ( length, altitude meters) is the same theres no reasonable doubt that doping is normal till today ( an necessary if one wont suck).

[@ShaneLavell]

Enough with these guys trying to rationalize if it's clean or cleaner blah blah blah it's as dirty now as ever and maybe even more so as the options for doping have become abundant.

[@tolstoyed]

why don’t you expose them in the media? (you’ll get paid a ton)

[@Mysiamesecatblue]

My body is tired after 30 minutes so they must be juiced

[@lomilomi3535]

Today clean riders are going faster than previous riders on a full doping programme....Yeah right....just better doctors...open your eyes and look at the speeds of today....let me guess extra porridge...

[@LucBerthelotte]

I don’t like when podcasts suggest that riders are doping when they do not know. That is like saying guilty until proven innocent. All this to get attention to the podcasts? Please ! Get some more intelligent and interesting subjects. Go ride with someone who is very strong and then you might just talk about how they train, eat, rest, dedicate their life to their sport. Please stop the negativity just for attention. Get out there and ask them live intead of suggesting something like that. Most of the riders have learned from the past and don’t want to cheat. Good luck

[@benward7813]

lol if you went and rode with TDF Lance, I am sure you’d have been able to tell people about how he trained, ate, rested, dedicated his life to the sport. He just took a shit tonne of EPO too. Drugs don’t hand you physiological excellence they give you a bump but you have to train, eat, rest and dedicate yourself better than everyone else still the same. Stupid comment basically.

[@LucBerthelotte]

Omg. What a comment you just made. Oh yah the are all on drugs and everyone is guilty. lol See how stupid your comment looks? Same as these guys. Do you have proof? Before making such accusations? Sometimes talent is talent. Jealousy gets you nowhere. Have a good winter training and enjoy riding 👍

[@benward7813]

@ they aren’t all guilty. Almost all of them aren’t. But the idea that because they train hard means they aren’t is completely wrong, drugs aren’t a magic bullet that make you an elite cyclist.

[@stephenjhughes64stephenjhu26]

Should never take any notice of presenters or passed professional cyclists who are making a living reporting cycle or any other sport about drugs .Dont bite the hand what feeds you comes to mind .

[@chrisgould7606]

Bio genetic engineering

[@krisbowditch827]

Pog is juiced to the gills, it’s so obvious.. 10 years from now it will all come out rest a sure.

[@johns3450]

Sadly might never come out as he’s so well protected

[@GaiusPrimusMatius]

..not only Pog I think Ving even more...

[@jono1457-qd9ft]

Are you Kris Bowditch the former runner? If so, I think you should be more aware of different abilities between athletes. You sound rather bitter.

[@GaiusPrimusMatius]

....well said..

[@Requiredfields2]

This is cycling propaganda. It's part of the apparatus of pro cycling. There's too much money to be had.

[@davidlewis2055]

Every sport has some level of doping sadly ,in rugby alarming numbers of referees & in particular LINESMEN are clearly on drugs ..THEY DONT KNOW WHAT A FORWARD PASS IS .do they Nigel !!!

[@seanadamson280]

Talks out of his backside as per usual. Mr word salad employed by itv isn't going to tell you the sport is full of dopers now is he.

[@bigmadmentalbaz]

I would guess that there have been huge advances in the last 10/15 years in the understanding of nutrition and how different people process foods and 'supplements' to diet, and the bike tech has improved in terms of aero, so there will definitely be some significant legal performance gains in there. However, looking at Vingegaard's comments on Carbon Monoxide breathing that he's doing nothing wrong and 'I'll stop if they ban it' probably tells you all you need to know about how far things are being pushed 'within' the rules. Surely no-one thinks breathing CO is a normal or healthy thing to do, and with all of the data the teams have available, this is the only way to tell how your body is responding to altitude training? What next? Snorting asbestos to check if your thigh muscles are responding to weight training, or popping some anthrax in your morning espresso to see if it boosted your gut health?

[@peterfireflylund]

Breathing a tiny bit of carbon monoxide is indeed a completely normal thing to do as a part of measuring the hemoglobin mass in the blood which they do to finetune their training.

[@jpethereal]

I don't think you can test CO effect at all. That's why it hasn't been banned.

[@65Lynchy]

Journalist 😂

[@GordonA-Jr]

These guys are absolutely in denial

[@evanshaw17]

Sports washing for example best cyclist in world on UAE team ruled by dictators and abusive to women and many others.

[@virtuproindoorcycling3276]

For what are the talking this topic when they are so scared to say what all think and some know. Say that something is wrong but we don’t know what. But time will tell.

[@michaeloconnor9809]

They are attacking from the drop of the flag mg in every race. Riders look anerexic. Where is the power coming from.Better nutrition, training and recovery will improve anyone . I believe they are chemists on bikes. And all these ex racers who themselves were caught doped up are allowed in the backroom team. Very toxic

[@petersouthernboy6327]

DRUGS.

[@greensocool]

nope, super doped. just saved you a year of wasted reporting. you're welcome

[@DonMcFarlane-sf7lw]

He shouldn’t generalize from his lifetime as a cyclist. That a fundamental human trait to cheat must be assumed. He is confusing professional cycling with the reality of human history. Why fight it? Why talk about it? Beating a dead horse. Doping spans all professional sport to some degree. Probably? Maybe? Or just dont really know.

[@martindrobnik4615]

the numbers and times produced by the pros seem perhaps a bit too good and too consistent, but then again us mortals can’t really factor in what loads of talent does to a man

[@timw4369]

It's not clean and it will never be clean.

[@Darkbelovedcloud]

Here’s a question : how can today’s cyclist be considerably “ better “ than the best from the bygone era of EPO ? Evolutionary changes take millennia to occur not decades. JB is peddling (no pun intended) this nonsense and that makes it more apparent that something is amiss. I’ve never been outraged over doping it’s an incurable human condition. It’s the insulting BS excuses and theories that I find most offensive.

[@JohnSmith-ck5qk]

Pogi doesn't look like he takes steroids

[@krisbowditch827]

Micro dosing and other drugs other than steroids are used… epo and new drugs that have the effect of epo too.

[@wjs1]

Hard to take the guy in the black shirt seriously when he's wearing that silly cross on a chain around his neck. Open your mind, lose the mythology man and you'll gain some credibility and respectability.

[@alanread4763]

It isn't clean. SIMPLES!!!!

[@MrSpecialized75]

Did you hear the story about the best rider of the year who decided not to go to the Olympics? 😂

[@robinseibel7540]

And?

[@craigfoulkes]

​@@robinseibel7540they have better testing on the Olympics or the Olympics did not fit his training schedule

[@robinseibel7540]

@@craigfoulkes Cool guess, but it's just a guess. Guesses are boring. Try objective.

[@johnwestwell2241]

@@craigfoulkes No they don't. It's exactly the same. The proscribed drugs are the same. The testers are often the same people. And the labs certainly are subject to the same regulations - the lab used for testing for the Olympics had to be WADA accredited (LADF in France), which is exactly the same requirement as for world tour cycle races (for example, the Tour used the lab at Lausanne in Switzerland). And it's out of competition testing (through the whereabouts programme) that is effective in stopping doping. Anyone can tailor their doping programme to tail off in advance of a competition where they know they'll be tested. It's very difficult to do that when you don't know when the testers will turn up.

[@ItsBugsy]

He didn't go because his girlfriend was not picked?