Pro Cycling Doping Admissions

So many current and former pro cyclists have admitted, all in the space of a few weeks, to doping during their careers that I’m having trouble keeping track. Numerous members of Team Telekom during the mid to late 1990’s have admitted, including Rolf Aldag, Erik Zabel, and Bjarne Riis.

Riis doped during 1996, the year he ended Miguel Indurain’s five years of Tour de France dominance. “My yellow jersey is in box at home, you can come and collect it,” said Riis of his Tour performance. “What matters to me are my memories.” I’d like to read a full transcript of the press conference, because that sounds pretty cynical for a guy who’s still deeply involved in pro cycling as the owner and manager of Team CSC. With all these admissions flowing out of Telekom, and Jan Ullrich already involved in a doping scandal, it seems likely to me that he doped during his win of the Tour de France in 1997, and probably kept it up from there.

Of course the logical next question becomes, what about Lance? Did he or didn’t he? I’ve never seen a quote from him saying, “I didn’t dope,” I’ve only seen quotes from him saying something along the lines of, “I have been tested many times, and never been caught,” a disingenuous comment at best, since there are now many confessed dopers who were never caught.

Personally, I don’t mind if people who doped are still involved in the sport if they’re clean now, I just want to see all the closets opened and the skeletons removed.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.