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Tyler Hamilton's book on that era is a great read: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008WOUJQG http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008WOUJQG I think you'd have to be

Tyler Hamilton's book on that era is a great read: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008WOUJQG http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008WOUJQG I think you'd have to be crazy to dope now, after Lance's fall from grace. My default opinion is that systemic doping isn't happening and I'll be really sad if it is.

rurban 11y ago
That's borderline naive to believe that the best teams don't dope anymore. E.g. the ascent times prove that the winners in the last years cannot be undoped. Mount Ventoux: 2013: 59m:00s Chris Froome 21.86 km/h Such a time is not possible undoped. See e.g. http://sportsscientists.com/2013/07/froomes-first-mountain-performance-cue-debate/ http://sportsscientists.com/2013/07/froomes-first-mountain-p... But same as Armstrong or Contador only the best do it the best way, and will not get caught for some time.
- rue 11y ago
  Of course it’s possible. If a human body can do it without mechanical aid, it’s possible there’s someone with the requisite attributes. Whether it’s likely is a different matter.
- jdietrich 11y ago
  That analysis is extremely flawed. We have no standardised start point for any of the grand cols and no accurate power data for most performances, meaning there is an enormous amount of guesswork. Team Sky have invested heavily in technology, which includes many significant improvements to tyre rolling resistance and drivetrain losses - someone riding Froome's Pinarello would need about 30w less power to equal the performances of the 1990s. Course profile is also highly significant. A rider who arrives at a major climb with low lactate levels can remain above threshold for longer and sustain far higher power outputs. Without taking into account the parcours and previous attacks on the day's stage, any comparison is meaningless. Again, technology plays a significant role - Sky have been criticized by many fans for riding by the numbers, precisely pacing an effort for maximum efficiency rather than attacking and counterattacking. This kind of data-driven pacing simply wasn't possible during the Festina era.

rurban 11y ago

That's borderline naive to believe that the best teams don't dope anymore. E.g. the ascent times prove that the winners in the last years cannot be undoped. Mount Ventoux: 2013: 59m:00s Chris Froome 21.86 km/h Such a time is not possible undoped. See e.g. http://sportsscientists.com/2013/07/froomes-first-mountain-performance-cue-debate/ http://sportsscientists.com/2013/07/froomes-first-mountain-p... But same as Armstrong or Contador only the best do it the best way, and will not get caught for some time.

rue 11y ago
Of course it’s possible. If a human body can do it without mechanical aid, it’s possible there’s someone with the requisite attributes. Whether it’s likely is a different matter.
jdietrich 11y ago
That analysis is extremely flawed. We have no standardised start point for any of the grand cols and no accurate power data for most performances, meaning there is an enormous amount of guesswork. Team Sky have invested heavily in technology, which includes many significant improvements to tyre rolling resistance and drivetrain losses - someone riding Froome's Pinarello would need about 30w less power to equal the performances of the 1990s. Course profile is also highly significant. A rider who arrives at a major climb with low lactate levels can remain above threshold for longer and sustain far higher power outputs. Without taking into account the parcours and previous attacks on the day's stage, any comparison is meaningless. Again, technology plays a significant role - Sky have been criticized by many fans for riding by the numbers, precisely pacing an effort for maximum efficiency rather than attacking and counterattacking. This kind of data-driven pacing simply wasn't possible during the Festina era.