Not to mention that the more people just assume without basis that you are doping, the less incentive there is not to dope.
“What’s the point of trying to win clean? Everyone will just call you a doper when you win.”
Yeah, not a constructive attitude.
I think that is questionable logic…
Why is that?
You really think that the extra bit would have stopped anything? Magic words dont work.
I have been a cycling fan for long enough to know that its a shitshow and I have really dont care any more whether pro athletes dope or not. As a matter of fact I dont care whether amateurs dope either because I wasnt going to win any races, I definitely fall into the “race myself” category. Hence the Triathlon focus, and if I was just into cycling it would be TTs.
That is a different issue. He can only answer the questions in front of him. I am not saying that he wouldnt give a terrible answer to it either but yeah there definitely should be harder questions asked and we should expect more from the journalists.
If you are that susceptible to giving in to doping, then there are far stronger forces on riders that would have tipped them over that point long ago.
It doesn’t seem plausible that people thinking you are doping is enough to get people to say “well, fook it…might as well dope now.”
Expect more of the journalists? How? UAE pre-selected the questions!! How is that on the journalists?
The whole “press conference” only last 12 minutes as a result. It was just a big PR event.
Someone has to ask them and if they enable it then they are culpable. Let UAE put out a statement if its going to be a joke. If they arent going to bother to do anything other than parrot what a team says they need to why do they need to be there?
I figured you took it that way. I said it increases the incentive. I didn’t say it will singlehandedly turn someone into a doper.
Really? Thanks.
I’m not certain what you are missing here, but there was no opportunity for other journalists to ask questions. All questions were screened and pre-approved. Once they got through those question (12 minutes), he left.
This isn’t on the journalists. C’mon.
Power numbers may be off, they may not be off.
Powermeter manufactures claim 1 to 2% accuracy. 2% accuracy doesn’t mean they are always 2% wrong, but should never be more than 2% off. Also, the accuracy of power meters is as much an argument pro doping as it is against (as they might be over reading or under reading, who knows?)
Climbing speed and eye test (the latter is by no means scientific, but probably the best way to get a hunch of who might be on the Capri Sun) fit the power numbers that were reported. Also, the numbers from Van der Poel are even reported by his own team staff, so I guess they fit in line with what he has proven to be capable of time and time again in training and racing.
Sorry man, but I am a scientist by training and I need more than that. I also grew up in the motorsports / race engine world and know full well the limits of measuring power and comparing.
A power meter is only accurate to you and your own data, and no one else.
Coggins’ table, and any like it, are a rule of thumb and not science. It would not be admissible as evidence in anything other than a forum pissing match.
I’m not missing anything, we are just fighting different fights. You want the team to allow greater access, I want journalists to make life hell until questions have to be answered. If they just let the echo chamber go then what incentive is there for teams to give greater access? This isnt a chicken and egg scenario because unless there is pressure there is no way in hell the teams will give anything other than the bare minimum away.
Whether Power meters are accurate or not, he out climbed everyone in TdF history ever, in a time trial. All the natural and doped athletes, all the unfairly stacked “trains” and pelotons.
And posts similar feats of historic greatness on a pretty regular basis, likely long before hitting his prime.
When a 22 year old is already arguably the greatest climber of all time and a top 10 GT TTist, I tend to get a little doubtful.
No, you are missing the critical point - journalists aren’t being given the opportunity to “make life hell”. The press conferences are staged and there is no access to him before / after stages due to COVID restrictions and UAE’s actions.
No, it would not stop him, but it would avoid people questioning why the answer was half hearted avoidance and if was intentionally so…especially when people have been calling that kind of answer half hearted avoidance for decades. They know what they are saying. They are coached and they know to avoid follow up questions.
Won’t the journalists get all the access they want after the tour? Seems reasonable that the team director would try to reduce stress for his riders during the race.
In the other, thread someone even explained to me that certain race tactics of keeping an opposing team in the yellow jersey are because of extra obligations/stress for the yellow jersey.
Funny how nobody here is questioning Cav’s resurgence, but are quick to raise alerts regarding the young slovenian. 
Because no one is basing their questions purely on performance alone…this has been explained multiple times.
If Cav is doping or not, idk. Him winning is hardly a great indicator. DQS has an Amazing lead out, Cav is 10/10 in reading a bunch. His second win was just lightning quick reaction to follow the other guys.
Also, the two best sprinters are out.
While the latter point could also be made about Pogacar, his performances are objectively all time great and climbing speed is basically P/w only… Sprinting speed is a lot more.