The Secret Race

1. Cycling's doping culture: A necessary evil for success

You can talk all you want about the BBs and the Edgar; you can call me a cheater and a doper until the cows come home. But the fact remains that in a race where everybody had equal opportunity, I played the game and I played it well.

Doping as a prerequisite: In professional cycling during the late 1990s and early 2000s, doping was not just prevalent but essential for success. Riders faced an impossible choice: dope or quit. The sport's culture normalized performance-enhancing drugs, making them seem like a necessary part of being a professional.

Level playing field myth: Many riders justified doping by believing it created a level playing field. However, this was an illusion, as different drugs affected individuals differently. The sport became a race not just on the road, but in pharmacology and medical innovation.

Common justifications for doping:

• "Everyone else is doing it"
• "It's necessary to compete at the highest level"
• "We're just leveling the playing field"
• "It's part of being a professional"

2. The evolution of performance-enhancing methods in cycling

EPO changed everything. Amphetamines and anabolics are nothing compared to EPO.

From stimulants to blood doping: The history of doping in cycling evolved from simple stimulants like amphetamines to more sophisticated methods. EPO (erythropoietin) revolutionized the sport, allowing riders to dramatically increase their oxygen-carrying capacity and endurance.

Continuous innovation: As anti-doping measures improved, so did doping techniques. Riders and their support teams constantly sought new ways to gain an edge while evading detection. This led to increasingly complex and risky methods, including blood transfusions and experimental drugs.

Evolution of doping methods:

1. Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine)
2. Anabolic steroids
3. EPO
4. Blood transfusions
5. Designer drugs and micro-dosing

3. Lance Armstrong: The mastermind of systematic doping

Lance Armstrong was always different from the rest of us. We all wanted to win. But Lance needed to win.

Ruthless determination: Lance Armstrong's drive to win at all costs set him apart. He not only participated in doping but orchestrated a sophisticated system to ensure his team's dominance. His influence extended beyond cycling, involving sponsors, officials, and even anti-doping authorities.

Intimidation and control: Armstrong maintained his position through a combination of charisma, intimidation, and strategic relationships. He silenced critics and potential whistleblowers, creating a culture of fear and loyalty within the cycling world.

Armstrong's tactics:

• Cultivating relationships with cycling officials
• Intimidating teammates and rivals
• Manipulating media and public perception
• Staying ahead of anti-doping technology

4. The psychological toll of living a double life as a doper

I've always said you could have hooked us up to the best lie detectors on the planet and asked us if we were cheating, and we'd have passed. Not because we were delusional—we knew we were breaking the rules—but because we didn't think of it as cheating. It felt fair to break the rules, because we knew others were too.

Cognitive dissonance: Riders experienced significant psychological strain from living a double life. They justified their actions to themselves and others, creating a complex web of lies and rationalizations.

Guilt and isolation: The secrecy surrounding doping led to feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation. Riders struggled to maintain relationships and often experienced depression and anxiety as a result of their hidden activities.

Psychological impacts of doping:

• Constant fear of being caught
• Difficulty in maintaining personal relationships
• Depression and anxiety
• Loss of self-identity and moral compass

5. The intricate network of doctors, trainers, and suppliers

Fuentes is a little crazy, but he is definitely a genius. He knew what to do, and he knew how to avoid getting caught.

Global operation: The doping system in cycling involved a complex network of doctors, trainers, and suppliers across multiple countries. These individuals provided not just drugs, but expertise in avoiding detection and maximizing performance.

Professionalization of doping: As the stakes increased, doping became increasingly sophisticated. Teams employed dedicated doctors and developed intricate systems for procuring, administering, and concealing performance-enhancing substances.

Key players in the doping network:

• Team doctors (e.g., Dr. Michele Ferrari, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral)
• Independent doping doctors (e.g., Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes)
• Suppliers and couriers (e.g., "Motoman")
• Team directors and managers

6. Beating the system: Techniques to evade drug tests

The tests are easy to beat. We're way, way ahead of the tests. They've got their doctors, and we've got ours, and ours are better. Better paid, for sure.

Staying ahead of tests: Riders and their support teams constantly developed new methods to evade detection. This included timing drug use to avoid testing windows, using masking agents, and exploiting loopholes in the testing system.

Corruption and collusion: In some cases, riders and teams colluded with testing authorities or exploited bureaucratic inefficiencies to avoid positive tests. This undermined the integrity of the anti-doping system and perpetuated the culture of doping.

Techniques for evading detection:

• Micro-dosing to stay below detection thresholds
• Using undetectable substances or methods
• Exploiting the biological passport system
• Strategic timing of drug use
• Using IVs to dilute blood values

7. The downfall: Getting caught and facing the consequences

Sooner or later, everybody gets popped.

Inevitable exposure: As anti-doping measures improved and public scrutiny increased, many riders eventually faced exposure. The consequences ranged from suspensions and loss of titles to financial ruin and public disgrace.

Domino effect: When riders were caught, it often led to a cascade of revelations. Teammates and competitors were implicated, leading to widespread investigations and the unraveling of entire doping networks.

Consequences of getting caught:

• Suspension or lifetime ban from the sport
• Loss of titles, medals, and prize money
• Legal consequences (fines, potential jail time)
• Damage to personal and professional reputation
• Financial hardship due to loss of sponsorships and income

8. The aftermath: Confessions, investigations, and redemption

Telling the truth after thirteen years didn't feel good—in fact, it hurt; my heart was racing like I was on a big climb. But even in that pain, I could sense that this was a step forward, that it was the right thing to do.

Path to redemption: For many riders, the road to redemption began with confession. Coming clean about their past doping activities was often a painful but necessary step towards personal healing and contributing to the reform of the sport.

Ongoing investigations: The exposure of widespread doping led to extensive investigations, both within cycling and by law enforcement agencies. These investigations continue to have repercussions years later, affecting the legacies of riders and the sport's governing bodies.

Steps towards reform:

• Stricter anti-doping measures and testing protocols
• Changes in cycling's governing bodies and team structures
• Increased transparency and whistleblower protections
• Efforts to change the sport's culture from the ground up

Last updated: December 12, 2024