And this is a permanent scar the sport will carry, as its reputation was tarnished. “I think it wasn’t a black eye. I think it actually took a leg off the body of cycling…because it will never go away. It will always be there as a theme. I absolutely believe this was necessary. It gave the opportunity to talk about the issue and really analyze where it was coming from.”
“I don’t think cycling is clean now. Absolutely not. I would be very ignorant about the facts,” the German warns. “There will always be people who will try to cheat the system. We have to make sure we protect what we have and the progress we’ve made, and make sure these are isolated cases and not a widespread doping system.”
Also because at the end of the day cycling is a business, and there is money involved. Above that, there is more money for secondary characters and people looking to benefit from athlete’s will to take prohibited substances, which created a cycle that many harm the sport.
“Look at the budgets, how they’ve increased, the salaries that brokers can earn. There are racers who see an opportunity and also see an opportunity not to cheat someone, but to end up with a better life. And I think that’s also a fact. Probably, in the first instance, it’s a very human thing.”
And at the end of the day, it is valid to criticize: “Journalists and fans are absolutely entitled to say if they feel they are not sure they can trust it. Then we should see this as a signal to check and make sure that the result is really valid and that we can trust it.”
The Tour de France is faster than ever, for several reasons. But there is room for suspicions. @Imago
But where is the line drawn between what is unnaturally enhanced and the natural. It is undeniable that the evolution of cycling in terms of technology, aerodynamics and innovations in nutrition is leading to better performances by a large margin than last decade.
But it is not always easy to understand which is which. “I feel like this is very exceptional. But we also underestimate sometimes where it comes from. People do amazing things on the bike. Because the periodization of the training, the planning of the schedule, everything around it, the innovation…it all fits just that day.”
“Ups and downs are not a bad thing. They can be a good thing. They have everything perfectly timed for that moment and are world class and even above. We could be less strict at times and there should also be a time to celebrate talent. But let’s not be naïve.”