Lance Armstrong Accused of "Motor Doping"??

Jeff Higgins · 07-05-2021, 03:22 PM

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/former-french-anti-doping-boss-accuses-lance-armstrong-of-motor-doping-495880

The former boss of French Anti-Doping has accused Lance Armstrong of motor-doping during his career, saying that the Texan's admittance of using EPO can't solely explain his performances.

"Lance Armstrong, this is the best scam. With complicity at all levels. He got special treatment. Many told me that I should not tackle legends, that I was going to find myself alone. But if the legends are mounted on anything...I also believe that he had a motor in the bike," Jean-Pierre Verdy told French television programme Stade 2 during an interview.

Motor doping, or mechanical doping, is a method of cheating by using a hidden motor inside the bike to add power, this 'technological fraud' is banned by the UCI.

I don't remember anyone bringing this up, so if this has already been covered, please forgive me...

Anyway, it looks like this guy is now accusing Armstrong of having a motor in his bike. Now granted, I have not followed this technology as it applies to bicycles, but it seems to me that this was nowhere near "ready for prime time" during his Tour winning years. I do not remember motor and battery technology having been refined by then to the point where we could hide anything of even remotely useful power in the bicycles of the day.

I think what we are seeing here is essentially a tech-illiterate doofus with a lingering hard-on for Armstrong. Anything to further discredit him...

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 03:36 PM

I really don't think the technology was there yet but then maybe they have it in place only because Nike and Trek have huge money to back him and come up with new technology. All he rode was mechanical shifting and I saw no buttons to turn on a motor. If its there, its hidden very well. I haven't heard or seen mechanical doping until the past 10 years if I remember correctly. I think the French are btiching only because they have not had a french winner in a very long time (or even close to winning), now we let the Eastern Europeans come in and play, they will have to hold out for a lot lot longer. Alaphilippe? Ha, not a chance in my opinion.

Racerbvd · Racerbvd's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

I really don't think the technology was there yet but then maybe they have it in place only because Nike and Trek have huge money to back him and come up with new technology. All he rode was mechanical shifting and I saw no buttons to turn on a motor. If its there, its hidden very well. I haven't heard or seen mechanical doping until the past 10 years if I remember correctly. I think the French are btiching only because they have not had a french winner in a very long time (or even close to winning), now we let the Eastern Europeans come in and play, they will have to hold out for a lot lot longer. Alaphilippe? Ha, not a chance in my opinion.

Agreed, when Lance was winning, I don't think the technology was there to hide a motor ect in a road bike, plus the weight would have given it away.
The French just don't like the fact that a Texan could and did dominate. As mentioned above and like Lemans, they hate it when non French win and make excuses for it.

Seahawk · 07-05-2021, 04:16 PM

jyl · jyl's Garage

Tech wasn’t there and he didn’t need motor doping, he was the best in the world at drug doping.

jhynesrockmtn · 07-05-2021, 04:47 PM

I recently watched "stop at nothing". What a POS Armstrong is.

pwd72s · 07-05-2021, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I recently watched "stop at nothing". What a POS Armstrong is.

Yep, but he got to bang...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlywcuw-1TU

berettafan · 07-05-2021, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I recently watched "stop at nothing". What a POS Armstrong is.

X2. Worse than just a cheater.

Zeke · 07-05-2021, 05:57 PM

This has been brought up before. Who knows? Maybe he had pressurized nitrogen in the frame that somehow added propulsion. That's still a 'motor'.

sc_rufctr · 07-05-2021, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seahawk

....

"Our roided up guy beat your roided up guy"

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 06:38 PM

I had an OCLV frame like lance's, only in different color as I can't stand him, his attitude and brought his holier-then-thou all American boy attitude.

When I first read about him, he was a no name young cyclist that blew every one (Young American upcoming national ranked riders) away with his strength but lacked cycling know how and tactics. He would pull everyone through the race and they sat in and jumped him at the end few km and left him for dead. A French pro team, Cofidis, picked him up nether before or after he won the Worlds. Those Directeur Sportifs know how to spot talent, very young talents. He is a talented rider for sure, dope or not.

I never liked him due to his racing schedule, attitude and everything else about him.

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 06:41 PM

Oh, by the way, in the bottom bracket in those early OCLV frames are difficult to fit a motor in there with battery packs. I don't even think powerful brushless motor were even a thing on the market yet. Maybe in those NASA labs, rockets or such high tech toys?

Crowbob · 07-05-2021, 06:52 PM

OK.

Post #7 has changed my attitude about Lance.

I don’t blame him.

Global humiliation? If that’s the price for admission I’d gladly pay it.

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowbob

OK.

Post #7 has changed my attitude about Lance.

I don’t blame him.

Global humiliation? If that’s the price for admission I’d gladly pay it.

You gotta to have one ball. That's the price of admission to play wid dat.

Crowbob · 07-05-2021, 07:04 PM

Ok then, bring out the scalpel!

sc_rufctr · 07-05-2021, 07:10 PM

I was a fan... But maybe we should cut him a bit of slack.

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Ok then, bring out the scalpel!

Drop your pants. It wouldn't hurt a bit

It isn't a dull knife.

island911 · 07-05-2021, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

Tech wasn’t there and he didn’t need motor doping, he was the best in the world at drug doping.

Who told you that the tech wasn't there?

look 171 · 07-05-2021, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I was a fan... But maybe we should cut him a bit of slack.

Yep, I have been saying that about him after his two tours 20 years ago. Specialist at only one race while many, many riders rode from Spring, as early as Het Volk, one or two of the grand tours to the worlds and Lombardi. Where the hell was he in those last few tour years represent the US? We had a strong enough American riders to back him then but he had no interest. That was one of the many reasons the Europeans dislike him. Not riding the World is a slap on the face to the cycling world. He's not know for those long one one drawn out riding in the mud kind of races. But then he did come second twice at Liege.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

Who told you that the tech wasn't there?

I guess it’s not proven one way or the other. However, in the late 1990s fitting a silent, invisible, wirelessly controlled, motor-battery into a bike, that added less than 1 kg, but added enough power for long enough to be worth hauling through a 200 km stage, and was 100% reliable, would have been a very tall order.

Also, dozens of people on the team would have known. All the mechanics, soigneurs, race directors (basically anyone who might handle the bike), and all the riders, not too mention suppliers. There have been enough tell-all accounts of that period in cycling, that multiple people would have spilled the beans on Lance by now.