http://forums.mtbr.com/xc-racing-training/how-deal-doping-1043709.html

Of course we never know how much is heresay, how much is truth and how much is sour grapes..

I always assume it’s more in the US than the UK we get this sort of thing at local levels, national levels and non-pro racers.

But it makes you wonder…. What is the guy taking who’s lining up next to you ?

Obviously at my level of being a lower 1/3 of a race type of guy it really doesn’t matter… the difference between 33rd and 25th, well, who cares… That can be made up by who turns up, who has a mechanical and who has the wrong tyres… But there are levels where maybe you’d be tempted.

Lets take for example where CH is with his racing at the moment, he’s 1 small step from a Cat4 point… Could that step be gained by having some protein shakes and the right type of cough medicine at the right times…. Would it take more … If it was to take more…. Does the area and the lines drawn in the sand become a little harder to define. Whey protein, Creatine, where do you draw the line in the sand, at what’s morally legal in your own mind or at what is completely legal in the drug cheats world.
Would picking up a point be ‘wrong’ if you’d done it with some chemical assistance…. If so… how much ? How’s it defined.

At times i read some (many) of CH’s and NAths threads and topics on training and I just get overwhelmed by the insanity of it all, the defined training, the structure… The question is…. How far away is the next step. (not necessarily for THEM, but at that level of planning etc).. Taking gels, well that’s like a really low level form of the same thing isn’t it… Add in some fancy packets from SIS for recovery… then how much of a leap is it into something….. more.

Makes you wonder. My arms kill me on the TT bars. Arthritis, old age and lack of practice. Should I dig out the Tramadol from the cupboard?
See what you mean about the leap. Strictly the step from not banned to banned is the limit but nowadays so much in natural stuff is common that its hard to see the line for those of us who are more traditional in our cycling. Quinoa (spelling) even. Well really. Beetroot juice for those who don’t have a garden. Its in natural!
Personally its just a sad indication of our society . We all want to be the best.

For some reason I think amateur doping is worse than professional. At pro level you have likely been very, very good to get there, but (for whatever reason) you’re doping to get to the very top and the associated benefits that come with that. Amateur doping is for what? Some extra Kudos (both Strava and the old fashioned type)?

If you watch the Channel 4 SAS show, one of the contestants on it had been done for doping (his entire team got kicked out iirc). Instant hatred.

To be fair the only doping I have ever witnessed at MTB races was of the fragrant herbal kind! Not sure if it is performance enhancing though 😉

phil40 – Member
To be fair the only doping I have ever witnessed at MTB races was of the fragrant herbal kind! Not sure if it is performance enhancing though

It’s banned by WADA for in competition use, as far as I’m aware.

And, of course, its effects can include lowering inhibitions and fear, thereby increasing performance.

Where’s the line? In the WADA code.

Not only do they stipulate what substances are OK. But they also stipulate that taking new substances or treatments not specifically named but who’s intended purpose is to artificially improve performance is also banned.

Personally, I would also ethically, and from a personal health POV, avoid trying to take prescription medication out of competition to allow me to train more when rest was more appropriate. Just last weekend I had a really disappointing performance in a target event due to having been ill in the week leading up to the event.

But for me as a – as of today!!!! – veteran rider with a cushy job, my racing has always been about me. For someone in a team, maybe an aspiring pro, who’s being pushed by management, peers, etc to perform or be cut, I can imagine the choices are a much more difficult struggle.

To be fair the only doping I have ever witnessed at MTB races was of the fragrant herbal kind! Not sure if it is performance enhancing though

This.

At Enduro & DH races, mostly having a cheeky toke between practice and racing. Not uncommon to see people on the beers too 🙂

To be fair the only doping I have ever witnessed at MTB races was of the fragrant herbal kind!

That’s about the only way I could face a huge gap jump! Not sure I would be better for hurtling down a rooty, mud-fest at more than 60kph in imperial storm-trooper gear though.

I take co-codamol on long rides (including sportives) to dull the pain of sore legs

Codeine has been added to the watchlist for 2017. Possible it may become a banned substance soon.

Personally I would steer well clear of using it when riding due to the soporific effect. Not just for your own sake, but for those you are riding with.

I don’t get any side effects from codiene. Been taking it for years for chronic knee pain

For some reason I think amateur doping is worse than professional. At pro level you have likely been very, very good to get there, but (for whatever reason) you’re doping to get to the very top and the associated benefits that come with that.

It’s far worse. You’ve got to find out how to do it on the internet, you’ve got to order dodgy stuff from overseas (might not even be what you ordered, or designed for horses) and administer it yourself. (In the UK and most of europe anyway, some countries have a far more free and easy attitude towards supply of drugs)

I’ve done events where the call about drugs testers at the finish passes through the peloton and a good fraction simply hand their numbers in at the next suitable point and go home. And i’m sure a few who carry on riding either didn’t hear the news, or are hoping not to be tested.

Are a lot of these things actually banned in amateur comps though?

When I hear doping I think of steroids and ePO, but a lot of the stuff banned in professional competition is perfectly legal for the public and found in all sorts of supplements and medicines.

Are you lining up against Ben Johnson who’s buying an using illegal drugs or just someone with an unhealthy addiction to Holland and Barrett 2 for 1s who isn’t actually breaking any rules because he’s not on le Tour or going for Olympic Medals.

If it’s an event run under UCI or NGB (BCF,FFC etc) rules, or WADA/UKADA or any of the myriad of organisations that have antidrug policies, it’s probably banned. Pretty sure they use the same list for pros and amateurs.

Doesn’t matter if it’s legal to buy, if it’s on the list, it’s banned for competition.

Are a lot of these things actually banned in amateur comps though?

When I hear doping I think of steroids and ePO, but a lot of the stuff banned in professional competition is perfectly legal for the public and found in all sorts of supplements and medicines.

Are you lining up against Ben Johnson who’s buying an using illegal drugs or just someone with an unhealthy addiction to Holland and Barrett 2 for 1s who isn’t actually breaking any rules because he’s not on le Tour or going for Olympic Medals.

Might be wrong, but I thought if you hold a BC race license and race in a BC point scoring event you could be expected to be subject to random testing. Only difference for the pros is they have the whereabouts system and have to be available 24/7 more or less.

fifeandy – Member

Might be wrong, but I thought if you hold a BC race license and race in a BC point scoring event you could be expected to be subject to random testing. Only difference for the pros is they have the whereabouts system and have to be available 24/7 more or less

You’re not wrong, if you hold a full race licence it has a UCI rider number on it and you are therefore subject to possible drugs testing at events.

To be honest, I’d avoid drugs that might let me train when I’m not 100% for health reasons as much as for legality reasons.

And I wouldn’t do the really effective stuff that would let me ride harder every day for the same reasons – plus I want to test myself when I race, not my drug tolerance/judgement.

I’m sure people do dope, but then again people spend thousands on bikes rather than getting out and riding a lot of the time. I say riding cos I ride hard as it’s fun, I can’t stick to a training plan and when I try I tend to pick up niggles – the only thing I enforce is rest days/weeks.