Cyclocross / Cycling: We are all still in disbelief ourselves in the editorial office and keep checking the calendar - no, it's not April 1st and yes, we are apparently actually witnessing the first confirmed case of e-doping (or motor -Doping...) in professional cycling. After the UCI only published a short report yesterday, more and more details came to light in the course of this morning, all of which unfortunately actually point to a motor in the bike of the young Belgian Femke Van den Driessche.
Unfortunately, in view of the events of the past 12 hours, the sporting aspect of the Cyclocross World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, has almost taken a back seat. If motor doping were to be confirmed on a bike used by the U23 riders - and that's what it looks like at the moment - it would be a catastrophe for cyclocross sport, for the Belgian federation, for all professionals and for cycling in general.
The Belgian sports portal Sporza quotes the UCI coordinator Peter Van den Abeele as saying "Our inspectors carried out tests at the start and also during the race in the paddock and identified a case of technical fraud." The entry in the rules introduced at the beginning of last season under number 1.3.010 on the now so often cited 'technical fraud' says: "The bicycle should be propelled exclusively by the crank, which is moved in a circular motion by the rider's legs, without electronic or other assistance"
Basically, a breach of this rule only allows one conclusion: a motor must have been installed in the wheel in question. Belgian sports journalist Martin Vangramberen also confirms this to Sporza: “When they pulled the seatpost out, there were wires hanging out from under it. Then they wanted to remove the crank – not really a problem, but it was stuck. That's where the engine was.” Contrary to previous statements, however, it was not the bike used by the young Belgian and former European champion Femke Van den Driessche during the U23 race. "The bike was in the paddock, belonged to Van den Driessche and was checked during the first lap of the race." That's why Van den Driessche's father protested her innocence to the Belgian daily De Staandard: “It wasn't Femke's bike. It was in the paddock but belonged to someone on the team who sometimes trains with her. It should never be used for competition.”
Both the accused and the other Belgian drivers and association members were shocked, Vangramberen reported. Association President Jos Smets even cried, it is said. Meanwhile, UCI President Brian Cookson is combative and declares war on all future scammers. "Many have smiled at the topic of e-doping, but since yesterday we have known that there are drivers who use such technologies or perhaps have already used them," Cookson states before he sends a message to those very drivers: "We will catch you and punish you!"
Some drivers and team managers have already commented on the incidents. Etixx-QuickStep team boss Patrick Lefevere demands a lifetime ban for the cheat via Twitter and cyclocross luminary Sven Nys is already asking very uncomfortable questions: “The cycling community has to face the issue. Such a young driver doesn't come up with such an idea of her own accord. Where did the influences come from? This urgently needs to be investigated.”
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