Mechanical Doping first at Womens U23 CX Worlds

Inquitus

Turmoil at the cyclocross world championships in Zolder: UCI has found something suspicious in the cycle of promise Femke Van den Driessche. Precisely at this World Cup traces the UCI with new technology for motors in the cycle. "Our auditors have determined mechanical fraud," said UCI coordinator Peter Van den Abeele.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/veldrijden/1.2559655

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-investigates-possible-bike-fraud-at-cyclo-cross-worlds/

Pudsy33

Disgusting. Worse then doping I think, at least physical doping require some degree of talent and commitment. This is just obscene.

godtabh

Any one read her excuse? That she picked up a bike of a some time training partner. Bollox.

I know nothing about cyclocross other than a few riders (mainly female for some reason). Did she have a chance?

Inquitus

godtabh wrote: »

Any one read her excuse? That she picked up a bike of a some time training partner. Bollox.

I know nothing about cyclocross other than a few riders (mainly female for some reason). Did she have a chance?

She was one of the group of favourites for the race.

Darkglasses

So what's the best engine I should buy for the 2017 season?

Seriously though, that's incredibly dumb. Throw the book at her.

godtabh

Inquitus wrote: »

She was one of the group of favourites for the race.

That is bad then. If she had the talent mechanical doping is just pathetic.

I wish I had a motor in my bike some times. I've even been over taken by a lad (I see him regularly) on an e bike but at the end of the day whats the point of having a bike if it isnt you peddling it

Inquitus

Boards super new improved post everything twice post.

Inquitus

Some more press on the matter

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/30/hidden-motor-bike-world-cyclo-cross-championships

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/01/more-details-emerge-about-motorized-doping-at-cyclo-cross-worlds/

The Dad defends her, but according to the cyclingtips article her brother is currently serving a suspension for a positive EPO test. so we probably can't take his word for much.

ThisRegard

godtabh wrote: »

Any one read her excuse? That she picked up a bike of a some time training partner. Bollox.

I know nothing about cyclocross other than a few riders (mainly female for some reason). Did she have a chance?

Her father apparently has claimed it wasn't a competition bike and wasn't supposed to have been brought but was found and tested anyway. Or so the internet says.

fat bloke

godtabh wrote: »

I wish I had a motor in my bike some times. I've even been over taken by a lad (I see him regularly) on an e bike but at the end of the day whats the point of having a bike if it isnt you peddling it

How much was he looking for it?

godtabh

fat bloke wrote: »

How much was he looking for it?

about 3 50.


Stupid auto correct!

Just thinking. What type of engine was it (or likely to be)? E bike?

ThisRegard

godtabh wrote: »

about 3 50.


Stupid auto correct!

Just thinking. What type of engine was it (or likely to be)? E bike?

Must be something like this.
http://cyclingtips.com/2015/04/hidden-motors-for-road-bikes-exist-heres-how-they-work/

godtabh

ThisRegard wrote: »

Must be something like this.
http://cyclingtips.com/2015/04/hidden-motors-for-road-bikes-exist-heres-how-they-work/

I've a bigger saddle bag than that. I hope my bike isnt inspected!

SomeFool

Always thought the possibilities of someone doing this was pretty far fetched. It's more disappointing than when someone uses P.E.Ds, ban for life IMO, worthless competitor.

nak

It wasn't the elite race it was U23.

iwillhtfu

When you think about it it's probably one of easier styles of racing to get away with it. There are numerous bike changes if I'm not mistaken and only short bursts of cycling so a large battery wouldn't be required.

Are you allowed to remove bikes from the pit areas? Back to a team van or similar?

Terrible to see happen and part of me could believe it being a prototype mistakenly picked up. I'd imagine a lot of bike companies have built bike with internal engine assist as a R&D effort although most would presumably have full disclosure with CI before undertaking such a project.

ThisRegard

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Terrible to see happen and part of me could believe it being a prototype mistakenly picked up. I'd imagine a lot of bike companies have built bike with internal engine assist as a R&D effort although most would presumably have full disclosure with CI before undertaking such a project.

The manufacturer said they had nothing to do with it and even suggested they could take legal action.

iwillhtfu

ThisRegard wrote: »

The manufacturer said they had nothing to do with it and even suggested they could take legal action.

Well there goes that theory. She is in deep now but one thing to her advantage unlike with doping you can do this as an individual but surely there'd be more people involved with mechanical doping. It's not just a case of dropping and engine and flywheel down the seat tube. Someone had to design and build the bike and I wouldn't say it was the rider.

Surely the manufacturer would have to take legal action now even if for no monetary gain just to clear their name.

Qualitymark

Oooh, this is good news (not for racing, but for creaky old codgers and fatsos). Last I heard, these wouldn't fit women's bikes. Have they been re-engineered to be able to fit the downtube of the kind of micro-bikes I ride? I'd love one!

dragratchet

I'd imagine you'd want to be on the ball using a concealed motor in cyclocross. you wouldn't want those cranks spinning away as you lugged it up a hill on your shoulder

iwillhtfu

dragratchet wrote: »

I'd imagine you'd want to be on the ball using a concealed motor in cyclocross. you wouldn't want those cranks spinning away as you lugged it up a hill on your shoulder

They stop as soon as you stop pedalling or at least the one I watched a clip on did.

Leroy42

Jeez what a crappy excuse. The dad is claiming it wasn't her bike but a training pal. Ok, who? Lets get that person. They must know who designed, installed it etc.

Also brings up the issue of who this person is training with. And why was her training partners bike in the pits for the biggest race of the year? You don't simply turn up and grab a few bikes from the van. Saddle height, brakes, pedals. Bikes are all set up for each rider.

Btw largest suspension is limited to 6 months so she'll be back for next years championships

iwillhtfu

6 months for the offence but apparently more for each individual breach. motor,sport into disrepute etc.

Eamonnator

what make was the bike, that was seized?

seamus

godtabh wrote: »

Any one read her excuse? That she picked up a bike of a some time training partner. Bollox.

it's a dumb excuse because why would any competitive cyclist have a race bike like this? And even if they thought having one for the craic was a good idea, why would they bring it within 10km of a race unless they were planning on using it?

adrian522

At least she's agianst drugs...

https://twitter.com/140CharTerror/status/693731641697669120

Darkglasses

Thread title amended

Just a correction - a non-compliant bike is a minimum of six months, with no upper limit. The fine could also be pretty significant - anywhere between EU18,000 and EU180,000

https://twitter.com/inrng/status/693486244383346689

ThisRegard

Eamonnator wrote: »

what make was the bike, that was seized?

Wilier Triestina.

Eamonnator

ThisRegard wrote: »

Wilier Triestina.

Just a coincidence, I have no doubt.

godtabh

seamus wrote: »

it's a dumb excuse because why would any competitive cyclist have a race bike like this? And even if they thought having one for the craic was a good idea, why would they bring it within 10km of a race unless they were planning on using it?

I dont think the training partner is competitive. I think I read that she was part of her entourage

godtabh

Darkglasses wrote: »

Thread title amended

Just a correction - a non-compliant bike is a minimum of six months, with no upper limit. The fine could also be pretty significant - anywhere between EU18,000 and EU180,000

https://twitter.com/inrng/status/693486244383346689

Isnt her brother on a doping ban?

paddy no 11

Are fines a better deterrent against doping than bans? Lets say there's a mandatory 200,000 euro fine for EPO, that'd surely make you think twice??????

Andalucia

do people really think she is at this on her own? no doubt that technological doping is in play, fact they picked it up a a World Champ event tells you all you need to know

the brother Niels is apparently serving a doping ban for EPO - unlucky family to get two siblings busted

Eamonnator

Van den Driessche offered up a potential reason for the bike’s presence, saying that it was owned by someone she’d been training with. “That bike belongs to a friend of mine,” she said. “He trains along with us. He joined my brothers and my father. That friend joined my brother at the reconnaissance and he placed the bike against the truck but it’s identical to mine. Last year he bought it from me. My mechanics have cleaned the bike and put it in the truck. They must’ve thought that it was my bike. I don’t know how it happened.”

Above is an extract from Cycling News

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/femke-van-den-driessche-denies-using-motor-at-cyclo-cross-world-championships/

dragratchet

Eamonnator wrote: »

. “That bike belongs to a friend of mine,” she said. “He trains along with us. He joined my brothers and my father. That friend joined my brother at the reconnaissance and he placed the bike against the truck but it’s identical to mine. Last year he bought it from me. My mechanics have cleaned the bike and put it in the truck. They must’ve thought that it was my bike. I don’t know how it happened.”

yeaaaah right. bake her away toys

velo.2010

So, she's blaming the mechanics - '(they) have cleaned it and put it in the truck' after a male friend placed a near identical bike against the truck. I'd love to hear their version of events!

Have any photo's of the motor been released yet? I've been looking back at some photos of her racing recently and looking for anything suspicious on her bike. This is the clearest pic. Apart from the muck, does that left shifter look 'bulky' or not?

Tenzor07

This one:



Rumour has it that Willer are to sue the Belgian cycling federation..

ThisRegard

Why would they sue the federation?

Tenzor07

ThisRegard wrote: »

Why would they sue the federation?

Tarnishing the name of Wilier Triestina, though not sure if they can sue the rider and her team through the Belgian federation or directly..

Eamonnator

In this race, she was riding for her Country, not her team, therefore the Belgian Federation is responsible for her actions.

ThisRegard

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Tarnishing the name of Wilier Triestina, though not sure if they can sue the rider and her team through the Belgian federation or directly..

But if the motor was in the bike, that's nothing to do with the federation though so I don't think they'd get far with that.

Edit, just read your second post.

RobFowl

I'd like to comment further on the ridiculous nature of the excuses but there is little point

RobFowl

Eamonnator wrote: »

In this race, she was riding for her Country, not her team, therefore the Belgian Federation is responsible for her actions.

Even though she was riding for her country she remains fully responsible for her own actions.

Eamonnator

RobFowl wrote: »

Even though she was riding for her country she remains fully responsible for her own actions.

Of course, you're absolutely right.
But, on reading the regulations about mechanical doping, I note that the rider's team are also subject to sanction. So I imagine, that Wiliers are taking the view that the team also bear responsibility. In this case the team is controlled by the Belgian Federation.
Plus, I reckon, Wiliers think that they would have a better chance of getting compensation from the Federation, rather than a 19 year old.

RobFowl

Eamonnator wrote: »

Of course, you're absolutely right.
But, on reading the regulations about mechanical doping, I note that the rider's team are also subject to sanction. So I imagine, that Wiliers are taking the view that the team also bear responsibility. In this case the team is controlled by the Belgian Federation.
Plus, I reckon, Wiliers think that they would have a better chance of getting compensation from the Federation, rather than a 19 year old.

Yes here the team would surely be the federation. Not going to speculate any further but it's a sad day for cycling,
Really thought this motorised doping stuff was over the top but looks like am wrong on that

Tenzor07

Video of a "doped" bike:

https://www.facebook.com/ciclismopelomundo/videos/760519647404670/

velo.2010

Even more ways to bike dope at e200,000 a pop! I was sure I remembered something a while back about magnets in the wheels to gain advantage. Is this what the French track federation were intimating about the British and their 'magic wheels' a few years ago?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/electromagnetic-wheels-are-the-new-frontier-of-mechanical-doping-claims-gazzetta-dello-sport/

mloc123

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Video of a "doped" bike:

https://www.facebook.com/ciclismopelomundo/videos/760519647404670/

Makes a bit of a hum...

Tenzor07

mloc123 wrote: »

Makes a bit of a hum...

Probably due to the room they recorded the video in, I'm sure out on the road and with a big of insulation tape, the noise wouldn't be noticeable...

iwillhtfu

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Probably due to the room they recorded the video in, I'm sure out on the road and with a big of insulation tape, the noise wouldn't be noticeable...

Road demo here. It's quite loud in a group/race environment maybe it's not as noticeable.

http://cyclingtips.com/2015/04/hidden-motors-for-road-bikes-exist-heres-how-they-work/

Thud

Assisted Williers readily available on this website: https://www.salden.nl/en/bikes-and-frames/roadracing/e-roadbikes/wilier-izoard-ltd-e-racefiets-met-trapondersteuning.html