Nothing changes

Today, the third rider in less than a week was thrown out of the Tour De France for drug use. It amazes me the number of people that come in our shop that are shocked at this. There hasn't been a tour in a decade that hasn't been rocked by a drug scandal - why the shock?

It's no defense, but no other sport requires their athletes to do what professional road cyclists do. European pro riders will race in excess of 120 times a year - that's once every three days....at their limit...most of the time for more than 4 hours at a time. The other days they are riding at least three hours during training - some days more than twice that.

The drug tests are getting more sophisticated, but so are the chemists. I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Just watch a single day of coverage of the Tour. You have never seen more rabid fans in your life. I dont' think Americans can really grasp just how huge this sport is in other parts of the world. Win a stage in the Tour De France and you are a hero in your country for life.

Cycling is doing all it can to rub off the tarnished image, but no other sport has been rocked more by rampant drug use. I'm not one of those that thinks they should just "open up" the sport and allow drugs. I'm all for fighting the good fight, but I think it's all for naught.