Flam and speculation or further evidence of mechanical doping? Have a watch and decide for yourself.
Earlier we brought you news that an investigation into hidden motors and other forms of mechanical doping had been conducted by an Italian newspaper and French TV channel.
The investigation has been carried out by France’s Stade 2 TV channel and Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
The reporters – Thierry Vildary and Marco Bonarrigo – say they took their heat detecting camera to the recent Strade Bianche and the Coppi e Bartali races.
They claim to have found seven hidden motors – five in the seat tubes of the pros’ bikes and two in the rear hub and cassette.
The newspaper report appeared on Sunday and the TV programme was aired in France later on Sunday.
We’ve included the TV show below, in two parts.
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The one major disadvantage is that it’s in French, though some of the interviews were conducted in English and are dubbed over so you can hear some of it.
Some of the race footage is old and has been aired many times before.
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And not one shred of evidence has been found to support any suggestion of bike doping in these cases.
That major weakness aside, the piece demonstrates the various forms of bike doping – using motors and magnets hidden in wheel rims.
And there is some race footage from Strade Bianche and the Coppi e Bartali in heat detection mode.
But we would have liked to have seen this presented much more clearly, and for that to have taken up more airtime and been shown more clearly.
That side of the programme, because the heat detection footage is the basis for the allegations, is presented in a way that weakens the work.
Have a look and decide for yourself.
Mechanical doping: Part I
Mechanical doping: Part II
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