73-year-old cyclist caught for motor doping in France

A 73-year-old cyclist has admitted to motor doping at the 12th edition of the hill climb time trial event, the Col du Benas, in France. It didn’t take long for the organizers to realize something was up when they noticed the rider had finished in 16th up the tough ascent, just three minutes off the pace. The race which took place on August 28th, had some chaos afterwards as the organizers realized that one of the 112 competitors had used an a bike with a small motor in his rear wheel.

The race was won in just over 22 minutes. However, many were shocked to see that the septuagenarian, and president of a local cycling club finishing in  25 minutes and 31 seconds.

The organizers then examined his bike, and saw an electric motor installed in the hub of the rear wheel. Initially the rider denied cheating, but then justified it as he said health problems forced him to to use it. “Everyone knew about it, several people saw my bike before the start, told me it was fine,  no one tried to stop me from leaving and after the fact I was in trouble!” the unnamed rider said. He said he had a cardiac arrest the year before and it had affected his fitness. “I made a mistake, I admit it, but I did it knowingly. In addition, the rules of the event do not mention the prohibition of the use of e-bikes. Besides, I prefer mechanical doping to pharmaceutical doping. I am 73 years old, I try to make the most of the practice of cycling.”

The organizers were shocked. In a statement, they said it was upsetting he had used a motor. “This taints our event, which is above all an appointment where the best as well as the anonymous compete for fun. What is incomprehensible is that he hid from us that he was riding with an electric bike when if he had indicated it, he would obviously have competed in the event with a particular classification.”