I was having a nice dinner on Halloween night with some industry friends. Inevitably, the discussion turned to racing. Despite the economy, a freakishly inept president, an endless war, etc, bike racers always end up talking about bike racing.
I've been involved in armchair-quarterback discussions of pro racing for about 25 years.
But I realized something profound and a little chilling this time. Slipped in among debates about true champions vs. grand tour prima donnas, Campy vs. Shimano, Assos vs. Pearl, etc., I realized we had all become amateur experts on the latest and most effective means of doping. It's as if, in order to be really well versed in the ins and outs of bike racing, you need to know which pro is using what kind of doping, is analogous more or less ethical than homologous, what really is a normal hematocrit?, when will you-know-who get caught? etc.
This is all shit we shouldn't know anything about, yet there it is. I mean, I almost expect that soon amoung those other tempting click through ads on cyclingnews.com, you and I can get ourselves a good deal on an over the counter hematocrit/HGH blend that will guarantee good results in our next 3 day stage race. Or, along with massage, supported rides and a chef at that expensive Arizona training camp this winter, you'll have access to profesionally administered blood transfusions.
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