FACTS
Saturday, January 30. In the cold and rain Zolder, competing hopefuls are fighting for the title of world champion under 23. Among them, the Belgian Femke Van den Driessche, 19 and favorite of the race. But the young woman abandoned at the halfway point for … mechanical problem. Around 17h, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced in a statement “that under the UCI Regulations fraud technology on the bicycle was kept for further examinations “. The news quickly round the peloton and the media.
WHAT WE MEAN BY DOPING TECHNOLOGY
By mechanical doping generally means using an illegal performance, in Using an electric motor miniaturized. It is often hidden in the bicycle tubes or at the wheels.
The UCI REACTION
Silent Saturday, the UCI has issued more answers this Sunday morning at a press conference, through its president, Bryan Cookson: “We feel clearly that there has been fraud technology, there was a hidden motor Mechanical doping is now a reality..”
“To all those who so want to cheat, we sent yesterday a clear message: we will catch you and we will punish you, because our technology to detect this type of fraud seems to work,” warned Cookson. The UCI president gave no further details on the engine found in the competing bike. Femke den Driessche Van incurs a minimum suspension of six months and a fine whose amount can be up to 200,000 Swiss francs (192,000 euros), according to the regulation.
SHOCK THE WORLD CYCLING
“I never thought that such actions were possible. It is a scandal that the entourage of Femke has deceived the Federation Belgian, “testified the coach of the team of Belgium Rudy De Bie, who said he was” shocked. We thought we had a talented young but she obviously we were all wrong. ”
Van den Driessche Femke spoke Sunday on Sporza chain, to denounce the fact that the bicycle in which a motor is detected, not his. “It was not my bike but that of a friend, identical to mine, which ended up in my hands following a misunderstanding of a mechanic. This friend went recognize the course Saturday before filing his bike truck. A mechanic, thinking it was my bike, cleaned it and prepared me for the race. ” The young Belgian 19-year in tears, argued that it is “not a cheater” but may have trouble finding support.
Manager Etixx team, Patrick Lefevere, has already asked “lifetime suspension for the cheater.”
WHY THIS CASE TAKES AN EXTENT SUCH
For the first time in its history, cycling is confronted with a first mechanical doping case. Haunted by old demons of doping, the sport is already suffering from a bad media image, following the Festina affairs and Puerto. technological doping rumors are not new. Whether Fabian Cancellara Paris-Roubaix, or Chris Froome in the Tour de France this season, the idea that an engine is introduced in some people talking bikes and worries the specialists. In an investigation report that was released last March, the Independent Commission for the reform of cycling (IARC) warned of the possible existence of such cheating, without being able to bring as much evidence and concrete examples. fantasy Often, the idea of a mechanical doping has become reality this Sunday, relegating to the background all cyclists results of the weekend. It will nevertheless wait for more concrete information on the identity of the engine found in the bike Femke Van den Driessche, before drawing real conclusions about this first case, which may be the premise of a new scandal.
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