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Geraint Thomas in Bayern Rundfahrt leader's jersey 2014 (picture credit Bayern Rundfahrt)Geraint Thomas says claim 90 per cent of riders still doping is “insulting”
Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas says a claim that as many as 90 per cent of riders in today’s peloton could be doping is “insulting” and says he would bet all the money he has that team mates Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome are riding clean.
The Welsh rider, currently 10th overall at Paris-Nice, was speaking to BBC Sport following the publication yesterday of the report by Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) into the culture of doping in cycling, including the years when use of substances such as EPO was commonplace.
The report suggested that use of performance enhancing drugs is still rife in the sport, although estimates of just how much vary widely, with the CIRC saying one “respected former professional” putting the figure at 90 per cent of riders, while another interviewed by the commission estimated 20 per cent.
Inevitably, it’s the higher figure that has received most attention, with many media outlets – including BBC Sport – highlighting that one, instead of the lower one in what is, after all, a very wide range.
In a video interview at the end of yesterday’s stage, Thomas told the BBC: “I think it’s a hell of a lot cleaner. I didn’t race back then, but all the stories you hear it’s certainly not like that now. Whole teams were doing it back then.
“I can only comment on me and this team and I know we do it [ride clean], and I certainly do it 100 per cent.
“It’s quite insulting when people say it’s still really filthy, because that’s saying that I’m doing something wrong, and I dedicate everything to this.
“You do everything you can, you sleep well, you try not to eat, try and get skinny. It’s hard bloody work and it’s insulting when they say something like that. It’s not very nice.”
The CIRC’s report was based partly on interviews with 174 individuals including past and present riders, the majority of whom have been sanctioned for or admitted doping, including Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton and Alexander Vinokourov.
It found that in contrast to the past when many teams ran internal doping programmes, for today’s peloton, “a common response ... when asked about teams, was that probably 3 or 4 were clean, 3 or 4 were doping, and the rest were a 'don’t know'."
Thomas said: “I can only comment on this team I don’t know what other teams do, if they were doing something I’m sure they wouldn’t tell me.
“But the thing is also, the older riders who have done it in the past, they’re the most cynical about it all because they don’t know anything else and they don’t think you can do it any other way.
“You certainly can,” he maintained. “Look at Brad, look at Froomey, I’d put all the money I have that they’re clean. Obviously I can’t say 100 per cent, but 99.9999, you know.”
Those interviewed by the CIRC were able to ask for their identity not to be disclosed, but the names of most were published in the report, with 2013 Tour de France champion Froome the only current rider listed.
That led the recently retired David Millar, who said the report did not reflect the reality of the peloton now, to ask yesterday, “Where are the others?”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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52 comments
How can anyone not like Geraint Thomas? Comes over a nice cheeky chap sort of guy not caught up in the team politics, just a solid rider who gives his all which is why he was a very popular Commonwealth games winner.
[/quote]How can anyone not like Geraint Thomas?[/quote]
It is ever so easy, just look at him or listen to him and you will see how!
I always felt slightly odd because I thought that I was the only one who didnt like him.
How can anyone not like Geraint Thomas?[/quote]
It is ever so easy, just look at him or listen to him and you will see how!
I always felt slightly odd because I thought that I was the only one who didnt like him.[/quote]
I hate him too - he's such a div.
@rich71 y cos hes a pro and you are just a soft southern twat
Coming from a twat from conway,laughable
Thomas is a suspect unlikeable piece of shit and servicing Murdochs shrivelled paedo racket is all the piece of excrement is fit for
conwy you thik sothern twat
Okay maybe he doesn't know, but I am with him on the insulting factor in this. That report quotes a figure like 90% and a figure like 20% and the media are going to jump on the most controversial. It labels pretty much all of them as doping and that's a massive claim to make without substantial evidence. This is all estimates, because let's face it not one current rider or team is going to tell that report that they're doping.
And you've got the cheek to criticise someone else's attitude with a comment like that?! FFS.
Even if Thomas and right and team sky doesn't dope, as far as he knows the rest of the peloton could still be on PEDs for all he knows. I will obviously never know, but just saying. Doping is probably as much of a issue across all professional sports.
I would suggest that the 20% figure is closer to the truth.
I would take issue with the assertion that there are no teams with organised doping programs, I think it's pretty obvious that they do exist.
In my mind you're not tainted by the 20-90% brush Geraint - keep smashing it and making us proud!
Totally agree with GT! that's why the brits are doing so well on the road and track the last few years.
J - T - L
Think you're missing the point that J T L was caught as a result of moving into the big time. Once he was on the biological passport, he was drummed out of professional cycling immediately. Can't ask for much more can you? One Brit since Millar, any others you'd like to add in?
You assume testing is ahead of the doping.
Sean Yates
Stephen Roche
Sean Kelly
David Millar
Was it the nob jockey Armstrong who quoted 90%? I imagine it was, another sad attempt to get back into cycling.
Or destroy what he can no longer have.
No. But don't let that stop another sad attempt to blame him for cycling's woes....makes things a lot easier when it can all be pinned on a devil child.
Probably was Vino who quoted the 90% figure...
Probably was Vino who quoted the 90% figure...
Some knob on sky news yesterday morning reported the 9/10 thing as if it were a fact, rather than a quote from one individual. .
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