Team Sky: Sky High?

Is Chris Froome doping?  There seems to plenty of people who think so.  There seems to be some scientific proof of this allegation; +6 watts per kilogram of power.  +6 watts per kilogram is considered by some experts as physiologically impossible.  +6 watts per kilogram aptly termed "superhuman power" is produced by blood transfusions combined with micro-dosed EPO, testosterone, and other performance-enhancing substances.

Now we have self-proclaimed sleuths watching the ascent up Mont Ventoux with a stopwatch and a laptop computer loaded with software that measures road grades, wind resistance, tire surface resistance, temperature, then compare these conditions to riders of the same stages in the steroid era; then compare the watts per kilogram generated between suspected doper, Chris Froome, versus proven doper, Lance Armstrong.  Quaint, voodoo nonsense declared Sir David Brailsford, the mastermind behind the United Kingdom surge in cycling: a surge that can only be compared to the old doped Chinese women's swimming team.  Great Britain does nothing in cycling for years, then suddenly they are walking away with all the gold.  Without dope.  Very improbable.

These anti-doping sleuths, the human calculators, want all of the professional team blood data teams collect released to the public for inspection.  Pro tour teams that pay lip service to the notion that blood is analyzed to prevent opportunistic blood doping among the riders may be deceptive.  Phonak claimed that an internal blood doping program that they pioneered was designed to detect then punish riders who dared to dope.  But in reality, the whole purpose of the program was to not test positive during a race.  Team Sky has the same claim: we support clean cycling and our internal measures are designed to deter cheating on the team and nothing more.  But can these claims be believed?

Because believe it or not the entire cycling world is fixated on one problem: the winning formula.  Michele Ferrari knew the winning formula, he devised the model that for seven years produced a Tour de France champion.  Lance Armstrong's contenders were experimenting with their own formulae; trying to develop a formula that would beat Lance Armstrong.  Tyler Hamilton writes about this quest, so does Floyd Landis, and even David Millar.  Finding the correct dosing regimen that would produce results and be undetectable at the same time was the summa cum laude quest for all cycling teams.  Perhaps doping without detection is the current summa cum laude team goal.

Whoever thought of two ascents up L'Alpe d'Huez in a single stage is a deranged sadist; reminds me of the attitude when the Pyrenees were added to the Tour de France: assassins!  Chris Froome looked in distress on the second ascent up L'Alpe d'Huez, he asked his team car for food in a non-feed prohibited area of the course and was penalized twenty seconds for this transgression.  The French press jeered: "Chris Froome is human."  Chris Froome is smart, he remembers that dope-fueled people who are flying sky high up beyond category cols bonk from lack of sugar; Lance Armstrong bonked, Tyler Hamilton bonked, Floyd Landis bonked.  Chris Froome merely was prudent and very wise to eat food in a prohibited zone and take a penalty, rather than bonk and lose the race.  Does this prove that Chris Froome is riding clean?  Absolutely not.  Theatrical performances that are designed to deceive can even be performed on ascents up L'Alpe d'Huez.  Remain vigilant and skeptical at all times.

David Millar said that when Bradley Wiggins was riding for Garmin that the team never imagined him on the podium; but when he moved to Sky the guy suddenly dominated the Tour de France!  Chris Froome finished second.  Now Chris Froome is sprinting up beyond category climbs at an inhuman rate and dominating the Tour de France!  No wonder people want to look at Team Sky's blood profiles, this is not normal, and the issue should be independently investigated.  David Brailsford says he will release some of Chris Froome's blood profile data to WADA.  What exactly will that accomplish?  WADA is a stakeholder with a vested interest, not an independent entity who will examine the evidence objectively.

Rubbish!  We suspect Chris Froome of doping, we suspect Alberto Contador of doping, we suspect Alejandro Valverde of doping; based upon past history, including suspensions for past offenses.  Release the blood profiles of all; end the omerta.