[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Alaska Mike

The level playing field argument is thrown out a lot. It's garbage.

Gewiss (to use an example from the documentary) was a dominant team for a time. Their secret weapon? Michele Ferrari, who Lance sought out and eventually obtained an almost exclusive contract with (at least among GC contenders). His doping protocols were far ahead of anyone else at that time. Compare this with Floyd and Tyler's experiences with other doctors (e.g. Fuentes). No cyclist on Postal/Discovery was sanctioned for a positive control while they were on the team, but doping was very much part of their success story. Ferrari ran a very controlled and professional doping operation. Fuente's organization was a clown show in comparison.

There are countless other examples of eyebrow raising performances that were more a question of willingness to dope to the extreme than any sort of natural athletic prowess. Riis? Mapei 1-2-3? Books have been filled with the stories.

Post Festina and the eventual development of an EPO test, blood transfusions took on a huge role in GT performance. There is a large difference in complexity in obtaining, storing, distributing, and administering blood bags vs a vial of EPO. That comes at a large financial and logistical cost, and when you spread it across an entire team, transfusions become that much more complex. Not every team had that sort of will to win at any cost or the resources to pull it off.

Tyler detailed getting a bad blood bag in The Secret Race. Floyd got popped for testosterone, which he claimed he didn't use during the Tour. If he didn't, it likely came from the blood bag he had the night before. Ferrari was extremely careful in his doping regimes to avoid detection, yet managed to achieve better results through planning. Most other doctors were not that diligent, and a lot of riders got popped, sick, or both.

Then there's the simple fact that not everyone responds to doping protocols equally. Not everyone was able to get that 10% EPO performance bump Vaughters throws around and still remain undetected, depending on a variety of factors. The closest we ever came to drugs "leveling the playing field" was when the haematocrit limit was published and riders just doped up to that. Even then, you had Mr 60% putting his finger on the scale.

Not a level playing field at all. Clean or dirty, cycling has never been about fairness.

Very well said.