US women’s cycling team suspended for dressing mechanic as rider

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by coffeecherrypie

Occasionally something like this happens in pro hockey, team needs a backup goalie for a game. What they do is sign a local, often associated with the team in another capacity, to a 1-game pro contract. (If that goalie actually gets into the game, which only happens if the starter gets hurt, it always becomes a good story). So couldn’t the team have just done that, drawn up a contract for their mechanic that says you’re a bone fide team member for the next week or whatever?

It was a very last minute fly by the seat of the pants decision, not at all planned in advance.

Get the rider (mechanic) to start then drop out so the team can field the required number of riders and not forfeit the entire team not starting. When checking in the official immediately knew the mech. was not the rider they were impersonating.

[Philster]

I think it’s pretty funny. It’s not like they were gaining a competitive advantage. The Swiss have no sense of humor.

[RoosterCogset]

Did the mechanic actually start the ride?

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by RoosterCogset

Did the mechanic actually start the ride?

No

[trener1]

As far as having a wringer like they do with NHL goalies, as cool as that would be.
I'm assuming (though not 100% sure if it's the case with these lower lever conti teams) that the rider would need to be on the biological passport system for at least 6 months or so to be able to ride as a pro in a UCI sanctioned race.

[coffeecherrypie]

Originally Posted by trener1

As far as having a wringer like they do with NHL goalies, as cool as that would be.
I'm assuming (though not 100% sure if it's the case with these lower lever conti teams) that the rider would need to be on the biological passport system for at least 6 months or so to be able to ride as a pro in a UCI sanctioned race.

Good point

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by trener1

As far as having a wringer like they do with NHL goalies, as cool as that would be.
I'm assuming (though not 100% sure if it's the case with these lower lever conti teams) that the rider would need to be on the biological passport system for at least 6 months or so to be able to ride as a pro in a UCI sanctioned race.

Any pro-conti racer should be in the program. But they'll also have their own race schedule already planned out months in advance. Do elite amateurs participate in the passport program, or do they just do random tests after big events?