Doping

Nah, she was stripped of them straight away, wasn't she?

I think I just realised quite how mad The Clinic is:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=31140

hah - yup, I noticed that the other day - completely bat-shit.

Jesus... I don't even know where to start.

Happy to agree that the Clinic is completely mad. But I don't know enough about power metres or hill climbs to refute their accusations.

Is it surprising/impressive that top hill climbers are putting out 8w/kg?

It's impressive but then you'd expect that from people winning hill climbs - they're bloody good athletes who train incredibly hard for it. It does seem a bit far fetched that people would specifically dope to climb damp British hills in a fast time. I'm not sure 8W/kg is an otherworldly performance when it's anaerobic anyway, is it?

I always knew hill climbers were up to no good.

I would definitely dope to impress a bunch of people on a wet english hill.

I spent most of my late teens doing this. Recommended.

It does seem a bit far fetched that people would specifically dope to climb damp British hills in a fast time.

If your goal is to win, or at least be in with a chance of winning, why wouldn't you dope?

1. Because it cots a lot
   
2. Because it's potentially harmful
   
3. Because everyone would think you're a massive berk if they found out
   
4. Because it's a fucking hill climb, what's the point? The prize is a sausage roll or something.
   

I mean, with that logic... why isn't everyone on the start line of CP Crits not huffing up massive lines of speed?

(5). because it's cheating and some people would see that as not winning thus negating the entire "If your goal is to win..." thing.

(wtf, I can't start a post with a "5.", it automatically makes it a 1.).

But we know that loads of masters / amateur riders dope - at least in the US.

Yeah, that's true - I don't have an answer to that. You could make noises about hyper-competitive mamil roadie scene or something. I'm not sure that's really there in the hill climbs, but it might be?

Absolutely, but loads more don't cheat and there are certainly reasons for that.

I mean, with that logic... why isn't everyone on the start line of CP Crits not huffing up massive lines of speed?

I go to the track league at the velodrome every now and then. The racers obviously put a lot of effort into the racing, and spend a lot of money on the bikes, so why wouldn't they dope if it meant going from say 10th position to top 5? If you want to be a bit more competitive it makes sense.

Personal integrity? Self respect? Not being a cheating weasel?

In the same way that punching the person in front of you in the queue in the face to get your coffee quicker makes sense, yeah.
Here's a thing - I'm a Strava wanker. I take a shy pride in being in the top few % for a number of big/popular Kent segments. I tried proper CX racing for the first time the other day.... and I was so mediocre it was funny. Lapped by a few of the leaders, busting a gut to beat the guys in the middle of the race who, like me, are in their mid 30s and obviously put a lot of time and effort into their riding when they can. Not for one minute did I think the guys winning, and winning by miles, were doping. They're just a lot better than me. Better athletes, better trained, better bike handlers, better judges of their race capacity. If your automatic response to getting beaten in nodder races is to think your opponents are doping - shit, I feel sorry for you. Learn to lose with humility and grace.

I totally agree, but also just because someone beats you doesn't mean they're not doping. it's just much much much more likely that it's because they're better than you.

Because it's a fucking hill climb, what's the point? The prize is a sausage roll or something

Not so. This came up at the weekend, and my brother and I concluded that hill climbing would be exactly the branch of TTing where it would make most sense to dope, since it's the one where there are regularly significant cash prizes at stake, i.e. hundreds rather than the tens of pounds on offer for typical fixed distance events.

It's like doping for Sunday league football or to have a more impressive Tinder picture. Really not worth it and most people have the intelligence as well as the integrity to realise it.

It's still going to be cheaper to sit on the sofa eating Jaffa Cakes and not bothering to turn up at all though. Doping to win domestic HCs seems to me a poor return on investment. Particularly for me, as I'd still lose even if I was juiced. Badly.

It's still going to be cheaper to sit on the sofa eating Jaffa Cakes and not bothering to turn up at all

This is true, but some leading UK testers seem to get annoyed when I point that out as a good reason to stop cheating.

It's not at the top of my list of reasons for not doping. Number 1 is that it sounds like rather a hassle, and I can't be bothered.