Anonymous pro talks about motor checks at Giro

In a special feature on the Belgian website Sporza, a “Spy in the Peloton” provides an inside view of the possibility of motor doping. The obvious questions are: since it was the fastest Giro d’Italia in history, does the UCI suspect motor use? Tadej Pogačar is one of the finest cyclists in recent history, but given years of rumors about secret motors, cycling fans are left wondering. Considering the sport’s history, it’s not surprising, but it is also sad that when a cyclist performs well, everyone immediately questions it.

According to the “Spy,” the possibility of such simply isn’t possible. In fact, in the history of cycling, only one rider has ever been caught for a motor, and it was her bike in the pits at the 2016 CX worlds. Femke Van den Driessche was caught utilizing motor doping. During the 2016 ‘cross worlds, the UCI discovered a motor in one of her spare bikes. She claimed it was a friend’s bike mistakenly placed there and denied any intention to cheat. “That bike belongs to a friend of mine. He trains with us. He joined my brothers and my father. That friend joined my brother at the reconnaissance, and he placed the bike against the truck, but it’s identical to mine,” she said. Last year he bought it from me. My mechanic cleaned the bike and put it in the truck. They must’ve thought that it was my bike. I don’t know how it happened.”

Is motor doping even possible?

But according to the insider, the issue is a non-starter.

A deep dive into the history of motor doping in cycling

“In the peloton, there is never really any talk of motors.” There was a recent hullabaloo with a French rider who was suspected to have a motor–although he has recently come out and denied it–but still, the conversation seems to continue.

The UCI inspections

“Until last year, the inspector came with his tablet to scan our bikes every Grand Tour.. This year we got it over in almost every Classic,” he said. “In a certain stage race, I was checked every day. The mechanics then eagerly shared photos on Snapchat. If an alarm goes off during the tablet control, the bike is taken apart. I have never seen it with my own eyes,” he said.

The unnamed rider underscored several times that no professional cyclist has been caught using a motor, and it’s considered nearly impossible in 2024. He did mention how occasionally, people like former pro Jerome Pineau, in 2023 claimed Sepp Kuss used a motor. But it’s unclear how they…