by Gianetti, a former driver, is a poster child for this problem. In 1998, he almost died after injecting himself with perfluorocarbon (PFC), a substance said to improve oxygen transport in the blood. Although Gianetti has denied the injection, his former teammate Éric Boyer has his doubts. Boyer believes that the presence of figures with dubious pasts like Gianetti or Alexander Vinokourov is irresponsible for the future of the sport.
The study also highlights the availability of various medications in the peloton. Substances such as Voltaren, caffeine and paracetamol are available to cyclists, often in the form of cocktails. An anonymous witness describes the “magic box,” a box containing various medications that are distributed free before races. The concept of the “Bomba”, a mixture of these approved products, is reminiscent of the once widespread amphetamine cocktails.
The newly popular ketones are also an example of this “gray area” in which cycling operates. Sold as dietary supplements, they improve regeneration and increase red blood cell levels. Although the UCI and MPCC discourage their use, they are tolerated in certain teams under medical supervision. A cyclist says some managers prefer to monitor the use of ketones rather than ban them, which he says amounts to a form of doping.
The use of sophisticated medical devices such as carbon monoxide rebreathers is also problematic. Originally designed for dialysis patients, these devices are now used during cycling to simulate high altitudes and thus stimulate the production of EPO. This “legal doping” worries experts such as hematologist Gérard Dine, who points out that these techniques are hijacking medical progress. According to him, these practices allow cyclists to evade anti-doping controls without directly breaking the rules by exploiting technological and regulatory loopholes.
Experts are calling for reform to stop this medical “arms race,” especially in teams and among young cyclists. Jean-Pierre Verdy, former director of the French Anti-Doping Agency, considers this massive drug use to be a form of doping, albeit a legal one.
