Cavendish says recent mechanical doping claims are pure speculation

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  • Cavendish believes the media is jumping on a bandwagon against cycling.

    Mark Cavendish has brushed aside the allegations made by a French TV programme that concealed motors were detected in seven bikes at Italian races Strade Bianche and Coppi e Bartali in March, the sprint star describing the claims as mere speculation.

    Technological cheating, or mechanical doping as it is commonly referred to, went from rumour to reality last January when a hidden motor was found in Belgian junior rider Femke Van den Driessche’s bike at the Cyclocross World Championships, but no other cyclist has been caught since then.

    On Tuesday Van den Driessche received a six-year ban for the offence.

    Journalists from French programme, Stade 2, and Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera, did not reveal any names but claim that footage from a hidden thermal video camera provided evidence that five riders were using electric motors similar to Van den Driessche’s, and two others had magnetic propulsion systems on their rear wheels.

    UCI, the world governing body of cycling, acknowledge the challenge but say they are confident in their detection systems and Cavendish does not feel that a sense of mistrust exists in the peloton following the latest claims.

    “That was a speculation thing anyway, that was a speculation piece that came out,” Cavendish told reporters yesterday in the UAE capital, where he was confirmed as Abu Dhabi Tour ambassador for a second year.

    Cavendish facts

    • Twenty-six Tour de France stage wins.
    • Won the 2011 road world championships road race.
    • Won the 2013 Giro d'Italia points classification.
    • Won the 2011 Tour de France points classification.

    “I don’t know, I’m not going to put a motor in my bike so…

    “I think it’s more of an issue where media can jump on a bandwagon against cycling really. Like you just said, ‘news that came out’, it wasn’t news it was speculation. And that’s exactly what happens with doping within cycling as well. Speculation, then people say ‘oh it’s news’. It’s not news, it’s speculation.

    “Unfortunately in every aspect of life there will be people who are cheating and we have to answer questions, everybody who is not cheating – even if one person cheats, one person out of a million, means everybody else, the 999,999 others will have to answer questions about it.”

    Cavendish has had a good start with a new outfit this season, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, winning the Tour of Qatar in February and grabbing the second stage at the Tour of Croatia last week.

    The Manxman has a busy year ahead of him as he eyes success on both the road and the track, with one eye set firmly on the Olympics. British Cycling will announce the list of riders for Team GB’s track team on June 13 and Cavendish is believed to be in a good position to clinch a spot on the squad.

    He finished a disappointing sixth in the Omnium at the World Track Championships last month, but won gold with Bradley Wiggins in the Madison. Cavendish’s chances have also been enhanced after Jon Dibben – winner of the Points race at Worlds and a rival for the Omnium spot – crashed and broke his elbow 10 days ago.

    “I’m a month and a half away from finding out. It’s not down to me so I’m doing what I can,” said Cavendish on the prospect of making the Olympic team.

    “It shapes the rest of my season that’s for sure. I’d obviously like to go to the Olympics, I’ve been to the Olympics before so it’s not like I’m just going because I want to go to the Olympics. I believe I can win a medal at the Olympic Games, if I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t have even attempted to go back.”

    Cavendish’s next event will be the Tour of California (May 15-22).

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