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news
femke wilier.jpgMechanical doping: Six-year ban for Femke Van den Driessche
Belgian cyclo-cross rider Femke Van den Driessche has been banned from cycling for six years following the discovery of a concealed motor in a bike prepared for her at the world championships in Zolder at the end ofJanuary.
In the first case of its type, the UCI disciplinary committee has also fined her 20,000 Swiss Francs and stripped her of results obtained since 11 October 2015, the date on which her ban starts.
The UCI confirmed that the motor concerned was a Vivax, operated by a Bluetooth switch concealed under the bar tape, detected using magnetic resonance testing technology deployed for the first time this year.
The fact the ban is backdated by nearly three months suggests the UCI is satisfied that Ven den Driessche was using the illegal equipment throughout the season.
That mirrors suspicions expressed by some riders after the world championships that the 19-year-old had cheated at races such as the Koppenbergcross World Cup event in November.
Ven den Driessche, who had claimed that the bike belonged to a friend and had been prepared for her in error, also loses all prize money she won since 11 December, as well as her Under-23 Belgian and European titles.
She chose not to defend herself at the disciplinary hearing in Aigle, Switzerland, last month.
The UCI said that besides checking 100 bikes at Zolder for concealed motors, it had also tested "274 at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London, 216 at the Tour of Flanders, 232 at Paris-Roubaix [and] 173 at the U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège)," adding that it would "continue to test heavily in all disciplines throughout the year."
Last week, a joint investigation by journalists from the French TV show Stade 2 and Italian newspaper La Corriere della Sera claimed to have detected seven bikes equipped with hidden motors at races in March including Strade Bianche.
> Hidden motors used at Strade Bianche, claims French TV (+ video)
They said the thermal imaging equipment used in their investigation was more accurate than the UCI's kit, which uses an app linked to a tablet computer to look for magnetic waves.
They also claimed that motors in use now are much smaller - 5cm in length compared to 22cm for the Vivax now confirmed as having been found in Van den Driessche's bike.
UCI President Brian Cookson commented: “We have invested considerable resources in developing this new and highly effective scanning technology and also in strengthening the sanctions applicable to anyone found cheating in this way.
"This case is a major victory for the UCI and all those fans, riders and teams who want to be assured that we will keep this form of cheating out of our sport.”
> Tour de France chief: Mechanical doping the biggest challenge facing pro cycling
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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17 comments
In mitigation she wasn't using disk brakes.
If, as she has said, she's giving up competetive cycling anyway, what powers do the UCI have to enforce their 20,000 euro fine, it's not like it's a court order. Just interested.
I think that is linked to why she didn't contest the case. If she had contested then she would have had to actually pay a load of lawyers (who would have made damn sure they got paid, win or lose). The fine is, afaik, taken from future winnings, etc., so this was a good way on her part to avoid paying anything. Bear in mind though that she won't have made more than peanuts from the sport to date. The downside in not contesting is that everyone is free to make their own judgements rather than hear all the facts...although she may have factored that in as well!
Did anyone really buy her story? There is no reason whatsoever to use an electronic assisted bike for a course run with a pro team. A bike that happens to be identical to her race bike with a hidden switch.
Even if there were a half valid argument for using one you'd be deliberately overt about it, not covert. Meaning you have a bike that's clearly an e-bike with a big fuck off battery on the frame in clear view. And if you're gonna do that why not use a flippin' moped?
This woman is a liar and a cheat and I hope she has disgraced herself and her family. In my view she should never race again.
And as has already been mentioned, what about the team? Cheating scum.
Well, if it's 6 yrs for a hidden motor then no question it should be 6 yrs for doping...what's the difference...cheating is cheating !
UCI need to follow WADA code for doping offences (max 4 years) but mechanical fraud is under their own remit so they can choose the length of the ban.
It's worth remembering that she was racing representing her country rather than a trade team. But in any case, according to Helen Wyman on Twitter, essentially her family are her cross "team."
https://twitter.com/CXHelen/status/724962660291383296
The fact that she chose not to defend herself perhaps supports the thought that she didn't want to drop her family in it. Although outside of this case, they seem to have enough other issues...
Agree with Simon E there is no way her team were unaware of what was going on.
"Only Van den Driessche is sanctioned, no penalty for her team"
https://twitter.com/inrng/status/724919983210434560
So the team gets off scot-free, even though it was in the pits when seized. Not good.
Apparently the rules vary from country to country. In Belgium only the rider can be sanctioned. If this had taken place in Italy she and the team could have been done for 'sporting fraud' by the police.
With the motor in the seat tube there looks to be not enough room for a Di2 battery...... No wonder FC uses Dura Ace Mechanical.. Just an observation. Sram Red eTap mitigates that issue though
Seems about right and hopefuly enough to put anyone else off trying it.
Six years!
Wow, no coming back from that! Have at thee, you Belgium bounder!
She should have doped and used some drugs that really worked. Then, even if she was caught (not guaranteed), she'd only get 4 years max and then return to the sport like nothing ever happened.
If they removed her results since October does that mean she admitted to using the device since that time? I know some top riders suspected she used it for the Koppenberg 'cross event.
Motors in bikes was discussed in the latest cycling podcast. Despite the publicity, most DSs canvassed didn't think many people used them. But, like the disc brake scandal(?), everyone loves talking about it at great length.
Fucking "Outside" have vandalised all the old CyclingTips links - it's broken. Better just to link to road.cc's reporting of the same comments: https://road.cc/content/news/189602-mechanical-doping-ban-femke-van-den-...
To be fair, Simon did post that link 7 years ago, long before outside destroyed CyclingTips😉
I was originally willing to accept as plausible the original argument from the rider that the bike in question was owned by a mechanic/family member (don't remember the exact circumstances) and just happened to be in the pit area during the race - but not so convinced now that I read the method for operating the motor was using a concealed wireless switch located under the bar tape! Why conceal it unless it is for 'improper use'!? Mind you, if I had a motor in a regular road bike that I only used for social rides with mates I think I'd be hiding it too - but out of embarrassment!