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Ex-pro cyclist Phil Gaimon claims Fabian Cancellara used hidden motor

“That fucker probably did have a motor,” claims American retired pro in new book

Former professional cyclist Phil Gaimon has accused Fabian Cancellara of cheating by using a hidden motor in his bike.

Gaimon, who retired at the end of the 2016 season after a decade in the peloton, made the claim in his recently published autobiography, Draft Animals.

The American singled out Cancellara’s race-winning performance in the 2008 edition of Milan-San Remo as being particularly suspicious.

In his book, Gaimon wrote: “I dismissed it until I heard his former teammates talk about certain events where Cancellara had his own mechanic, his bike was kept separate from everyone else's, and he rode away from a ‘who's who’ of dopers.

“When you watch the footage, his accelerations don't look natural at all, like he's having trouble staying on the top of the pedals.

“That fucker probably did have a motor,” he added.

Cancellara, a three-time winner of both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and world time trial champion on four occasions, has always denied allegations of using a concealed motor.

Suspicions he may have been using illegal mechanical assistance were at their height in 2010, when the Swiss rider rode away from Tom Boonen on the Muur van Geraardsbergen to take a stunning victory at the Tour of Flanders and followed it up a week later by winning Paris-Roubaix.

Shortly afterwards, Italian ex-pro turned TV pundit Davide Cassani – now coach of Italy’s national team – demonstrated on television how he believed a pro cyclist could use a hidden motor to gain an unfair advantage.

World cycling’s governing body the UCI has stepped up the number of tests carried out on bikes since a concealed motor was found in the frame of a bike belonging to Belgian under-23 rider Femke van Den Driessche at the cyclo-cross world championships last year.

> Mechanical doping: “I won’t trust any victories of the Tour de France,” says Greg LeMond

Since then., however, no hidden motor has been found at a professional race.

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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32 comments

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BikeJon | 6 years ago
0 likes

Just to fan the flames of conspiracy theories, I checked the Cyclingnews live updates (posts) from their website shortly after this motor doping story originally broke. Specifically I checked Paris Roubaix and Tour of Flanders that have been highlighted in this article. Interestingly FC actually changed bikes in both races with about 50-60km to go. I'm sure one report even said they couldn't see what was obviously wrong with his bike. I searched for this as carrying around 2kgs of additional weight (weight of the Vivax system) for the previous 200km would be a disadvantage (the battery only lasts around 30 - 45 mins) .
But the Vivax system at the time was the noisier version. Also, the motor can only be installed in a metal tube and battery was external (saddle bag) along with the switch. Whilst I believe, technically, it would have been possible to customise a one-off solution to conceal all this and do some serious hacking to get it in a carbon frame, that would have taken real skill and sourcing of unusual parts. I don't see how this could all be kept quiet as it would have involved suppliers and skilled mechanics. That seems too difficult to keep a lid on to me.
Notwithstanding, FC produced amazing performances consistently throughout his career. So I'm tending not to believe this conspiracy theory.

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
1 like

I don't think Boonen is cooked in terms of slouching over the bars and giving up but he's on the ropes, up and down, swerving a little. I can't remember every detail of the race, perhaps he had less opportunity to hide in the groups etc. At such a crucial point you only need 3 or 4% extra to put somebody to the sword. On the flip side, it does look amazing, the cadence is off the scale and he's flying, extraordinary feats are usually extraordinary though...

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peted76 | 6 years ago
2 likes

Watch this conspiracy video from 3:30 https://youtu.be/8Nd13ARuvVE It's an interesting angle on things, suggesting that the footage shows him 'pressing buttons' not 'shifting gears'... the acceleration from Boonen at Flanders is quite amazing, for me it doesn't look like Boonen's cooked at that point, it just looks like Cancellara 'makes him look cooked' as he rides up the 19% part of the Muur van Geraardsbergen seated, almost without breaking cadence.. it's a superb showing of strength from Cancellera, mind blowingly strong...  by the time boonen reaches the top cancellara has 400meters on him.. which looks to me as that show of strength must have lasted about 45seconds... after 245km's of racing...hmm

Compare this footage from 2:00 in the 2017 Flanders race, these racers have fresher legs with  80km's less racing done and almost everyone is out of the saddle at the exact same point cancellera attacks in 2010 https://youtu.be/-E1BC-6nprI 

hmm

 

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Jimmy Ray Will replied to peted76 | 6 years ago
1 like

peted76 wrote:

Watch this conspiracy video from 3:30 https://youtu.be/8Nd13ARuvVE It's an interesting angle on things, suggesting that the footage shows him 'pressing buttons' not 'shifting gears'... the acceleration from Boonen at Flanders is quite amazing, for me it doesn't look like Boonen's cooked at that point, it just looks like Cancellara 'makes him look cooked' as he rides up the 19% part of the Muur van Geraardsbergen seated, almost without breaking cadence.. it's a superb showing of strength from Cancellera, mind blowingly strong...  by the time boonen reaches the top cancellara has 400meters on him.. which looks to me as that show of strength must have lasted about 45seconds... after 245km's of racing...hmm

Compare this footage from 2:00 in the 2017 Flanders race, these racers have fresher legs with  80km's less racing done and almost everyone is out of the saddle at the exact same point cancellera attacks in 2010 https://youtu.be/-E1BC-6nprI 

hmm

 

 

Back to my previous comment... it wouldn't be accepted in the peloton, it just wouldn't. Its as simple as that. The band of brothers decide what is, and isn't OK.

Truth is, if riders could get their hands on a motor, fit it themselves etc. I am sure this could have become a problem, however the relative expense to purchase, the relative difficulty to implement into a team bike, the need for team management complicity, simply means this couldn't happen. 

Not to mention that Cancellara would need to be a grade A 'C-nut' to do it. 

If you look at Cancellara, he was always a muscluar rider, leaving him well placed to be able produce big numbers sat in the saddle. That is a huge weapon to have in your arsenal. Indeed his career was known for big, one minute efforts... this wasn't due to motors in his bike, it was his weapon enabled by his musculature and the way he generated power.

It is also why he could never win big stage races. His power to weight was good enough (huge power), but the way that power was realised came at a fatigue cost that meant whilst mighty over one day, he couldn't string it together on multiple days. 

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Leviathan replied to peted76 | 6 years ago
0 likes

peted76 wrote:

Watch this conspiracy video from 3:30 https://youtu.be/8Nd13ARuvVE It's an interesting angle on things, suggesting that the footage shows him 'pressing buttons' not 'shifting gears'... the acceleration from Boonen at Flanders is quite amazing, for me it doesn't look like Boonen's cooked at that point, it just looks like Cancellara 'makes him look cooked' as he rides up the 19% part of the Muur van Geraardsbergen seated, almost without breaking cadence.. it's a superb showing of strength from Cancellera, mind blowingly strong...  by the time boonen reaches the top cancellara has 400meters on him.. which looks to me as that show of strength must have lasted about 45seconds... after 245km's of racing...hmm

Compare this footage from 2:00 in the 2017 Flanders race, these racers have fresher legs with  80km's less racing done and almost everyone is out of the saddle at the exact same point cancellera attacks in 2010 https://youtu.be/-E1BC-6nprI 

hmm

The 3:30 footage does look amazing, but on second inspection his cadence is at least 1.5 that of the group he is breaking away from and he is on a gentle down slope. Look again at his feet. We've seen this quick sprint and shift into TT mode many times from FC.

But hey, people love a consipracy theory...

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RobD | 6 years ago
2 likes

Fabian Cancellara, the guy who is quite well known for being particular about his equipment (sticking to mechanical gears rather than di2) and probably the biggest name on most teams, had his own mechanic and stored his bike spearately, not sure that it's that big a story. the fact that he's ridden to some pretty impressive victories at an older age and at a time when bikes are checked (I imagine his have been checked a good few times with all the rumours, the UCI wouldn't want to get caught out for ignoring the most rumoured motor doper going) gives him the benefit of the doubt in my eyes. 

Will I ever believe 100% in his results? No, I don't think I'd ever bet my house on any sportsperson being totally believeable with their achievements, but of all the likely cheats, I can't see him making it very high up the list.

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missionsystem | 6 years ago
3 likes

I honestly think you ought to calm down, take a stress pill and think things over.

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rjfrussell | 6 years ago
1 like

I find it amazing when in Olympic 5,000 and 10,000m races, they get to the last lap, or sometimes the last bend, and one man or woman suddenly accelerates away from the rest of the world class field.  AND NO-ONE CLAIMS THEY HAVE MOTORS HIDDEN IN THEIR LEGS!!!  How naive are you people??!!!???  If the guy who wins, on the day, breaks the next best guy, on the day, and opens up a big gap, it's obviously because he has a motor in his bike, or legs, and not because, on the day, he has the legs of a champion, and the other guy realises he is beaten.  Snowflakes!

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
4 likes

Jet fuel doesn't melt beams, fire was involved...

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mrmo | 6 years ago
1 like

There is no proof, but there have always been questions, and there will probably never be any proof. There is no blood stored away in some lab etc. Just a couple of people who know for certain and they will certainly deny it. 

https://twitter.com/nealrogers/status/928648002968764416

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fenix | 6 years ago
2 likes

Absolute rubbish. Did he ever even ride with Cancellara ? And was he on the electric bike for the rest of his victories ?

This is as bad as the jet fuel can't melt steel beams theories.

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drosco | 6 years ago
1 like

He has a point.

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Jamminatrix | 6 years ago
4 likes

This has been rumor mill for years. Unfortunately there is basically zero evidence aside from footage, because it happened years ago and all bikes are long gone/stripped out. And there was only one personal mechanic of Fabian's bike...so unless that one mechanic fesses up, nothing will come of it.

Whether it's true or not, people need to understand it's not like Cancellara was a Joe Schmoe and doping made him a top rider...which is why people don't believe it, because they think that's what is being implicated. He's a top 1%'er, even without the assistance. The cheating just creates the historic moments. Lance didn't win 7 tours in a row because he was ordinary doped Joe Schmoe, he won because he was a 1%'er doped Joe Schmoe.

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rjfrussell replied to Jamminatrix | 6 years ago
1 like

Jamminatrix wrote:

And there was only one personal mechanic of Fabian's bike...so unless that one mechanic fesses up, nothing will come of it..

The one personal mechanic, who, what, on his own,  invented and made the magic engine (and all the parts) he could put into the bike that Cancellara was riding.

Lots of people would have been involved.  One mechanic and Cancellera did not do this.  Dozens of people would have known.

Dozens of people knew Lance doped.  Some of them 'fessed.

No-one has 'fessed that Kubrick faked the moon-landings.

No-one has 'fessed that the CIA shot Kennedy.

No-one has 'fessed that Elvis is actually working in MacDonalds.

No-one has 'fessed that Cancellera had a motor in his bike which he used at the points when it looked like he was the stronger guy riding away from the weaker guy who had just blown despites all the other times...  oh fuck off.

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fixit | 6 years ago
1 like

it is well known...

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Jimmy Ray Will | 6 years ago
2 likes

If you look hard enough you'll see whatever you want.

Now we know it is feasibly possible to hide a motor in a bike. And I can think of a few occasions where 'Fab' rode away from everyone where the crowd noise would have concealed the whir of an electric motor. 

However, from my experience of electric bikes, such use would stand out like a sore thumb and riders would simply not stand for it. They'd either shout out, or jump on the bus (look at doping in the 90's)... the fact that motorised doping is not endemic suggests that its just not there at all.

Actually thinking about it. You know all these clever scanners for detecting motorised doping, why not just weigh the bike? If the battery is hidden in the bike, then the bikes would be 500grams+ heavier than they should be.

Yes you could potentially hide this with lightweight non-stock equipment, but that to me would also stand out... why would someone have super light bits on a bike, yet the bike still weigh over 6.8kg? If the battery pack was in the bottle cage, there would need to be a physical connecting point  there somewhere visible. 

Either way, you could protect that by requesting teams to provide details of stock rider equipment, any anomolies to this and bike weights for each rider. Covered. 

I think the quote in question will have been taken deliberately out of context in order to sell books. I'd happily wager 20 english pounds that Gaimon isn't outing Cancellara in the book. 

 

 

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Martyn_K | 6 years ago
6 likes

Shock horror.

Former pro trying to sell his book who's palmares peaks at winning the Redlands Bicycle Classic calls out another former pro (who has won almost everything) for motor doping without any evidence to support his claim.

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kitkat | 6 years ago
3 likes

First time i've watched it and I have to say it is amazing feat for Cancellara to stay seated, turning the pedals and put in a "300m" gap in 60 seconds (2m 37 > 3m 37)

When you're in form you're in form but... to put in that big a difference between two riders at the top of their game who are leading a top flight race they both want to win... it's quite "something"

https://youtu.be/z6z7uUe0tVA?t=156

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fukawitribe replied to kitkat | 6 years ago
1 like

kitkat wrote:

First time i've watched it and I have to say it is amazing feat for Cancellara to stay seated, turning the pedals and put in a "300m" gap in 60 seconds (2m 37 > 3m 37)

When you're in form you're in form but... to put in that big a difference between two riders at the top of their game who are leading a top flight race they both want to win... it's quite "something"

https://youtu.be/z6z7uUe0tVA?t=156

On that subject, this seemed quite interesting to me

http://cozybeehive.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/anatomy-of-cancellara-attack.html

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alansmurphy replied to kitkat | 6 years ago
2 likes
kitkat wrote:

First time i've watched it and I have to say it is amazing feat for Cancellara to stay seated, turning the pedals and put in a "300m" gap in 60 seconds (2m 37 > 3m 37)

When you're in form you're in form but... to put in that big a difference between two riders at the top of their game who are leading a top flight race they both want to win... it's quite "something"

https://youtu.be/z6z7uUe0tVA?t=156

What would seem more providing of proof would be to know how quick he went up compared to the rest of the race. Boonen looked like he hat hit the wall!

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bondirob | 6 years ago
4 likes

Glad he broke ranks.
Time a few more did the same.
It's not like we didn't already know anyway.

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jhsmith87 | 6 years ago
3 likes

Having watched the clips it looks pretty obvious to me, very unnatural acceleration compared to very good riders around him. And back then no one was checking for this type of thing. 

 

I've been following Phil G with his retirement series & the guy is a genuienly nice/decent all round guy so maybe there is another "legend" that we need to cross off from our history books (which isn't leaving many!)

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Cian McDermott | 6 years ago
0 likes

Can't seem to linkn out to the youtueb clips?

 

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
4 likes

“When you watch the footage, his accelerations don't look natural at all, like he's having trouble staying on the top of the pedals.

“That fucker probably did have a motor,” he added.

 

Sounds like a literary gem...

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missionsystem replied to alansmurphy | 6 years ago
2 likes

alansmurphy wrote:

Sounds like a literary gem...

Yeah - maybe... but i'd be lying if i denied instantly wanting to buy the book after reading that excerpt.

Beware Luigi fanboys - he might be telling the truth =] !

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Leviathan | 6 years ago
0 likes

Well that's his youtube channel unsubscribed.

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Grahamd | 6 years ago
7 likes

Bollocks, knew I shouldn’t have sold my shares in Pitchforks R Us.

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Kendalred | 6 years ago
3 likes

These are the final few km of MSR 08, where FC drops the rest and solos to the win. A bit grainy, and hardly conclusive.

To my relatively untrained eye, there's nothing I can see to back up these accusations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXS-qTbR1Tk

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Scoob_84 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Can anyone can dig out youtube clips of these accelerations he's talking about? 

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