Question: Can you talk about the team’s work with Damsgaard?
Johan Bruyneel: From the beginning, we decided we would work with (Dr. Rasmus) Damsgaard for the internal anti-doping tests. I looked at all the different programs and that was the best one. I’m even more impressed now that we’ve used it. There are a lot of tests. It’s a lot more extended than the biological passport. I think with what we have, with the anti-doping program and with the performances we’re having at the same time, it says a lot about this team.
We are proving that we are one of the best teams in the world, with great riders and great performances. We brought the knowledge and training systems from Postal Service and Discovery to Astana. The fact that we can be successful with other riders, young riders, that’s one of the biggest satisfactions. Even with one of the strictest internal anti-doping programs says even more. When we were at Postal Service, Discovery, there were a lot of rumors and stories, but there are no secrets. It takes hard work, planning, being serious and working with professionals.
Q: Is cycling cleaning up its act?
JB: I think a lot of things have changed in cycling. The biological passport is in place for all the ProTour teams and the continental teams with wild-card status, which is already a big step forward. It’s a long process. The effect of the biological passport cannot happen from today to tomorrow. We have to have a period to evaluate it. At the end of the day, these measures are good for the champions. The champions who won before are still winning.
That’s proof that there’s no magic potion that can make you go faster. A champion is a champion. The guy who works the hardest, who has the best team, who’s smart and professional will win. I think cycling is one of the cleanest high-endurance sports right now. Before at Postal Service, we were very successful, but there were a lot of suspicions around us.
Now this season, what we are doing today with completely different structure, different riders, we’re still the dominant team right now. If we were in the Tour, we’d have the strongest team. I really don’t see any stricter anti-doping program than ours right now. That’s an answer toward all the critics that we’ve had.
Johan Bruyneel: From the beginning, we decided we would work with (Dr. Rasmus) Damsgaard for the internal anti-doping tests. I looked at all the different programs and that was the best one. I’m even more impressed now that we’ve used it. There are a lot of tests. It’s a lot more extended than the biological passport. I think with what we have, with the anti-doping program and with the performances we’re having at the same time, it says a lot about this team.
We are proving that we are one of the best teams in the world, with great riders and great performances. We brought the knowledge and training systems from Postal Service and Discovery to Astana. The fact that we can be successful with other riders, young riders, that’s one of the biggest satisfactions. Even with one of the strictest internal anti-doping programs says even more. When we were at Postal Service, Discovery, there were a lot of rumors and stories, but there are no secrets. It takes hard work, planning, being serious and working with professionals.
Q: Is cycling cleaning up its act?
JB: I think a lot of things have changed in cycling. The biological passport is in place for all the ProTour teams and the continental teams with wild-card status, which is already a big step forward. It’s a long process. The effect of the biological passport cannot happen from today to tomorrow. We have to have a period to evaluate it. At the end of the day, these measures are good for the champions. The champions who won before are still winning.
That’s proof that there’s no magic potion that can make you go faster. A champion is a champion. The guy who works the hardest, who has the best team, who’s smart and professional will win. I think cycling is one of the cleanest high-endurance sports right now. Before at Postal Service, we were very successful, but there were a lot of suspicions around us.
Now this season, what we are doing today with completely different structure, different riders, we’re still the dominant team right now. If we were in the Tour, we’d have the strongest team. I really don’t see any stricter anti-doping program than ours right now. That’s an answer toward all the critics that we’ve had.