ABSTRACT
This chapter explores doping in competitive cycling, perhaps the most heavily discussed topic throughout its history and the sport most often associated with prohibited performance enhancement. It starts by outlining the different means of doping and how cyclists enact this in practice. The chapter moves on from the pragmatic aspects of doping toward the detection of cheating, and of cyclists’ behavior circumventing this. It reviews “clean” cycling and considers some of the future predicted aspects of doping that may threaten this position. Innovation has always been integral to cycling history. Innovation has always been integral to cycling history. Speculation that cyclists may now be using machines concealed in their bikes (termed “mechanical doping”) are being contended as a new form of cheating. Recently, the principles and practices of gene therapy have been noted for their potential abuse as a doping technique.
