Mechanical doping: The social media response

Reaction to the news that a concealed motor was found during examination of Femke Van den Driessche’s bike, during the Cyclocross World Championships, was swift and varied on social media over the weekend. Here's a roundup of the responses.

Mechanical doping: All you need to know about concealed motors

BOOM! There it is. Saturday Jan 30th 2016. First motor discovered in a bike. It's all over folks.

— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) January 31, 2016

what an absolute fuckwit! #bikedoping

— James Spragg (@spragg247) January 30, 2016

I guess we'll have to be really careful now before we say someone is "motoring" in a race...

— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) January 30, 2016

The good news: #motordoping is much easier to detect than drugs. Frame makers of pro teams have to be pushed for designs that prevent motors

— Uli Fluhme (@ulif) January 31, 2016

Don't buy "mechanical doping has crossed a line" argument.
Drug doping crosses it too, especially when young athletes are pressured to dope.

— Stephen Moon (@StephenMSiS) February 1, 2016

The girl with the motor in her bike didn't win...

Does that mean that "big dreams and hard work" are more powerful than engineering?

— Louise (@Swift__Girl) January 31, 2016

Hope everybody remembers this is a 19 years old girl. Basically just a kid. Go easy. Clearly, she didn't do this on her own. Just saying...

— Mikkel Condé v2.0 (@mrconde) January 30, 2016

Oh, Pro-cycling. Couldnt you just let athletics be the baddies for while longer? #motordoping

— The Ride Journal (@TheRideJournal) February 1, 2016

"Help, I can't stop my bike!" pic.twitter.com/3EsY2IlidM

— Bike Snob NYC (@bikesnobnyc) January 30, 2016

The good news: #motordoping is much easier to detect than drugs. Frame makers of pro teams have to be pushed for designs that prevent motors

— Uli Fluhme (@ulif) January 31, 2016

Burn all pro cycling to the ground and start again. #MechanicalDoping

If we did it in 98 we'd have a decent sport by now.

— David Mclean (@DavidMcleanCycl) January 30, 2016

Bike with motors. It exists. Femke Van Den Driessche has the dubious honor to be the first one caught with it. Ever. #CXzolder

— José Been (@TourDeJose) January 30, 2016

Photo of the motor they found in the bike. photo by https://t.co/nDmxgp29Xy pic.twitter.com/caWceZAmCh

— Cyclocross Magazine (@cyclocross) January 30, 2016

So, I'm riding along, this white van pulls up, winds down the window, bloke leans out, 'Oi, you got a motor in that push bike!"

— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) January 31, 2016

Moto-doping story sad (if proved). But can't say I'm all that surprised. Tech exists.Question is how many others out there (ab)using?

— Tom Cary (@tomcary_tel) January 31, 2016

Despite aftertaste left by #motordoping &disrespectful fans, this was 1fantastic weekend of racing, thanks #bikes! Now shape up, humanity!

— Van Dessel Cycles (@Van_Dessel) January 31, 2016

Remember: Van D. is the first who was CAUGHT, not the first to use it. #motordoping

— Uli Fluhme (@ulif) January 30, 2016

new UCI rule: transparent bikes #motordoping

— The Broom Wagon (@broomwagonblog) January 30, 2016

The first motorized doping case eclipses Fabian Cancellara's Mallorca win. Oh life...

— Mihai Cazacu (@faustocoppi60) January 30, 2016

Tech fraud. Bike doping. Call it what you like it's gone beyond tragic.

— Guy Andrews (@thecoureur) January 31, 2016

#mechanicaldoping on your bike is like pic.twitter.com/ZhQCywA6Tt

— Vaughn Cooper (@vscooper) February 1, 2016

Here we go, transparent seat tubes all round at this year's TDF #mechanicaldoping #wasonlyamatteroftime

— Richard Gorman (@richardgorman) January 31, 2016

Everyone rightly horrified about a motorised bike. But worth remembering that, at current state of technology, doping is more effective.

— Michael Hutchinson (@Doctor_Hutch) January 31, 2016

When you stop pedaling and your bike doesn’t. #mechanicaldoping #ecx

— Richard Pirro (@iracemtb) January 30, 2016

@lancearmstrong @Swift__Girl @UnaPearson pic.twitter.com/f6ldgr6Gg3

— CF (@CFee123) January 30, 2016