# Sven Nys



## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

I was just trying to think of a cyclist who was at the top of the game back when the drug testing was easy to beat, didn't get caught in the transition, and has remained at the top of his game with the new tougher testing.

I know he's a cross rider, but he really stands out as one of the few who weathered the storm well.


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## pianopiano (Jun 4, 2005)

Was he suspect in a specific doping issue, or is this just a random rider that you are wondering about?
If it's the latter, then we could make a VERY long list of other riders here.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

piano said:


> Was he suspect in a specific doping issue, or is this just a random rider that you are wondering about?
> If it's the latter, then we could make a VERY long list of other riders here.


I think you misread the original post. My impression is he's nominating Nys as a rarity for having been good during the "anything goes" years and still being good today, and not having tested positive during the "transition" (i.e., when people were still doping but the tools to find them pulled ahead of the means to cheat) (if there was such a time). (Although that could reflect a few different possibilities.)

I don't think there a lot of riders that qualify.

On the road, I nominate Thor Hushovd. Was able to still be around for the finish in his early years, and be a good finisher (where the doping we hear about seems to be less help), and still has success today (although he's become a different sort of rider---I wonder if his transformation has been aided by larger shifts, e.g., while he's lost some of his finishing speed, the peloton has lost some of its aerobic capacity?).


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## pianopiano (Jun 4, 2005)

The OP used the words 'didn't get caught'. I read it as an implication that he _had_ doped or _possibly_ doped at some point and had gotten away with it.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

piano said:


> The OP used the words 'didn't get caught'. I read it as an implication that he _had_ doped or _possibly_ doped at some point and had gotten away with it.


Fair enough, but either way, and I know it's partly a function of the passage of time, but 2006 and earlier stars who are stars today and didn't get caught (whether because they weren't doping or dodged it)? Oscar Freire?


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Undecided said:


> I think you misread the original post. My impression is he's nominating Nys as a rarity for having been good during the "anything goes" years and still being good today, and not having tested positive during the "transition" (i.e., when people were still doping but the tools to find them pulled ahead of the means to cheat) (if there was such a time). (Although that could reflect a few different possibilities.)


Yeah that's what I meant.

I assume if Nys was dominant back in the dope to the gills time that he had to be using. IIRC, he was actually most dominant, winning races easily often by a minute or more, right around the time when riders were getting busted left and right, but he never did.

He's not been as dominant under the new testing environment but he's still been the best.


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## empty_set (Nov 1, 2006)

Nys is also getting a bit older. He's probably more diesel now than sports car.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Undecided said:


> Fair enough, but either way, and I know it's partly a function of the passage of time, but 2006 and earlier stars who are stars today and didn't get caught (whether because they weren't doping or dodged it)? Oscar Freire?


Anyone over say, 32 falls into the generation that raced in the "anything goes" period and now. How about Jens Voigt? He's nearly 40 and came out of the East German sporting program (which was known to start doping it's athletes after puberty). 



empty_set said:


> Nys is also getting a bit older. He's probably more diesel now than sports car.


He beat Kevin Pawuels in a sprint to the line a month or two ago and often does better on technical courses. A racer cannot be successful in CX without the ability to accelerate repeatedly.


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Undecided said:


> Oscar Freire?


That's a good one.

Another one might be Boonen. He emerged right at the end of the old ways, again had a year or two of real dominance when everyone was getting busted right and left, but he didn't. And now he's still good but not been at his formal level in the new environment.


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## Chainstay (Mar 13, 2004)

Some of the strong domestiques like Voigt, Hincapie, Sorensons, Flecha, O'Grady. 

Also Chris Horner

Maybe also McEwen although he isn't as fast any more but maybe that's just age


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

How about guys who couldn't quite make it happen back in the "anything goes" days but have gotten better in the modern era, in spite of getting older?

I nominate Cadel Evans.

Maybe Leipheimer and Horner?

Hushovd was a good pick too; so strong in last year's Tour.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*agreed*



Dwayne Barry said:


> Yeah that's what I meant.
> 
> I assume if Nys was dominant back in the dope to the gills time that he had to be using. IIRC, he was actually most dominant, winning races easily often by a minute or more, right around the time when riders were getting busted left and right, but he never did.
> 
> He's not been as dominant under the new testing environment but he's still been the best.


if you look at Wellens who was slightly younger and should have been Nys's successor he never was quite the same
Erwin seemed to target his 'training' for worlds so he must be made note of
Mario, well he got caught yes? But he was the older era
due to the shortness of the races and shortness of the season I assume the practices are adjusted

It could also mean Nys was cleaner and just better and when most folks had a drop in their performance he did not (or not as much)


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## eyebob (Feb 3, 2004)

*Tommy d*

I nominate Tom danielson.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Damiano Cunego? In 2004, wins the World Cup, the Giro and Lombardia at age 22. The next year, suffers from "mononucleosis" robbing him of any meaningful results except a stage win a Romandy. Slowly but surely begins to pick up results here and there between 2006 through 2011, including multiple Vuelta stages, a white jersey at the TdF, a pair of Lomardias, an Amstel Gold, and miscellaneous Italian races. But never equaling his trophy bag of 2004.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

fornaca68 said:


> Damiano Cunego? In 2004, wins the World Cup, the Giro and Lombardia at age 22. The next year, suffers from "mononucleosis" robbing him of any meaningful results except a stage win a Romandy.


Speaking of mono ... Rujano Says Mononucleosis Forced His Giro Abandonment | Cyclingnews.com


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## CabDoctor (Jun 11, 2005)

fornaca68 said:


> Damiano Cunego? In 2004, wins the World Cup, the Giro and Lombardia at age 22. The next year, suffers from "mononucleosis" robbing him of any meaningful results except a stage win a Romandy. Slowly but surely begins to pick up results here and there between 2006 through 2011, including multiple Vuelta stages, a white jersey at the TdF, a pair of Lomardias, an Amstel Gold, and miscellaneous Italian races. But never equaling his trophy bag of 2004.


Cunego pretty much admitted he would never win another grand tour because he stopped doping after that season


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

CabDoctor said:


> Cunego pretty much admitted he would never win another grand tour because he stopped doping after that season


precisely. Cunego went from Giro winner and a great Grand Tour hope to barely able to win lower-key stage races. He was involved in CONI investigation, along with Ballan. You might as well use Contador, Basso, Scarponi or Rasmussen as an example of "clean" riders.

Some other examples here are quite hilarious. Danielson never quite amounted to much, despite the hype. So yeah, he was consistent - consistently underperforming. 
Levi's early history of failed doping controls makes him a solid suspect. Boonen was busted - for cocaine, but still busted, and served suspension. I wouldn't use him as the best example of a cleanest rider. Voigt does indeed come from East Germany, just like Ulrich, but you know what, then we have to consider that Freire comes from Spain and Horner comes from US. As in the countries that have numerous doping scandals - much more so than Kazakhstan or even Italy.


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