New 'bomb' in cycling: Rabobank riders admit to continued doping for 16 years

Runners of Rabobank confess continued doping during 16 years

After the confession of doping lance Armstrong, the cycling relives a new turbulent chapter, due to a statement issued by several cyclists of past times of the Dutch team Rabobank.

"From 1996 to 2012, the Rabobank training worked with doping", says the letter, published by the newspaper NRC Handelsblad based on the testimony of a dozen people, including the exorcist of the Dutch formation Thomas Dekker, the only one who spoke without resorting to anonymity.

"It was easy to be influenced, the doping was spread" among the peloton, explained Dekker, of 28 years and for a time the great hope of the Dutch cycling.

"Nobody was against it, doping was the currency and a way to run for numerous companions and for me. Doping was part of the trade"he reiterated.

Dekker He admitted that he resorted to blood transfusions in 2007, when he wore the colors of the Rabobank. He already admitted in his moment to have taken EPO during his career, which meant he was suspended for two years in 2009 after being positively controlled.

According to the cyclist, who ran for Rabobank From 2004 to 2008 and now he makes them for the Garmin-Barracuda team, he started taking EPO at 2006, with the help of the team's doctors. "I thought blood transfusions were the way to success, all the great runners did it, I got blood three times," he explained.

Another broker, who requested anonymity, revealed that Rabobank began using EPO in 1996 "because the entire platoon operated with EPO".

At the end of last year, the bank Rabobank announced its withdrawal as sponsor of the team that was named after 1996 due to the doping scandals revealed in the investigation to Lance Armstrong, who on Thursday evening ended up admitting that he was doped throughout of his career.

Source: ecodiario.eleconomista.es