X-rated Bob wrote
To refer to the example that Fingerpicker gave earlier, aerodynamically efficient handle bars and helmets were not cheating - it was done openly and it was one of those things that the rules had failed to anticipate. Armstrong did what he did secretively and must have known it was against the rules - a different kettle of fish.
Using the "Unfair advantage" definition he was cheating. I mean his competitor could pull up on a battery powered cycle at the next race, and that would be okay? - even if it's not in the rules. After watching that tour for 3 weeks, where the two leaders were never more than a minute apart, to be robbed of a fair finish outraged most of Europe. Close a 50 second gap and win by 8 seconds and clock the 2nd fastest Tour time trial speed in history - ever? What else was he on?
You say that he did it openly so it's okay. So Diego Maradonna's Hand of God goal at the World Cup football was okay because it was done openly?
From Wiki for interest:
The 1989 Tour de France was the 76th Tour de France, a race of 21 stages and a prologue, over 3285.3 km in total.[1] In the closest tour in history, Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds at the start of the final stage, a time trial into Paris. LeMond rode for an average speed of 54.55 km/h (34.093 mph), the second fastest time trial ever ridden in the Tour de France. He made up 58 seconds on Laurent Fignon, to win the race by 8 seconds. LeMond and Fignon occupied the top two places between them from early in the race. The two men were never separated by more than 53 seconds throughout the race.
