It was reported today that Frank Vandenbroucke passed today at age 34. VDB defined style on the bike in the late 90's. His flair for the dramatic netted him a spectacular 1999 LBL win.
Ever since Lemond lost to Indurain, and up until the last year or two, pro cyclists have relied on large amounts of blood boosters, hgh and testosterone supplements to enhance performance. Nobody could not have a European pro career without them. Nobody.
A body on these PEDs is burning itself up at an impressive rate. The body can keep going, but the mind feels the terrible pain. Painkillers such as Tramadol help ease this pain without inducing numbness and fatigue. Tramadol is an extremely addictive drug, withdrawal induces severe, prolonged depression. Like performance enhancing drugs, the effects of drugs such as Tramadol vary greatly. No drug effects the same person the same way.
It is a constant disappointment that cycling cannot organize itself to maintain a minimum of health care, mental as well as physical, for riders. Unemployed riders are simply tossed to the side of the road like a bottle squeezed dry. Taken away from a sport that consumed them, saddled with the consequences of addictions acquired out of necessity, there is nowhere to go but down. And fast.
