I’m not going to disagree with the sentiment that drugs are speeding up the peleton. but >>” most drug filled sport”. comes off as probably naive. o think footbal, hockey, soccer, or baseball are are more clean is laughable, they just dont test for anything EVER, except maybe steroids every so often. id bet my bottom dollar all those pro sports with $$$$ flying around HAMMER any drug cocktail that might get them the edge. its just not tested or as public as pro cycling.
Doping is probably still common, but the more endurance or speed based the more drugs help.
Soccer values attributes drugs exaggerate - but it has a skill component that is more important vs cycling. Soccer also has breaks and substitutes and ways to slow the game down to close the gap.
I'm not ignorant to the tactics and technique required in cycling, but its a smaller part of the sport vs tactics and skill in football.
So it's not as important to dope. But yes, still happens.
As I understand it, the main benefit of PEDs is improved recovery times. Regardless of the extent to which it affects the first race / game / training session, it permits your body to get back to peak condition more rapidly. The incremental gains from spending more time in the optimal performance window quickly compound.
There is a huge universe of PEDs, legal and otherwise. Some improve recovery times. Some accelerate muscle growth. Some, like EPO, directly boost aerobic capacity.
PEDs aren't just for endurance. Prescription painkillers, stimulants and corticosteroids are easy to get prescriptions for or even TUEs. The typical player in the NHL gets tested 2-3 times a year, and almost never in the off season. Some sports barely test more than once a year. In cycling it's closer to once a month for an average rider but it can get a lot higher if you're successful as most orgs will test their top 3 after every stage or race.
No, the cardio/fitness aspect of soccer absolutely cannot be overlooked, especially at the top levels where players are at the margin and need that edge, and where the amount of competition and pay and global attention is two orders of magnitude higher than cycling. And you got shit like EPO which basically erases recovery time, but you'll never catch unless you test daily.
