How Pro Cyclists Cheat Using Doped Bikes

The world of professional cycling has been dealing with athletes cheating by doping to make themselves perform better. It seems that maybe it isn't just the riders that are "doped" up.

19-year-old Femke Van den Driessche was just busted at the world cyclo-cross championship in Belgium after race officials discovered a hidden motor on his bike. Bryan Cookson, the president of the International Cycling Union, confirmed by saying, "It's absolutely clear that there was technological fraud. There was a concealed motor. I don't think there are any secrets about that."

Van den Driessche claims that she did not know about the motor, "The bike was not mine, I would never cheat... This friend went around the course Saturday before dropping off the bike in the truck. A mechanic, thinking it was my bike, cleaned it and prepared it for my race."

Electric motors can be fitted onto most racing frames. The assist motor pictured below from Vivax can be purchased for about three grand:

Vivax Assist

This short clip shows a quick demo of how the motor continues to pedal: