Motorised scandal grows

A video posted on YouTube featured former rider Davide Cassani showing a bike operating with an electric motor hidden by the pedals, with a button to turn the device on and off concealed within the gear levers on the handlebars.

It did not take long for the world of cycling to comment on the footage which also shows Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara touching his handlebar with his right hand as he powers ahead of the pack to win the Paris-Roubaix classic race in April.

"It's so stupid I'm speechless," Olympic time-trial champion Cancellara said this week.

His Saxo Bank team were not, issuing a statement on their website (www.team-saxobank.com) on Thursday.

"Team Saxo Bank rejects all insinuations and accusations that have been made in the media regarding Fabian Cancellara's alleged use of an electric motor in his bike.

"Team Saxo Bank is strongly opposed to any form of cheating and there is absolutely no truth to this story. There was not and never has been a motor in any Team Saxo Bank rider's bike," the team said.

"We regret if this has led anyone to view Team Saxo Bank in a negative way and we are deeply offended by the questioning of Fabian Cancellara's integrity, character and abilities."

Pulling off such a trick, however, would appear to be complicated as so many people would have to know about the ploy.

"The sports directors, the mechanics as well would have to know," said Cofidis sports director Alain Deloeil before the first stage of the Tour of Luxembourg on Thursday.

Retired Belgian rider Johan Museeuw, who won Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders three times each, has seen such a bike.

"The system does exist, I saw it at the Las Vegas show last year," said Museeuw, who believes even the bike manufacturers would have to be aware of the trick.

"It would be impossible to keep the secret. A company like Specialized (suppliers of Saxo Bank Cancellara's bikes) would not take such a risk."

French rider Steve Houanard, who is with the Skil Shimano team, told Reuters: "I am sure it does exist. We have been talking a lot about it and I'm sure it exists.

"To me, it's worse than doping."

Deloeil also believes this way of cheating would be a disgrace to the sport.

"This is mechanical doping. Cycling is about men riding their bikes with their physical strength. If we had a motor, we would soon be riding the moto 24 Hours of Le Mans," he said.

Team RadioShack manager Johan Bruyneel dismissed the rumour as pure fantasy.

"It's typical from our sport," he said with a smile. "I don't give any credibility to this thing."

The International Cycling Union (UCI) said it would not be investigating Cancellara.