Mathias Flückiger's positive A sample has brought the recurring question of how clean the world's top mountain bikers are back into the spotlight. While Russia is accused of state-sponsored doping, drug abuse is obviously part of everyday training in athletics, cross-country skiers try to pull themselves out of the noose with obscure excuses and road cyclists' bad reputation is no accident, mountain bikers have always been left out of the picture. Although there have been cases of doping in the past, they have generally been isolated incidents. And in recent years, mountain biking has been almost completely absent from the negative headlines. Until August 18, 2022, when Flückiger wasn't just anyone caught in the crossfire, but last year's overall World Cup winner and one of the top contenders for the world title. That makes things explosive.

The money is missing

But it's no coincidence that we haven't had any doping scandals for many years. I am convinced that mountain bikers are actually cleaner than other athletes. The reason is money. As long as a mountain biker rides home after a World Cup victory with just 3750 euros in prize money in his pocket, doping is not worthwhile for him. Doping is expensive and risky, so there is simply no relation between cost and return. I don't begrudge any athlete a higher income. He deserves it, no question. But as soon as the spiral of prize money, TV exposure and sponsorship money starts to spiral upwards, doping inevitably comes into play at some point. Because then it pays off.

It becomes dangerous for the sport of mountain biking when nations want to make a name for themselves. When the money doesn't come from sponsors but from the state coffers. We may remember the Chinese women who appeared on the racing circuit before the Olympic Games in Beijing, dominated the world's top riders for a time and were never seen again after the Games. Although nothing was ever proven against them, the pale aftertaste remains to this day.

Passion makes you honest

There is another reason why mountain bikers are less likely to fall into the doping trap: they have their sport in their hearts. While many professional road cyclists never get back on a racing bike after their career, swimmers never dive back into the pool and track and field athletes never hit a ball into the sand, most mountain bikers remain true to their sport. For them, mountain biking is more than a profession, it is a passion. A passion that is important to them. And you don't cheat on what's important to you. This also applies to Mathias Flückiger: few mountain bikers have put as much heart and soul and passion into the sport as he has. And he has done so for years. In his case, doping would be a betrayal of himself, so to speak.

That's why the vociferous pessimists and naysayers must now be confronted. Regardless of whether Flückiger actually doped or not, he would be an isolated case over the years. Not a handful of top mountain bikers have tested positive over the last decade. There is no question of a contaminated sport. I remain convinced that mountain bikers are actually cleaner than other athletes. Because the mixture of little money and a lot of passion is a good vaccination.

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