Just to be clear, I’m not pointing fingers at any specific riders here—I’m just looking at the science. I spent some time digging into this last night and I’m convinced there’s a massive hole in how the UCI tests for certain substances, specifically during big events like the Tour de France.

We always hear about EPO or blood bagging because they boost red blood cells for climbing, but they don't actually do much for recovery. If you want to stay strong for three weeks straight, the real "magic" happens with HGH and Insulin.

HGH: The ultimate repair man

HGH is basically a signaling hormone. On its own, it doesn't do much, but it tells your body to build bone, up protein synthesis in your muscles, and thicken up your cartilage. It also triggers the liver to pump out IGF-1, which is huge for cell growth and muscle repair.

For a pro cyclist, the real benefit is recovery and "fat mobilization." During a Grand Tour, these guys are in a constant calorie deficit. Taking HGH at night helps them keep their muscle mass, sleep better, and burn fat for fuel instead of tapping into their precious carb stores.

Insulin: Not just for diabetics

People don't usually think of insulin as a performance drug, but it’s incredibly anabolic. Athletes aren't using it to replace what their body makes; they’re using it to "override" the system.

• Instant Recovery: After a stage, your insulin is naturally low because you're depleted. Injecting it immediately forces nutrients into the muscles way faster than a normal meal would.
• Super-sized Fueling: It allows for "supraphysiological" glycogen levels. More fuel in the muscles tonight means more power in the pedals tomorrow morning.

The massive flaw in testing

Here is the kicker: the detection windows for these drugs are tiny.

• HGH: It has a half-life of about 4 hours. Unless you’re tested within 12 hours of an injection, you’re basically in the clear.
• Insulin: Similar deal. It’s out of the blood in 6-12 hours and barely shows up in urine.

If an athlete gets tested right after finishing a stage, they're "safe" for the rest of the night. They can take their HGH and Insulin combo before bed to maximize recovery and deep sleep. By the time the testers show up the next morning? The drugs are long gone. Unless the UCI starts waking riders up at 2:00 AM for blood draws, there’s a wide-open window every single night where these guys can juice their recovery without getting caught.

Combined, these two create a recovery "panacea" that allows a human to maintain wattages deep into a tour that just aren't possible naturally. From what I can tell, the current testing methodology is just totally missing the boat here.