We hear the phrase "high motor" a lot this time of year, thanks to the NFL Draft, but it turns out it also applies to cycling, in particular to Belgian cyclist Femke Van den Driessche.
On Tuesday it was announced Van den Driessche has been suspended for six years for “technological fraud.” In this case, that means concealing an electric motor in a bicycle.
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The motor was found during a scan using new magnetic resonance testing deployed this year by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling's governing body. The motor was found while the bike was in the rider’s pit area.
How does one hide a motor in a competitive bike?
In this case, according to the UCI, the motor was a Vivax “which was concealed along with a battery in the seat tube. It was controlled by a Bluetooth switch installed underneath the handlebar tape.”
According to BBC.com — which offers a video of how this type of system might be implemented — Van den Driessche has denied any intent to cheat.
"It was my friend's and was identical to mine. 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," she told Belgian television in January, the BBC reports.
The infraction was found during the Women Under 23 race of the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in January.
The former Under 23 champion must also return all her medals.
“We have invested considerable resources in developing this new and highly effective scanning technology and also in strengthening the sanctions applicable to anyone found cheating in this way,” UCI president Brian Cookson said. “This case is a major victory for the UCI and all those fans, riders and teams who want to be assured that we will keep this form of cheating out of our sport.”