First bicycle with hidden motor found in competition

[jancumps]

Saturday, during the worldchampion cyclocross in Zolder, Belgium, UCI found a first bike that has a motor built in.
They used a tablet with an app to point at the bikes in the change area , and one with 150 Watt electromotor was detected.

Sad low for sports, but cool App.

[Zero999]

Some people will do anything to cheat.

Where did they hide the batteries?

[mariush]

More links :

http://cyclingtips.com/2015/07/hidden-motor-demonstration-with-greg-lemond/  (another video in article)

https://www.cxmagazine.com/motor-mechanical-doping-femke-van-den-driessche-suspected-2016-cyclocross-world-championships-update

[zapta]

Available for purchase here:

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.php

[jancumps]

<snip/>
https://www.cxmagazine.com/motor-mechanical-doping-femke-van-den-driessche-suspected-2016-cyclocross-world-championships-update

That's the one I'm referring to. This is the event where the device is actually detected in a bicycle on an official circuit. The racer didn't use it, but it was parked in her technical area.

[jancumps]

Available for purchase here:

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.php

Yes, it has been for sale on cycling fairs for some time, but this was the first time that it's been found on a race track.
I'm curious to learn how an app on a generic tablet can detect the embedded motor. That's what the UCI claims.

[PointyOintment]

They used a tablet with an app to point at the bikes in the change area

Any details on this app? I'd think this would require some hardware too.

[chris_leyson]

I like the mechanical design very neat, quite impressed. I could understand picking up a small signal from perhaps a PWM controller if the motor were running. I think it was most likely an RF sniffer that picked up the processor electronics. 

[Zero999]

Perhaps the microphone inside the tablet could detect the ultrasound produced by the inverter?

[rich]

Looks like they simply remove the bottom bracket and shove a borescope up there! No fancy RF detection going on.

[dexters_lab]

wonder if they could just introduce x-raying during the scrutineering process?

but yes, a sad day for cycling

[jancumps]

Looks like they simply remove the bottom bracket and shove a borescope up there! No fancy RF detection going on.

They didn't remove anything until the app indicated there was something wrong. When they tried, that bottom bracket could not be removed (for obvious reasons: there was a motor attached to it).

[rollatorwieltje]

Looks like they simply remove the bottom bracket and shove a borescope up there! No fancy RF detection going on.

That was done later, they did another check with what looks like a rugged tablet.

Maybe they have something like that RF to audio device that was on mailbag recently.

[Jeroen3]

What about density measurement? Nobody will use a bicycle with a solid pipe.

Also, a magnet would probably work to.

[Emo]

There are several apps that measure a magnetic field. The strong magnets if the motor can easily be detected with such an app

[jancumps]

There are several apps that measure a magnetic field. The strong magnets if the motor can easily be detected with such an app

That's my first thought too. Carbon frames don't shield that, do they?

[wraper]

Available for purchase here:

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.php

Yes, it has been for sale on cycling fairs for some time, but this was the first time that it's been found on a race track.
I'm curious to learn how an app on a generic tablet can detect the embedded motor. That's what the UCI claims.

They didn't claim anything like this. In the news I have read they used some "tablet like" device. I guess a thermal camera would do the job easily.

[zapta]

but yes, a sad day for cycling

The motor reduces the co2 emission. We should applaud her.

[jancumps]

Available for purchase here:

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.php

Yes, it has been for sale on cycling fairs for some time, but this was the first time that it's been found on a race track.
I'm curious to learn how an app on a generic tablet can detect the embedded motor. That's what the UCI claims.

They didn't claim anything like this. In the news I have read they used some "tablet like" device. I guess a thermal camera would do the job easily.

The bicycle hadn't been used, and had just been rinsed with high pressure water.

[wraper]

The bicycle hadn't been used, and had just been rinsed with high pressure water.

The cyclist claims it wasn't used. There is no any confirmation that it actually wasn't used.
EDIT: Actually she says it wasn't used on purpose:

Van den Driessche denied she had used a bike with a concealed motor on purpose, saying that it was identical to her own but belonged to a friend and that a team mechanic had given it to her by mistake before the race, AFP reported.

"It wasn't my bike — it was that of a friend and was identical to mine," a tearful Van den Driessche told Sporza, AFP reported. "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 added, insisting that she was "totally unaware" it was fitted with a hidden motor.

"I feel really terrible. I'm aware I have a big problem. (But) I have no fears of an inquiry into this. I have done nothing wrong," she added. AFP also reported that Belgian coach Rudy De Bie said he was "disgusted."

[jancumps]

The bicycle hadn't been used, and had just been rinsed with high pressure water.

The cyclist claims it wasn't used. There is no any confirmation that it actually wasn't used.
EDIT: Actually she says it wasn't used on purpose:

Van den Driessche denied she had used a bike with a concealed motor on purpose, saying that it was identical to her own but belonged to a friend and that a team mechanic had given it to her by mistake before the race, AFP reported.

"It wasn't my bike — it was that of a friend and was identical to mine," a tearful Van den Driessche told Sporza, AFP reported. "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 added, insisting that she was "totally unaware" it was fitted with a hidden motor.

"I feel really terrible. I'm aware I have a big problem. (But) I have no fears of an inquiry into this. I have done nothing wrong," she added. AFP also reported that Belgian coach Rudy De Bie said he was "disgusted."

The analysis of the race as it stands now is that she didn't use that bike in the race where it was detected. It may have been used by someone, but it wasn't used by the racer in this particular race (yet).
Still, after that bike had been cleaned by technical staff with high pressure water, and while it was idle for at least some time, UCI managed to find the motor with tablet and app.

[wraper]

The analysis of the race as it stands now is that she didn't use that bike in the race where it was detected. It may have been used by someone, but it wasn't used by the racer in this particular race (yet).
Still, after that bike had been cleaned by technical staff with high pressure water, and while it was idle for at least some time, UCI managed to find the motor with tablet and app.

Source please
mine source is here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cycling-fraud-idUSKCN0V90TK
It clearly say that bike was used during the race.

[jancumps]

My source is from the television news. I'm not going to type it over here. You have to blindly believe me.
If you're fluent in Dutch, you can trace it back on sporza.be.

[wraper]

My source is from the television news. I'm not going to type it over here. You have to blindly believe me.
If you're fluent in Dutch, you can trace it back on sporza.be.

I'm more convinced that Reuters is more credible than some local news said.

[tom66]

Now on BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/35452791