unbelievable

That was the one-word headline in French sports newspaper L'Equipe following Jonas Windergaard's incredible time trial performance at this year's Tour de France.  The last time they used it was to describe Lance Armstrong, so I guess we can all see just what the editorial message in that headline was.

But was his performance down to performance enhancing drugs?  Or was there a far more innocent explanation behind it?

Years ago, cycling in common with many other sports had a drug problem.  And to its credit it is probably the sport that has done most to rid itself, well as much as it can as there will always be cheats, of that problem.

But cyclists are going faster and further than ever before I hear the sceptics cry out.  And it's true, they are.

Historically, cycling was always something of a closed shop of a sport.  You joined a club, and if you showed enough talent you progressed through the ranks.  Well, if you were connected or had a bit of money behind you then you did.  Talent on its own was rarely enough.

And the sport was hardly awash with money at the highest levels.  Yes, there were the professional teams on the continent, but getting onto one was nigh on impossible.  You had to have grown up with the sport and be inducted into its culture.  Outsiders seldom got in.

Now though, there is a lot of money washing around.  And with that investment has come talent spotting.  Take British Cycling for example.  Instead of relying on cycling clubs to find and develop any talent, they now go into primary schools and test children at a young age.  Anyone showing the promise to make it (by analysing a load of data they collect) gets fast-tracked onto a training programme.  It's been the backbone of numerous Olympic medals over the past 20 years or so.

Biniam Girmay, first black African winner of a classic and grand tour stage

And the pro teams have their own development squads.  They too seek out talent, spotting anyone with potential at a very young age.  They will then have all the coaching and marginal gains thrown at them and developed into the super-athletes we see at races today.

It won't stop there though.

Africa, a continent famed for its track athletes, is probably full of super-humans capable of winning the Tour de France, even faster and fitter than the current crop of cycling superstars.

Now, I'm not naive enough to think there isn't any doping going on.  Where there is money to be won there will always be cheats.  And even the cleanest of riders are probably operating on the ragged edge of legality, utilising every legal (if not 100% moral) advantage they can.

But I'm happy that the sport is the cleanest it has ever been and look forward to the next batch of super-fast superstars to hit the World Tour stage.

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This week's midweek video takes a deep dive into the camera set-up and settings for my in-studio videos.  It really is fascinating.  No, really...