hrotha said:
Gooner's argument is so bizarre that at first I thought he was asking why people weren't accusing Dowsett, which would show an anti-Sky and pro-Movistar bias.
I wasn't using Dowsett's performance as a means to further a cleaner cycling argument as has been done in a strawman manner by others on the back on what I said. You can't be certain on any rider with 100% faith.
This was done in an individual manner. Here is a guy who has shown a more realistic trajectory in his career path. No different to someone like Phinney who also has a past link with Lance but is considered by some on here as one of the more believable guys. Like Phinney he has addressed painkilling use, including tramadol.
His ride today wasn't Cancellara mode by any stretch of the means but nonetheless a great ride in a 3 man group where he did most of the pulling to get yellow and hold off the chase. It wasn't a monster performance or anything. Tom Stewart who I haven't heard of before this week was able to stay with him. The peloton made a strange blunder in allowing him to go in the first place and 6 man teams played a part. That has to be brought into context with it.
Point being, nothing jumps out at me in his performances and I see no reason while judging someone independently, why we can't acknowledge a performance that wins a stage from a rider that's further down the echelons of the peloton. Should it matter it's only the Tour of Britain? Should it matter he's not one of the big names? I don't think it should. If people disagree with that, are we saying only trophy names count? By all means, I want those guys busted but I don't think that should be at the expense of recognising riders levels down in the peloton. This reminds a few weeks back at Utah when Horner and Danielson were mainly being discussed. Again no problem in that, and in particular the point about Danielson and whether he was truthful in his account to USADA. Nonetheless Phil Gaimon's ride on the Mountain High stage was highlighted. A guy Betsy has spoken about on here but when he was brought up, it was similiarly scoffed at as if he was someone that wasn't important enough.
FWIW, I'm far from enamoured at what I'm seeing currently at the Vuelta and that's putting it mildly.
Of course(not referring to yourself), I knew a few were going to throw the Anglo card and it was entirely predictable and the names attached here to the comments haven't left me down in coming forward on them.