A Dave Millar thread

[luckyboy]

Was it Millar who supported Lance coming back in 2009? Can't find any quotes but I could swear it was him.
Any help?

 

[Don Quixote]

Was it Millar who supported Lance coming back in 2009? Can't find any quotes but I could swear it was him.
Any help?

"Lance's legacy is huge - it goes way beyond one race, one Tour de France. And he has the opportunity to cement his legacy, ironically, in defeat. I think this year's Tour is going to do his popularity in France a world of good, because if he doesn't win then the French will love him, as long as he shows character and resilience and races with a bit of panache. It will show another side of the man that I'm sure exists."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jun/28/lance-armstrong-comeback

 

[sniper]

No less farcical: Millar in defence of Contador:

In contrast to his comments on Armstrong, Millar defends Alberto Contador after the way he has been treated since his positive test. He goes as far as suggesting that the Spaniard could go on to be the greatest grand tour rider in the history of the sport.
(...)
"I think it's bad for Alberto and it's bad for the sport that it hasn't been sorted out yet. Whether he's positive or negative, it's the system's fault for not dealing with it. There should be a two-week timeframe for when it is actually resolved.”
(...)
Millar saw from close up how Contador dominated the recent Giro d’Italia. For Millar, Contador’s consistency is a sign of his unique talent.

"Alberto Contador is untouchable as rider, he is a physical freak and we in the peloton have known that for a long time and respect his supreme talent. I would be very surprised if he didn't end up as the greatest Grand Tour rider in the history of the sport. It’s a tragedy that he has got mixed up in this Clenbuterol thing but I am keeping an open mind on his case,” Millar told the Telegraph.

So basically, Millar has publicly supported all the big dopers of the past decade. What a fool.
Yes, he's backtracked on Armstrong, but only after Armstrong's downfall was inevitable.

 

[luckyboy]

"Lance's legacy is huge - it goes way beyond one race, one Tour de France. And he has the opportunity to cement his legacy, ironically, in defeat. I think this year's Tour is going to do his popularity in France a world of good, because if he doesn't win then the French will love him, as long as he shows character and resilience and races with a bit of panache. It will show another side of the man that I'm sure exists."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jun/28/lance-armstrong-comeback

Thanks. Thought he was more strongly in support than that, like 'good for the sport' or something.

 

[sniper]

Thanks. Thought he was more strongly in support than that, like 'good for the sport' or something.

Here is Millar in 2006 after his suspension saying he thinks Lance won the Tour clean

"Ik denk dat ik het kan, ja. Je moet ergens in blijven geloven. Lance Armstrong heeft volgens mij de Tour ook clean gewonnen."

I think it [winning the TdF clean] is possible, yes. You gotta believe in something. I believe Lance Armstrong won the Tour clean as well.

http://www.nieuws.nl/161397/David_Millar__Ik_kan_de_Tour_winnen

 

[Dr. Maserati]

No shift. He's basically saying that, if Pat distances himself from Hein, THEN he doesn't have to resign. But he doesn't know if Pat will do that, so the answer to "Should Pat resign?" is "I don't know".

Which is what he's been saying from the start, and it sickens me.

I dont normally care what riders say, they are hostages to a corrupt vindictive system.
But his continued stance on McQuaid is bizarre. Both Hein & Pat are corrupt clowns. One is protecting the other.
The only reason I can assume Millar is making these statements is trying to portray the sport as being clean since his return which woul coincide with PMcQs reign.

 

[postmanhat]

Agreed. He lacks the bottle to be the voice of the peloton.

The press are looking for something to run with and he won't give it to them.

Pathetic.

He he, that's right. You can barely hear him amongst the clamour from other riders asking for the UCI to be called to account

 

[pmcg76]

Once again, Millar's level of cooperation wasn't enough to get his ban reduced.

Naming Losa in his recent book is nothing groundbreaking given that the guy has a looong history of doping connections. I think even Duenas may have named Losa as his supplier.

As for accomplices, any idea who "Le Boss" is? Probably a guy still in the sport, who is given a chance for a "clean" start.

And the Saunier Duval episode as far as I understand ,while whistleblowing, is rather wishy-washy. Finally, not riding doesn't mean that a confession has less consequences. Manzano and Landis were both young enough to swallow their pride and keep on riding. Instead they had enough balls to fight back, while removing any hope they had of being pros again.

But we are going in circles. You with your Millar propaganda, and me, wasting my time.

I see you are still twisting facts here. Millar named Losa in 2004 in his testimony. http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/spanish-doctor-suspended-in-millar-affair-10371/

Why Losa was never sanctioned or why UCI or WADA never followed up on this information I have no idea. I think the French could not sanction him as they could not prove the incidents happened on French soil.

You also keep saying that Millar did not have his sanction halved because he was not forthcoming with information. Can you verify this claim as I can find no evidence to give such a claim credence.

The info I do have is that after hearing Millar's testimony, BCF gave him a 2 year suspension but Millar appealed to CAS to have the start date changed(which happened) and tried to have it reduced to 1 year on the basis that there had been no previous precedent for such a long sentence as the likes of the Festina guys had all served suspensions of less than a year.

As I said previously, everyone can attack Millar all they want for his stupid statements or his self-serving stance but posters making things up to attack him even more is just sad.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Thanks. Thought he was more strongly in support than that, like 'good for the sport' or something.

No, that was Bradley Wiggins.

Apologies for the gratuitous blog link.

 

[hrotha]

He he, that's right. You can barely hear him amongst the clamour from other riders asking for the UCI to be called to account

Maybe all the French riders flew below your radar?

 

[BroDeal]

The nice thing about Millar is that he is a reliable indicator of which direction the wind is blowing. If Armstrong appeals to CAS and wins then expect Millar to tell us that Armstrong is a true champion and he always believed in him.

Armstrong may be Juan Pelota but Millar is No Pelota.

 

[PCutter]

Hayden Roulston calling out Millar on twitter. But he is of course on The Shack.

"For cycling to move FORWARD I feel we need a spokesperson that has never been tied to anything re doping. Not somebody who has!A real voice!"

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

If Millar is the future then cycling is well and truly ****ed.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

If Millar is the future then cycling is well and truly ****ed.

Agreed.

The processes and protocols, imo, need as much work as the people. Much easier to sack someone and feel like you've achieved something. Or even just denigrate them in the media.

But to actually look at the sport holistically? Pinpoint its weaknesses? Identify strengths, opportunities and threats, etc?

Too much like hard work.

Let's just call for someone's head and act all full of bravado until it dies down and the next cycle begins again.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

how hard is it to call him david?

Blackcat: call him Dave.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycl...e-best-years-of-my-career-20121026-28aif.html

I have personal experience of this, relating to British rider Dave Millar, who in 2004 was arrested after police found EPO in his apartment in Biarritz.

 

[blackcat]

Blackcat: call him Dave.

is it too difficult to call him Dave?

I think I might go with Davey Boy.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

is it too difficult to call him Dave?

I think I might go with Davey Boy.

Davey Crock'it.

 

[CobbleStoner]

open letter to Davey Millar: STFU and ride your bike, be thankful you still have a career, get your facts str8 before you go 'tweeting'

 

[Dear Wiggo]

In the middle of Bad Blood, and a couple of things stood out for me. The first was David's motivation for doping: acceptance, status, power and control. I would say these are the very things that motivate his desire to be on the UCI, and President of the UCI would be even better.

And the very reason why he shouldn't be. And someone like Bassons who does not want the position should.

The second one was telling for me - the pattern recognition machine - although I am sure someone will pipe up and tell me it's all random coincidence.

Porte, Talansky, Tiernan-Locke, all doing remarkably outstanding and impressive rides, then telling us, "USADA et al is about the older generation, we're the new generation, we're young, we're clean". Well, guess what. That's what they said back in 1999 too... Didn't they, David?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

In the middle of Bad Blood, and a couple of things stood out for me. The first was David's motivation for doping: acceptance, status, power and control. I would say these are the very things that motivate his desire to be on the UCI, and President of the UCI would be even better.

And the very reason why he shouldn't be. And someone like Bassons who does not want the position should.

The second one was telling for me - the pattern recognition machine - although I am sure someone will pipe up and tell me it's all random coincidence.

Porte, Talansky, Tiernan-Locke, all doing remarkably outstanding and impressive rides, then telling us, "USADA et al is about the older generation, we're the new generation, we're young, we're clean". Well, guess what. That's what they said back in 1999 too... Didn't they, David?

Yeah..... It's SSDD. But it will get so many folks this "we're the new generation" stuff.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Lashed out and bought his eBook today, after reading some snippets on a blog or in an article somewhere pricked my curiosity. Zorzoli having mates on pro teams I think it was.

602 pages. Value

 

[irongrl]

Lashed out and bought his eBook today, after reading some snippets on a blog or in an article somewhere pricked my curiosity. Zorzoli having mates on pro teams I think it was.

602 pages. Value

It's a long book. I finished it last week. I do tend to agree with the consensus in this thread. He seems to be using his stance as a "reformed doper" to build a new career in cycling. I'm sure he is thinking ahead to retiring so he will probably be looking at moving up in cycling management.

He did make some interesting comments about Wiggins when he was at Garmin and around the time he left for Sky. Not doping related, but just more about his personality and not really working for the team (Garmin).

 

[Dear Wiggo]

He did make some interesting comments about Wiggins when he was at Garmin and around the time he left for Sky. Not doping related, but just more about his personality and not really working for the team (Garmin).

I read the interview somewhere from ~2009 - he was almost angry about it all.

 

[irongrl]

I read the interview somewhere from ~2009 - he was almost angry about it all.

Yes, probably some hard feelings about him not being able to ride for Sky, although in the book he does profess strong loyalty to Garmin. Kind of have to read between the lines a little. I imagine he felt slighted at not being able to ride for Sky.

 

[Freddythefrog]

The nice thing about Millar is that he is a reliable indicator of which direction the wind is blowing. If Armstrong appeals to CAS and wins then expect Millar to tell us that Armstrong is a true champion and he always believed in him.

Excellent post +1 Many thanks. Millar is a pro of the old school - deeply cynical and with no respect for the fans. I do wish the English speaking press would not give him oxygen. However there is no hope of that - just look at their collective inability to ask Brailsford a single searching question.