An open letter to the peloton

[Bicycle tramp]

Quoted at SBS Cycling Central -

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/37616/reactions-to-the-bradley-wiggins-outburst

 

[roundabout]

Brailsford knows all about cowardice as he legged it after Millar got busted by the French cops.

What will be on offer at the the seminar. Science, that's what. trying to blind people with it. I hope Ashenden or someone similar goes.

Somebody should take him up on the offer. Period.

 

[noddy69]

Quoted at SBS Cycling Central -

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/37616/reactions-to-the-bradley-wiggins-outburst

What about chris froome....people need to realise cycling has evolved.....honestly these guys are having brain melt downs....evolved, emm contador, denis g this year. There is still no transparency from teams that Bradley called for.

Froome needs to be asked how exactly it has evolved, cause its the same old spin.
I do believe sky could be good for cycling, but they need to publish the passports, as do the rest of the teams. That would quash all the speculation or at least show they are trying.

 

[Cavalier]

I send it to liquigas.opqs and garmin, now i need sky and rsnt email.

Thanks - let us know if you get a response. I will probably start circulating it tomorrow once I can sleep on it.

 

[sniper]

good commentary piece on wiggins' reaction by a german eurosport journalist who is normally not that critical:

http://de.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/andreas-schulz/klartext-wiggins-wichser-101443508.html#more-id

Warum nur in vertraulicher Präsentation der ASO darlegen, weshalb Team Sky ein Vorbild ist? Weshalb nicht offen erklären, was ein vielleicht fragwürdiger Arzt im Team-Umfeld macht? Wenn es gute Gründe gibt, den sauberen Fahrern zu glauben, dann sollte man sie auch darlegen und Kritiker mit Argumenten statt mit Schimpfworten verstummen lassen.

 

[hiero2]

Cavalier:

I also vote for your post as the most excellently worded, beautifully stated expression of what it is all about.

Chapeau, well done, I agree, CN should make this a sticky.

I agree, this should be seen and read by every DS and every rider in the pro peloton.

Wiggins may be expressing frustration and anger at the media, since they posed the question to him, and he has shown in previous media talks that he mistakes the media for the public (meaning he answers questions for the media in front of him, not the public they write for). And, I would not blame him for that - the media gets pretty intrusive and ridiculous. But this is a bigger question, and Wiggins should understand that. If he is too ignorant to do so, then his DS should wise him up. Today.

If somebody wants my real name and signature on this letter, I would be happy to give it.

 

[manafana]

great post, he could clean up the language to start with twiggo, froome seems much better lad.

 

[cebiner]

Merci

Hey man,
the only reason to get your contact info would be to send you a bottle of Champagne. Thanks for a wonderful, wonderful post.
Cedric

 

[VeloFidelis]

I don't really understand your argument. No-one disputes Mr Wiggins rights to respond to his critics although I note that if he actually posted his comments here they would consist of a string of asterisks. Really his rant was just childish and unprofessional in the context of a press conference.

Given most of the childish diatribe we read posted here... I believe that is exactly the point.

 

[zigmeister]

Dear OP,

You put too much importance on a simple sport which involves guys wearing tight colorful clothing that matches horribly, and the outcome of such competition.

Get a life.

Sincerely,

The Peloton

 

[Paco_P]

Today Wiggins and Froome crushed Cancellara in the time trial.

A great triumph for drug free cycling.

 

[VeloGirl]

As I read all the responses (professional and non-professional) - I can't help but think they still don't get it.

I am not accusing you, Bradley, or Team Sky of doping. I have no idea if you are or are not doping. I will assume you and your team are clean.

My problem with Wiggin's comments have always been that he is angry that we fans even dared to be suspicious.
I see fans of Wiggins and Team SKY calling the "haters" jealous. I'm not jealous. I'm suspicious. I'm always suspicious now. Even when my favorite rider, Thor, has an amazing ride in the mountains and wins the stage, I am suspicious.

That's what happens when you fell for all the victories since 1996. When you rejoiced with the winner and his team, shed a tear or two because the feat you just witnessed was extraordinary....
all to have it taken back.

I am suspicious. And I have every right to be. You have no one but your peers to blame.

 

[Nuash65]

I'm going to throw my thoughts into this thread.

Firstly, I think Wiggins was wrong to use that language and I do like the OP's letter.

You'll notice that I have very few posts, even though I've been a member for a while. I learned a lot about cycling and doping from reading the Clinic and yet I never joined in. Indeed I only registered to ask if it was ok for a lurker to join the forum velogames minileague a couple of years ago. The reason is that SOME of the posters are so nasty – to each other, about certain cyclists and to newbies who dare to speak.

A lot of very intelligent stuff is posted and maybe the “banter” is meant to be just that. Maybe I need a thicker skin but I just never wanted to risk getting caught up in the slagging matches so I remained quiet. In fact I read the Clinic less and less because very little changes - it often feels like some members would be lost if drugs could magically be removed from the sport.

If I was Wiggins and I came to CN and read the forum I would be beyond horrified. The vitriol for him as a person and as a rider, never mind any suspicions of doping, is so extreme. I'd be wondering “how can people I've never met hate me SO much?” I'd be thinking how I've given everything I can to be the best cyclist I can be and yet CYCLING FANS despise me more than if I ran a major bank.

What I'm saying doesn't excuse his language but I want to say that I can imagine how he could be driven to such extreme anger towards and intolerance of anonymous critics. Quite apart from this, I think the forum might have a lot more contributors and be a nicer place to chat with other fans if it was less toxic.

Shaun Armstrong.

 

[roundabout]

I'd be wondering "WHY those people hate me so much." "WHAT did I do to make them hate me so much." And last, but not least "WHETHER I can do or HAVE done anything to attempt to show that these people are wrong."

Calling them ****ers is hardly constructive even if hypothetically I am clean.

 

[norwegian]

I'm going to throw my thoughts into this thread.

Firstly, I think Wiggins was wrong to use that language and I do like the OP's letter.

You'll notice that I have very few posts, even though I've been a member for a while. I learned a lot about cycling and doping from reading the Clinic and yet I never joined in. Indeed I only registered to ask if it was ok for a lurker to join the forum velogames minileague a couple of years ago. The reason is that SOME of the posters are so nasty – to each other, about certain cyclists and to newbies who dare to speak.

A lot of very intelligent stuff is posted and maybe the “banter” is meant to be just that. Maybe I need a thicker skin but I just never wanted to risk getting caught up in the slagging matches so I remained quiet. In fact I read the Clinic less and less because very little changes - it often feels like some members would be lost if drugs could magically be removed from the sport.

If I was Wiggins and I came to CN and read the forum I would be beyond horrified. The vitriol for him as a person and as a rider, never mind any suspicions of doping, is so extreme. I'd be wondering “how can people I've never met hate me SO much?” I'd be thinking how I've given everything I can to be the best cyclist I can be and yet CYCLING FANS despise me more than if I ran a major bank.

What I'm saying doesn't excuse his language but I want to say that I can imagine how he could be driven to such extreme anger towards and intolerance of anonymous critics. Quite apart from this, I think the forum might have a lot more contributors and be a nicer place to chat with other fans if it was less toxic.

Shaun Armstrong.

Good post. I second your thoughts.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I'm going to throw my thoughts into this thread.

Firstly, I think Wiggins was wrong to use that language and I do like the OP's letter.

You'll notice that I have very few posts, even though I've been a member for a while. I learned a lot about cycling and doping from reading the Clinic and yet I never joined in. Indeed I only registered to ask if it was ok for a lurker to join the forum velogames minileague a couple of years ago. The reason is that SOME of the posters are so nasty – to each other, about certain cyclists and to newbies who dare to speak.

A lot of very intelligent stuff is posted and maybe the “banter” is meant to be just that. Maybe I need a thicker skin but I just never wanted to risk getting caught up in the slagging matches so I remained quiet. In fact I read the Clinic less and less because very little changes - it often feels like some members would be lost if drugs could magically be removed from the sport.

If I was Wiggins and I came to CN and read the forum I would be beyond horrified. The vitriol for him as a person and as a rider, never mind any suspicions of doping, is so extreme. I'd be wondering “how can people I've never met hate me SO much?” I'd be thinking how I've given everything I can to be the best cyclist I can be and yet CYCLING FANS despise me more than if I ran a major bank.

What I'm saying doesn't excuse his language but I want to say that I can imagine how he could be driven to such extreme anger towards and intolerance of anonymous critics. Quite apart from this, I think the forum might have a lot more contributors and be a nicer place to chat with other fans if it was less toxic.

Shaun Armstrong.

If you have followed the sport for long enough, and competed in it, and you know what goes on in it then you have to think that Wiggins is getting angry with the wrong people. Where is the anger towards Bruyneel and Armstrong and Ferrari etal? The ones who cheated to the extent that any team that comes along as dominant as Sky seems this year is assumed to be pulling the same crap. If you follow the sport long enough as a fan who tries to believe in "clean cycling" and you have a brain and the ability to reason (and as der Jan said, put 1+1 together) then by this time you have been burned so many times you glow in the dark. If Wiggins wants to show he is really clean he should speak up against all the dopers and dope docs and shady team trainers and DSes who run the sport. If on the other hand he just wants to play the UCI game then he leaves himself open for the same sort of scrutiny that the sport as a whole has earned.

 

[sniper]

major surprise today:
bruyneel supports wiggins on twitter:

"Loved the response of @bradwiggins to his critics at the press conf. Get used to it, mate. It's windy at the top!"

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/wiggins-sorry-sweary-rant-183244277.html

 

[roundabout]

Ahahahahahaha.

That even trumps Rogers.

 

[hrotha]

Ahahahahahaha.

That even trumps Rogers.

No way. Rogers retweeting Vande Velde, man. Frickin' Rogers retweeting frickin' Vande Velde!

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Well said Cavalier.

The only thing to add, is that recent events have shown that the ordinary fans (the ones that are left) are passionate about the sport, however they have little faith in the UCI and all the Passport data and other PR stuff that has gotten trotted out over the years.

I firmly believe that there are clean athletes at a high level, and I would expect them to be angry - but they should be angry at the authority that is meant to represent and protect them who have let all cyclists down.

 

[Bala Verde]

To OP, you are quoted in the science of sport

http://www.sportsscientists.com/201...gn=Feed:+blogspot/cJKs+(The+Science+of+Sport)

 

[x0einstein0x]

Because it's become abundantly clear that the pro-peloton are aware of us;
[...]

Thank you very much.

 

[Deagol]

major surprise today:
bruyneel supports wiggins on twitter:


http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/wiggins-sorry-sweary-rant-183244277.html

Hah, that's not an endorsement I would want to have, if trying to come across clean...

 

[BroDeal]

major surprise today:
bruyneel supports wiggins on twitter:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/wiggins-sorry-sweary-rant-183244277.html

I am waiting for Ricco to lend his support. That'll be gold.

Ricardo Ricco @thecobra
Oops. I stepped in a Wiggins.

 

[Deagol]

Thanks - let us know if you get a response. I will probably start circulating it tomorrow once I can sleep on it.

Please do circulate this.