Any Suspicions of United Healthcare?

[jonny testaronny]

I was about to buy a UHC jersey--yeah, I'm that kind of pro-kit-wearing dork--when I had second thoughts. Loved Sutherland's ride in the TOC, and like the jersey design. But then I remembered watching them beat up on the field in a local crit in June (Clarendon Cup). I think Clarke, Zwizanski, and an Exergy rider lapped the field early on, and the UHC train abused anyone who subsequently tried to get away. Admittedly, other teams had sent their stronger riders to Tulsa that weekend, while UHC sent the A-team, but their performance seemed so...Navigators-like.

So, I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks here before throwing the bit of money the jersey represents at the team/sponsors: do folks in the know think they're riding clean?

 

[goober]

I was about to buy a UHC jersey--yeah, I'm that kind of pro-kit-wearing dork--when I had second thoughts. Loved Sutherland's ride in the TOC, and like the jersey design. But then I remembered watching them beat up on the field in a local crit in June (Clarendon Cup). I think Clarke, Zwizanski, and an Exergy rider lapped the field early on, and the UHC train abused anyone who subsequently tried to get away. Admittedly, other teams had sent their stronger riders to Tulsa that weekend, while UHC sent the A-team, but their performance seemed so...Navigators-like.

So, I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks here before throwing the bit of money the jersey represents at the team/sponsors: do folks in the know think they're riding clean?

Wait a few months...

 

[Oldman]

Our local members of UHC look to be on par with earlier performances, ie: not out of the ordinary. That doesn't account for the other riders, though.

 

[D-Queued]

Silly question.

They are in the pro peloton right?

Go ahead and buy whatever jersey you want.

Dave.

 

[the delgados]

Just don't wear it during group rides or at races.

You'll be ridiculed for reasons other than the one you pretend to be concerned about.

 

[jonny testaronny]

Just don't wear it during group rides or at races.

You'll be ridiculed for reasons other than the one you pretend to be concerned about.

Yah, I get that, but not terribly relevant to me. Though I did think it odd when I saw a guy at a low-rated UCI cyclocross race around here wearing a Brioches Le Boulanger top with FDJ tights. And last week, when I saw a guy wearing Saxo Bank bib shorts with--and I might be wrong here, because I've no idea where he got it--a maillot jaune with the Saxo Bank logo on it. But there's another thread for that sort of thing, right?

 

[jonny testaronny]

Wait a few months...

Our local members of UHC look to be on par with earlier performances, ie: not out of the ordinary. That doesn't account for the other riders, though.

Sounds like bad/good news (I'm assuming the first is Papp-related). I honestly don't think its logical, at this point, to assume everyone in the pro peloton is juiced, including in the US. But for my own particular fan-boyish reasons, I don't want to put any emotions or money into a team full of chargers. It's possible, I suppose, that both of the quotes can be true, with the local guys clean and some others (maybe Aussies?) not. Decanio or the Raceclean.org guy had some very specific details about Menzies, but even if they were true some years ago, it doesn't necessarily mean he's not clean now, or that his teammates are guilty by association.

 

[D-Queued]

Sounds like bad/good news (I'm assuming the first is Papp-related). I honestly don't think its logical, at this point, to assume everyone in the pro peloton is juiced, including in the US. But for my own particular fan-boyish reasons, I don't want to put any emotions or money into a team full of chargers. It's possible, I suppose, that both of the quotes can be true, with the local guys clean and some others (maybe Aussies?) not. Decanio or the Raceclean.org guy had some very specific details about Menzies, but even if they were true some years ago, it doesn't necessarily mean he's not clean now, or that his teammates are guilty by association.

You shouldn't be threatened by what you believe and what the facts keep indicating.

Also, I can offer you a great sub-prime mortgage if you are interested. Don't worry, nobody else is doing it and nothing bad can happen.

Dave.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I was about to buy a UHC jersey--yeah, I'm that kind of pro-kit-wearing dork--when I had second thoughts. Loved Sutherland's ride in the TOC, and like the jersey design. But then I remembered watching them beat up on the field in a local crit in June (Clarendon Cup). I think Clarke, Zwizanski, and an Exergy rider lapped the field early on, and the UHC train abused anyone who subsequently tried to get away. Admittedly, other teams had sent their stronger riders to Tulsa that weekend, while UHC sent the A-team, but their performance seemed so...Navigators-like.

So, I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks here before throwing the bit of money the jersey represents at the team/sponsors: do folks in the know think they're riding clean?

Kirk O'Bee was disqualified for life while riding for United HealthCare's predecessor team - Healthnet - and his team never paid back a dime of prize money from all the races from which he was disqualified. The same people who ran HealthNet now run the UHC team.

So absolutely - they are a dirty team. They also steal prize money from other teams after their rider was caught and DQ'ed. The Kirk O'Bee case proves that.

Phil Zajicek is another dirty rider who never returned any prize money. He also rode for HealthNet in 2008 when he was doping.

 

[D-Queued]

... DQ'ed ... Kirk O'Bee ...

Yes, I rode with him. But, that was only on training rides. Ok?

Err, and one or two of the events where his record has been stricken.

More than once, I can recall saying 'Holy Sh*t'. So, if you admire guys that can go fast, then 'get the t-shirt'.

As for stealing money... from whom? They were clean?

Dave.

 

[chase196126]

They are in the pro peloton right?

Come on, man. Being a pro in the US is not a cause for suspicion. There may be individuals that are doing shady things but it is completely unfair to the vast majority of US pros to label them as dopers simply for being pros.

 

[D-Queued]

Come on, man. Being a pro in the US is not a cause for suspicion. There may be individuals that are doing shady things but it is completely unfair to the vast majority of US pros to label them as dopers simply for being pros.

Sorry. I will keep my comments on North American cyclists focused only on the Masters.

Dave.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

I was about to buy a UHC jersey...

Hey, Jonny; I'm sure where ever you are living there is a well supported club/am team that gets some pretty pro kit made up for them, and is for sale.

Supporting them, and their local coaching/development/junior programs would truly be money well spent. They probably even put on local races and training rides.

Way better than helping to fund anything you find questionable.

Love your passion for the sport! Keep it up...

 

[D-Queued]

Hey, Jonny; I'm sure where ever you are living there is a well supported club/am team that gets some pretty pro kit made up for them, and is for sale.

Supporting them, and their local coaching/development/junior programs would truly be money well spent. They probably even put on local races and training rides.

Way better than helping to fund anything you find questionable.

Love your passion for the sport! Keep it up...

I must be missing something.

This question was asked in the Clinic. Thus, he must have had some suspicions about doping.

Dave.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

I must be missing something.

This question was asked in the Clinic. Thus, he must have had some suspicions about doping.

Dave.

He obviously did. And other posters came running to field off-the-cuff and quasi-historical remarks.

Jonny was concerned about spending money on something that, while not only making him look like a potential ******-bag, may actually be supporting a programmed team.

If those were truly his concerns, I tried to offer a more productive and possibly less fanboyish alternative.

Drugs and dope, dopie dope McDopster. Hopefully the last sentence will make this more 'clinic-worthy'.

 

[jonny testaronny]

Hey, Jonny; I'm sure where ever you are living there is a well supported club/am team that gets some pretty pro kit made up for them, and is for sale.

Supporting them, and their local coaching/development/junior programs would truly be money well spent. They probably even put on local races and training rides....

Not sure about that--I would't want to embarrass them by associating them with my Fred-ish riding.

Re putting this in the Clinic, I did have suspicions about UHC, but I'd like to believe the sport is cleaner than in the Healthnet-O'Bee (Saturn, Navigators...) heydays. Seems to be so in Europe. Many thanks for all the honest answers, however!

 

[DomesticDomestique]

I would be very surprised to learn that they are running a team-wide program. This is based on the fact that all of the doped up Health-Net guys were buying their juice on their own, not through Tamayo. However, Tamayo is a (insert expletive here) and I'm sure he looks the other way and even might encourage it, but isn't providing it himself. And yeah, Rory is doped to the gills, (In my opinion)!

Buy a cheap kit at performance and give the leftover $50 to a junior program.

 

[craig1985]

I would rather save my dope to get the wins in the European races then beat-up everybody at the Airforce Classic (or whatever it is called) or at Redlands. It just looks too obvious and has everybody both laughing and facepalming at the same time.