Are the French clean?

[saganftw]

the french are as much clean as whole peloton,its funny to think everybody is doping but french cyclists are clean...if you look at this years french winners those are very good cyclists over past few years,its not like theres surprising french performance - you can argue charteau,but polka dot jersey and the way its won speaks for itself

 

[delbified]

well if they're doped up then they're doing it wrong

 

[nia O'Malley]

Italy is better on all counts.

I'd have to test it. The bar is set high already

Testosterone and HGH and stuff like that

Ah ok. That's not so good.

well if they're doped up then they're doing it wrong

lmao

 

[Le breton]

Per capita, France uses less soap than any western country, so hard to belive they are clean.

I know, it's because the per capita statistics include tourists from your country

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

they are indeed clean and even during the heyday of epo use a lot of them were clean. especially the gan riders from roger legeau

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Past examples might also play in the head of a French rider.
Richard Virenque's been laughed at, mocked, and is still considered as a joke today (might not have to do 100% with his doping though... ).

I don't think any present day french rider might want to risk having the same media/public treatment.

Armstrong always had the excuse: "Doping? ... Just witch hunt from those jealous frenchies..." and could go home and enjoy his glory.
Virenque could just go home and checked how he was ridiculed on TV...

wrong, guys like virenque and moreau are seen as complete heroes in france. france doesn't care much about doping like most european cycling fans. it's just that they have very strict team directors who most of them have always disaprooved of it. it has to do with pride I think from when those directors were cyclists themself and rode cleanly like madiot.

 

[callac]

wrong, guys like virenque and moreau are seen as complete heroes in france.

I live in France, always have, and I don't know anybody, nor did I ever watched, read anything, that would refer to them as "heroes"...
I guess there might be a few exceptions within the 'national' opinion (often seen along the roads of the TdF), and we have no way to make a national poll to know for sure. I guess the opinions can range from "total frauds" to "forgivable doped champions", but "heroes"? No way...

A few fans on the side of the roads for 3 weeks within the year don't qualify as a certified national opinion.

 

[Benotti69]

wrong, guys like virenque and moreau are seen as complete heroes in france. france doesn't care much about doping like most european cycling fans. it's just that they have very strict team directors who most of them have always disaprooved of it. it has to do with pride I think from when those directors were cyclists themself and rode cleanly like madiot.

wrong Virenque was derided in opinion polls taken at the time in france about who was young people's(under 23) least likely role model and Virenque was number 2 after Jean Marie LePen.

France does care about doping, they along with Italy are the most active countries in the world of cycling that are actually doing something about doping.

 

[poupou]

wrong, guys like virenque and moreau are seen as complete heroes in france. france doesn't care much about doping like most european cycling fans. it's just that they have very strict team directors who most of them have always disaprooved of it. it has to do with pride I think from when those directors were cyclists themself and rode cleanly like madiot.

Did/does you live in France? Do you speak French?

If yes, you should know that Virenque (and his family) had very hard days when lying. When something is related to doping, his muppets image is still used.
Do you want to laugh ? just have a look at these videos http://www.google.fr/search?q=guignol+virenque

 

[nia O'Malley]

I'm sure french athletes would dope (and did dope) as much as anyone else, but the french public opinion just does not stand for it, when push comes to shove.

Virenque was a hero. Finally, a potential replacement for France's long lost champions; even though he was dumb as a rock with too big a mouth. And then the truth came out. The disappointment was intense and very bitter.
Virenque wasn't talented, he was a cheat.
It was like "not only are we no good and a second-rate cycling country, but on top of it we are cheats, and seen as cheats by the rest of the world". Nope, Virenque, who already wasn't very likeable to start with, didn't really survive that one.


If you doubt this, just take a quick look at Henry's handball vs Ireland to qualify for the world cup. The backlash has been massive in Ireland about it, but it has been nearly worse in France.

The french have a lot of defects, but the "average french" does not like or condone cheating or doping, in any discipline. The french enjoy their moral high ground very much. (popularity of the tdf in France is at an all-time low since it started in 1903; I'm not making this up and it's not hard to figure out why)
I'm quite sure that if the french riders are clean atm, it's because of the fear of public retaliation, rather than anything else.




(you could produce Anquetil as a counter-example, I suppose, but Anquetil is in a class of his own)

 

[callac]

(you could produce Anquetil as a counter-example, I suppose, but Anquetil is in a class of his own)

I'm not so sure about that... He is/was nowhere near the popularity of Poulidor (his private life didn't help...), and I think what's left of his popularity is just because he's the needed half in the Poulidor/Anquetil legend. Anquetil without Poupou could easily stays in memories as "a cheat and a pervert".

EDIT: Quote by Anquetil: "people can accuse me of doping. They just need to check my thighs and my buttocks: real colanders!"

 

[nia O'Malley]

I'm not so sure about that... He is/was nowhere near the popularity of Poulidor (his private life didn't help...), and I think what's left of his popularity is just because he's the needed half in the Poulidor/Anquetil legend. Anquetil without Poupou could easily stays in memories as "a cheat and a pervert".

EDIT: Quote by Anquetil: "people can accuse me of doping. They just need to check my thighs and my buttocks: real colanders!"

ha ha ha. The thing is he never lied about it, at least.
and it's true that Poupou is better loved.


I found this video in the links about Virenque, there is no talk in it, so anynoe can get the joke, and it is hilarious (and short).

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5tu2k_richard-virenque-dopage_fun

 

[junkie]

Speaking about Anquetil... He was a prototype of the main character of an infamous Soviet cycling novell. The protagonist did dope at some point, when he was in touble at a dufficult stage race, but he was a good character anyway

 

[nia O'Malley]

I think, and maybe others think the same, that Anquetil doped out of laziness, and to replace proper training. The class was there. I've never heard anybody imply he was a hack.
Ah, well, he likely died of it and alcohol, and young.