Hi folks. I've been a long-time lurker in The Clinic (probably 3-4 years) but I've never felt compelled to post before - always been happy to just sit and read the exchanges. However, I feel now is as good a time as any to give my opinion.
I've loved professional cycling since I watched Greg Lemond in the final ITT in 1989. I've watched every TdF since (first on Channel 4 then on ITV), followed the eras of Big Mig, Marco, Jan, Lance et al. I've climbed the big TdF climbs, stood by the roadside with my Union Jack, spent many a happy (drunken) day in Paris, on Col de la Columbiere, in Hyde Park in London - seen arrivees and departs. It's been a big part of my life, and although I like the Giro and Vuelta - July in France is summer to me, just as it is for my French wife.
When Armstrong came back on the scene in 1999 I was his biggest fan. I stood on the climbs and screamed my lungs out for him. My journey was typical for many of his fans - I went from not even thinking about doping (post-Festina), to being sure he was clean, to wondering IF he was clean to finally, in 2004, knowing he was doped. However, there's a side of me that's glad that I didn't know the full extent of the deception, as described in The Clinic (using cited examples and published research) up until now. For many, this day has been too long in coming. I'd like to say thank you to people like Lemond, Betsy, Race Radio and all the others on the forum who have helped to expose Armstrong for what he is. And helped to educate the curious - like me.
I find myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the coverage of this, how people cite the "500 tests" ******** like unthinking minions. I keep checking for new news articles about it, it's been dominating my life for the past 5 days, I seem to be fascinated by it.
Maybe it's because I reference so many good times in my life to Le Tour, and to Lance, and to all those summers from '99 to '05. Six years of my life, that are no longer the same because I cannot look back on those memories with anything like the fondness that I should. My favorite rider was Jan Ullrich - he sat and ground the big gears up the mountains just like I do (all be it much faster than I ever did). Jan had no chance against the Armstrong machine - no wonder he he hit the beers in the winter, he knew he was racing for second 'cause there was no way Lance was ever going to be exposed for what he was.
If we knew in '99 what we know now... there'd be no Livestrong, no cameos in movies, no Twittering, no talk of 'all the good I've done for all those people'. It's absolute pish to talk about how much money he's raised for cancer - if we'd known he was on the gear in '99 no one would have given him a dime.
Greg Lemond re-takes his rightful place as the greatest American cyclist, Jan Ullrich gains the respect of the cycling world for his troubles in reconciling what happened back then and Armstrong does 10 years in jail, his ill-gotten assets seized. That's a result, as I see it.
Livestrong.com - Livestrong.org = Gone. Plenty of other cancer charities will pick up the fight - and put the money into research, rather than "awareness" - whatever the hell that actually is. Life will seem just a little bit more just and fair.
Mark
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