"Because it's Australian made, you know it was made clean"

[Ferminal]

Interesting blog by Anthony Tan:

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/blog-article/122237/Don-t-give-in-now

(Remember it's geared for an Australian audience)

I thought I was reading something good when he started well, played neutral on Ricco, and acknowledged that there could be a wider problem.

Unfortunately from there he pointed the blame at "two-year bans" where in my mind, he could have chosen the sports administrators to point the finger at. He could have even looked at the recent WADA statements. The ban length argument is an easy target but overlooks some equally significant issues.

This sentence is good though:

"that certain team personnel in positions of mentoring and influence, with chequered pasts they haven’t owned up to and who remain unrepentant, continue to demand results above all else, and ask their riders to race more than is humanly capable on a doping-free diet"

Not sure about the part in bold however, do Andersen, Hog, Riis etc really ask their riders to ride on a doping-free diet?

But it all goes massively downhill from here:

"UCI president Pat McQuaid was right: there is a problem with Spanish cycling; there exists more doping cases than any other major cycling nation, and from the way they’ve handled each, it’s abundantly clear there is no consistency."

For no real reason, decides to point the finger at Spain, before going on to say that Australian (and British) cycling is the pinnacle of clean sport.

"Thankfully, the overwhelming proportion of Australian cyclists have gone through this era largely unscathed and unblemished [Does that mean clean?]. Our reputation for producing clean machines – and winning ones – is second-to-none and matched only by Great Britain, except on the road, we’ve been infinitely more successful. We just can’t seem to do it when it comes to the bat and ball and something called ‘The Ashes’.

The creation of the GreenEDGE project, with its multi-tiered approach that, in harmonious marriage with the Australian Institute of Sport, provides a clear pathway from aspiring junior to elite amateur to Continental pro to ProTeam rider, I’m most excited about.

Sure, they’ll still be those Aussies who will ride for other teams and as we’ve seen at the Tour Down Under and Tour of Qatar there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s in one’s formative years where eggs can turn bad, and I believe the GreenEDGE ethos, at least on paper, provides a route so, in the future, we can guarantee our guys are home-grown, organic, and in no way are PED-inclined.

So what I’m saying is this: don’t expect some seminal moment to occur where all you see can be believed – but do expect to see a day where you see an Australian on the Tour de France podium, in Australian livery, and because it’s Australian made, you know it was made clean."


Yes, all have faith in GreenEDGE to lead the future of clean cycling, afterall, Stephens, Bannan and White have spotless reputations!

 

[BroDeal]

Is anyone else saving up a good belly laugh for when GreenEDGE falls on its face?

 

[craig1985]

Interesting blog by Anthony Tan:

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/blog-article/122237/Don-t-give-in-now

(Remember it's geared for an Australian audience)

I thought I was reading something good when he started well, played neutral on Ricco, and acknowledged that there could be a wider problem.

Unfortunately from there he pointed the blame at "two-year bans" where in my mind, he could have chosen the sports administrators to point the finger at. He could have even looked at the recent WADA statements. The ban length argument is an easy target but overlooks some equally significant issues.

This sentence is good though:

"that certain team personnel in positions of mentoring and influence, with chequered pasts they haven’t owned up to and who remain unrepentant, continue to demand results above all else, and ask their riders to race more than is humanly capable on a doping-free diet"

Not sure about the part in bold however, do Andersen, Hog, Riis etc really ask their riders to ride on a doping-free diet?

But it all goes massively downhill from here:

"UCI president Pat McQuaid was right: there is a problem with Spanish cycling; there exists more doping cases than any other major cycling nation, and from the way they’ve handled each, it’s abundantly clear there is no consistency."

For no real reason, decides to point the finger at Spain, before going on to say that Australian (and British) cycling is the pinnacle of clean sport.

"Thankfully, the overwhelming proportion of Australian cyclists have gone through this era largely unscathed and unblemished [Does that mean clean?]. Our reputation for producing clean machines – and winning ones – is second-to-none and matched only by Great Britain, except on the road, we’ve been infinitely more successful. We just can’t seem to do it when it comes to the bat and ball and something called ‘The Ashes’.

The creation of the GreenEDGE project, with its multi-tiered approach that, in harmonious marriage with the Australian Institute of Sport, provides a clear pathway from aspiring junior to elite amateur to Continental pro to ProTeam rider, I’m most excited about.

Sure, they’ll still be those Aussies who will ride for other teams and as we’ve seen at the Tour Down Under and Tour of Qatar there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s in one’s formative years where eggs can turn bad, and I believe the GreenEDGE ethos, at least on paper, provides a route so, in the future, we can guarantee our guys are home-grown, organic, and in no way are PED-inclined.

So what I’m saying is this: don’t expect some seminal moment to occur where all you see can be believed – but do expect to see a day where you see an Australian on the Tour de France podium, in Australian livery, and because it’s Australian made, you know it was made clean."


Yes, all have faith in GreenEDGE to lead the future of clean cycling, afterall, Stephens, Bannan and White have spotless reputations!

At Tan's article.

 

[unsheath]

why are you scouring the cycling central website anyway? That site is for saddle sniffing flogs!

 

[Granville57]

This one is the most curious to me:

that certain team personnel in positions of mentoring and influence, with chequered pasts they haven’t owned up to and who remain unrepentant, continue to demand results above all else, and ask their riders to race more than is humanly capable on a doping-free diet;

First of all, it would seem that would have to be one or the other. If you haven't owned up, then no reason to be repentant. But I think I know what he means, and Riis comes to mind immediately. He has owned up, but is hardly remorseful about it. It also reminds me of Riis suggesting that Cancellara should have attempted Liege-Bastogne-Liege after his Flanders/Roubaix double because he was on, "the form of his life."

"Fabian is on the form of his life and I think he should race at Amstel and Liège,” Riis said Sunday. “I think he could win Liège.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/04/news/riis-cancellara-could-win-liege_111466

Fabian himself seemed to quickly reject the notion of being somehow bionic and didn't entertain the possibility. Riis then later suggested that Contador was capable of the GT hat-trick in one season. Again, something that was, at the time, downplayed by Contador himself. Is that what Tan was referring to? It does beg the question of Bjarne: When is enough, enough?

 

[brianf7]

Sounds like a preagnent school girl rubbing vanishing cream on her belly time will tell, lets hope for a mirricle.

 

[Ferminal]

why are you scouring the cycling central website anyway? That site is for saddle sniffing flogs!

Oh I don't scour it, but Tan writes some things worth reading (many of which I object to but some you can agree with).

 

[auscyclefan94]

*facepalm to article*


Anthony Tan is a guy who wears a dark blue suit on television so what do you expect?

That article of Tan's was really, really bad! The guy is seriously clueless.

 

[movingtarget]

I don't disagree with the thoughts on Spanish cycling and probably Italian. For a while there it seemed to be German and Austrian. That is why it is dangerous to stereotype. I never like Tan's articles much as they are usually full of cliche's but he is entitled to his views. He is really going out on a limb with his comments about the relative, lack of doping in Great Britain and Australia. But it's true, lately the high profile ones seem to be coming mainly from Italy and Spain. Whether that has any correlation with the amount of doping happening in each country is arguable. More track cyclists seem to have been caught in Australia than road riders.

 

[hrotha]

What the article doesn't seem to acknowledge is that for a long time there were no British and Australian road scenes. Their top riders would eventually move to Europe and be absorbed by their host's scenes - especially non-trackies.

 

[Runitout]

What the article doesn't seem to acknowledge is that for a long time there were no British and Australian road scenes. Their top riders would eventually move to Europe and be absorbed by their host's scenes - especially non-trackies.

Save and except that European training methods were also imported holus bolus under Heiko and Charlie.

Tan cannot be this stupid. Surely. Surely?

 

[Galic Ho]

Save and except that European training methods were also imported holus bolus under Heiko and Charlie.

Tan cannot be this stupid. Surely. Surely?

He is. This is old news. The lackeys at SBS are in the past. They're worse than Sherwen and Liggett. I still remember the day Ricco got popped in 2008. Mike Tomalaris was woeful commentating. When Lance gets nailed those guys will literally all $h1t a brick.

I go on the site every now and then and post some comments. No, I don't post as Galic Ho. My sig is far more creative. The comments on their site in the Ricco editorial are reflective of many Aussie cycling fans. They're naive. Ask them about Evans and you'll hear something that makes ACF94 look like the biggest cynical hater alive.

 

[Martin318is]

why are you scouring the cycling central website anyway? That site is for saddle sniffing flogs!

Its nice to post some comments and see what happens.

Significantly, 6 months ago I'd get a huge pile of disagrees and almost no agrees (and usually some attacking posts from others.) IN the last few months I get a huge pile of agrees, a small number of disagrees, and some posts in support.

Its almost like the readership of the site is a lot more intelligent and informed than the "journos" writing the articles now.

 

[yourwelcome]

Jingoism has permeated all of Australian society in the last decade or so, even on SBS, a supposedly multi-cultural broadcaster. Try listening to their Craig Foster commentating on soccer world cup to hear a stream of national stereotyping and myth-building Aussie Pride.

On the other hand, blind nationalist twaddle elsewhere in the article doesn't magically make Spain's obvious issues disappear.

 

[Martin318is]

Jingoism has permeated all of Australian society in the last decade or so, even on SBS, a supposedly multi-cultural broadcaster.

Actually, I don't think that is true. I think it has always been there - its just that these days some are elightened enough to notice it is going on.

 

[auscyclefan94]

He is. This is old news. The lackeys at SBS are in the past. They're worse than Sherwen and Liggett. I still remember the day Ricco got popped in 2008. Mike Tomalaris was woeful commentating. When Lance gets nailed those guys will literally all $h1t a brick.

I go on the site every now and then and post some comments. No, I don't post as Galic Ho. My sig is far more creative. The comments on their site in the Ricco editorial are reflective of many Aussie cycling fans. They're naive. Ask them about Evans and you'll hear something that makes ACF94 look like the biggest cynical hater alive.

I wouldn't go that far Galic. Quite a few of the guys on Cycling Central are actually quite anti-Evans!

 

[rhubroma]

Thanks for confirming some conclusions I was led to draw from an Australian couple as crew mates on a boat I once worked on and, subsequently, an Australian 35ish year old woman as a flat mate I had several years ago. Kinda other worldly, you know? Holier than thou. Our sh!t doesn't stink but actually smells like roses.

Phil Anderson anyone?

Aside from the sarcasm, his comments don't surprise.

 

[Runitout]

Thanks for confirming some conclusions I was led to draw from an Australian couple as crew mates on a boat I once worked on and, subsequently, an Australian 35ish year old woman as a flat mate I had several years ago. Kinda other worldly, you know? Holier than thou. Our sh!t doesn't stink but actually smells like roses.

Phil Anderson anyone?

Aside from the sarcasm, his comments don't surprise.

We are not all arseholes. Although I think I have been accused of being one. There are good and bad from all countries, even yours.

But I am reminded of the notion that patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Lately, here, it is the first.

 

[auscyclefan94]

We have some bigots on this thread.


Anyway, Does anyone have the link to the white positive for salbutamol?

 

[Runitout]

Look at cyclingnews. 1998. He only got two months.

 

[rhubroma]

We are not all arseholes. Although I think I have been accused of being one. There are good and bad from all countries, even yours.

But I am reminded of the notion that patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Lately, here, it is the first.

Of course, on all points, especially the last. I was being ironic so don't worry I have also met other most agreeable folks from Down Under. However, each country gets to deal with their a$$holes and can't make excuses for them.

I simply don't get how someone from any modern state can publicly say that about its athletes and keep a straight face.

 

[Realist]

This is what I wrote in article comments. My last one didn't get published so I've no reason to think they will put this up. I'm putting it here because I think it's relevant, it's worth saying, and I don't believe the SBS site and Tan will publish it. Hopefully they prove me wrong. Otherwise, here is my comment:

"The senior staff at Green Edge may be committed to clean cycling and I certainly hope they are. I really do hope the new generation are cleaner and I have some reason to believe that it's true. Still, it is wrong to assume that because Green Edge are Australian, they are totally clean. We have short memories and forget history too easily. The only way to ensure that Australian cycling retains its integrity is to admit the possibility that it might not and to put in place careful procedures that ensure transparency and accountability. Whether or not the senior staff at CA and Green Edge have the drive or desire to do this is an unknown right now, but it's worth remembering the history of the Green Edge staff before we jingoistically celebrate our own righteousness and denigrate the Euro's.

The following is documented fact - none of the top Green Edge sporting staff have totally clean records with respect to performance enhancing drugs.

Neil Stephens: rode for Festina and was administered drugs by their team doctor.

Matt White: referred Trent Lowe to Dr Del Moral, who Landis testified was the doctor that administered him drugs when he was preparing for the tour. The same Del Moral who worked for USPS during Matt White's tenure there and was seen by journalists disposing of medical waste during the tour de france. Matt White also tested positive for Salbutamol, but this is likely to be an administrative slip after failing to provide a TUE (eg: not dodgy, sloppy).

Shayne Bannan: was present at the Del Monte training facility in Adelaide during over the period in which Mark French, Jobie Dajka and possibly other riders were using Equine Growth Hormone. Whether or not Bannan and Barras knew about what was going on over that period around 2002 and 2003, it still escapes me how they can escape taking responsibility or being held accountable for it (eg, being sacked/resigning) when they were the coaches in charge. The fact this never happened makes me question the seriousness of CA in holding its riders and staff to account."

 

[El Imbatido]

@Realist
You seem to know alot about doping in Aus. This is on a slightly different note (ie.not about greenedge staff doping but just doping in Aus). Wasn't there PEDs (steroids??) found at the AIS (Aus Institute Of Sport) in a cyclists room a few years back (probably nearly 10years now). Graeme Brown comes to mind for some reason? Does anybody remember this or am i just dreaming this stuff???

 

[Martin318is]

Wasn't there PEDs (steroids??) found at the AIS (Aus Institute Of Sport) in a cyclists room a few years back (probably nearly 10years now). Graeme Brown comes to mind for some reason? Does anybody remember this or am i just dreaming this stuff???

This is the Mark French, Jobie Dajka part he mentions.

 

[Paco_P]

Of course the reason that there are lots of Spanish cyclists who are caught for doping is simply that there are lots of professional cyclists who are Spanish. Fewer Australians are caught because there are fewer professional cyclists who are Australian.

What may in fact be different, is the quality of the circus running professional cycling in a particular country. In Spain the circus is full of freaks, and is run by the clowns, which is how it comes to pass that the Spanish president has absolved Contador via Twitter.