Brian Smith

[BroDeal]

Not sure if this has been posted yet.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...d-cyclist-hed-drugs-sacked.html#ixzz295WvcMJ9

It was the autumn of 1994 and I had joined Lance Armstrong on a training ride on the banks of Lake Como.
. . . .

So, as we’re riding side by side, the conversation turns to the subject of performance-enhancing drugs. He wants to know what I think. Did I think everyone was on them? Was the only way to beat them to join them? Would I take them?

My dad was a Scottish international cyclist and before I turned pro he sat me down and made me promise that I would never fall into that world, that I would never take drugs. I told Lance the story and told him I could never let down my dad. I’d rather fail as a cyclist than do that. We rode on.

Two weeks later, I was called to a meeting with Jim Ochowicz, who played a big part in Lance’s career and at the time was Motorola team manager. Jim told me I would not be getting a new contract for the following season.

 

[thirteen]

Bro, it has -- in multiple threads... peloton reactions, media, lance armstrong, and maybe more at the rate threads are being started here

it's an important story that hopefully people will actually read when some of the initial blood lust is over... it's just not sexy enough because most people don't know who he is, which, of course, is the point -- maybe they would have?

the one thing that gave me pause, however, was his certainty the Wiggins was clean. maybe he's right and i'm just too cynical. and/or maybe he's talking like every brit* i know

* my own personal experience

 

[sniper]

two things seem to be en vogue at the moment,
- saying Wiggins is clean
- saying Lance Armstrong was a dirty doping *******

The Millar/JV school is being celebrated at the moment.

 

[Fresca]

Cashing in?

Hmm, not sure about this one.

Previously Smith played the "I wasn't aware of anything line", and now this...

Seems odd that Armstrong would ask a young lad new to the pro ranks, and on a 1 year contract funded by personal sponsors about doping in the peloton, no?

If it's true, why wait until now to speak to the papers about it?

 

[Briant_Gumble]

It's a good story. Having been clean training with dopers in the past, they tend to get extremely insecure if you can at least match their level whilst being clean.

I can imagine Lance and any other doper in his position would not want a clean rider around him if he could avoid it to make himself feel better about himself as much as anything.

 

[pelodee]

Defending Motorola June 21, 2004 - scoll down to 2nd story

One of Swart's former Motorola teammates (in 1994) Brian Smith was surprised at Swart's comments, but denied that there was pressure from the team management to take drugs. "If that's true it would have been an unbelievable change in the culture of the team," Smith told Scotland on Sunday. "When I signed for the team we all had physiological tests and blood tests and those were sent away. We had a training camp in Tuscany, then we travelled to Cannes, where we prepared for the Trofeo Laigueglia, which Lance had won the previous year. That was to be my first race for Motorola.

"But the day before the race I was called into a room with Jim Ochowicz and Hennie Kuiper, the team directors, and Massimo Testa, the team doctor, and told that I couldn't race. They said that my blood tests had shown a testosterone level of zero, which meant either that my body had stopped producing it, or that I'd been getting it artificially. I had stubble, so I was obviously getting it from somewhere.

"It was made very clear to me that Motorola was a massive sponsor, and that they condemned any association with drugs. I had no idea what had happened, but a second test cleared me and I was able to start racing. But it showed me the team was clean. I saw nothing untoward in the year I was there, and that included riding the Giro d'Italia.

"As far as I'm concerned, he [Testa] was straight down the line. There was certainly EPO around in cycling, but I am very confident that Testa was absolutely clean. I know that Swart has said they started doping in 1995, but, based on my experience and the fact that Testa was there until 1996, I find it very hard to believe."

Brian Smith Gets PEZ’d February 06, 2008

PEZ: Have you read the book L.A. Confidential? What do you think?

BRIAN: I have never had the inclination to read it. Same reason I don’t read comic books except ‘Oor Wullie’ (long running Scottish cartoon character).

I told Lance I'd never take drugs... two weeks later I was sacked 12 October 2012 - same article posted by BroDeal above #1

In David Walsh’s book, L.A. Confidentiel, he had a testimony from Steven Swart, who is a good friend and was still on the Motorola team in 1995. He claimed in Walsh’s book that the doping started at Motorola in 1995 and he was ostracised by the sport as a result. The power of Lance.

 

[LugHugger]

Funny that Smith has grown a set now that the USADA report is in the public domain. During the 2010 ToC in response to Kirkby (or Harmon's, I forget which was on duty now on Eurosport) question on the day that the Novitsky investigation into USPS broke, Smith said, and I paraphrase "Why is there any need to drag this all up again? It's all in the past. I raced with Lance and he is my friend and I never saw any PED use. It's a waste of time and money." There was certainly no hint at the bitterness in the Mail article - a paper which is incidentally equivalent to a Tea Party tabloid in case you are not aware. He's been at best guilty of upholding the omerta and imo a snivelling apologist. In his defense, 99% of the rest of pro cycling acted the same.

 

[thirteen]

Hmm, not sure about this one.

Previously Smith played the "I wasn't aware of anything line", and now this...

Seems odd that Armstrong would ask a young lad new to the pro ranks, and on a 1 year contract funded by personal sponsors about doping in the peloton, no?

If it's true, why wait until now to speak to the papers about it?

i don't know what he's said in the past, sorry. i don't really know him or had ever heard of him.

what he said in the article is that he wonders... he doesn't know if he was ever even considered or, if he was, that this was the reason.

he doesn't accuse, he tells a story (with, i'm sure, the lovely Daily Mail flourish..).

it makes you think, at least.

eta: okay, okay... knew NONE of his history. at all. sorry. he is not a name that i know... i bow to your collective wisdom.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Brian,s a FB pal of mine. He was recently the manager of the Enduro racing team that had the recent Tour Of Britain winner Jonathan Tiernan-Locke. That team has now folded. Locke has signed for Sky for next season .
Brian has remained very quite recently on FB regards the whole Armstrong saga.
That all said I believe his story and I think he has remained mostly quite because he needs to earn a living.
It aint an easy choice the walk away .
I know because I did and for 17 years barely ever watched a bike race or spoke to any cyclists. And, and not wishing to sound like a" bleeding heart" a lot in my life since has not been easy.

 

[LugHugger]

Brian,s a FB pal of mine. He was recently the manager of the Enduro racing team that had the recent Tour Of Britain winner Jonathan Tiernan-Locke. That team has now folded. Locke has signed for Sky for next season .
Brian has remained very quite recently on FB regards the whole Armstrong saga.
That all said I believe his story and I think he has remained mostly quite because he needs to earn a living.
It aint an easy choice the walk away .
I know because I did and for 17 years barely ever watched a bike race or spoke to any cyclists. And, and not wishing to sound like a" bleeding heart" a lot in my life since has not been easy.

Daryl, hasn't Endura merged with NetApp for 2013 rather than folded?

 

[thehog]

I wonder if Sean Yates had a similar discussion and took the chocolates?

 

[BroDeal]

Bro, it has -- in multiple threads... peloton reactions, media, lance armstrong, and maybe more at the rate threads are being started here

This is why I hate mega threads.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Daryl, hasn't Endura merged with NetApp for 2013 rather than folded?

Well If it has its news to me Lug. Recently Brian updated his status :
" Feeling a wee bit sad this evening....the last page is about to be closed in a great project....Endura Racing.....last UCI race tomorrow with Paris-Bourges....i have loved the last 3 years of taking a Scottish club team to 6th in the UCI Europe Tour Rankings.....and of course making history with the Tour of Britain. Everyone that has been touched by Endura Racing with all say its a special team with a great atmosphere. I must admit i shed a tear and stood proud on being part of the long term goal of winning the Tour of Britain with a British rider. I just want to thank all that has been involved with the team over the last 3 years from riders to staff and especially Jim McFarlane who believed in me by backing the project."
You might be right though but Its not somat I've heard.

 

[Fresca]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eight-endura-riders-to-join-netapp-endura-in-2013

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dempster-finally-gets-his-chance-with-team-netapp-endura

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-netapp-and-endura-racing-merge-for-upcoming-season

 

[Darryl Webster]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eight-endura-riders-to-join-netapp-endura-in-2013

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dempster-finally-gets-his-chance-with-team-netapp-endura

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-netapp-and-endura-racing-merge-for-upcoming-season

Cheers Fresca..spent so much time following the Pharmstrong saga much of the rest of the news has passed me by!

 

[Fresca]

"He needs to earn a living"

Brian,s a FB pal of mine. He was recently the manager of the Enduro racing team that had the recent Tour Of Britain winner Jonathan Tiernan-Locke. That team has now folded. Locke has signed for Sky for next season .
Brian has remained very quite recently on FB regards the whole Armstrong saga.
That all said I believe his story and I think he has remained mostly quite because he needs to earn a living.
It aint an easy choice the walk away .
I know because I did and for 17 years barely ever watched a bike race or spoke to any cyclists. And, and not wishing to sound like a" bleeding heart" a lot in my life since has not been easy.

Yep, that's a difficult one, keeping quiet: balancing needing to remain in the sport/business to earn a living, and maintaining the omerta. He's surely done the latter.

I wonder if Eurosport would have released him from his commentating work if he had told this story a year ago though? Would Endura have let him go as General Manager or whatever he is if he'd said Lance asked him about doping once?

 

[Darryl Webster]

Yep, that's a difficult one, keeping quiet: balancing needing to remain in the sport/business to earn a living, and maintaining the omerta. He's surely done the latter.

I wonder if Eurosport would have released him from his commentating work if he had told this story a year ago though? Would Endura have let him go as General Manager of whatever he is if he'd said Lance asked him about doping once?

Probably not...the pro cycling world is a very small world..nepotism rules . While obviously not all are "bad" peeps the great majority I would never want to class as genuine friends... cus TBH most are the most self absorbed ego centric **** bags you could ever wish to meet.
And I say that in the nicest possible way

 

[skidmark]

well, in reading the report, I can see why one wouldn't want to speak up against Lance before he was convicted. He was the most powerful person in the sport, he took everything personally, and he used his resources to get petty revenge often.

 

[Ferminal]

The question is, who on Motorola didn't dope?