Cycling R.I.P 1995-2010

[cocteau_ireland]

Should professional cycling from this period not be wiped from the collective memory? Am watching a middleweight pugilist win les deux alpes in 2002. It's abominable. When I gave up on cycling(around 1995/6) it was because i couldn't believe that brutes like Riis could climb alpine ranges competitively. Had little idea about the nefarious and pernicious drug environment beyond the 50% haematocrit level. Remember, before the internet it was cycling weekly & phil liggett who informed. Only got back into the sport in 2010 via riding and watching again but the boxy sprinters up mountains is surely only confined to the grotesque era i've stated?

 

[Fatclimber]

I wish it were only that simple, not just with cycling but also pertaining to certain terms of presidency and so on. You would have to rewind to a few years prior to 1995 too. Tygart has a good perspective on this subject regarding "sport" as opposed to "entertainment." What happened during those years was purely entertainment, hopefully some day soon we will get back to watching a sport. Take that period for what it was worth, which to me is nothing. Much like an episode of The Simpsons.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

I wish it were only that simple, not just with cycling but also pertaining to certain terms of presidency and so on. You would have to rewind to a few years prior to 1995 too. Tygart has a good perspective on this subject regarding "sport" as apposed to "entertainment." What happened during those years was purely entertainment, hopefully some day soon we will get back to watching a sport. Take that period for what it was worth, which to me is nothing. Much like an episode of The Simpsons.

Don't disagree; cycling has a long and illustrious association with preparations beyond paniagua. Yet, do feel that when guys with fat asses ( to draw from herrera's decision to pack it in) start climbing mountains better than the goats it physiologically became an obvious joke. That's not getting into the blood issues. Sprinting, they were sprinting up the mountains.

 

[The Hitch]

So Carlos Sastre cannot call himself a TDF winner?

 

[cineteq]

So Carlos Sastre cannot call himself a TDF winner?

Only if the Schleck brothers agree.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

So Carlos Sastre cannot call himself a TDF winner?

Yes, proper said. My cycling friends assure me he was legit. By the way, you're cordially invited to Belfast for the Giro

 

[Netserk]

He might be more 'legit' than the others, but I don't think any of the top contenders ride/rode clean from 1991 onwards.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

He might be more 'legit' than the others, but I don't think any of the top contenders ride/rode clean from 1991 onwards.

Yeah but when did it start looking ridiculous?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Should professional cycling from this period not be wiped from the collective memory?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GmNcVGsbjU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajaKo0-e5VU

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Good god man. This is not the time to use weird,highlighted exceptions. The most fake,damaging period in cyclings history is only served by this approach. It was a terrible time, it was the worst of times. Allow.

 

[Fatclimber]

So Carlos Sastre cannot call himself a TDF winner?

Sure he can, just like Andy Schleck & Oscar Pereiro. They can all call themselves whatever they want.

 

[peterst6906]

Why only the period 1995 - 2010?

If there is a desire to wipe that era from history (with Sastre as an exception), shouldn't the end date still be open?

Maybe it should be 1995 - ?

 

[The Hitch]

Why only the period 1995 - 2010?

If there is a desire to wipe that era from history (with Sastre as an exception), shouldn't the end date still be open?

Maybe it should be 1995 - ?

I believe the op explained those were the years he wasn't watching cycling.

 

[ElChingon]

Why only the period 1995 - 2010?

If there is a desire to wipe that era from history (with Sastre as an exception), shouldn't the end date still be open?

Maybe it should be 1995 - ?

No, more like 1976-2013, Sastre gets folded into it, there is no escaping it.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

I believe the op explained those were the years he wasn't watching cycling.

And why would I be interested in anything involving that. Miss the inevitable

 

[cocteau_ireland]

No, more like 1976-2013, Sastre gets folded into it, there is no escaping it.

Oh stop being ridiculous

 

[ultimobici]

No, more like 1976-2013, Sastre gets folded into it, there is no escaping it.

How do you arrive at 1976 as the date to wipe from?

 

[Dear Wiggo]

You don't believe Riis but you do believe Wiggo?

 

[ultimobici]

You don't believe Riis but you do believe Wiggo?

Riis & Wiggins are not in the same ballpark. Riis couldn't get a contract without Fignon's help at one point in the late 80's!

 

[blackcat]

Should professional cycling from this period not be wiped from the collective memory? Am watching a middleweight pugilist win les deux alpes in 2002. It's abominable. When I gave up on cycling(around 1995/6) it was because i couldn't believe that brutes like Riis could climb alpine ranges competitively. Had little idea about the nefarious and pernicious drug environment beyond the 50% haematocrit level. Remember, before the internet it was cycling weekly & phil liggett who informed. Only got back into the sport in 2010 via riding and watching again but the boxy sprinters up mountains is surely only confined to the grotesque era i've stated?

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way

dickens

 

[blackcat]

Riis & Wiggins are not in the same ballpark. Riis couldn't get a contract without Fignon's help at one point in the late 80's!

and Wiggins would never have got contracts after his first 8 years in the pro peloton starting with linda mac, had he not been a brit.

I bet if he was a kiwi or a canuck, he would have been turfed like Robert Bartko

ie. quickly

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Riis & Wiggins are not in the same ballpark. Riis couldn't get a contract without Fignon's help at one point in the late 80's!

You know Sky were building the team around Cavendish before Wiggo came 4th at TdF in 2009 yeah?

Given his "palmares", I think the only reason Wiggo had a contract early in the piece is coz he took peanuts as a roadie salary thanks to the BC funding for his 6 x pursuits / year quota.

 

[blackcat]

You know Sky were building the team around Cavendish before Wiggo came 4th at TdF in 2009 yeah?

Given his "palmares", I think the only reason Wiggo had a contract early in the piece is coz he took peanuts as a roadie salary thanks to the BC funding for his 6 x pursuits / year quota.

and that is the flaw to the argument that he always had the talent, just rode the boards.

for maybe 100k gbp per annum, v 1 million gbp per, and now on over 2 million gbp.

the economic argument is the strongest, and no one has ever gone there.

*except la pussie noir

 

[Dear Wiggo]

and that is the flaw to the argument that he always had the talent, just rode the boards.

for maybe 100k gbp per annum, v 1 million gbp per, and now on over 2 million gbp.

the economic argument is the strongest, and no one has ever gone there.

*except la pussie noir

le chat noir? unless... but I digress.

 

[JimmyFingers]

Except Wiggins already had a contract with Garmin, and Vaughters wanted to keep him, so the argument falls down there.

But no doubt we'll have another exhaustive discussion of Wiggins in yet another thread.