David Millar goes after the UCI

[Cycle Chic]

Millar's just after kudos for HIMSELF as usual. Smacks of jumping on the Bandwagon as he can see the wheels are coming off.

 

[thirteen]

Millar's just after kudos for HIMSELF as usual. Smacks of jumping on the Bandwagon as he can see the wheels are coming off.

don't give a **** why, just am glad he is doing so... and i hope others follow suit.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Millar's just after kudos for HIMSELF as usual. Smacks of jumping on the Bandwagon as he can see the wheels are coming off.

What like you, ending up moaning here, when your "Carlton Kirby has to go" bandwagon lost it's wheels on thread page one, you mean?
There really is no up side to anything cycling related, as far as you are concerned, is there?

This is a gift horse. Don't stick your head down it's throat.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

What like you, ending up moaning here, when your "Carlton Kirby has to go" bandwagon lost it's wheels on thread page one, you mean?
There really is no up side to anything cycling related, as far as you are concerned, is there?

This is a gift horse. Don't stick your head down it's throat.

With Millar's track record of inconsistency when it comes to anti-doping and his previous praise of Armstrong, Contador etc, do you not think it prudent to maybe be a little bit cautious about Millar?

My enemies enemy does not automatically become my friend.

 

[TexPat]

I never have liked Millar. Besides his doping, I've always thought he was a big cry baby drama queen. So now he's being a white knight? I have mixed emotions about this. It's like he's blaming the UCI for his doping. For sure, they are part of the corruption that enabled and hid the doping culture and omertà. But I'm suspicious of Millar and his motives, which seem to be usually about him first.

Me, too. Never met him. Don't know him, but his gushing praise of the world's greatest fraud over the years makes me very suspicious of his motive. Somewhat akin to Pap.

But it was nice to see Pat squirm and I assume that it will only get better.

 

[trailrunner]

Me, too. Never met him. Don't know him, but his gushing praise of the world's greatest fraud over the years makes me very suspicious of his motive.

Yeah, forgot to mention their bromance. Always thought was sort of odd, but I figured that when Armstrong was dating the Olsen twins he needed a wingman.

 

[Cycle Chic]

What like you, ending up moaning here, when your "Carlton Kirby has to go" bandwagon lost it's wheels on thread page one, you mean?
There really is no up side to anything cycling related, as far as you are concerned, is there?

This is a gift horse. Don't stick your head down it's throat.

Thanks for the tirade of abuse Mellow Velo...but if Mike Anderson is of the same opinion I,m in good company...bwhahahahahahahahaha

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I never have liked Millar. Besides his doping, I've always thought he was a big cry baby drama queen. So now he's being a white knight? I have mixed emotions about this. It's like he's blaming the UCI for his doping. For sure, they are part of the corruption that enabled and hid the doping culture and omertà. But I'm suspicious of Millar and his motives, which seem to be usually about him first.

To be honest, he's always tried to play this white knight character, and it's always rang hollow. His anti-doping crusade seemed mighty paltry compared to guys like Bernhard Kohl or Emanuele Sella who were much more forthcoming with information.

However, for the first time that I can recall, Millar is behaving as we might reasonably hope for in an anti-doping crusader. He's actually doing what many have wanted him to do all along, but he was unable or unwilling to, for whatever reason.

 

[TexPat]

Thanks for the tirade of abuse Mellow Velo...but if Mike Anderson is of the same opinion I,m in good company...bwhahahahahahahahaha

Cynical, yes. Very wary, yes.

But, he might just get the benefit of the doubt with regards to his intentions.

To be clear, what cycling needs is Christophe Bassoons.

 

[bpickford]

However, for the first time that I can recall, Millar is behaving as we might reasonably hope for in an anti-doping crusader. He's actually doing what many have wanted him to do all along, but he was unable or unwilling to, for whatever reason.

You don't know what he was doing. Just because he wasn't making a song and dance about it in public doesn't mean he wasn't doing anything worthwhile.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

With Millar's track record of inconsistency when it comes to anti-doping and his previous praise of Armstrong, Contador etc, do you not think it prudent to maybe be a little bit cautious about Millar?

My enemies enemy does not automatically become my friend.

Ya - I certainly think that is a sensible approach.

But I don't know if I would call him 'inconsistent' - he appears to have been charmed by The Lance (in his book he confronts LA asking LA do do more for anti-doping!!).
It may seem odd, but I think he is just late to the party. But as you say, a bit of caution is advised.

 

[Cyivel]

Miller is doing the right thing but yeah like others a wee bit wary of his motives, just have to wait and see I guess but prefer him doing this to nothing.

 

[esafosfina]

As an ex-pro rider, and an advocate of anti-doping I applaud DM's questioning of McQ... Although I too am a little wary of motive. Alturism or self-preservation? There are a great many ex-pros out there that would like to ask the very same questions of the UCI but don't have the voice... and (playing devil's advocate) if DM hadn't been caught, would he have had the voice?

(I must stress, I have nothing against DM, whatsoever...)

 

[Mellow Velo]

With Millar's track record of inconsistency when it comes to anti-doping and his previous praise of Armstrong, Contador etc, do you not think it prudent to maybe be a little bit cautious about Millar?

My enemies enemy does not automatically become my friend.

Do I know you?
Come on MJM.
You know as well as I, it's not about what we (a very small minority) think about Millar, it's about how these statements plays in the press to the general masses.

Sure, he was Lance's bud, but it doesn't look as if he's following Lance's script, these days.
As Dr M says, he's late, but at least he's appeared at the public party.

 

[Darryl Webster]

I'm not convinced by this:

“The sport’s changed incredibly. The peloton believes Bradley Wiggins is clean. I trust him implicitly. And Ryder Hesjedal winning the Giro, which is perhaps physically the most demanding grand tour, that gives us confidence to the peloton,” he said. “The bottom line is now, you’re a young guy coming into the sport today, you can win the biggest races clean. That was something unimaginable even a few years ago. Credit to where credit is due.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...hould-own-up-to-cyclings-doping-past_239502/2

Some very mixed messages / thoughts for me.

 

[D-Queued]

I'm not convinced by this:

“The sport’s changed incredibly. The peloton believes Bradley Wiggins is clean. I trust him implicitly. And Ryder Hesjedal winning the Giro, which is perhaps physically the most demanding grand tour, that gives us confidence to the peloton,” he said. “The bottom line is now, you’re a young guy coming into the sport today, you can win the biggest races clean. That was something unimaginable even a few years ago. Credit to where credit is due.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...hould-own-up-to-cyclings-doping-past_239502/2

Some very mixed messages / thoughts for me.

Yes. An honest revealing of past sins for those with questionable past associations would make these statements more credible.

Then again, there are many here (and I am sometimes in agreement) that question those with doping backgrounds.

Dave.

 

[GotDropped]

I think David Millar is finally putting things straight. I think it is interesting that he uses the analogy of a "cookie".

(http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...hould-own-up-to-cyclings-doping-past_239502/2) → last sentence of the article (talking about Lance):

"And now he has to live with this for the rest of his life without having it very clarified. That’s how the cookie crumbles, I suppose."

Lance said this in an interview about David Millar just after making his comeback:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XPJj056zsyw#t=110s

"David … was caught with his hand in the cookie jar..."

So, even though David was caught trying to steal the cookies, the ones Lance has stolen, are finally starting to "crumble" around him.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Do I know you?
Come on MJM.
You know as well as I, it's not about what we (a very small minority) think about Millar, it's about how these statements plays in the press to the general masses.

Sure, he was Lance's bud, but it doesn't look as if he's following Lance's script, these days.
As Dr M says, he's late, but at least he's appeared at the public party.

I am not disputing any of that. All I am saying is that it is prudent to see if Millar is legitimately wanting to see a clean up of cycling or if he is merely positioning himself politically. As others say - on the one hand he has sung Armstrong's praises, claimed that Contador is clean because he is so consistent and spoken highly of Sky, so it is always hard to work out which side of his mouth Millar is speaking from.

I recall after the USADA announcement Millar declared that he was going to go into a cave (or words to that effect) and to think about his response. If this is the fruits of that then good.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Do I know you?
Come on MJM.
You know as well as I, it's not about what we (a very small minority) think about Millar, it's about how these statements plays in the press to the general masses.

Sure, he was Lance's bud, but it doesn't look as if he's following Lance's script, these days.
As Dr M says, he's late, but at least he's appeared at the public party.

mmmm.... the name Joe Papp springs to mind

 

[Mellow Velo]

mmmm.... the name Joe Papp springs to mind

So, are you still trying to invest more in the shrink wrapped idea that this should be viewed as Millar continuing to ride dirty, might win something and is using this as a convenient cover for his deceit, as opposed to further, very public opposition to Pat and Hein's brown envelope years?

OK.

But given that the current theory that certain teams (Garmin being one) are still being "looked after", by the UCI, it seems a bit.............moronic, for a part owner to speak out in such terms.

I'm not sure you and MJM are on the same page.
I'm inclined to think that MJM is perhaps looking at a more political motivation..............which is frankly more intriguing.

 

[BroDeal]

But I don't know if I would call him 'inconsistent' - he appears to have been charmed by The Lance (in his book he confronts LA asking LA do do more for anti-doping!!).

That is like asking Al Capone to do more to stop bootlegging.

Stuff like that makes one wonder what he was thinking when he wrote it. Was it some sort of dopers' satire? Maybe he and the other riders use it as a joke in slow races. "Hey, David. Remember that time you told the public that you asked Lance to do more for anti-doping?" Everyone then laughs.

This may be a good sign. If a publicity seeking but timid rider like Millar can do this then, perhaps, it shows which way the wind is blowing.

 

[thehog]

David Millar is at the Wolrd to cover the races for the BBC. He showed up at McQuaid's Press conference today to ask Fat Pat some questions

http://youtu.be/xaeXXDZUSJs

He then talked to some of the Journalists

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/09/news/millar-uci-should-own-up-to-cyclings-doping-past_239502

Thank you David

From the YouTube I can tell you Pat has soft hands. Never done a hard days work in his life. Very soft hands.

For me Miller is a but of a tool but he's asking the question that the 100 guys in the rooms should have asked 10 years ago.

Good on him.

I think his quote on Lance is spot on:

“It’s unfortunate for him. He’s too far in. Just the scale of him, the legal problems would be massive,” Millar said. “That’s sad, he’s a phenomenal athlete, no matter what happened. And now he has to live with this for the rest of his life without having it very clarified. That’s how the cookie crumbles, I suppose.”

 

[sniper]

I was recently PM'ed by Inigo San Millán who told me 'someone' had pointed out to him that people were writing negatively about him on this forum. The PM is of course between me and him, but it shows that Garmin's PR machinery is running overhours.
It is a reasonable guess that Millar and JV have closely thought about the possible (political) implications before making these statements.

But that's exactly why Millar's statements are so hopeful:
apparently the insiders know the UCI-ship is about to sink and that this is the time to jump ship.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

'...'But that's exactly why Millar's statements are so hopeful: apparently the insiders know the UCI-ship is about to sink and that this is the time to jump ship.

Well at least you grasped that bit.

Have any Garmin bashes ever considered they were keeping their powder dry?

Kamikaze omerta breaking would have got them nowhere before Landis and Hamilton. But now.................

UCI is Vulnerable now,

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!..........please do whatever you can to add pressure to the UCI.

 

[the big ring]

It took 40 posts before someone pointed out the elephant in the room.

To wit:

I'm not convinced by this:

“The sport’s changed incredibly. The peloton believes Bradley Wiggins is clean. I trust him implicitly. And Ryder Hesjedal winning the Giro, which is perhaps physically the most demanding grand tour, that gives us confidence to the peloton,”

Why did David Millar, part-owner of a "new-age", purportedly clean pro cycling team say this?

Here's my theory:

If I come out and attack the pariah, I can slip in a bunch of half truths, innuendo and downright fabrications. People are going to be so caught up in my attack that they are going to ignore all these frills I am adding, which will then become cemented in the fabric of what we are weaving.


The point being: None of this "change" is relevant to Pat McQuaid's role in the dark era!

ie David Millar claims cycling is now dramatically changed - for the better. Pat McQuaid was and still is in charge of the UCI WHILE IT (allegedly) CLEANED UP.

So if the UCI was complicit in the dark era, by extension the UCI MUST BE complicit in the cleaning up of the sport. And what does Pat reply? "We tested more than anyone". Is David really saying that the riders and teams alone cleaned up the sport? After all, it was the UCI that introduced the biological passport.

I believe the logcial conclusion you can draw from what Millar has said is this: The peloton (especially Garmin and Sky - note he didn't mention the Vuelta winner?) is "out of the dark era", and the UCI (Pat McQuaid) helped bring that about.

I completely disagree.

The sport is still dirty. Omerta is still alive and well.

Pockets of riders even within "new-age" (Sky /Garmin) teams are still doping.

The dark era is still present, just in a different guise.

Pat McQaid (UCI, ASO, etc) is (are) complicit in the ongoing, new guise, dark-era.