David Millar goes after the UCI

[ChewbaccaD]

I have never been a particularly big fan of Millar, but I will give him this: He asked questions many journalists in the room failed to ask, so he gets some respect for that as far as I'm concerned.

 

[the big ring]

I have never been a particularly big fan of Millar, but I will give him this: He asked questions many journalists in the room failed to ask, so he gets some respect for that as far as I'm concerned.

It sounded like he was doing a press release to me.

Can you please list the questions Millar asked? I read the article on Velonews twice but cannot see a single question. I watched the video but his words are not discernible.

ETA: keep in mind, Fran Millar (his sister) is "Head of Business Operations for @teamsky".

 

[gatete]

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.

"A man who chases a hundred rabbits at once catches none, that being said although I agree on the mentioning of Wiggings and Ryder as the example of clean cycle is a bit much, is start; I much prefer a David Millar starting to say something than a silent peloton while the avalanche of physical evidence not just by the Armstrong affair but the overall doping cases over these past years. I'll take comments like these any day than the crickets chirping we've been hearing from the rest of riders.

 

[DarkWarrior]

We are all entitled to our own opinions.

However, are you sure you have the right guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikzgWE3t0A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fe79ZuDKfk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrpL6BA6PBQ&feature=related

Or, more aligned with this topic, how about this infamous interview where Lance (while pretending not to know Kimmage's name, goes on to quote him multiple times) states at 2:00: "I have always liked David Millar. ... he confessed". This is in contrast to Jens Voigt, "He has not confessed... he doesn't feel he is guilty... you can't do that just to get people off your back... I am not sure I will ever forgive you..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZgns7CXeUI

Dave.

Sorry to temporarily derail the thread, but LOL at CVV looking at the ceiling while LA is talking ~ 3:00 minute mark twice within a few seconds in the last video above. I've seen this exchange before, but never from this camera angle. Very interesting.

 

[The Valley]

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

To wit:


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.


Let's break it down:
1. “The sport’s changed incredibly."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/opinion-michael-ashenden-on-omerta-101


2. "The peloton believes Bradley Wiggins is clean."
Believes? Not knows? http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/opinion-michael-ashenden-on-omerta-101


3. "I trust him [Brad] implicitly."
Trust him implicitly? Not, "I know Brad is clean"? Not even, "I believe Brad is clean"?

4. "And Ryder Hesjedal winning the Giro, which is perhaps physically the most demanding grand tour, that gives us confidence to the peloton"
Why not, "Ryder winning the Giro clean"?

Why does he have to imply cleanliness for Ryder? Why not say it unequivocally?

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

The point everyone is missing is this:

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". Do you really mean to say that the riders or teams can claim they alone cleaned up the sport? It was the UCI that introduced the biological passport ffs.

The only 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". The UCI (Pat McQuaid) helped bring that about.

BOOM. Wrong.

Do you get it now?

The sport is still dirty.

Pockets of riders 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.

I think you need to be a little more open minded - what you've done here is basically dismiss, insinuate and twist based on the fact that David Millar did not use the exact words you wanted him to use, which is a bit pointless really. We can all go looking for conspiracy theories in "missing" words, to no avail.

I've never really liked Millar - certainly in the early part of his career he had a tendency to be arrogant and precious - and he has not been averse to some suspicious PR himself over his drug taking, but I am very glad he's asking the questions that he's asking right now. He's an intelligent guy.

 

[the big ring]

I think you need to be a little more open minded - what you've done here is basically dismiss, insinuate and twist based on the fact that David Millar did not use the exact words you wanted him to use, which is a bit pointless really. We can all go looking for conspiracy theories in "missing" words, to no avail.

I've never really liked Millar - certainly in the early part of his career he had a tendency to be arrogant and precious - and he has not been averse to some suspicious PR himself over his drug taking, but I am very glad he's asking the questions that he's asking right now. He's an intelligent guy.

I apologise if it looks that way. I realised after there was more emphasis from me on the way he said "things are better now" than what I was really trying to get at: if things are better now, they got better with Pat and the UCI in charge.

My point is - they are not better, Pat is still in charge. They are just different.

I have edited the irrelevance out of my post - now it's just what I was trying to get at.

What questions did Millar ask? People keep mentioning the questions he asked. I haven't seen any. For me it was a press release at a press conference.

 

[JimmyFingers]

Ahh David, so close to getting clinic approval, until you said what you said about Sky and Garmin. Lets face it, if Sky are clean, a lot of you here look like total idiots, hence the immediate backlash, which will continue and get louder once the trolls arrive.

Anyway I applaud him, a gutsy move by a prominent member of the peloton, it may prompt others to speak out now and the trickle may become a waterfall. It is hopefully a sign of change, a watershed moment potentially

 

[Stingray34]

St David 'Rage of the Convert' Millar

He's angling for a new career as Mr Panarama, or Turbo Kimmage 2.0.

That and throwing UCI under the bus only now bec he part-owns Slipstream with Jonathon 'Breakaway League' Vaughters.

Millar is just a more successful Joe Papp. Why are you asking the hard questions now, David? Sniffing a change in the wind? Sticking up for old pal Kimmage, the one you avoided and dissed at every opportunity, the fellow you watched being marginalised by Brad Wiggins at Garmin in 09.

Bravo, David, effing good on you.

 

[the big ring]

Why are you asking the hard questions now, David?

What questions did he ask?

 

[the big ring]

Ahh David, so close to getting clinic approval, until you said what you said about Sky and Garmin. Lets face it, if Sky are clean, a lot of you here look like total idiots, hence the immediate backlash, which will continue and get louder once the trolls arrive.

You're surprised David Millar sticks up for the Team his sister works for? Seriously?

If Ashenden says the "new-age" teams have pockets of dopers, I thinks it's safe to say neither Garmin nor Sky are squeaky clean.

 

[Stingray34]

What questions did he ask?

That's right; he just ingratiated himself as a knight errant at a phat pat press con. I'm here and I'm fighting the good fight. I could just see this twerp as a conservative MP.

 

[Cycle Chic]

and as pointed out - what is Fran Millar's job at Sky ? and why is she not on Team Sky's website...and why when googled does her name not associate with Team Sky if she is Head of Business Operations. ???

just not smelling good.

 

[ultimobici]

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

Papp was convicted of supplying doping products as well as being a doper. Millar was just a doper. Big big difference, IMO.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

and as pointed out - what is Fran Millar's job at Sky ? and why is she not on Team Sky's website...and why when googled does her name not associate with Team Sky if she is Head of Business Operations. ???

just not smelling good.

Apparantly you're not very good at google. One of the first results (in addition to others listing her as head of business operations):

Fran Millar and Carsten Jeppesen, who look after everything from bikes and equipment to logistics and media, sponsors and a plethora of other duties to keep Team Sky running smoothly. Fran always has a solution to the most obscure problems! Claudio

Too many people are reading too much into this. So what if its 'just a PR move' on Millar or Garmin? Its still the right action to take.

What questions did Millar ask? People keep mentioning the questions he asked. I haven't seen any. For me it was a press release at a press conference.

Video of the discussion, from the very first post in the thread. Come on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaeXXDZUSJs&feature=youtu.be

 

[the big ring]

Video of the discussion, from the very first post in the thread. Come on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaeXXDZUSJs&feature=youtu.be

It sounded like he was doing a press release to me.

Can you please list the questions Millar asked? I read the article on Velonews twice but cannot see a single question. I watched the video but his words are not discernible.

Humour me. Tell me ONE "question" he asked. Just one.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

"Just a quick one, going back to the beginning… You talk about a culture shift, do you not think it sends out the wrong message to the riders, the fans, and the media, when the UCI says it's got nothing to be apologetic for?"

 

[the big ring]

"Just a quick one, going back to the beginning… You talk about a culture shift, do you not think it sends out the wrong message to the riders, the fans, and the media, when the UCI says it's got nothing to be apologetic for?"

Thanks.

So Pat said there's a culture shift.
David agrees with him, with all his "The sport's changed incredibly".

But Pat is not allowed to say it, unless he apologises - is that right? No non-sanctioned rider has apologised, in fact even some of the sanctioned ones are strenuously unapologetic. But Pat has to say sorry.

Even though it's been drummed into us for 3 years now that the reason the peloton is "cleaner" is due to the biological passport, for which the UCI is solely responsible.

I will agree with someone else who said: Millar sounds like he is blaming the UCI for the doping.

 

[the big ring]

By contrast, Kimmage asked Lance friggin Armstrong, "What is it about these dopers you admire so much?".

Now there's a guy with some tough questions.

 

[JimmyFingers]

Homer Simpson was right: you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, so why bother trying. Millar takes a stand, breaks omerta and the clinic starts making innuendos about his sister.

I've said it before but I think there are posters here that don't want the sport to be clean, you enjoy the conspiracies and sneering at the riders far too much

 

[the big ring]

Homer Simpson was right: you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, so why bother trying. Millar takes a stand, breaks omerta and the clinic starts making innuendos about his sister.

I've said it before but I think there are posters here that don't want the sport to be clean, you enjoy the conspiracies and sneering at the riders far too much

Takes a stand? Seriously? You call that taking a stand? Talking your team up for being "clean" and insinuating Pat should apologise for the "dark era" when Pat is the one responsible for the "cleaner" sport?

Man.

You're setting that bar low.

Garmin and Sky have being "taking a stand" for "clean" sport for a few years now. Pretty sure today was just the same message. Pretty sure Ashenden doesn't believe them.

 

[the big ring]

https://twitter.com/millarmind/status/249103903591903232

What's amazing is the more the UCI continue to act in this manner the more they reveal themselves to be to blame for the last 20yrs.

I read this again, given Ashenden's article, and the message Millar is trying to inject into the "UCI = bad" message (Garmin = Sky = clean), and it becomes obvious.

UCI are the ones to blame. Not the teams. Not the race organisers. Not the riders themselves. Blame the UCI.

Duplicitous at best.

Abdicate all responsibility.

I wonder how Bassons feels about this. Why didn't the UCI force him to dope too. They only forced everyone else.

 

[trailrunner]

Homer Simpson was right: you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, so why bother trying. Millar takes a stand, breaks omerta and the clinic starts making innuendos about his sister.

What stand is he taking? I'm just a little suspicious that he's got some self-serving angle to this, such as shifting the blame to the UCI for doping, or that he's posturing himself so that he will come out of this mess as the savior. Millar's not young anymore and maybe he's trying to posture himself for a new career once he retires from racing. Confronting Pat like this is more of a PR stunt that trying to do anything meaningful.

 

[frenchfry]

Apparantly you're not very good at google. One of the first results (in addition to others listing her as head of business operations):

Fran Millar and Carsten Jeppesen, who look after everything from bikes and equipment to logistics and media, sponsors and a plethora of other duties to keep Team Sky running smoothly. Fran always has a solution to the most obscure problems! Claudio

So is she the person at Sky who manages Motoman's contract?

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Humour me. Tell me ONE "question" he asked. Just one.

The audio is garbled, but you should be able to pick up on the contextual clues that show Pat was ANSWERING QUESTIONS. There are many contextual clues to that fact, and then, if you are super duper smart, you can discern the topic of the questions asked by the content of Pat's ANSWERS. If Millar was just making a statement, as you suggest, then Pat would have not ANSWERED anything. He would have said something to the effect of "I disagree with your statement..." or something of the like.

But you keep up your little narrative and pretend Millar just made a PR statement and asked no questions. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence can see that Pat was answering QUESTIONS, but I guess you don't want to be in that club.

 

[Race Radio]

https://twitter.com/millarmind/status/249103903591903232


I read this again, given Ashenden's article, and the message Millar is trying to inject into the "UCI = bad" message (Garmin = Sky = clean), and it becomes obvious.

UCI are the ones to blame. Not the teams. Not the race organisers. Not the riders themselves. Blame the UCI.

Duplicitous at best.

Abdicate all responsibility.

I wonder how Bassons feels about this. Why didn't the UCI force him to dope too. They only forced everyone else.

Not sure how you can draw this conclusion. David has been very clear that it was his team that enabled his doping.

The UCI ignored the issue for years only made teams more willing to push and enable riders to dope