Nothing Vino does is going to change anybody's opinion of him. If he wins, some will say he's doping again. If he had ridden poorly, then people would say all his talent came out of a bottle/blood bag and wasn't natural.
I didn't think his open letter to the press was that bad. At least he didn't stand on the podium yesterday and say this on live TV:
Whatever else Vino may be, he's not a petulant a$$hole
Compare the above to Vino's actual words from the CN Story:
The man did his time, and the man's not a d!ck. He animates every race he's in. Therefore he gets a second chance in my book.
I didn't think his open letter to the press was that bad. At least he didn't stand on the podium yesterday and say this on live TV:
But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the skeptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. But this is one hell of a race. This is a great sporting event and you should stand around and believe it. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of Liege-Bastogne-Leige for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it.
Whatever else Vino may be, he's not a petulant a$$hole
Compare the above to Vino's actual words from the CN Story:
The media comments contrast with the hundreds of congratulatory messages from fans that I keep getting on my website and my Facebook page. I don't understand this discrepancy. As if I had to be forbidden of success on my bike to leave everyone with a clear conscience.
"In which sport are we allowed to be at the start of a competition without the right to win? I love cycling, it gave me everything and I want to give it good things in return.
<snip>
"This is my personal vision of this problem, everybody is not obliged to share it.
The man did his time, and the man's not a d!ck. He animates every race he's in. Therefore he gets a second chance in my book.