Ventoux Boar said:
Quality post. Cheers. Disagree with this. Brailsford's reputation has taken a battering. Either he's guilty of incompetence in relation to one his brand's key attributes - winning clean - or fraud. And he's one loose word from a shafted former employee away from exposure. While finding him incompetent as a pro-cycling manager, I doubt he would volunteer for this punishment.
I just checked this frontpage. Did you find anything about a dodgy doctor and the first UK winner of the TDF?
Also again, why do you think someone would spill the beans? When does that ever happen? As far as a calculated risk goes this is quite acceptable. And as is currently proven by team "Roompot" with manager Erik Breukink, collective memory of the public is as good as a mayfly.
And to look at his reputation a bit more:
- The problem with Leinders was not from yesterday, this was known for a long time. Nothing seems to have happened since that time.
- His DS is best buddies with the doping courier of Lance. It was a laugh and riot here, but never approached mainstream.
- His claims of clean personell and staff was ridiculous at face value. To no ones surprise they all got exposed immediately after Wiggo's win. Did it in any noticeable way affect DB?
- TUE gate is so amazing that this managed to reach the frontpage of this website. It certainly affected Sky and Froome this year, by now everyone has forgotten about it.
This battering you think of did happen among the Sky fans who post here and by now fully realize they are being naive. Even those who still are "but there's no evidence" can only realize that the cold hard facts are stacked staggeringly against their heroes.
So yeah, DB took a battering... but that battering is in our own perception of him. Not in the eyes of the wider world. Those still think "FIRST UK WINNER. HELL YEAH!"
JRanton said:
De Jongh recommended Leinders.
That's what I remember as being the story as well, but I'm not sure of the source.
There's just so much wrong with that considering his position in the team and his later ousting.