• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Hero doper anyone?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

Gavandope

Jul 25, 2014
305
0
0
Il Pirata

I was convinced he was doper, nailed on after Festina after I joined the dots what EPO was but despite that he's up there with LeMond as one of my favourite riders of all time.

I loved his style on the bike so much and he was crazy off it. The documentary still brings tears to my eyes. Despite my stance on blood doping ruining the sport he's the one rider who makes me a compete and utter hypocrite.

Anyone else here admit to a doper crush?
 
G

Gavandope

Jul 25, 2014
305
0
0
Dear Wiggo said:
Nope. Heroes are for people who need them.
Click to expand...

Think it's a flawed mad genius weakness of mine. Ari Vatenen who drove a rally car like Pantani rode his bike, Diego Maradona and Paul Gascoigne to name just a few more lol.
 
G

Gavandope

Jul 25, 2014
305
0
0
Fatclimber said:
Contador in July of '09
Click to expand...

The edits, narration and cuts of the Armstrong lie improve it by orders of magnitude. Made me actually fond of him for a little while :D
 
42x16ss

42x16ss

May 23, 2009
10,241
1,427
25,680
Gavandope said:
Il Pirata

I was convinced he was doper, nailed on after Festina after I joined the dots what EPO was but despite that he's up there with LeMond as one of my favourite riders of all time.

I loved his style on the bike so much and he was crazy off it. The documentary still brings tears to my eyes. Despite my stance on blood doping ruining the sport he's the one rider who makes me a compete and utter hypocrite.

Anyone else here admit to a doper crush?
Click to expand...
I totally understand you re: Pantani. Watching him play the cat amongst the pigeons in '94 was something amazing. For me, part of it also comes down to how Pantani was basically lynched by his own NADO and the sad spiral he fell into.

Agree on Contador in '09, that was pure class on and off the bike. Ricco was hilarious, the '08 Giro and Tour displays had me in stitches.

For me though, the number one was always Sastre. The gentlemanly, humble, quiet achiever always resonated with me for some reason. Loved THAT display on the Alpe and his stage wins at the '09 Giro were masterful. Should/could have achieved a lot more IMO but when he did unleash it was usually special.
 
Fearless Greg Lemond

Fearless Greg Lemond

Apr 20, 2012
6,320
0
0
Bartoli vs Museeuw and vs the ONCE duo at Liege.

Franck VdB in 1999 was epic not normal.

Mo Fondriest in 1993, in his own league.

The whole career of Moreno Argentin...
 
B

Bannockburn

Aug 30, 2012
152
0
0
I would never use the word "hero" for anyone in any sport, but for me it's tough to not enjoy watching Contador ride. Guy is so smooth on the bike; clearly talented despite the doping. Would he be among the best in a clean field? Who knows, but his style on the bike would remain elite. Throw in the fact he doesn't cry about descending challenging roads and that he's willing to gamble to win and I can't deny he's a fairly likeable guy to me, relative to the sample we're looking at here. Sad thing is he'd be just as likeable if riding 5% slower, but of course that's the shame of the whole reason we're all here.
 
Fatclimber

Fatclimber

Jul 5, 2009
746
10
9,995
Maybe my list is too predictable, everyone who gave dopestrong the jitters was cool with me.

Mayo
Beloki
Ulrich - although to a lesser degree

I guess there are other heroic :)rolleyes:) performances that I laugh fondly about:

Horner
Gilbert
Rujano
Cunego
Basso
Heras
Vino has to be way up on the list
Kasheshkin was fantasticly hilarious in the vuelta too

The entire postal team who would have had to draw straws for the stage victory if lance wasn't such a control freak

Devolder was great when they accidentally gave him too much good stuff and he started to threaten tornado @roubaix

Alberto, Levi, & Andeas when they all accidentally beat their team leader in the prologue. My goodness, what a day full of heroes!

Kirchen gets an honorable mention.

Schumacher for sheer boldness.

Tommy D

Man, you could just go on for eternity if you wanted to. Or possibly a cut and paste of the pro roster...
 
Dear Wiggo

Dear Wiggo

Sep 29, 2012
12,197
0
0
Not a hero per se. And at the time I hated him for it. But when Vino stuck it to Leipheimer and 2-3 team mates, single handedly, winning multiple sprint bonus seconds to usurp Levi on the last day of the friggin Tour.

Well.

Looking back?

Now I fricken love it.
 
42x16ss

42x16ss

May 23, 2009
10,241
1,427
25,680
Dear Wiggo said:
Not a hero per se. And at the time I hated him for it. But when Vino stuck it to Leipheimer and 2-3 team mates, single handedly, winning multiple sprint bonus seconds to usurp Levi on the last day of the friggin Tour.

Well.

Looking back?

Now I fricken love it.
Click to expand...
That two up duel against McGee for the stage win? That was one of the craziest things I've seen. I remember watching it and being annoyed that McGee lost but totally in awe of Vino giving a big F#$% you to the sprinters.

Jumping Levi on GC was a bonus :D
 
Dear Wiggo

Dear Wiggo

Sep 29, 2012
12,197
0
0
42x16ss said:
That two up duel against McGee for the stage win? That was one of the craziest things I've seen. I remember watching it and being annoyed that McGee lost but totally in awe of Vino giving a big F#$% you to the sprinters.

Jumping Levi on GC was a bonus :D
Click to expand...

Not the finish so much. There was a bonus sprint half way through the stage.

Levi put 2 teammates on the front, him 3rd wheel (memory is fuzzy). Then Vino attacks, I just remember the attack and Levi hanging on for dear life, and Vino riding all 3 riders off his wheel to get the sprint time bonus.
 
D

doperhopper

Apr 3, 2011
2,301
0
0
I go with Floyd option: bonk, boom and bust in a flash, (moreover, seen in 3D on the roadside) - also represents recent cycling history in a nutshell.
 
E

Echoes

Oct 8, 2009
3,391
6
13,495
How anyone can consider a doper a hero is beyond me !!

If it's only about stimulant doping or some diuretics, I can understand to some extent.

But a guy who transfuses, who takes EPO or testosterone or HGH. :rolleyes:

Just like Van Hooydonck said: "I cannot imagine that when you just won the Tour of Flanders and you know that you are full of EPO, of testosterone and of HGH, you can raise your arms and then go to the podium !!!"

Van Hooydonck was my youth hero and I'm still bitter at all those who stole from him...

These guys are frauds, pure and simply. My favourite riders, Sep Vanmarcke and Nikolas Maes, if I learn that they are drugcheat, I deny them straightway. Until I have evidence, they are presumed innocent, though. I grant the benefit of the doubt to any rider until found guilty, how naive that might be but when they're found guilty, no mercy, right ?? I have a clear conscience/stiff upper lip.

Cycling is more important than cyclists.

Besides, epic failure, all the lists with Pantani in it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom