How bad can it get?

[bridgeman]

If LA or AC are caught positives for peds, how bad will it hurt cycling? I know it is in terrible shape already, but man.

Years ago people thought I had a very healthy lifestyle because I raced bicycles. Now days at parties and events all people talk about are drugs in cycling when the subject comes up. Can it get any worse?

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

If LA or AC are caught positives for peds, how bad will it hurt cycling? I know it is in terrible shape already, but man.

Years ago people thought I had a very healthy lifestyle because I raced bicycles. Now days at parties and events all people talk about are drugs in cycling when the subject comes up. Can it get any worse?

The only group that could get LA are either the French / Italian police or possibly the AFLD.

If Ukranian under 23 amateurs know how to take blood boosters and test negative it's impossible that the richest pros don't know.

Plus, Lance chooses where and when he is tested, and the UCI needs him way more than he needs them.

Depending on the extent of Armstrong's vile and poisonous influence behind the scenes I feel Contador's position is less safe. Lance must know he can't beat him, and besides a dope bust his only chance is that Radioshack break it up in the crosswinds or on the cobbles up North before the mountains.

 

[Ferminal]

The only group that could get LA are either the French / Italian police or possibly the AFLD.

If Ukranian under 23 amateurs know how to take blood boosters and test negative it's impossible that the richest pros don't know.

Plus, Lance chooses where and when he is tested, and the UCI needs him way more than he needs them.

Depending on the extent of Armstrong's vile and poisonous influence behind the scenes I feel Contador's position is less safe. Lance must know he can't beat him, and besides a dope bust his only chance is that Radioshack break it up in the crosswinds or on the cobbles up North before the mountains.

I think if the UCI made Contador positive it would create huge internal pressures in the sport... Would we end up with revenge positives?

Unfortunately knocking a couple off people off positive does give the sport a worse image - and as long as the rhetoric of "it's good that we're catching these people as it means we are cleaning the sport" remains, then rebuilding things is going to be further and further away.

 

[craig1985]

I see as much chance of Armstrong ever testing positive as there of me winning lotto next week. Won't happen.

 

[issoisso]

I see as much chance of Armstrong ever testing positive as there of me winning lotto next week. Won't happen.

It already did happen seven times.

The chances of him actually getting busted for it, on the other hand...

 

[BroDeal]

The biggest potential problem is another police investigation that ensares a bunch of top riders. A team like Saxo or Liquigas or Caisse going down would do a huge amount of damage.

If any single rider gets caught the UCI will spin it as a triumph of the bio passport. Riders like Contador, Cancellara, Boonen, and such present a bit of a problem because they are very high profile and they have a large number of wins that would be tainted; but so did Vino and Di Luca, and their positives blew over without much effect.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

The biggest potential problem is another police investigation that ensares a bunch of top riders. A team like Saxo or Liquigas or Caisse going down would do a huge amount of damage.

If any single rider gets caught the UCI will spin it as a triumph of the bio passport. Riders like Contador, Cancellara, Boonen, and such present a bit of a problem because they are very high profile and they have a large number of wins that would be tainted; but so did Vino and Di Luca, and their positives blew over without much effect.

agreed 100%. But Armstrong is way beyond the likes of Boonen and Cancellara.

He's a personal friend of the French president FFS....I wonder what would happen if the Shack bus was raided and found to be a mobile pharmacy?

 

[JPM London]

agreed 100%. But Armstrong is way beyond the likes of Boonen and Cancellara.

He's a personal friend of the French president FFS....I wonder what would happen if the Shack bus was raided and found to be a mobile pharmacy?

What would happen? They would find the president himself in there getting himself a line

But more likely, it's not a pharmacy. I would keep a closer eye on refridgerated DHL couriers...

 

[Jonathan]

agreed 100%. But Armstrong is way beyond the likes of Boonen and Cancellara.

He's a personal friend of the French president FFS....I wonder what would happen if the Shack bus was raided and found to be a mobile pharmacy?

The bus of Armstrong's team has been searched in the past.

 

[riobonito92]

How bad can it get? A few months ago a 19 year old amateur asked me if it would be safe to infuse his brother's blood. He had some crazy do-it-yourself plan to boost him on his way to fame and fortune. I told him he would probably kill both himself and his brother.

 

[Ferminal]

The bus of Armstrong's team has been searched in the past.

I think the days of storing illegal paraphernalia on the team bus are well behind us.

 

[Escarabajo]

Cycling will survive. Life goes on. On the other hand I would be very happy that an additional couple of cheaters went down.

One can only dream. That will never happen. I think they are untouchables now. Yes, even Contador. He already knows a lot about your majesty.

 

[Colm.Murphy]

The biggest potential problem is another police investigation that ensares a bunch of top riders. A team like Saxo or Liquigas or Caisse going down would do a huge amount of damage.

If any single rider gets caught the UCI will spin it as a triumph of the bio passport. Riders like Contador, Cancellara, Boonen, and such present a bit of a problem because they are very high profile and they have a large number of wins that would be tainted; but so did Vino and Di Luca, and their positives blew over without much effect.

The Italian inquiry has the potential to seriously damage several team, sponsorships and riders.

I find it more likely that a rider, either from an inquiry or out of frustration, will come forward and shock the cycling world. There are so many riders at this point that have been thrown under the service truck, it would not be a wonder if one or more of them simply spoke up.

 

[David Suro]

Pro Cycling has survived Operation Puerto, the Festina Affair, and many other controversies that have led to top riders or entire teams being excluded from the sport.

Pro cycling has done better than survive, it has flourished in many markets during these periods.

There will be four teams based in the United States in this year's Tour. That is more than ever before. Cycling in the US has grown tremendously during the darkest period of doping controversies. We now have two tours that have an international draw of talent as well as several one-day events.

Pro Cycling has grown in popularity during these troubles years in nations in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and in the Middle East. The Tours of Oman and Qatar amaze me. That such international talent would find racing in such remote regions is an indicator that international pro cycling is a growing sport.

There was recently a thread that posed the question, "Are there too many pro races on the calendar?" The fact that the question exists does not indicate a shrinking sport.

European nations with lond traditions in cycling will likely always have strong support for pro cycling. Boonen's positives for cocaine have not tarnished his image as a national treasure. Pantani's memory is revered in Italy. Ullrich and Zabel are still German national heroes. Riis is still heralded as a great tactician. There are many more exmaples.

If Armstrong or Contador were to test positive and be excluded from the Tour this year, there would be the opportunity to spin the story into a positive. Contador would be said to have had to dope to beat the 'living legend' of Armstrong. Armstrong would be able to claim that a 39 year old cancer survivor had to resort to methods used by others to maintain the ability to compete. The soap opera would be different, but the story would go on.

This is a good link to an article that chronicles the history of doping cases in cycling:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling

The list is long, and cycling has endured. When more cases are added to that list, regardless of how big the names of the riders implicated, the sport will continue to thrive.

There is no sport that allows the fans to come as close to the athletes. There is no sport that has beauty and scenery to match cycling. There is no sport that almost every person can relate to in some way, since most people have ridden a bicycle at some point in their lives. Even with it's problems, there is no sport that has the appeal of cycling. For that reason, another huge doping scandal would be able to come and go without doing irreperable harm to the sport.

 

[bridgeman]

Personally, I think if AC is found positive that's going to be really bad for the sport from the big picture perspective, and not just the fans.

If LA is found positive it will be a disaster for cycling, no matter what his history says. No amount of spin could help that kind of situation. Sure, we'll all move along, but things will be really different.

These days, I am not as interested in watching as much as riding really fast, and building fitness. I love the sport, and this is where I receive the greatest amount of satisfaction from it.

 

[Oldman]

The biggest potential problem is another police investigation that ensares a bunch of top riders. A team like Saxo or Liquigas or Caisse going down would do a huge amount of damage.

If any single rider gets caught the UCI will spin it as a triumph of the bio passport. Riders like Contador, Cancellara, Boonen, and such present a bit of a problem because they are very high profile and they have a large number of wins that would be tainted; but so did Vino and Di Luca, and their positives blew over without much effect.

Vino came from a fan market that probably didn't care and Killer was so wildly popular he rivaled Virenque's popularity. I agree with you and others that Lance has too many compromising pictures/files of UCI officials to get busted. Contador could represent a target if the Spanish federation becomes a bigger problem for the UCI but he is the Tour's Golden Boy.
You're right re: an investigation. If it happens it will have some political motivations, I'd bet.

 

[JPM London]

Personally I don't think that AC or LA being caught would do much damage to cycling, simply because a lot of people already expect them to be doping and this would just confirm it.

To me it would be much worse if one or more riders on the current Garmin, Columbia, Saxo or Sky teams were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Since those teams are profiled on their anti-doping policies this would do much more damage in my eyes...