Is Cycling Imploding? London 2012? Will anyone be left to compete?

[TubularBills]

http://supersport.com/cycling/inter..._antidoping_cases_adding_to_cyclings_troubles

"Though there are no Tour de France winners on the list, the US Anti-Doping Agency has sanctioned five cyclists for doping in the past two months - an unusually high number for a single sport, and one that is expected to keep growing over the next several weeks."

Tygart said. "We're going to aggressively pursue the truth to do the best we can to dismantle that culture where it exists."

Steve Johnson, the CEO of USA Cycling... "We are light years ahead of every other sport in the fight against doping," Really?

"...Lately, all of the cyclists I've interrogated have said that everyone dopes," Torri said in an interview with The Associated Press.

It'd be a shame (but an overdue cleansing) if, after they build it, no one is eligible. It seems the trajectory and rigor being exerted by the international dope testing organizations will lead to comprehensive and viable testing by 2012. I would imagine the IOC will apply the state of the art methods. Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols - it'll be a train wreck and the best victory for clean cycling yet.

http://www.london2012.com/news/2009/10/london-2012-cycling-venue-takes-shape.php

 

[DirtyWorks]

disagree

Sure, there will be riders left.

-Riders who dope and get a free pass from the UCI
-Riders who dope with false negative results.
-Riders who do not dope.

That's no train wreck. Not at all. There will always be enough talented riders to fill a Pro field.

 

[indurain666]

Sure, there will be riders left.

-Riders who dope and get a free pass from the UCI
-Riders who dope with false negative results.
-Riders who do not dope.

That's no train wreck. Not at all. There will always be enough talented riders to fill a Pro field.

+1, although I can't see too many clean riders at that level

 

[The Hitch]

Steve Johnson, the CEO of USA Cycling... "We are light years ahead of every other sport in the fight against doping," Really?

You dont think this thing of ours is ahead of other sports in the fight against doping
In spite of, the corruption and occaional scandals, what sports come close to cycling

Considering in my country, and in many others people think that ONLY cyclists, and occasionaly perhaps the odd track athlete dope, id say this shows that cycling is light years ahead of all the other sports.

 

[fatandfast]

The UCI should go back to pro and amateur status. Then there would be plenty of riders. The East block is gone and yes maybe Cuba and China will clean up because of all the "state sponsored amateurs" but who cares. Pros in the Olympic basketball, baseball,hockey,tennis..and cycling is just bad. The whole sport has become one and 15 year olds are getting looked at with doping eyes thanks to the doping focus on the pro level racers.

 

[Altitude]

You dont think this thing of ours is ahead of other sports in the fight against doping
In spite of, the corruption and occaional scandals, what sports come close to cycling

Considering in my country, and in many others people think that ONLY cyclists, and occasionaly perhaps the odd track athlete dope, id say this shows that cycling is light years ahead of all the other sports.

Agreed-- I'd like to see Rafael Nadal's biological passport..

 

[Escarabajo]

Agreed-- I'd like to see Rafael Nadal's biological passport..

 

[Mich78BEL]

The UCI should go back to pro and amateur status. Then there would be plenty of riders. The East block is gone and yes maybe Cuba and China will clean up because of all the "state sponsored amateurs" but who cares. Pros in the Olympic basketball, baseball,hockey,tennis..and cycling is just bad. The whole sport has become one and 15 year olds are getting looked at with doping eyes thanks to the doping focus on the pro level racers.

i disagree completely, the olympics will lose all relevance without the best there to compete

 

[TubularBills]

You dont think this thing of ours is ahead of other sports in the fight against doping
In spite of, the corruption and occaional scandals, what sports come close to cycling

Considering in my country, and in many others people think that ONLY cyclists, and occasionaly perhaps the odd track athlete dope, id say this shows that cycling is light years ahead of all the other sports.

Yeah - I guess I'd have to agree with you. We're not seeing an avalanche of doping positives in the other sports, soccer, tennis, etc. I think my assertion was biased by my distrust of USA Cycling as not being complicit in the problem.

I also agree with Fatandfast that the incursion of pro athletes into the Olympics has degraded its relevance - a return to strictly amateurs, returns it to the ranks of achievable for the gifted amateur without the incredible advantages and support of being paid to do it.

 

[buckwheat]

http://supersport.com/cycling/inter..._antidoping_cases_adding_to_cyclings_troubles

"Though there are no Tour de France winners on the list, the US Anti-Doping Agency has sanctioned five cyclists for doping in the past two months - an unusually high number for a single sport, and one that is expected to keep growing over the next several weeks."

Tygart said. "We're going to aggressively pursue the truth to do the best we can to dismantle that culture where it exists."

Steve Johnson, the CEO of USA Cycling... "We are light years ahead of every other sport in the fight against doping," Really?

"...Lately, all of the cyclists I've interrogated have said that everyone dopes," Torri said in an interview with The Associated Press.

It'd be a shame (but an overdue cleansing) if, after they build it, no one is eligible. It seems the trajectory and rigor being exerted by the international dope testing organizations will lead to comprehensive and viable testing by 2012. I would imagine the IOC will apply the state of the art methods. Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols - it'll be a train wreck and the best victory for clean cycling yet.

http://www.london2012.com/news/2009/10/london-2012-cycling-venue-takes-shape.php

You dont think this thing of ours is ahead of other sports in the fight against doping
In spite of, the corruption and occaional scandals, what sports come close to cycling

Considering in my country, and in many others people think that ONLY cyclists, and occasionaly perhaps the odd track athlete dope, id say this shows that cycling is light years ahead of all the other sports.

Perhaps he was referring to the tainted messenger?

Johnson may be going to prison with Armstrong or turning state's evidence.

 

[Altitude]

Peaking for Wimbledon I see

 

[David Suro]

I'd like to see it return to the olden days when only amateurs were allowed to compete.

Less amateurs have the cash to dope, so Olympic Cycling would probably be "cleaner".

I guess I am showing my age...

 

[HoustonHammer]

. Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols - it'll be a train wreck and the best victory for clean cycling yet.

Can you clarify what you meant by the bolded section?

 

[The Hitch]

Bang on. nice

 

[TubularBills]

Originally Posted by TubularBills "Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols - it'll be a train wreck and the best victory for clean cycling yet."

Can you clarify what you meant by the bolded section?

Yeah, it seems like there are one or more new tests, eg DEHP that the riders were unaware of. With the recent international doping conferences it seems like the scientists are motivated to find a combination of tests that are conclusive.

If they keep the riders and teams informed of the testing protocols - history proves that the dopers simply find a work around. Staying one step ahead of the dopers and covertly evolving testing protocols seems to be an emerging strategy?

For a high profile event like the Olympics it seems the testing controls are more independent, rapid and definitive. Why would a pro risk their career to compete in a status only event?

 

[leftover pie]

Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols

i'm ready to step up

 

[TexPat]

Originally Posted by TubularBills "Will anyone risk competing - in an environment of unknown testing protocols - it'll be a train wreck and the best victory for clean cycling yet."



Yeah, it seems like there are one or more new tests, eg DEHP that the riders were unaware of. With the recent international doping conferences it seems like the scientists are motivated to find a combination of tests that are conclusive.

If they keep the riders and teams informed of the testing protocols - history proves that the dopers simply find a work around. Staying one step ahead of the dopers and covertly evolving testing protocols seems to be an emerging strategy?

For a high profile event like the Olympics it seems the testing controls are more independent, rapid and definitive. Why would a pro risk their career to compete in a status only event?

You must be joking.

 

[TubularBills]

i'm ready to step up

I hope you mean that in the "I'm clean and have nothing to fear sense"?

and that you would welcome the challenge to compete against a presumably cleaner, cleanish field... in an event with robust and effective doping controls.

 

[TubularBills]

You must be joking.

joking in what way? Am I way off in my logic, argument? I guess I'm just postulating a possible and hopeful future, in which the athletes are actually concerned with and insecure of doping controls.

 

[leftover pie]

I hope you mean that in the "I'm clean and have nothing to fear sense"?

and that you would welcome the challenge to compete against a presumably cleaner, cleanish field... in an event with robust and effective doping controls.

well yeah duh.

that and i'd love to get a free trip to london and an extremely kitsch/garish aussie olympic uniform to go with it.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Agreed-- I'd like to see Rafael Nadal's biological passport..

I think you have to ask Judge Serrano for it.

 

[HoustonHammer]

For a high profile event like the Olympics it seems the testing controls are more independent, rapid and definitive. Why would a pro risk their career to compete in a status only event?

OK, thanks. I wasn't sure if you meant that or that the testing was somehow unfair to the dopers.

The Olympic is anything but 'status only'. I remember probably 20 years ago they were saying that a gold medal to a US athlete in ANY sport was worth $1MM minimum in various endorsement and appearance contracts. I don't know about track events, but a road race medal should be worth some serious money in all that, not to mention what it would do at contract negotiation time with the team.

Outside of the the GT's and WC, I'm not sure what race win could generate as much cash for a racer.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

For a high profile event like the Olympics it seems the testing controls are more independent, rapid and definitive. Why would a pro risk their career to compete in a status only event?

Remember two certain fellows called Schumacher and Rebellin?

 

[TubularBills]

Remember two certain fellows called Schumacher and Rebellin?

Excellent examples of how Doping and the Olympics are a bad mix

http://www.topnews.in/sports/german-cyclist-schumacher-fails-another-doping-retest-26437

Schumacher

"He also has two Giro d'Italia stage wins from 2006 and came third in the 2007 world championship road race in Stuttgart.

The latter result was partly tainted after he submitted a suspicious blood sample before the worlds, but the BDR and the UCI allowed him to compete.

Schumacher tested positive for a stimulant in 2005 but was cleared because he was allowed to use it to treat hay fever. Traces of amphetamines were found in a blood sample after a car crash in October 2007, but no action was taken because the result came from a police test and not an official doping test."

http://www.roadcycling.com/articles/Cyclist-Schumacher-Drops-Olympic-Doping-Appeal_003421.shtml

"Schumacher had traces of the banned drug in a blood sample analyzed using a new test several months after the games in August 2008. His Olympic results will be wiped from the records. He was 13th in the time trial and did not finish the road race."

"Italy's Davide Rebellin, who took silver in the road race, also tested positive for CERA after the IOC ordered a second round of tests and is challenging his disqualification. CAA has not yet set a date for Rebellin's appeal hearing."

and yet:

Two-teams-interested-in-signing-Davide-Rebellin-for-2011 (October 14th, 2010)

Ciclismoweb reports that Italian professional continental team, De Rosa-Flaminia Ceramica as well as ProTour outfit, Astana, are interested in what might still be in the legs of the rider who hails from the town of San Bonifacio, 25 kilometers east of Verona.

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6...g-Davide-Rebellin-for-2011.aspx#ixzz12MyeaK6D