Is Walsh on the Sky bandwagon?

[Benotti69]

Walsh on twitter doing over time for sky propaganda machine. Believe clean athletes/riders can beat doped times. But then he never questioned Sean Kelly after hearing pills rattle in a jersey pocket then Kelly failing test at same race!

Walsh is now on the gravy train and nothing bar a crash is going to derail it.

 

[ontheroad]

Walsh using an Italian amateur race in 2007 as evidence of Froome's potential greatness is a sad indictment of how far he will stretch to support his argument that Froome is clean. I think it's sad to see the way Walshs integrity and reputation as a journalist has deteriorated since he jumped into bed with Sky.

When you see how a top journalist like Kimmage has had to suffer financially due to his unwillingness to sacrifice his integrity and moral standards and then to see Walsh coining in on the back of the Armstrong story and latching onto the coat tails of the sky gravy train, it makes you wonder where is the justice in it all. Journalists and scribes standing idly by with no backbone watching history repeat itself as they sell their souls for forty pieces of silver.

 

[Benotti69]

David Walsh @DavidWalshST

@WentThomas Thomas, when I looked into Lance, I found Betsy, Emma, Stephen Swart. I haven't one witness that's pointed finger at Sky.

When Walsh wrote his first 'anti' Armstrong piece it was in July 1999. Betsy, Emma, Stephen Swart were not part of the picture.

Rewriting history as well as spewing propaganda for Sky.

One of Walsh's biggest points about Armstrong cheating was using doping doctor, Michele Ferrari, yet Sky hiring doping doctor, Geert Leinders fell of the radar.

One of Walsh's biggest points about Armstrong doping was, Armstrong finished 6 minutes behind Indurain in a TT and Armstrong could never get a high placing at a GT. Wiggins was grupetto fodder too, but Walsh refuses to see the similarities. Froome too in the grupetto, then GT contender in 2 weeks.

Even after the 2 books, fans were still claiming Armstrong was clean. With Walsh cheerleading sky it will be a huge clusterf**k if they get busted!

 

[TeflonDub]

Would hate to see Mr. Walsh misquoted or taken out of context, so here is the bulk of his Q&A. Pleasantries removed.

<Throws meat into cage>

1. Please can you ask Sky when they are going to release Sergio Henao's blood value results? Only been waiting 2 years
a. I will ask them. My feeling is UCI spent long time looking. Found nothing. You either believe in UCI's integrity or you don't
2. thanks. IMO, Sky saying his values are fine is like Armstrong saying in his interviews he was clean. His word against ours
a. what made difference in Armstrong case was evidence of Betsy Andreu Emma O'Reilly Stephen Swart Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton.
3. do you think sky are doing things that are unethical but not yet illegal to get performance gains? Like finish runners in 70s
a. No I don't believe that. A small point: Richie Porte has looked the same rider with BMC as he did with Sky.
4. with EPO making a conservative 5% + diff - how do you justify ave speeds and climb times similar or faster than lance era?
a. I don't justify it but . . . someone breaks a world record set by a doper: does that mean "someone" doped. I don't think so.
5. (Follow up to avg. speeds higher) Rohan Dennis posting the fastest ever TT - stage 1 TDF 2015 just a start
a. I hear what you're saying but how long was that TT? 14km on dead flat course.
i. (Follow up without reply) so prologues in the 90's and 2000's were not flat and longer? Futuroscope in 2004? Hilly?
6. but it surely means suspicion? I'm sorry. I just can't reconcile your stance on doping pre Team Sky and your current employer!
a. check who broke story on Tiernan-Locke positive, who criticised Froome, Brailsford and team for Romandie TUE.
6a. JLT thrown under the bus.Lance's TUE in 99 prompted 3 books from u.No UK journo interested in halting the cycling gravy train
a. I've looked at your profile picture. It's a nice photo but I've come to the conclusion that the horse has more sense!
7. why do twitter twats still follow cycling if theyre sure everyone's cheating?
a. people were badly betrayed and though they still like the sport, they don't trust it. The sport must do more.
8. B Cookson just now on ITV4 says they are doing more testing now on motors in bikes than doping. How does this rest with you?
a. explained by fact that it costs next to nothing to test for motors, a small fortune to test for drugs. Pure economics.
9. Do you have an opinion about the use of ketones in pro cycling? Would you say they provide valid marginal gains?
a. don't know how useful they are. I asked Sky if they used them and they said they definitely didn't and never had.
10. you asked Sky but never done any investigation? Talk to suppliers? Sorry to be disrespectful but u aren't doing ur job
a. you let me have the names of these suppliers, I'll go after them.
11. u are the journalist, have u contacted any UK Ketones research firms to see if they sold or were approached by Sky?
a. <not answered>
12. (Follow on comment about Ketones supplier leads) I did speak to a firm who said they had been contacted by sky among others. http://mobile.nutraingredients.com/Markets-and-Trends/Ketones-get-rough-ride-at-Tour-de-France
13. Froome time up Ventoux in 2013 same as Lance in 2002
a. the variables matter, wind direction, distance and terrain that day before Ventoux, how fast peloton raced before the climb.
i. but why did these variables not matter when you were quoting Lance's times?
14. have you been alarmed by anything, in terms of times etc, from the first 9 days?
a. surprised only by how slow they went on 3rd stage. I followed my first Tour in 1983, never saw anything so slow so early.
15. could the UCI/ ASO do more to ensure a clean tour? If so, what?
a. UCI yes. More and better out of competition testing in close and early season. At Tour there's around 560 tests. That's ok.
16. for how many more years do you see from dominating? can yates make top 3 GC this year?
a. Not sure if CF will dominate this year. If Quintana is to become the great Tour champion he seems destined to be, got to be now.
17. Adam Yates - will Sky sign him?
a. think Sky missed that train. The Yates boys like their independence and I get that. They won't be short of offers.
18. what do you think of more wins from cav without renshaw?
a. I think Cavendish has benefited this year from relying less on lead out and more on his natural instinct in sprints.
19. do you think Nairo was wrong not to push it yesterday given he needs time in the bank to cover Froome in the TT?
a. there are two views on this. One, he was clever to conserve. Two, he didn't have it yesterday. I incline to second.
20. who would be in your cycling dream team? And nightmare team? Thanks
a. I like Tom Dumoulin. Richie Porte class climber. Like Dan Martin and Yates boys. Believe Froome is natural leader.
21. has Froome reached legend status after that descent? It was incredible and so brave.
a. it was pretty audacious. When Froome first came to Europe in 2006-07, he was terrible on descents. He knows how to learn.
22. do you think Tinkoff was right to announce closure of team, knowing contador would get no support
a. Oleg Tinkoff works to his own rules. Nothing is ever a surprise.
23. seems Mr Brailsford was a little irked with question on mech doping, think the journo was winding him up?
a. I don't think he was as irked about that as he was about Sky having to control the race even when they didn't have YJ.
24. how should Adam Yates play it from now. Stage win or podium?
a. I feel Yates and Martin playing the same game. They have to go for GC but feel they have to say they're not going for GC.
25. assuming clean, what is the 1 thing that distinguishes Sky's consistent dominance. Money? Better riders across team? Training?
a. money is big part of it but not all, ask Man City fans. Brailsford is good at putting a team together on and off bike.
26. why have Sky not set about their number one goal of transparency? Spoon fed data that doesn't add up rather than Data files?
a. believe their number one goal is not transparency. It's winning.
27. How do you like your portrait in the various LA documentations/movies? Which ones would you recommend?
a. i liked documentary, Stop at Nothing. Others preferred The Armstrong Lie. Thought Chris O'Dowd did good job in The Program
28. at Giro15 U said U couldn't believe in Astana. R U comfortable with Landa at Sky? Have U asked Brailsford?
a. I did speak with Brailsford about it. He said they spent a lot of time looking at Landa and were happy to sign after that.
29. what's your opinion on landa David?
a. He's riding well after big time loss in Massif Central. Reckon he will be strong equipier in final week.
30. do you think this year's TDF is clean considering Chris froomes performance in the mountains the last two days ?
a. definitely cleaner. If you believe in people like Dan Martin and Adam Yates, you have to believe things have improved.
31. How do you think Dan Martin will fare after the break ?
a. Dan is riding for GC, and he has his chance of getting on podium. I believe Top 5 is realistic. It's his first time to go for GC.
32. there has been a lot of focus on Froome/Quintana. Anyone else you think could go the distance and upset the GC?
a. afraid not. I've seen this as two-horse from the beginning.
33. In your opinion, Is Adam Yates another Dan Martin, or a genuine Tour contender?
a. Interesting question, I see Yates as having more TdF potential. Martin has is winner's mentality, as he's shown in LBL.
34. Do you feel you have a conflict of interest these days?
a. I have never had a conflict of interest. Re Froome TUE, I wrote: "Sky talk the talk of doping but don't walk the walk."
35. Yes I saw, but do you feel less inclined to scrutinise as much as you did with LA? It seems precarious for you to do so.
a. when I looked into Lance, I found Betsy, Emma, Stephen Swart. I haven't one witness that's pointed finger at Sky.
36. Do you think Cavendish will beat Merckx record?
a. Don't believe is important. Compare Cavendish to other sprinters. That's what makes him incomparable.
37. is this the golden age of British road cycling? How long can we maintain the dominance? Women's WC, 3 jerseys, +50% stage wins
a. no doubt it's a golden age. You could say there's a great production line but Froome? Born and nurtured in Nairobi!
38. Are u at all suspicious by Froome's dramatic improvement? The disease treated in Africa? Not picked up by team? climbing times
a. check out what Froome did at the Giro della Regioni in 2007.
39. what do you think of Dan martins performance so far? Do you think he can be Top3 finish?
a. I love watching Dan Martin race because he tries so hard to win and he's guaranteed to attack if he's going anyway well.
40. Will Cav finish tour or leave due to Rio? Where due you stand on Olympics vs TdF ? Steve C downplaying it
a. like fact that with exception of Tejay Van Gardener cyclists aren't using Zika virus as excuse for not going to Rio.
41. Was Dan too aggressive yesterday? Is he better off doing an Adam Yates and wheel sucking until his rivals tire themselves out?
a. But he wouldn't then be Dan Martin. Adam Yates had that crash the previous day, you've got to cut him some slack.
42. how do you train to be stronger the 3rd week?
a. <not answered>
43. how narrow of blinders do you have on to not see that @TeamSky is the modern day us postal.
a. <not answered>
44. how blind are those who don't see how hard they train.
a. I believe pretty much all the top teams train hard.
45. what are the most interesting aspects of it for you so far ?
a. Interesting so far? 1. Cav's renaissance 2. Froome's readiness to attack on descent 3. Quintana's preparedness to sit and wait.
46. how highly do you rate Froome? That descent blew me away.......he seems to have it all?
a. I admire him a lot but it's the guys in the team who are his biggest admirers, and the people around the team
47. Do you have any thoughts on leadership situation in BMC? Interesting that Porte rode for himself and not Tejay after puncture
a. it would have been crazy for Porte to wait for Tejay. They are joint leaders. The 1.45 puncture didn't change that.
48. do you ever think there will be a day when a cyclist who performs well can revel in the aftermath without questions re doping?
a. maybe not as far away as you imagine.
49. Do you have an idea how many Sky team riders use meds for asthma?
a. I believe it's five or six, but it is roughly the same percentage for every team.
50. did you ever reconcile with Froome fact he never told u he was asthmatic when u spent time with him and the now Mrs Froome?
a. I did say it to Chris that it was wrong of him not to. He accepted that.
51. what's your opinion on Geraint Thomas GC ambitions? Not sure he's got the climbing ability
a. terrific rider, great team man, but maybe not quite good enough in the very high mountains.
52. has any other pro cyclist ever achieved so much having been relatively anonymous until age 26 or so?
a. any other pro cyclist do all his early racing in Kenya, and do spectacularly well in top Italian amateur stage race in 2007?
53. cyclists publicised after Operation Puerto but no word on track athletes, tennis players, footballers. Why so?
a. don't give up on this. Wada now has blood bags, wants to get names to match bags.
54. what do you think is missing from French GC riders? Is it the Hinaultesque 'I race to win not to please' mentality?
a. Bardet could still make top 4 or 5. But, as a group, they get bigged up too soon.

 

[thehog]

Walsh is funny. He was happy to throw out doubt on Landa/Astana but then takes Brailford's word is all ok, like JTL, Leinders etc. Bizarre.

I guess the Q&A was a bit of fun but we really need him to write another comedy book on Sky :lol:

 

[sniper]

Cheers TeflonDub.
If that isn't the second coming of Phil Liggett.
Walsh giving whole new meaning to the word 'sell-out' whilst redefining the concept of 'quack'. Respect.
Seriously though, when you see the Q&A, you understand why people have stopped caring about what he has to say.

It's also interesting to note that the 'Walsh is an epic sell-out' sentiments seem to have spread well beyond the Clinic. When even a well-respected and respectful guy like Ross Tucker starts calling you out, you know what time it is.

Walsh is so compromised I wonder how he can effectively do his job as a chief editor of the ST sports unit when meanwhile there are some people there doing actual antidoping research.

 

[HappyCycling]

Two of those questions were me, one he answered honestly, the other he didn't. I've asked him about how he feels about Leinders at Sky, yet to reply to me yet. Will report back if he does.

 

[hrotha]

52. has any other pro cyclist ever achieved so much having been relatively anonymous until age 26 or so?
a. any other pro cyclist do all his early racing in Kenya, and do spectacularly well in top Italian amateur stage race in 2007?

What kind of fantasy world does he live in.

50. did you ever reconcile with Froome fact he never told u he was asthmatic when u spent time with him and the now Mrs Froome?
a. I did say it to Chris that it was wrong of him not to. He accepted that.

Froome accepted that, but apparently it was no big deal for Walsh. Huh.

 

[sniper]

Next up: "I did tell Dave it was wrong to hire Leinders. He accepted that".

or the point about porte (#3).
wt actual f?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Next up: "I did tell Dave it was wrong to hire Leinders. He accepted that".

or the point about porte (#3).
wt actual f?

Whats about the Porte-point?

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

Next up: "I did tell Dave it was wrong to hire Leinders. He accepted that".

or the point about porte (#3).
wt actual f?

Whats about the Porte-point?

you tell me.
walsh is using it as evidence...of what exactly?

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Whats about the Porte-point?

Walsh's point that Porte keeping the same level at BMC is a sign that he wasn't doing anything illegal at Sky (or at least anything that was the work of Sky's doctors).

While some forumers, including many sceptics*, share that view, the reality is more nuanced. A rider's level at different teams will be routinely examined to look for clues, but there's precedent for riders continuing pretty much the same program after leaving the team where they learned it (see Landis at Phonak).

*Many sceptics have gone on about how poorly ex-Sky riders performed as proof of 100% literal team-wide doping. None of the examples they mentioned were ever very convincing to me. Many actually improved, and few were good candidates for inner circle membership. The most glaring exception was Dodgers, who IMO did keep up roughly the same level, adjusted for aging; and in his case, he also had some former Sky staff with him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Next up: "I did tell Dave it was wrong to hire Leinders. He accepted that".

or the point about porte (#3).
wt actual f?

Whats about the Porte-point?

you tell me.
walsh is using it as evidence...of what exactly?

I don't think he necessarily use it as evidence; more so, I think its 'Sky aren't worse than the others'. Walsh obviously know Sky dopes. But thats obviously just how I interpret it.

 

[Benotti69]

Jeroen Swart really has no clue. For a so called scientist he appears to do no research

https://twitter.com/JeroenSwart/status/752835682599575552

Thinks Walsh never went after Armstrong till Betsy, Emma and Swart gave him the info!!!

Swart is embarrassing himself.

 

[Benotti69]

Walsh called out in his rewriting history now claims it was the 99 cortisone story!

I thought it was the way Armstrong treated Bassons after Bassons wrote the article about a peloton of 2 speeds!

"David Walsh would later claim that Armstrong's treatment of Bassons was what first raised doubts about Armstrong in his mind."

 

[thehog]

Re:

Jeroen Swart really has no clue. For a so called scientist he appears to do no research

https://twitter.com/JeroenSwart/status/752835682599575552

Thinks Walsh never went after Armstrong till Betsy, Emma and Swart gave him the info!!!

Swart is embarrassing himself.

What I don't understand is why he chooses to engage. He is trying too hard to defend a position that is not his to defend. Has he been anointed as defender of all things Sky? He also tends to trip on his own shoelaces a lot. Makes a statement then realizes its a error and starts criticising others as a means of deflection.

The "he just lost the fat statement" he has walked away from also...

Odd I guess but probably just a bit of fun.

 

[Benotti69]

What is also amazing is that Walsh stated he trusts the integrity of the UCI!

Sky must have 'Men in Black' ability to wipe people minds in the media!!!

Lee Benno Benson ‏@Benno1790 Jul 11 Poplar, London

@DavidWalshST please can you ask Sky when they are going to release Sergio Henao's blood value results? Only been waiting 2 years

David Walsh ‏@DavidWalshST 21h21 hours ago
@Benno1790 Lee I will ask them. My feeling is UCI spent long time looking. Found nothing. You either believe in UCI's integrity or you don't

Just because Cooskon got elected did not mean UCI developed integrity!

What a little troll Walsh has become!

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

...
Sky must have 'Men in Black' ability to wipe people minds in the media!!!

lol, too true!

...He also tends to trip on his own shoelaces a lot. Makes a statement then realizes its a error and starts criticising others as a means of deflection...

true story.
He was saying on twitter that he wouldn't have tested Froome if he'd work for the UCI because it would be a conflict of interest.
Meanwhile, one of the GSK guys who tested Froome works for UKAD, and Swart himself works for SA antidoping whilst coaching SA athletes.
But suddenly there he didn't see the conflict of interest. Needless to say, when confronted with it, he was left with no choice but to deflect, insult, and block.

But the thing with Swart is he's a narcisist.
I think he prefers people talking bad about him than people not talking about him at all.

 

[Benotti69]

Re: Re:

Jeroen Swart really has no clue. For a so called scientist he appears to do no research

https://twitter.com/JeroenSwart/status/752835682599575552

Thinks Walsh never went after Armstrong till Betsy, Emma and Swart gave him the info!!!

Swart is embarrassing himself.

What I don't understand is why he chooses to engage. He is trying too hard to defend a position that is not his to defend. Has he been anointed as defender of all things Sky? He also tends to trip on his own shoelaces a lot. Makes a statement then realizes its a error and starts criticising others as a means of deflection.

The "he just lost the fat statement" he has walked away from also...

Odd I guess but probably just a bit of fun.

July, word is sent out from skyHQ call to action to defend myth.

Not fun, but financial reward.

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

...

July, word is sent out from skyHQ call to action to defend myth.

Not fun, but financial reward.

the difference with a guy like Ross Tucker is so immense.

basically when you compare tucker to swart, it's comparing someone without any conflicts of interest (and thus eager to defend his trade against charlatanism), with someone so compromised and sold out he's left selling pseudoscience, snake-oil and hot air.

btw, Walsh/Swart forget to explain why the absence of a 'Betsy' or an 'Emma' means that we can automatically trust Sky.
And to bring up the lack of a 'Floyd' as evidence that Sky can be trusted...makes sense! Floyd spilled the beans 11 years after Lance won his first TdF...

 

[Benotti69]

Re: Re:

...

July, word is sent out from skyHQ call to action to defend myth.

Not fun, but financial reward.

the difference with a guy like Ross Tucker is so immense.

basically when you compare tucker to swart, it's comparing someone without any conflicts of interest (and thus eager to defend his trade against charlatanism), with someone so compromised and sold out he's left selling pseudoscience, snake-oil and hot air.

btw, Walsh/Swart forget to explain why the absence of a 'Betsy' or an 'Emma' means that we can automatically trust Sky.
And to bring up the lack of a 'Floyd' as evidence that Sky can be trusted...makes sense! Floyd spilled the beans 11 years after Lance won his first TdF...

Floyd thinks Sky are juiced too.

 

[sniper]

Ross Tucker @Scienceofsport

@ianrobo1 @Digger_forum Indeed. The reason I even started to look at performances was Walsh told me it was useful: http://sportsscientists.com/2014/07/the-2014-tour-performance-implications-a-reflection-on-the-origins/ …

 

[budegan]

Re:

Ross Tucker @Scienceofsport

@ianrobo1 @Digger_forum Indeed. The reason I even started to look at performances was Walsh told me it was useful: http://sportsscientists.com/2014/07/the-2014-tour-performance-implications-a-reflection-on-the-origins/ …

So either this:

In June 2009, I was privileged to spend a few days with journalist David Walsh (he of Armstrong-takedown fame, a man who pursued Armstrong despite being shunned, sued and slated from every direction), here in Cape Town. He gave me his copy of this book (see picture above), loosely translated “Can you win the Tour?“, written by @festinaboy and Frederic Portoleau, which documented the power output of the top riders during the mountain climbs of the Tour de France.
(http://sportsscientists.com/2014/07/the-2014-tour-performance-implications-a-reflection-on-the-origins/)

Or this:

In an often heated exchange with host Ger Gilroy, Walsh claimed he “wouldn’t have a clue about power wattage” when pressed as to why a number of sports physiologists such as Ross Tucker claim that Chris Froome’s race leading efforts are — from a performance data point of view — equivalent to those produced by known dopers.
(http://www.the42.ie/david-walsh-chris-froome-off-the-ball-2231234-Jul2015/)

Is ***.

 

[sniper]

^exactemundo^
Thanks budegan for juxtaposing those quotes.
It's more evidence (if such were needed) that Walsh completely sold out and is now lying on behalf of Sky.
Walsh apparently has no trouble throwing his integrity overboard, and I can only assume it's because Sky pay him good sums of money.

 

[Benotti69]

Walsh is at Le Tour

Sean Wardall ‏@seanwardall 2h2 hours ago
@DavidWalshST I love ya DW but if there were cynical laughs in the press room when LA went away then they must be pissing themselves today.

David Walsh @DavidWalshST
@seanwardall Sean, the situation at the Altrad Stadium Salle de Presse in Montpellier is exactly the opposite to what you surmise.

Either ASO have only let skybots have press accreditation or Walsh is lying!