Is Walsh on the Sky bandwagon?

[the sceptic]

I see little Ritchie has been getting fat in the off season. I wonder what uncle Walsh thinks about that.

“I flew back to Australia [after his last race of the season in Japan] and spent some time in Tassie. [I’ve been] catching up with family and mates and drinking a lot of beer and eating what I want. It’s been a good off-season and I think you need that — it’s recovery isn’t it? It’s time for your body to be normal.”

 

[Samson777]

I see little Ritchie has been getting fat in the off season. I wonder what uncle Walsh thinks about that.

As long as he didn't eat Nutella, it's all good

 

[jens_attacks]

being completely honest though, richie always kept a healthy weight, never saw him anorexic.

 

[the sceptic]

thats true. I wonder how good he would be if he lost 10kg without losing power. might be better than Froome then.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

thats true. I wonder how good he would be if he lost 10kg without losing power. might be better than Froome then.

He would only need to lose 5kg without losing power to match / beat Froome. Kennaugh can show him how it's done.

He may not have to lose anything to win the '14 Giro, though.

 

[blackcat]

The funny thing about the marginal gains is that I have heard from someone in the know that with their obsession on the small things...stuff like saddle material...they are genuinely losing sight of the really important stuff...like the bloody bike!!
Riders not happy with the bikes...yet they see fit to lose time on the saddle material.

yep. I have gone into this with Australian insitutional doping at an AFL club, and the other clubs will only be a step away on the spectrum. One of the scientists involved was getting dementia drugs for better decision-making.

My euphemism I have been using "missing the forest for the trees".

They should have got the bikes right. Lefevre and QS had a problem five years ago when the carbon moulds for the new Specialized contract, could not sate Boonen, and Specialized ending up pouring a new mould for a custom frame according to Boonen's specifications, which was purported to cost them US$300k. Now, it may have been entirely made-up, fictionalised, lies, for Specialized to sell more. But, if I remember right, Boonen was pretty critical of Specialized, he did not exactly seem to be shilling for them.

 

[thehog]

I guess Walsh has to out Cioni now that he's no longer a low level employee?

@Cyclingnewsfeed: News: Dario Cioni appointed directeur sportif at Team Sky: Fourth role for Italian after spells as rider, busi

 

[the sceptic]

Looking forward to Walsh bringing the breaking news that he was a doper in the next sunday times, then Brailsford will have to sack him.

 

[elduggo]

this fairly puts paid to any notion that Sky are a better team than everyone else because they're cleverer. They are not clever. They are morons pulling a stunt like this after all the PR disasters of the past couple of years. Morons.

 

[thehog]

Looking forward to Walsh bringing the breaking news that he was a doper in the next sunday times, then Brailsford will have to sack him.

Walsh surrounded by his contradictions again.

Then again. Maybe Cioni was cleans and beaten by dopers?

Gracie Cioni. Gracie.

Or Grazie depending on your spelling

 

[Dear Wiggo]

el oh el that in 1998/9 the 50% Hct rule was brought in.
2000 Cioni starts racing.
2004 he nails some good results and BOOM > 50% Hct, but later tests show he has a naturally high Hct.

Uhhh what happened to the last 4 years?

I'm getting Rob Hayles levels of deja vu.

In fact you could almost say Cioni set up the "get out of jail" template and subsequent 2 week retest protocol for Hayles....

el effin oh effin el.

Now they are (desperately?) doing whatever they can to keep him employed. Good to be reminded of the Dolomites Tour also - just Wiggo, Magician Kerrison and Cioni.

 

[thehog]

Bikepure Cunego beat Cioni. Must mean he's clean?

 

[the sceptic]

Bikepure Cunego beat Cioni. Must mean he's clean?

hmm. the 2004 giro was less than 10 years ago, which means the dark era must have just ended and that it was the first cleans grand tour.

seems legit, I dont recognize any dopers on that list.

 

[Ferminal]

The 2004 Giro was pretty terrible though, and apparently McGee was cleans.

 

[red_flanders]

That was the name that jumped out as the only possible cleans rider to me.

 

[The Hitch]

hmm. the 2004 giro was less than 10 years ago, which means the dark era must have just ended and that it was the first cleans grand tour.

seems legit, I dont recognize any dopers on that list.

I sincerely doubt Walsh recognizes any of the names on that list.

 

[thehog]

I sincerely doubt Walsh recognizes any of the names on that list.

Cioni could be a doper like Virenque?

Will Ellingsworth have to rip his photo out of the Tour guidebook? Or does he get to stay?

Maybe Cioni's grandfather brought him up right? Taught him good? Always knew he'd work for a team like Sky?

 

[Ferminal]

Taking a different view, retiring at 32 after a rapid decline says a lot. Was almost ten seconds slower in Beijing versus Athens. Ran out of motivation I guess.

 

[Benotti69]

Kimmage talks about how he has fallen out with Walsh over Sky in todays Sunday Independent. Cant find a link yet.

Digger has posted some snippets as pics on his twitter.

https://twitter.com/digger_forum

 

[the sceptic]

 

[thehog]

Kimmage talks about how he has fallen out with Walsh over Sky in todays Sunday Independent. Cant find a link yet.

Digger has posted some snippets as pics on his twitter.

https://twitter.com/digger_forum

What is forgotten and as Kimmage's rightly points out; he rode the Tour 3 times.

Walsh. Has never ridden the Tour.

 

[Benotti69]

What is forgotten and as Kimmage's rightly points out; he rode the Tour 3 times.

Walsh. Has never ridden the Tour.

I dont think it is just "Walsh. Has never ridden the Tour.", Walsh has never been cheated by his fellow competitors............

 

[gooner]

I dont think it is just "Walsh. Has never ridden the Tour.", Walsh has never been cheated by his fellow competitors............

That doesn't give him the right to throw long term friendships under the bus. The difference is "it runs deep with him". Nonsense or does he forget his own advice to Walsh to back off the Lance stuff because it was effecting his family life.

 

[ebandit]

doh!

I dont think it is just "Walsh. Has never ridden the Tour.", Walsh has never been cheated by his fellow competitors............

..............but walsh has never cheated his fellow competitors

I too have never ridden the tour but have a good grasp of what is right and
wrong

Mark L

 

[thehog]

That doesn't give him the right to throw long term friendships under the bus. The difference is "it runs deep with him". Nonsense or does he forget his own advice to Walsh to back off the Lance stuff because it was effecting his family life.

Walsh is in love