Jörg Jaksche: Doping, hypocrisy and a dog called Bella

[Mrs John Murphy]

Remember when CSC hired Damsgaard (sp)?

Some in cycling have understood the marketing potential by proudly proclaiming yourself to be 'anti-doping'. You don't actually have to do anything to be 'anti-doping' other than say you are 'anti-doping'. There is good money to be made out of being 'an advocate of clean riding'. All you have to do is stick the boot into the whipping boy of the day, tell everyone that cycling is getting cleaner, and then carry on as before.

Vaughters, like Millar are PR men first and foremost. It's all about the image and never about substance.

 

[roundabout]

Eh?

Personality?

Circa 2007 he would have been one of the best riders on Slipstream, but he wasn't "goofy" enough?

Eh?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good article. When I saw the name Anne Gripper, it had me reflecting. What seems like years has only been months since her presence was a main stay in cycling. I'm curious at what point she's going to come out of hiding and spill the beans. Always struck me as a very smart woman, maybe she's sitting in the wings, waiting for the McQuaid/Hein ivory tower to crumble to dust.

 

[Walkman]

JV responds on twitter

He's spent the last hour talking about this piece on Twitter:

@nyvelocity well, to start, the suggestion that we refused Jackshe because of his confession is wrong. I just didn't think he'd fit in.

@nyvelocity my boss, Doug, actually pushed pretty hard for me to take Jackshe. They are friends. But it just wasn't a fit.

@steff631 just personality wise. Not more. Our team tends to be relaxed and goofy. You need teammates to get along.

edit: beaten like Rojas.

Thanks guys, I really have to pick up twitter soon!

Nice of JV to answer to those question. Sometimes it seems he is really trying but other times I feel like he still is connected to the Omerta, not sure what to think of the guy other than he is better than most I guess.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

JV responds on twitter

"Just didn't fit", "synergistic" - for whom are these sorts of tweets designed? No wonder so many of these "reformed" dopers like Vaughters take to Twitter, since it's easier to avoid serious questions there.

JJ is "very intelligent" but he "just didn't fit" at Garmin.

LOL.

 

[JPM London]

Remember when CSC hired Damsgaard (sp)?

Don't remember exactly but somewhere between Puerto and Riis confession, so late 2006 to early 2007... As far as I remember about the same time as Garmin did the same thing. When did HTC set up their testing? AFAIR they also used Damsgaard and piggy-backed off Riis...

Good article. When I saw the name Anne Gripper, it had me reflecting. What seems like years has only been months since her presence was a main stay in cycling. I'm curious at what point she's going to come out of hiding and spill the beans. Always struck me as a very smart woman, maybe she's sitting in the wings, waiting for the McQuaid/Hein ivory tower to crumble to dust.

There's nothing quite like that sinking feeling when you come across something all too recognisable, but that you'd completely forgot! I'm with you there - she has to join the fray at some point...

 

[Benotti69]

JV responds on twitter

Jonathan Vaughters Jonathan VaughtersVerificato ‏@Vaughters

@Ezy_Ryder @nyvelocity just like any workplace, you choose people that can get along with each other and are synergistic.

Sounds like an upholder of omerta to me.

Jonathan VaughtersVerificato ‏@Vaughters

@Ezy_Ryder @nyvelocity JJ is incredibly intelligent too.

maybe he likes to think he is the only smart one on the team

 

[Markyboyzx6r]

Well, Daniel Benson took a bit of stick from many of us for the United States of Omerta article, but he's followed it up with this one. Bravo, Daniel. This is an excellent, illuminating article.

Jörg Jaksche strikes me as a thoroughly good bloke, and far too nice a bloke for the cesspit of professional cycling. We need more former racers to really lift the lid on what goes on - his dealings with the UCI were shocking, even when you've heard it before about that rotten organisation it still is quite something to read about it from an insider like Jörg Jaksche.

Jörg Jaksche should be proud of himself. I wish him all the best for the future because whatever he did in the past, he confessed, acted in good faith and stood up like a man.

McQuaid. You really are a corrupt little man.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

"Relaxed and goofy" - sounds just like that Contador guy JV tried to get, right?

 

[Fatclimber]

Well, Daniel Benson took a bit of stick from many of us for the United States of Omerta article, but he's followed it up with this one. Bravo, Daniel. This is an excellent, illuminating article.

Jörg Jaksche strikes me as a thoroughly good bloke, and far too nice a bloke for the cesspit of professional cycling. We need more former racers to really lift the lid on what goes on - his dealings with the UCI were shocking, even when you've heard it before about that rotten organisation it still is quite something to read about it from an insider like Jörg Jaksche.

Jörg Jaksche should be proud of himself. I wish him all the best for the future because whatever he did in the past, he confessed, acted in good faith and stood up like a man.

McQuaid. You really are a corrupt little man.

Agreed, there's a certain tone to candid interviews like this from people who have nothing left to lose. Similar to Christophe Bassons & Bernard Kohl.

 

[roundabout]

I hope Jaksche responds to the personality comments.

And the "less than good thoughts".

 

[Benotti69]

I hope Jaksche responds to the personality comments.

And the "less than good thoughts".

Nah, why lower himself to that level.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Sometimes there could be just a benign explanation that doesn't involve blacklisting and massive conspiracies. Dekker was trained in the past and during his comeback by Adrie van Diemen, a trainer employed by Garmin. Apart from that, he regularly trains with guys like Vansummeren, and his (Dekker's) managers also represent the Kreder brothers, Dan Martin, Maaskant, Vanmarcke and others. Having good contacts and being well connected is the easiest way to get a job (in any area of life).

In Dutch:

http://www.hollanddoc.nl/kijk-luist...=urn:vpro:media:program:9900865&currentPage=1

http://www.sporteditie.nl/video/thomas_dekker_niemand_kent_mij

Dekker sucked big time at van Diemen's testings. Still he got a contract.

Back on topic:
Jaksche and Manzano, two omerta breakers. Two time outcasts. Two time big respect.

"Relaxed and goofy" - sounds just like that Contador guy JV tried to get, right?

Conta is a fartjoker, didn't you know?

@nyvelocity just like any workplace, you choose people that can get along with each other and are synergistic.

Really? What a load of crap. That is not a topsport mentality, that is hippie crap.

So the rules of the peloton are still there, the doping DS/doctors/riders are still there, but we are clean now!

“Every year they say it’s a new start and the cleanest cycling ever but that’s not true because it’s not a new start every year. We’ve had a lot of chances in the past and now we're still struggling. The credibility of cycling is going down but that’s not the fault of USADA. It’s the fault of everyone because everyone in cycling has some guilt and punishment and consequences are part of this guilt. Most people just don’t want to see it but what WADA and USADA, what they’re doing has to be done.”

The truth.

 

[Benotti69]

In Dutch:

http://www.hollanddoc.nl/kijk-luist...=urn:vpro:media:program:9900865&currentPage=1

http://www.sporteditie.nl/video/thomas_dekker_niemand_kent_mij

Dekker sucked big time at van Diemen's testings. Still he got a contract.

iirc Vaughters claimed Dekkers numbers were tops!

Back on topic:
Jaksche and Manzano, two omerta breakers. Two time outcasts. Two time big respect.
Conta is a fartjoker, didn't you know?Really? What a load of crap. That is not a topsport mentality, that is hippie crap.

So the rules of the peloton are still there, the doping DS/doctors/riders are still there, but we are clean now!

Yeah. Lets see him write something for CN about it! Sound like Garmin are a bunch of idiots who if they dont get along throw their toys!

Wonder whether Vroomen will comment. Someone whould tweet him what JV said.

The truth.

Yeah, but need someone like a Bassons in the peloton to show real balls now and the media to back them.

 

[roundabout]

Nah, why lower himself to that level.

You are right. But at the same time, it's not one of the usual JV conversations where he can control the message because he knows more than his audience.

I hope Jaksche gets a chance to respond. Otherwise people would think that he is some sort of a weirdo who doesn't fit in with tree-huggers like Zabriskie.

Or he is a sex organ like Ricco. Or too smart. Well, in any case people might think there's something awfully wrong with him since his personality "got in the way".

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

iirc Vaughters claimed Dekkers numbers were tops!.

Vaughters also states cycling is clean when riders like Hesjedal are watting the mountains at LeMond and Hinault's powers.

Yeah, but need someone like a Bassons in the peloton to show real balls now and the media to back them.

So far whe have Gustav Larsson!

JJ was a big name in cycling, good for him to speak up and I am glad for him he got his act together.

 

[tofino]

Story line

Ok, if you have have been on the road with a team for weeks on end you do notice that some folks don't fit in. Dave Z and some german guy? Not a great fit.

But there is no way that no team would want this guy. Total UCI/Omerta blackball list.

But Benson done a great follow up article.

Overall if you look beyond the Garmin angle this article nicely explains why the sport of pro cycling sucks donkey balls. Talk and break the party line you're done.

 

[JV1973]

Guys,

Have any of you ever met Jackshe? Sorry, but his confession, level of, transparency has nothing to do with my decision on him. Good for him to come clean! Great that he gave details to UCI (too bad it wasn't WADA)!! Ive got no problem with any of this stuff. None. Zero. Have encouraged my riders to be honest to WADA USADA etc for YEARS!!! And they have. Good for them and good for JJ.

I still would not hire the guy!

I had my original $10M investor telling me I should hire hire him. And? Still I said NO!

Why?

Because he won't fit in and he won't perform well. That's my subjective judgement. Period.

All of your theories and conspiracies.... It's like watching monkeys trying to figure out how to open a coconut.

JV

 

[JV1973]

And quite frankly, if you think I have fear of being blackballed by the UCI, you need to think again. I could give a ****.

Go find the minutes from any UCI advisory board meeting. There's one ******* that raises his voice over and over again. That guy is definitely blackballed. That guy is me.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

That's quite the outburst but I notice you've not answered the questions.

Explain to us why Jaksche would not fit in?

 

[roundabout]

Ah, finally. He won't perform well. Good that you realized your personality angle alone wouldn't cut it.

And I can't help but laugh at the suggestion of finding minutes from a UCI board meeting. Do I email or phone Aigle to get them?

 

[Benotti69]

Guys,

Have any of you ever met Jackshe? Sorry, but his confession, level of, transparency has nothing to do with my decision on him.

Yeah, we remember Landis said you advised him not to name people

Good for him to come clean! Great that he gave details to UCI (too bad it wasn't WADA)!! Ive got no problem with any of this stuff. None. Zero. Have encouraged my riders to be honest to WADA USADA etc for YEARS!!! And they have. Good for them and good for JJ.

I still would not hire the guy!

I had my original $10M investor telling me I should hire hire him. And? Still I said NO!

Why?

Because he won't fit in and he won't perform well. That's my subjective judgement. Period.

just like Dekker

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

As you're here JV perhaps you could give us your thoughts on Riis and whether he is a fit and proper person to be running a cycling team?

 

[JV1973]

Not fitting in and not performing are one and the same. If your teammates don't get along with you, they won't help you much in the races. If they don't help, you don't perform.

Jorge loved to gossip gossip gossip during his time in the peloton. he loved calling anyone and everyone else a doper. He was always intent on figuring out the new, next best method. He's a very smart guy.

So, quite simply, I don't want that personality on my team.

As for non-performance, Jorge didn't think of himself as a worker, he wanted to be a leader. I didn't think he had the physiological or social qualities to be a leader. Nor did I think he's accept being a worker.

Again, I could be wrong, but those were my judgements at the time.

David Millar: Physiological qualities to perform clean. Not as good as before, but damn good.

Thomas Dekker: Physiological qualities to perform clean. Remains to be seen if he can handle the role shift now that he isn't quite a s fast.

I can't say i felt the same way about JJ. It's not more than that.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Because he won't fit in and he won't perform well. That's my subjective judgement. Period.

Were his numbers that bad riding clean[ish]?

Off course you make your own decisions but given the fact you are such a high tech testing fan we assume you look objectively towards the numbers and analyze if a rider is an asset to the team, or are you like Bjarne paintballing and making survival trips in the mountains for that jolly good team feeling?

And to be clear, when an arrogant little pr@ck like T. Dekker does fit in your team, Jorg J must really be an a@@hole!

But to the good of you, you weren't the only one who had a character clash with Jorg. And to be objective, he made too many enemies in the peloton.