gandalf said:
Cycling has burned a LOT of credibility over the last 10 years. To fall back on a legal framework...Cycling and professionals has more to prove than just not being convicted...I’m flabbergasted by the attitude many of the professional cyclists have...Yes, I do love cycling but care very little these days. I really hope that there will be solution on the problem, but it will not come from the professionals that is for sure. Hardly from the team management either. The most likely future solution is no sponsors, no TV, then there would be no interest and definitely no one will care.
Good post Gandalf. I think you put it very aptly. But I hope you'll keep posting and not go away. I for one agree that things are still quite dark. But I have hope, and believe that slowly things are changing for the better. There is a tremendous wave of antagonism against doping all the way down to the core of almost everyone except some cyclists, trainers and management. Hang in there and help us keep the pressure on the teams and riders to stay clean, and speak out against doping.
A few comments though even without much money, the doping will curtail, but not be eliminated. Kayle Leogrande was able to purchase several doses of EPO for about $500. Most any pro rider can afford that. But if enough revenue sharply drops and it's
certain that it's attributed to doping, then, and maybe then, authorities will be more serious about stopping it.
Another thing to remember is that the Tour makes the riders, not the other way around. We could lose the top 50 contenders heading into the Tour for whatever the reason - sickness, crash, doping, teams financial collapse, etc - and the guys that ride at the front of the peloton, even if going slower and not familiar names, would still be cheered on, and have their names in the record books of history after it was over and we'll talk about them, instead of who we talk about now.
dimspace said:
I think this is brads point.. his improvement is because of training, but also because he beleives the pelaton is cleaner..
I think there is some truth to this. Christian Vande Velde said the speeds on the climbs in 2008 were slightly slower than 2007, and slower still than 2006. How much slower? I don't know, someone else can play Numb3rs with it. But while I don't believe that we are seeing a clean peloton, I do agree with Brad, and others, that things are clean
er, certainly than they were 5-15 years ago. I think we're seeing less riders doping - and I'd guess by both his words and his performance, Cunego is riding clean - and those that are doping, are doping less. But it's certainly not 1985, no.
tifosa said:
I'm all for not feeding trolls et al, but that cutesy graphic doesn't fit the persona.
As I said before, BigBoat is not a troll. He's too knowledgeable. What he is, is hopelessly bitter and jaded from all the doping scandals over the last forever now it seems and sees little or no hope. I tried to give him an avatar the other day, I thought it was kind of cool and fit him, but he didn't use it:
elapid said:
In regards to the USADA, the legal laws and their rules of governing guilt or innocence are very different. The same argument (prove it or forget it) can be used for all professional cycling (look at the fallout from Operation Puerto where many riders are still without contracts because of suspicions alone....
We've reached a strange point now. Koldo Gil was named initially in OP, but later removed. No one would sign him though. He offered his DNA to the UCI to help clear his name so he could race again, and the UCI declined. He was forced to retire this year. Roberto Heras was suspended for EPO over three years ago. After his two-year suspension was up, the UCI insisted that no ProTour team could sign him - contradicting that they let Basso, Scarponi and others sign with ProTour teams. Roberto couldn't even get a reasonable contract with a small Continental team last year. He tried again this year, and nothing. And he's actually pretty contrite about his past if you see him interviewed. He doesn't all out confess, but is anything but hiding behind a legal team. Blackballed for being caught doping at the wrong time - even though everyone else was probably doping too.
I think Sinkewitz is giving slippery statements because he'd like to avoid jail time, as the penalties in Germany for doping are very, very harsh. Which is why I, and others have said we really need someone like Sylvia Shenk at the head of the UCI.
Unfortunately the UCI is like the old Soviet Politburo with Premier Verbruggen firmly entrenched, with his top kommander, General McQuaid in charge. Until there is a total putsch there, there will only be incremental changes in the fight to truly clean up the sport.