Let's admit it. The doping angle of cycling makes it great.

[Sanitiser]

The investigations. The denials. The comebacks. The tales of redemption. The enemies. The heroes. The corruption. The Elisa Bassos. The coke. The strippers.

They add an extra layer to this sport. Do you really want it to just be about the bikes? Or can you admit that you like the 'cops and robbers' aspect of the sport probably more than the racing itself.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

The investigations. The denials. The comebacks. The tales of redemption. The enemies. The heroes. The corruption. The Elisa Bassos. The coke. The strippers.

They add an extra layer to this sport. Do you really want it to just be about the bikes? Or can you admit that you like the 'cops and robbers' aspect of the sport probably more than the racing itself.

No.

When I watch a bike race I want to watch a bike race - I don't want to have the result a year later and wait for an appeal process.

 

[MacRoadie]

You seem to have a recurring theme to your threads:

Let's admit it. The doping angle of cycling makes it great.

The Middle Path: make cycling easier or allow some doping

Good looks and doping. Who would you 'let go' for being good looking?

The Good that Lance has done.

How will we survive without Lance?

So what happens to Lance's wins?

 

[BikeCentric]

The investigations. The denials. The comebacks. The tales of redemption. The enemies. The heroes. The corruption. The Elisa Bassos. The coke. The strippers.

They add an extra layer to this sport. Do you really want it to just be about the bikes? Or can you admit that you like the 'cops and robbers' aspect of the sport probably more than the racing itself.

Nah. If I wanted that I could just go read about political corruption or the Mob.

Problem with this sport is the doping stores have overtaken the racing stories and that doesn't bode well.

 

[Sanitiser]

Wow you just described the topic of the majority of the threads in the clinic. Well done.

 

[hrotha]

I'd rather have a clean sport with no doping shenanigans, but as they're a fact of the sport right now I might as well get some enjoyment out of it.

 

[Mambo95]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Some posters on here are only interested in the doping. There's a fair few who post in the Clinic, but never in the Pro Racing part of the forum.

I quite like the soap opera element of the sport myself.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Wow you just described the topic of the majority of the threads in the clinic. Well done.

Wow - do you think that is why CN called this place "The Clinic"?

The Clinic is the only place on Cyclingnews where you can discuss doping-related issues. Ask questions, discuss positives or improvements to procedures.

 

[c&cfan]

the answer is obviously yes.

one thing that i dont understand, is why so many guys here are talking like if there was one or two great champions in history with diferents wins (TT Climbs sprint) that werent doping. they all doped one way or another. contador isnt worse than coppi in this aspect. in fact i believe that, unlike ricco and others (epo abusers), he is much better, since that in merckx era (and even before and after (until recently)) the guy that doped the most won the most. now its different. now matter how much dope lance used, he would never beat bonnen in the cobles or petachi in the sprints. merckx however, in that era of amateurs but tough guys, was able to do that.

so stop talking about those eras when everyone knows that they took lighter drugs (if you consider horse's steroid as something light and some extra "milkshakes") but the diference (in number of wins) was bigger. so the guys that had the most wins because of doping are now with more than 45 years or are using something new and very restrict.

 

[Sanitiser]

Wow - do you think that is why CN called this place "The Clinic"?

I was talking to MacRoadie. Maybe you should get you doctorate revoked

 

[MacRoadie]

Wow - do you think that is why CN called this place "The Clinic"?

I think he was referring to my post, listing the topics of a number of his threads.

What he failed to appreciate was my inferred suggestion that all of his threads are not only doping-related, but are decidedly pro-doping...

 

[BikeCentric]

the answer is obviously yes.

one thing that i dont understand, is why so many guys here are talking like if there was one or two great champions in history with diferents wins (TT Climbs sprint) that werent doping. they all doped one way or another. contador isnt worse than coppi in this aspect. in fact i believe that, unlike ricco and others (epo abusers), he is much better, since that in merckx era (and even before and after (until recently)) the guy that doped the most won the most. now its different. now matter how much dope lance used, he would never beat bonnen in the cobles or petachi in the sprints. merckx however, in that era of amateurs but tough guys, was able to do that.

so stop talking about those eras when everyone knows that they took lighter drugs (if you consider horse's steroid as something light and some extra "milkshakes") but the diference (in number of wins) was bigger. so the guys that had the most wins because of doping are now with more than 45 years or are using something new and very restrict.

Let me make it really simple for you:

EPO/HGH/Autologous blood transfusions/Corticosteroids/Clenbuterol/AICAR

are a lot more powerful than:

Amphetamines

Got it?

 

[Sanitiser]

Is that such a problem, Macroadie?

 

[Mambo95]

Let me make it really simple for you:

EPO/HGH/Autologous blood transfusions/Corticosteroids/Clenbuterol/AICAR

are a lot more powerful than:

Amphetamines

Got it?

On the other hand, in any era they were just using the best stuff available.

 

[RGScales]

I have been thinking about this topic a lot over the past few days and I think that the conclusion that I have come to is that regardless of the dope, and undeniably there is dope, this is just a great sport. I think that the biggest problem facing pro cycling at this time is the way that it is governed.
If half of the things that Landis said in his interview with Kimmage were true, in regards to the UCI and WADA, those are the problems that need solving. I, personally, am starting to take Landis more and more seriously and am seeing him less and less as the crazy, bitter liar that he has been portrayed as.
I do not think that I have the answer to this problem but I think that a really good starting point would be for the Riders Union to be much more powerful than they are and have a roll in oversight. The riders are not well represented in the oversight of all aspects that is necessary in a sport with a governing system as complex as our beloved sport of cycling.

 

[flatclimb]

Sure it adds an extra layer, a layer of thick blood all over the great sport.

The whole cops and robbers thing is something a lot of people have just had to accept. It's the off season for a lot of people so the legs stop spinning but the controversies don't stop...They never will OK. BikeCentric is right about what he said.

This site is full of good insight into what really goes on behind the scenes of the pro peloton but it can really ruin it. Not that I'm saying to not care and to be blind but to just let those who can really make the calls do the work. There's some great people doing great things to help and but it's not my job. There's a lot of cyclists out there who won't have it (talking about doping) but when you get down to it they know what goes on. Just like a lot of issues in the world where there is corruption. You don't need to focus on it daily.

Doping in pro cycling isn't going to ruin my love for the sport and it never will.

 

[Chuffy]

On the other hand, in any era they were just using the best stuff available.

In 1904 they were taking trains. EPO seems tame in comparison, at least these days you have to stay on your bike for the whole Tour...

 

[Mambo95]

In 1904 they were taking trains. EPO seems tame in comparison, at least these days you have to stay on your bike for the whole Tour...

And they had their friends beating up the other riders. On another forum we were asked, if we had a time machine, which race would we go and watch. I chose the 1904 Tour.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The investigations. The denials. The comebacks. The tales of redemption. The enemies. The heroes. The corruption. The Elisa Bassos. The coke. The strippers....

You left out the part about the participants who have ended up dead.

 

[Sanitiser]

That too.

One angle is the doping. The other is just the overall corruption of the sport.

 

[Polish]

Let me make it really simple for you:

EPO/HGH/Autologous blood transfusions/Corticosteroids/Clenbuterol/AICAR

are a lot more powerful than:

Amphetamines

Got it?

That is simple, but I am not sure what your point is.

Amphetamines were more powerful than the drugs that came before them.

And the Medical Wonder Drugs 30 years from now will be much more powerful than the current drugs, if all goes well. And 30 years after that even better.

It WOULD be nice if Pro Athletes don't try to cheat in the future though.

Maybe we will discover a "cheating gene" and we can make sure an athlete has those genes removed. Or pre-screen potential athletes. If they are cheaters, send them into jobs were cheating is more acceptable.

 

[c&cfan]

bikecentric

let me make it really simple to you

horse steroids\special "milkshakes"\ special peds (in general)\anphetamines »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» anphetamines

EPO/HGH/Autologous blood transfusions/Corticosteroids/Clenbuterol/AICAR»»EPO/Autologous blood transfusions/Corticosteroids/Clenbuterol/AICAR

capiche?

so yeah. i was right.

mambo
in the sixties and seventies, only a few had the money and the knowledge and the difference was bigger.

not to mention that today a guy like pantani would never beat cipo in a pure sprint.

 

[c&cfan]

the problem is that in those days nobody cared about it. but nowadays, everyone cares. so the riders became liars as f~ck. and the public opinion was.. well.. i guess we know.

 

[Maxiton]

That too.

One angle is the doping. The other is just the overall corruption of the sport.

To me the overall corruption is the most disgusting part. I can live with a little doping - problem is, it's seldom if ever just a little. And doping IS corrupting. They go hand in hand. And in this multinational sport there's no real oversight, other than WADA, no one to watch the overseers. Eradicating the UCI altogether would be a huge first step toward fixing the problem. Prosecuting a few big names might help. But that apparently is already underway.

EDIT: eradicating the UCI and replacing it with something more transparent and not corrupt.

 

[mulletCobra]

All I care about is the bad *** speed.