Merckx: I fell in to a trap

[Zweistein]

Anyone want to take a guess who introduced Armstrong to Dr.Ferrari?

 

[taiwan]

Just as well these guys chose to ride bikes rather than pursue acting careers.

 

[Benotti69]

Old news.

10chara...

 

[No_Balls]

Great thread! The holy graal himself has been STRANGELY "forgotten" in these days of searching the villians. Lets see what his holyness himself says:

Arguably the greatest cyclist of all time, Merckx says those involved in providing the authorities with information should have done so sooner - coming clean and admitting their errors of the past comes too late says the once proud Armstrong supporter.

"I'm angry at the riders for speaking to investigators," Merckx said on Le Soir.

There he pulls an "Indurain, Contador" and whatever and questions the motifs of the whistleblowers.

"Lance has been very correct all through his career," Merckx had told La Dernière Heure. "What more can he do? All of the controls that he has done - over 500 since 2000 - have come back negative. Either the controls don't serve any purpose or Armstrong was legit. The whole case is based on witnesses, it's deeply unjust."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/merckx-fell-into-the-trap-of-armstrong

Yep. Yep. There he questions the witnesses accuracy. As much Omertá if i ever saw one.

Question: Is it Mr Merckx who adjusts his position towards the evil spaniards or is it the evil spaniards who adjusts themselves close to his holyness Merckx in this question?

And another question: Were is the angry mob?

 

[No_Balls]

Old news.

10chara...

Funny. I remember you was VERY angry at Indurain for saying the same things as Mr Merckx.

 

[Old School]

Wow, this just keeps getting funnier and funnier.

These guys just don't know what to say....I guess they want to make a statement, but want to sound original?

 

[hrotha]

Anyone want to take a guess who introduced Armstrong to Dr.Ferrari?

Merckx has been an utter joke ever since I can remember (no I didn't watch him race). He introduced Armstrong to Ferrari. Hell, he introduced his own SON Axel to Ferrari, didn't he?

 

[No_Balls]

Merckx has been an utter joke ever since I can remember (no I didn't watch him race). He introduced Armstrong to Ferrari. Hell, he introduced his own SON Axel to Ferrari, didn't he?

Ah! You again pulling that crap. It is hard when there arent spaniards under scrutiny isnt it?

Mr Merckx cycling legacy is far from "a joke" thus his responsibility saying the right things in this matter is the highest. I think it is deeply upset for the whole affair you are coming up with this.

 

[cineteq]

It is hard when there arent spaniards under scrutiny isnt it?

You love playing the nationality card. That's kind of cheap, don't you think? The funny thing that Hrotha is one of the hardest critics on the Spaniards.

As for Merckx, he's a weasel. Now he's throwing Lance under bus. His records speak for themselves, that's another story.

 

[ebandit]

big fat fool

what a big fat fool

'those ratting on lance are the bad guys'..............'lance has been very correct through his

career'

why not come straight out with it? ................'lance is a complete cheat and deserves

nothing'

 

[No_Balls]

You love playing the nationality card. That's kind of cheap, don't you think? The funny thing that Hrotha is one of the hardest critics on the Spaniards.

I know perfectly were i have him after this. His failure of criticise Merckx for the same reason he singled out Indurain settles the deal.

It is obvious some chickens could be sacrificed for the sake of Omertá and that aint the Cannibal.

As for Merckx, he's a weasel. Now he's throwing Lance under bus. His records speak for themselves, that's another story.

He is not throwing anything under the bus. Cant you read? He is basically saying the same thing as the other guys has done the last couple of days.

 

[mikkemus23]

No balls, please send me a sample of what you are smoking.

 

[No_Balls]

No balls, please send me a sample of what you are smoking.

I have right and you know it.

 

[hrotha]

Wait, so saying Merckx is a joke and a liar who had so little concern for the health of the sport he sent his own friggin' son to a notorious doping doctor somehow doesn't count as attacking Merckx?

 

[cineteq]

He is not throwing anything under the bus. Cant you read? He is basically saying the same thing as the other guys has done the last couple of days.

Oh really, what's the title of this thread again?

 

[No_Balls]

Oh really, what's the title of this thread again?

It is the laughable attempt of the worlds most respected, famous, and wellknowned rider of all time, pretending he didnt know anything until this month. And that includes who Mr Ferrari is. How naive does he think we are?

But even if we pretend he is right. Were is the outspokeness against Lance in this? Of course it is not as downright stupid as some of the spanish, but it is not far from it. Mr Merckx questions even the witnesses as did many of the others.

"I'm angry at the riders for speaking to investigators," Merckx said on Le Soir.

"Damn it, that they speak up at the time, at least that would be useful. Afterwards is too late. If a rider is concerned about questionable practices, it's his duty to speak up for the good of others."

Merckx had previously expressed his support of the former Tour winner however, with news the UCI handed Armstrong a lifetime ban in addition to stripping his seven Tour de France wins, the Belgian is left deeply disappointed with the state of the sport.

"Lance has been very correct all through his career," Merckx had told La Dernière Heure. "What more can he do? All of the controls that he has done - over 500 since 2000 - have come back negative. Either the controls don't serve any purpose or Armstrong was legit. The whole case is based on witnesses, it's deeply unjust."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/merckx-fell-into-the-trap-of-armstrong

 

[Zam_Olyas]

No_balls what is it you want? we have condemned pretty much everyone be it spanish, belgian or whatever the ****...those who continue to praise Armstrong.

 

[No_Balls]

No_balls what is it you want? we have condemned pretty much everyone be it spanish, belgian or whatever the ****...those who continue to praise Armstrong.

The last couple of days it has been started very passionate threads like these:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=19115

Where at some occasion we have singely been outhanded as responsible for the doping and the Omérta in the peloton. I can live with that since we are a big part of the problem.

But when i ask about Cadel Evans strange answer in the Armstrong-affair during the TDF-presentation, Schlecks failure to respond, Merckx answer as seen above and Hinaults "i dont give a damn", there are a sudden unwillingness to respond.

And then i wonder if you either see the whole picture or want to see it. Get me?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

The last couple of days it has been started very passionate threads like these:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=19115

Where at some occasion we have singely been outhanded as responsible for the doping and the Omérta in the peloton. I can live with that since we are a big part of the problem.

But when i ask about Cadel Evans strange answer in the Armstrong-affair during the TDF-presentation, Schlecks failure to respond, Merckx answer as seen above and Hinaults "i dont give a damn", there are a sudden unwillingness to respond.

And then i wonder if you either see the whole picture or want to see it. Get me?

Believe me everyone of them is talk about ..read all the threads.

 

[No_Balls]

Wait, so saying Merckx is a joke and a liar who had so little concern for the health of the sport he sent his own friggin' son to a notorious doping doctor somehow doesn't count as attacking Merckx?

I only heard you said it in this thread after the two times you´d called him "a joke" without explaining yourself. The problem is still that "this joke" is a living icon for the sport and what he says will be taken very seriously by people outside the sport. And i am very certain that he has equal status within the peloton.

I offer an apology for my previous unfair words. I had not all the information clear.

Look harder.

Hrotha criticised Evans along with others on this forum for his BS response.

Merckx has also been taking up over his response where many people pointed out he introduced Armstrong to Ferrari. You just have your nose up because people also pulled up Contador as well.

Ok, thats fair. I will check it up.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

And Eddie M is not taken seriously anymore here in the clinic because he says stupid things when it comes to doping.

 

[Cloxxki]

Marckx was like a LeMond and a Lance in one. LeMond's talent, Lance's dope and omerta rap. Made him hard to beat, even if he raced a FULL schedule. Lance being less talented, needed to focus on a race to win it with dope. Merckx needed to show up to win it.

 

[Maxiton]

Not to belabor the obvious but Merckx is old school as they come when it comes to doping in the sport. In his world, medical preparation is part and parcel of racing. Anti-doping is a fairy tale for the fans and the sponsors who want to sell to the fans. Controls are there to be beaten, and as long as you listen to the doctors the controls won't be a problem and there won't likely be ill-health effects. The doctors keep you healthy and help you win. This is why he had no problem introducing his son to Ferrari.

Merckx is also old school in following the formula of cycling omerta. The formula is: when you, a rider/manager/owner, are asked about a rider who has been nabbed for doping, you say what you feel you can get away with in his defense, and once you've got that done you finish up by disassociating yourself and your team from the culprit, as though the culprit (whom you've just defended) has done something completely alien to the world of cycling and you know nothing about it. Merckx has been at it so long it's like he's on automatic pilot.

The most generous thing you can say about Merckx is that he still living in the sixties-seventies and oblivious to the zeitgeist. Completely oblivious.

 

[Angliru]

Wait, so saying Merckx is a joke and a liar who had so little concern for the health of the sport he sent his own friggin' son to a notorious doping doctor somehow doesn't count as attacking Merckx?

You both are a bit off kilter. Merckx seems to be straddling the fence. Saying Armstrong has been correct his entire career and how "deeply unjust" the entire case is. I'd say he's leaning more to the pro-LA side than saying anything that is highly critical of him.

 

[coinneach]

I don't think Merckx should be seen in isolation here: it's easy to complain with hindsight about what dupes Merckx, Liggett and co were.
But I think it shows what a cunning manipulative scheming dangerous man Lance is/was. He could spot who might be useful for him at the blink of an eye.
Merckx, Induran, Hinault are vulnerable: they all took stuff, yet know that's not the main reason they won the tour multiple times. Armstrong was different: doping was the reason he won.
Liggett is different: he is a journalist who should be informing us rather than misleading us. I reserve most scorn for him, but then I think, if Lance gave me a beautiful new Trek bike, might it have influenced me?