Omega Pharma Quick Step: Are you kidding me??

[LesCombes]

I can't for the life of me understand why Quick Step is given such an easy time in the peloton. Shouldn't they be kicked out? Or is Cavendish giving them so much good publicity that nobody wants to touch them?

Hiring Ibarguren (has a separate thread) with his tenure at Lotto (with Tchmil), Banesta (Mancebo), Lampre (Rumsas), Euskaltel (Heras), Saunier Duval (Ricco, Piepoli), Fuji Servetto (Serrano).... that cannot be considered as the road to a clean cycling world.

As early as 1998 he was accused of supplying doping to Festina, in 2002 he was found with doping in his car, in 2008 he worked with Maria Sagasti who was caught red-handed while dumping products and he was recently managed in the Lampre case.

Then Yvan Van Mol who was mentioned by Sinkewitz as the one doping the doping programme.

With the whole smelly history of the team (Museeuw... the whole Lefevere history really), why isn't the Belgian press all over this? They are clearly dirty.

 

[Ferminal]

The separate QS and Omega Pharma teams were doping for years. That they stepped it up a notch after merging is no surprise.

 

[Lanark]

Just a case of journalists not doing their job. It's not completely surprising, Belgium newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws had an, admittedly not very good, article about Lefevere's history of doping in his teams. That newspaper was fined by 500.000 Euro IIRC. So most are probably scared to publish anything, although most journalists seem more concerned with protecting the big riders instead of exposing them.

 

[theyoungest]

The Dutch newspaper NRC is run by Derk Sauer, good friend of Zdenek Bakala and a board member of Omerta Pharma Quick Step. The NRC is the newspaper that put the final nail in the coffin of the Rabobank team, or more specifically their journalist Thijs Zonneveld did. Zonneveld was given a few months time to do an in depth investigation of Rabobank's history.

Mr. Sauer's twitter is quite amusing to follow, if only for his double standards regarding Rabobank ('you expected it from Armstrong, but those Rabo guys were better liars') vs. the shameless promotion of OPQS. I'm curious what would happen if Zonneveld asked him for some time to investigate Quick Step and Lefevere?

 

[Benotti69]

The separate QS and Omega Pharma teams were doping for years. That they stepped it up a notch after merging is no surprise.

With Dr Ibarguren on board it was plain sailing all the way.

We already have an OPQS thread, dow e want another.

Lefevere is as dirty as Riis and Bruyneel.

 

[sniper]

good thing we have the BP in place, and media pressure, to keep the doping at an absolute minimum.

 

[Ferminal]

With Dr Ibarguren on board it was plain sailing all the way.

We already have an OPQS thread, dow e want another.

Lefevere is as dirty as Riis and Bruyneel.

Who from OP(L) moved on to OPQS? Most went to Lotto, 'cept ol' Jose! What about the Omega Pharma manager guy that oversees the sponsorship, what are his ethics like?

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Because the media doesn't want to rock the boat.

The UCI loves Frodo so you can bet there won't be any busts there.

 

[Benotti69]

Who from OP(L) moved on to OPQS? Most went to Lotto, 'cept ol' Jose! What about the Omega Pharma manager guy that oversees the sponsorship, what are his ethics like?

'cept ol' Jose!

Look at the difference in Gilbert's 2011 and 2012 and Boonen's 2011 and 2012.

Good 'ol Jose!

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Just a case of journalists not doing their job. It's not completely surprising, Belgium newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws had an, admittedly not very good, article about Lefevere's history of doping in his teams. That newspaper was fined by 500.000 Euro IIRC. So most are probably scared to publish anything, although most journalists seem more concerned with protecting the big riders instead of exposing them.

Funniest thing, remember what happened to Pierre Herinne!

 

[del1962]

'cept ol' Jose!

Look at the difference in Gilbert's 2011 and 2012 and Boonen's 2011 and 2012.

Good 'ol Jose!

From what I read he wasn't the doctor that treated Boonen's arm

 

[ElChingon]

Don't worry OPQS's (aka Lefevere's team) time is coming. Its up to some disgruntled ex-riders to step up now, once they do the domino's will fall. The thing is they actually help their injured/wounded so its going to need a bit of help from others to start the toppling of domino's, just like with R.D., O.P., etc.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Pretty much all you need to know is right here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/omega-pharma-quickstep-team-owners-propose-major-reform-for-cycling

Omega Pharma-QuickStep owner Zdenek Bakala and his business partner Bessel Kok have announced plans to completely reform the professional sport of cycling.... Bakala will be the company's first major investor, with between 10 - 20 million Euros provided for the company's inception and according to Bakala, who Forbes rate has a personal fortune of $1.9 billion, cycling's new leadership will be formed with the teams, the UCI and its investors at the centre of power.

 

[Benotti69]

From what I read he wasn't the doctor that treated Boonen's arm

Why would he treat Boonen's arm when he is the PED Doc?

OPQS have lots of docs. I imagine that Boonen's arm was serious enough to be treated in a hospital.

 

[the asian]

Obvious that OPQS is given a free ride with Bakala on board.

Boonen's elbow infection was pretty serious, according to him he nearly lost his arm. Beyond Dr Jose's scope.
I'll be closely following Gianni Meersman this season.
Hope he's on the good Doctor's magic portion.

 

[Benotti69]

I fully expect OPQS to blitz the spring classics.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Obvious that OPQS is given a free ride with Bakala on board.

Hein loves these kind of powerful people. Want a national hero from Czech Republic? Well, lets see what we can do.

 

[the asian]

Hein loves these kind of powerful people. Want a national hero from Czech Republic? Well, lets see what we can do.

Stybar?

(Stupid 10 chars)

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stybar?

(Stupid 10 chars)

for now Hein is busy with a major project which will continue well into 2014.
Luckily Bakala understands these business issues and will wait for a deal in 2015.
After that Hein will retire with a major pension kitty.

 

[zigmeister]

Need the link to the Philippe Gilbert thread bout his unbelievable 2011 classics season. Boonen, amazing 2012 Classics.

We all know that the Belgians are just btter t classics than any other people though. Climate thing I guess.

 

[Ferminal]

Yeh, Belgians can win classics clean, if you're Swiss though...

 

[Benotti69]

Need the link to the Philippe Gilbert thread bout his unbelievable 2011 classics season. Boonen, amazing 2012 Classics.

We all know that the Belgians are just btter t classics than any other people though. Climate thing I guess.

As i said, a chemical thing and no guess, ask Ibarguren.

 

[Mr.38%]

WTF!?!

Harlem shake #OPQS

 

[peterst6906]

WTF!?!

Harlem shake #OPQS

WTF?! × 10

First thing on a Saturday morning. Disturbing is all I can say.

EDIT: After watching it a second time there can be no doubt, they are definitely on drugs.

 

[Mr.38%]

WTF?! × 10

First thing on a Saturday morning. Disturbing is all I can say.

This is the most awesomestest weirdo stuff I've ever seen in cycling.