Operacion Puerto Riders

[aarnold517]

I'm sure this has been touched on in a general operacion puerto thread and it has been alluded to in the blacklist thread. Zaballa's win in the vuelta asturias got me thinking, why have some riders named in OP and then cleared rejoined the protour ranks, while others still ride (sometimes very successfully) in these smaller continental teams? For example, allan davis, paulinho and ruben plaza were all named, cleared, and have since joined protour teams. Meanwhile, riders such as zaballa or david blanco continue to ride for smaller teams and win races for them. I don't think it's the rider's choice (less money and racing opportunities) and it can't be ability because some of these guys, such as zaballa or oscar sevilla, have better results than ruben plaza for example. So why are some riders rejoining the protour ranks, while others stay with these smaller teams?

Also, OP occurred four years ago now this summer. Is it still a factor in team's decisions to hire a rider or not? How long will it be before a team can see a rider named in OP and that not play a factor in their decision to hire the rider, or will it continue to affect these riders their entire careers?

 

[luckyboy]

All I can think of is that they don't have to ride for anyone else at the smaller teams.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

All I can think of is that they don't have to ride for anyone else at the smaller teams.

That could be really true, take Plaza for example, he might be in the Protour now but indeed he has to ride for Valverde, while a guy like Zaballa at Loule can go and win the Vuelta Asturias.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Rubén Plaza spent two years in small Portuguese teams, which might explain the lack of results. As the Spanish national champion he offers more sponsorship exposure, which is a factor. He's also on good terms with Unzué, having raced with Caisse d'Epargne and Banesto at points in his career. With a lot of them it depends on how deeply they were implicated, what happened to the teams they joined afterward, how they were perceived within the pro péloton, and several other factors. Those who left teams like Comunidad Valenciana and rode for thinly-veiled follow-up teams like Fuerteventura-Canarias will be more ostracized because of never distancing themselves from it. Zaballa and Plaza both rode reduced schedules for Caisse d'Epargne in 2007, but both have disappeared since. Zaballa seems more interested in cyclocross these days and Plaza was too much of a risk for the value he brought. Two years later and still no positive, maybe it's worth it again.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I guess it's pretty lame. It's like McEwen said. One can make a mistake and pay for it, end of discussion. But when he has paid for being doped every rider should be treated alike. They should not be punished again after their ban. Everyone deserves a second chance, not a third one though

 

[klmorgan]

I guess it's pretty lame. It's like McEwen said. One can make a mistake and pay for it, end of discussion. But when he has paid for being doped every rider should be treated alike. They should not be punished again after their ban. Everyone deserves a second chance, not a third one though

Casting nets too wide catch innocent victims, however second chances are something every person should be given.

Consider those who were caught by Operacion Puerto and found to have done nothing wrong and their steps to return to the top level where they were.

Perceptions, however effect how we consider those who have cheated and returned. Contrast Miller and Vino. One has taken a PR stand about the behaviour and the other hasn't. The public have accepted Miller with open arms, and not the Vino (who would if he worked the PR angle).

 

[la.margna]

I guess it's pretty lame. It's like McEwen said. One can make a mistake and pay for it, end of discussion. But when he has paid for being doped every rider should be treated alike. They should not be punished again after their ban. Everyone deserves a second chance, not a third one though

I fully agree with you. The only problem is that most (or even all?) Spanish riders implicated in OP were not punished or banned at all. Some miracously vanished from the list (AC) to conquer Giro and Tour, some (Valv.Piti) continue to win Pro Tour races even tough their DNA profile is matched to blood found in Fuentes' fridge. Ridicolous, absoultely ridicolous.

 

[Willy_Voet]

erceptions, however effect how we consider those who have cheated and returned. Contrast Miller and Vino. One has taken a PR stand about the behaviour and the other hasn't. The public have accepted Miller with open arms, and not the Vino (who would if he worked the PR angle).

Oh, Vino worked the PR angle...he speaks of himself in the 3rd person at press conferences, claims his victory is 'revenge' and wears a jersey, with his own likeness, autographed by himself.

Vino = PR machine. Just don't be surprised if people don't like his message.

 

[Alexandre B.]

They're still killing it in 2018!

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

erceptions, however effect how we consider those who have cheated and returned. Contrast Miller and Vino. One has taken a PR stand about the behaviour and the other hasn't. The public have accepted Miller with open arms, and not the Vino (who would if he worked the PR angle).

Oh, Vino worked the PR angle...he speaks of himself in the 3rd person at press conferences, claims his victory is 'revenge' and wears a jersey, with his own likeness, autographed by himself.

Vino = PR machine. Just don't be surprised if people don't like his message.

Vino starts to have language issues when the difficult questions are asked like "have you ever doped ? How do you explain your test results ? Did you pay Uran ?"