Pro Cycling is a Sham

[Autobus]

After finally reading all the way through Floyd’s interview with Paul Kimmage I’ve finally given up. While I’m certainly not taking Floyd’s words as literal truth, there is so much supporting information out there that I’m sure that he is generally describing the current state of professional cycling. His interview just concentrated all the various horror stories into a single vision in my mind, and that is professional cycling is truly a sham, little better than professional wrestling in the United Sates. The one difference may be that the specific winners in each race are not yet determined by UCI ahead of time, as the winners of each match are in wrestling, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that doesn’t happen in the not too different future.

The drugs; the utter corruption, favoritism, and lack of transparency of the UCI; the greed of the big race owners; and the hubris shown by all involved have all buried any real sporting value that bicycle racing once had. I’m not naïve enough to think that cycling was ever pure, but as the money has grown the corruption of cycling has grown apace. I don’t see any real hope for change either. The one body that can have any real oversight of UCI, the IOC, is just as corrupt and just as greedy.

It also seems to me that this recognition is growing. I see this in the calculation by the German public television networks that the cost of broadcasting the Tour is not worth any gains they would receive from showing such a tainted event. All this doesn’t mean that pro cycling won’t remain popular. You only have to look at the popularity of pro wrestling in the U.S. But at least the operators of wrestling recognize that they are not a sport, just entertainment. Watching the suffering and strength of will of top riders will always be entertaining, but without the confidence that their ability to suffer, their strength, and their will are what brings about the result of the race instead of who has the best program or who the UCI is protecting I can’t really consider pro bicycle racing much of a sport anymore.

 

[flicker]

After finally reading all the way through Floyd’s interview with Paul Kimmage I’ve finally given up. While I’m certainly not taking Floyd’s words as literal truth, there is so much supporting information out there that I’m sure that he is generally describing the current state of professional cycling. His interview just concentrated all the various horror stories into a single vision in my mind, and that is professional cycling is truly a sham, little better than professional wrestling in the United Sates. The one difference may be that the specific winners in each race are not yet determined by UCI ahead of time, as the winners of each match are in wrestling, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that doesn’t happen in the not too different future.

The drugs; the utter corruption, favoritism, and lack of transparency of the UCI; the greed of the big race owners; and the hubris shown by all involved have all buried any real sporting value that bicycle racing once had. I’m not naïve enough to think that cycling was ever pure, but as the money has grown the corruption of cycling has grown apace. I don’t see any real hope for change either. The one body that can have any real oversight of UCI, the IOC, is just as corrupt and just as greedy.

It also seems to me that this recognition is growing. I see this in the calculation by the German public television networks that the cost of broadcasting the Tour is not worth any gains they would receive from showing such a tainted event. All this doesn’t mean that pro cycling won’t remain popular. You only have to look at the popularity of pro wrestling in the U.S. But at least the operators of wrestling recognize that they are not a sport, just entertainment. Watching the suffering and strength of will of top riders will always be entertaining, but without the confidence that their ability to suffer, their strength, and their will are what brings about the result of the race instead of who has the best program or who the UCI is protecting I can’t really consider pro bicycle racing much of a sport anymore.

Well as I have said many times, a circus on two wheels incredible athletes, cheating ,drugs, spectacle intrigue, what really is not to like.

I quit watching soccer and the olympics, my sacrifice,I see cycling for what it is and love it.

It is unfair to compare pro cycling to WWF. The sport of cycling is way different. Call me a troll, haters but enjoy the sport don't rubbish it. It is what it is.

 

[ultimobici]

After finally reading all the way through Floyd’s interview with Paul Kimmage I’ve finally given up. While I’m certainly not taking Floyd’s words as literal truth, there is so much supporting information out there that I’m sure that he is generally describing the current state of professional cycling. His interview just concentrated all the various horror stories into a single vision in my mind, and that is professional cycling is truly a sham, little better than professional wrestling in the United Sates. The one difference may be that the specific winners in each race are not yet determined by UCI ahead of time, as the winners of each match are in wrestling, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that doesn’t happen in the not too different future.

The drugs; the utter corruption, favoritism, and lack of transparency of the UCI; the greed of the big race owners; and the hubris shown by all involved have all buried any real sporting value that bicycle racing once had. I’m not naïve enough to think that cycling was ever pure, but as the money has grown the corruption of cycling has grown apace. I don’t see any real hope for change either. The one body that can have any real oversight of UCI, the IOC, is just as corrupt and just as greedy.

It also seems to me that this recognition is growing. I see this in the calculation by the German public television networks that the cost of broadcasting the Tour is not worth any gains they would receive from showing such a tainted event. All this doesn’t mean that pro cycling won’t remain popular. You only have to look at the popularity of pro wrestling in the U.S. But at least the operators of wrestling recognize that they are not a sport, just entertainment. Watching the suffering and strength of will of top riders will always be entertaining, but without the confidence that their ability to suffer, their strength, and their will are what brings about the result of the race instead of who has the best program or who the UCI is protecting I can’t really consider pro bicycle racing much of a sport anymore.

Is this the first article that you've read then? I presume it is or you wouldn't be so morally outraged.

Try reading a bit about the early days of cycling and you'll see that it hasn't changed that much at all. Just because of the corruption of the UCI, ASO, RCS & the IOC it does not reduce the actual effort expended on the road one bit. The Galibier is still 2,645m high, the Gavia is no walk in the park and Arenberg is still a career breaker/maker.

Cycling has been riven with underhand deals since day one. Riders & teams have cooperated & colluded for joint gain or shared objectives. Ask Robert Millar about it, his anger at losing the Vuelta was partly aimed at the Spanish teams but mainly at his own DS for not doing the necessary deals in time.

That is the nature of the sport, if you hadn't grasped that by now you never will.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Good post.

I have noticed a pretty big shift in opinion lately - it seems that the cycling community has woken up to the way the sport is being run.

Then ordinary fans have lost confidence in the UCI - who have been at best shown to be completely out of touch and incompetent at worst corrupt and complicit.

In the last few weeks there has been one wave after the other battering the sport.

The SI piece not only brought cycling's problems to a wider audience it brought up a raft of new allegations even against what some people thought were the "good guys" like Don Catlin.
Then the halo slipped somewhat from JV and the Garmin team.
The Landis piece showed the way the sport treats the riders as well as raising more questions on other riders.
The ongoing saga of Contador.

Whats worse is that both the Contador positive and the ongoing FDA investigation will have cycling in the news for most of the year for all the wrong reasons - with no apparent answer or solution from those in charge.

 

[uspostal]

Well now that it seems that everybody is cheating in one way or another, Where do we go from here ? Do we put all the stuff on a table and let then pick what they want be randon draw, only so much for each stage of a race. Or do the Officials use the order from the day before. I guess the old NASCAR saying of " If your not cheating your not trying !!! and its only cheating IF you get caught " really holds true. I guess I can now watch and root for crashes at way maybe its a guy thats clean and not riding fast enough and gets in somebodies way.

Chuck

 

[Polish]

Is this the first article that you've read then? I presume it is or you wouldn't be so morally outraged.

Try reading a bit about the early days of cycling and you'll see that it hasn't changed that much at all. Just because of the corruption of the UCI, ASO, RCS & the IOC it does not reduce the actual effort expended on the road one bit. The Galibier is still 2,645m high, the Gavia is no walk in the park and Arenberg is still a career breaker/maker.

Cycling has been riven with underhand deals since day one. Riders & teams have cooperated & colluded for joint gain or shared objectives. Ask Robert Millar about it, his anger at losing the Vuelta was partly aimed at the Spanish teams but mainly at his own DS for not doing the necessary deals in time.

That is the nature of the sport, if you hadn't grasped that by now you never will.

I agree with you for the most part, up until 1997.
That is when a certain young man co-started a certain Charity/Foundation.
And THAT is when Pro Cycling became a sham.
Shameful Heinous Sham. OMG OMG OMG.

Before 1997 you were just considered naive if you thought cycling was clean and life was fair.

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

Instead of watching other people race their bikes, race your own, if you feel that way. If you feel that too many Pros are Dirty, so be it. There is nothing wrong in having opinions.
Professional bike racing is a combination of sport and intertainment. It's always taken second place, for me, next to my own racing.

 

[Autobus]

Is this the first article that you've read then? I presume it is or you wouldn't be so morally outraged.

Try reading a bit about the early days of cycling and you'll see that it hasn't changed that much at all. Just because of the corruption of the UCI, ASO, RCS & the IOC it does not reduce the actual effort expended on the road one bit. The Galibier is still 2,645m high, the Gavia is no walk in the park and Arenberg is still a career breaker/maker.

Cycling has been riven with underhand deals since day one. Riders & teams have cooperated & colluded for joint gain or shared objectives. Ask Robert Millar about it, his anger at losing the Vuelta was partly aimed at the Spanish teams but mainly at his own DS for not doing the necessary deals in time.

That is the nature of the sport, if you hadn't grasped that by now you never will.

Yes, I know that there have been deals, cheating and favoritism from the start of professional cycling. In the first few years of the Tour riders were disqualified for riding trains and not doing all repairs to their bikes. I also know that Stephen Roche was worried that his own team would not let him win the 1987 Giro so he recruited Millar, Anderson, etc (not on his team) to protect him. Buying off riders happened all the time. Trading stage wins for help on hard stages too. And I know how everybody lionized Tom Simpson for his his desire to do well on Mont Ventoux, but did not villify him for doping.

But at least by my estimation the control of cycling has become much more centralized and virulent. I'm not saying that the Galibier is as high as it was and that a performance like Andy Hampsten on the Gavia is not electrifying. But I'm not going to say anyone deserved to win any professional race or won it fairly anymore. I might have said that in the past.

 

[Granville57]

That's why I love Flanders & Roubaix.
Doped or clean, rich or poor--the cobbles are still slippery when wet.

 

[BikeCentric]

Instead of watching other people race their bikes, race your own, if you feel that way. If you feel that too many Pros are Dirty, so be it. There is nothing wrong in having opinions.
Professional bike racing is a combination of sport and intertainment. It's always taken second place, for me, next to my own racing.

Thing is though, someday you will get bored of racing. On that day and in the days after I'll bet you'd like to watch some good pro cycling in part to kind of rekindle some of the memories of really fun times you had in your own races. But the problem with that is pro cycling really sucks and is a shameful sham.

I'd rather watch women's tennis. I would MUCH rather watch that actually...

 

[BikeCentric]

That's why I love Flanders & Roubaix.
Doped or clean, rich or poor--the cobbles are still slippery when wet.

I love the cobbles too but this year I can see myself just watching "A Sunday in Hell" again instead of watching P-R.

 

[Altitude]

Conflating professional cycling with WWF is a stretch. If cycling is a sham then so is every other sport.

 

[Benotti69]

I love the cobbles too but this year I can see myself just watching "A Sunday in Hell" again instead of watching P-R.

yep, unless the weather is really really bad, i'll be doing the same, " A Sunday in Hell"...

 

[Autobus]

Conflating professional cycling with WWF is a stretch. If cycling is a sham then so is every other sport.

Pretty much every other sport is. Tell me, why is the World Cup going to be played in Qattar in 2022? Why was the whole scoring system for figure skating changed after the 2002 Winter Olympics (to say nothing about the "Spanish" nordic skier Johan Muhlegg's country shopping and doping in the same games), why does a US NBA basketball player get suspended only for ten games for doping and is still supported by his coach this year, and why do they say in NASCAR "If you're not cheatin', you're not tryin'"?

Maybe I was a little naive. Maybe pro cycling was always a scam and a sham. After all, Eddie Merkx was protected by Felix Levitan after his 1969 positive at the Giro. But the Landis interview just made me face facts. I just can't deny it anymore.

 

[flicker]

Pretty much every other sport is. Tell me, why is the World Cup going to be played in Qattar in 2022? Why was the whole scoring system for figure skating changed after the 2002 Winter Olympics (to say nothing about the "Spanish" nordic skier Johan Muhlegg's country shopping and doping in the same games), why does a US NBA basketball player get suspended only for ten games for doping and is still supported by his coach this year, and why do they say in NASCAR "If you're not cheatin', you're not tryin'"?

Maybe I was a little naive. Maybe pro cycling was always a scam and a sham. After all, Eddie Merkx was protected by Felix Levitan after his 1969 positive at the Giro. But the Landis interview just made me face facts. I just can't deny it anymore.

Just check out the sponsors, Molteni Sausage, Saxo Bank for instance.

The people who attack Lance are perfectly clueless to the true nature of the sport. To me the people who fawn upon Landis (blackmailer, revealer of personal secrets with LeMond, blackmailer once again vs. The Shack, RAT, liar and embezzler) shows how misconstrued some of our cycling fans are.

 

[VeloFidelis]

But I'm not going to say anyone deserved to win any professional race or won it fairly anymore. I might have said that in the past.

The decision too continue to support cycling as a fan is one that many of us, regardless of how many years we have been, are seriously considering right now. The scale of the problem seems to have gotten out of control.

The irony is that doping has always been part of cycling. Yet it's current levels of participation and affect on the sport, seemingly does more to promote parity in the peloton than at any time in cycling's long history.

 

[fujisst]

Don't you just hate it when you finally and unequivocally find out that Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny truly do not exist?

Nevertheless, pro cycling is still, and will always remain interesting. The cyclists still suffer, they indeed bleed, and there is a stong sense of true drama being played out before your eyes. And because I race my bike as well, I can still somewhat relate to the whole spectacle.

Do I worship these guys/gals? Hell no. No one should. They are simply humans engaging in an activity for the entertainment of the masses. As such, they are willing to do whatever is necessary to be successful aka make more money.

Landis' "revelations" are just the veil being removed - again - and not for the last time...innocence is lost, but wisdom gained...

 

[orbeas]

Pretty much every other sport is. Tell me, why is the World Cup going to be played in Qattar in 2022? Why was the whole scoring system for figure skating changed after the 2002 Winter Olympics (to say nothing about the "Spanish" nordic skier Johan Muhlegg's country shopping and doping in the same games), why does a US NBA basketball player get suspended only for ten games for doping and is still supported by his coach this year, and why do they say in NASCAR "If you're not cheatin', you're not tryin'"?

Maybe I was a little naive. Maybe pro cycling was always a scam and a sham. After all, Eddie Merkx was protected by Felix Levitan after his 1969 positive at the Giro. But the Landis interview just made me face facts. I just can't deny it anymore.

I am always amazed by cycling fans who cannot believe that riders do/have used drugs. Having been in cycling for 50 plus years, 19 as a pro, I have ridden with riders who have been doped, have been offered dope. It comes down to standards, the way you are brought up by your parents to what is right and wrong.
The fans at the side of the road do not care about drugs, just as people going to rock concerts dont, yes rock artists take drugs !!!!! Do these same fans who are appalled at cyclist taking drugs not buy CD's or go to concerts because they use drugs ??? you bet your axxx they do.
The problem now is that you have the biggest doping scandal in sport about to explode and the main protaganists Armstrong and the UCI/McQuaid/Verbrugan team are denying it all, which will make the end result front page news on every paper/tv channel in the world. Remember the Tiger Woods saga and he was only sxxxxxxg women, not winning the worlds most famous cycle race 7 times dopped up to the eyeballs, and useing US public funds to pay for it, it will make the Tiger Woods story seem like a Disney cartoon.
Watch the sponsors and the TV coverage dissappear !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[The Hitch]

It is unfair to compare pro cycling to WWF. The sport of cycling is way different.

Is it? I cant think of many sports with more similarities to the World Wildlife fund than professional cycling.

 

[Mambo95]

Is it? I cant think of many sports with more similarities to the World Wildlife fund than professional cycling.

The NFL has lions, bears, jaguars, falcons, ravens, dolphins, rams and eagles.

Cycling just has a leopard and some bleeding carrots (the squirrels and cows are no longer with us).

 

[Granville57]

Pretty much every other sport is. Why was the whole scoring system for figure skating changed after the 2002 Winter Olympics

I grew up around a lot of figure skating. My sister competed from a young age; she dated a national competitor; she was close friends with a couple that competed at the Olympics. Politics, bribes, corruption...it's all I heard about when I was too young to make any sense of it all. Anywhere there is power to be had, power will be grabbed.

At least pro cyclists are forced to chase the like of Sammy Sanchez down a wicked descent!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_xMfifw6Jw

He's going like a train!

 

[Sanitiser]

Cycling isn't wrestling; the winners aren't chosen before the race.

 

[The Hitch]

Pretty much every other sport is. Tell me, why is the World Cup going to be played in Qattar in 2022? Why was the whole scoring system for figure skating changed after the 2002 Winter Olympics (to say nothing about the "Spanish" nordic skier Johan Muhlegg's country shopping and doping in the same games), why does a US NBA basketball player get suspended only for ten games for doping and is still supported by his coach this year, and why do they say in NASCAR "If you're not cheatin', you're not tryin'"?

TO continue this, many sports now have seeding systems.
worst of all tenni has a seeding system which guarantees the top 2 guys can not play eachother competitively outside a final(s) and 2 of the top 4 cant play eachother unless they both reach at least the semi final. As a result, the current top 2 have played eachother a grand total of 4 times in 2 and a half years. They went a whole year without playing eachother, May 2009-10.

On a more conspiratorial note, why is it that tennises most markable player(Murray), has been in the opposite draw to roger federer in 12 of the last 13 grand slams even though its supposed to be a 50:50 Coin flip.

The NFL has lions, bears, jaguars, falcons, ravens, dolphins, rams and eagles.

Cycling just has a leopard and some bleeding carrots (the squirrels and cows are no longer with us).

Very nice. And thats not the first time ive said that these last few weeks. You come up with some very good lines.

 

[MacRoadie]

Cycling isn't wrestling; the winners aren't chosen before the race.

Seen many post-Tour criteriums?

A Crit on the side...

 

[BotanyBay]

But at least by my estimation the control of cycling has become much more centralized and virulent. I'm not saying that the Galibier is as high as it was and that a performance like Andy Hampsten on the Gavia is not electrifying. But I'm not going to say anyone deserved to win any professional race or won it fairly anymore. I might have said that in the past.

25-30 years ago, it took convincing to get English-speaking television to cover the tour. Now they bid competitively for the right to do so. And the old guys now see that they've actually got something.

Change happened. Money is now involved. Serious money. And the same guys that used to take payoffs, drugs and corruption for granted, are still with us.

The love of bike racing used to be a liability at the Pro level. Now it makes a few people very wealthy. And that starts the real game.