Reactions from the peloton

[Arnout]

A new topic to post reactions from riders, DSs and what have you from the current peloton, following the release of the charges against Armstrong by USADA.

In a new topic so that we don't have to be confronted with Joe Papp anymore. I can absolutely guarantee you that I don't work for Armstrong

Let me start off.

Stef Clement (current rider for Rabobank): "Nu mijn jeugdhelden allen lijken te zijn gevallen, is het te hopen dat zij geen verdere invloed hebben op mijn toekomstdromen. #Idoitmyway" ("Now that my youth heroes all appear to be blemished, I can only hope that they will not have any further influence on my dreams about the future") https://twitter.com/Stefclement/status/256135525604401153

 

[Zam_Olyas]

"Saint Millar"


Still reading the USADA report. For the record there are people in there who are better (there are also worse) than me and yet ****ed up.


It's all so sad


This is my friend's statement, it's more important than mine right now, "@ChristianVDV: My statement http://christianvdv.com/blog/christian-vande-velde-statement/ …"

 

[Arnout]

Julien Pinot (coach for FdJ and more importantly brother of young French hopeful Thibaut Pinot): "Oh la vache!!!! Bravo à l'USADA!! Un big bang pour un cyclisme purifié de tous ces pourris?? #rêve #auboulotlUCI" ("Bravo to USADA! A big bang to purify cycling and get rid of the rotten elements?? #dream#auboutlotlUCI) I cannot translate the UCI hashtag sadly, if someone can help? https://twitter.com/JulienPinot/status/256139263417122816

Retweeted by Jimmy Engoulvent.

Julien Pinot goes on to say that this is a big night for French cyclists criticized for lack of results. (https://twitter.com/JulienPinot/status/256140277528530944)

 

[thirteen]

"Saint Millar"


Still reading the USADA report. For the record there are people in there who are better (there are also worse) than me and yet ****ed up.


It's all so sad


This is my friend's statement, it's more important than mine right now, "@ChristianVDV: My statement http://christianvdv.com/blog/christian-vande-velde-statement/ …"

at some point of his tweets, Chad O. Grey (@GreyManrod) interjected:

@millarmind someday you should tell the truth as well.

 

[Pancreas]

Julien Pinot (coach for FdJ and more importantly brother of young French hopeful Thibaut Pinot): "Oh la vache!!!! Bravo à l'USADA!! Un big bang pour un cyclisme purifié de tous ces pourris?? #rêve #auboulotlUCI" ("Bravo to USADA! A big bang to purify cycling and get rid of the rotten elements?? #dream#auboutlotlUCI) I cannot translate the UCI hashtag sadly, if someone can help? https://twitter.com/JulienPinot/status/256139263417122816

Retweeted by Jimmy Engoulvent.

Julien Pinot goes on to say that this is a big night for French cyclists criticized for lack of results. (https://twitter.com/JulienPinot/status/256140277528530944)

It means 'go to work UCI'... seems like to are going to get away

 

[Big Daddy]

Some onionized reactions...

Johan Bruyneel: "I had nothing to do with this. All those guys acted alone. Even Lance! Can I still back out of the arbitration hearings?"

Doctors Pedro Celaya and Luis Garcia del Morel: "It was Ferrari that gave Armstrong the drugs, not us! The millions in payments were made to Ferrari, not us."

Trainer Jose "Pepe" Martin: "yeah, I'm sticking with what Dr Pedro and Dr Luis are saying. it was obvious Ferrari was accepting money from Armstrong."

George Hincapie: "What is the bare minimum I can say? Oh wait. Is this being recorded?"

Michael Barry: "hey, I'm just a guy that got caught up with the wrong crowd. I didn't mean it. Plus, I'm totally clean and have been since years ago."

Levi Leipheimer: "hey my old Postie teammates! How goes it? Which one of you guys has that cookie-cutter doping confession statement. I need it! I haven't made my statement yet."

 

[cineteq]

Yes, he was a great rider Ricky.

@riccardo_ricco
Armstrong era un campione punto e basta. Poi a me non emozionava ma era un gran corridore.

 

[pelodee]

Jonathan Vaughters:
"I think some folks might think I'm upset by all this. No. It's a necessary process for lasting culture change and the health of the sport."

Eric Boyer in response:
"ah bon, tu n'avais toujours pas compris depuis 1998 ?"

https://twitter.com/boyerico/status/256094641668096000

 

[thehog]

Brailsford:



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Richard+Moore

Dave is studying the case file to make sure he doesn't make the same errors.

Big X marked on Froome.

 

[Escarabajo]

Brailsford:



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Richard+Moore

‘Everybody has recalibrated and several teams like ourselves are hell-bent on doing it the right way and doing it clean. ‘The challenge is that it is understandable now for people to look at any results in cycling and question that

Very questionable answer

 

[cineteq]

Dave is studying the case file to make sure he doesn't make the same errors.

Big X marked on Froome.

Does it mean Sky domination has been postponed?

 

[Tinman]

Brailsford said:
‘Everybody has recalibrated and several teams like ourselves are hell-bent on doing it the right way and doing it clean. ‘The challenge is that it is understandable now for people to look at any results in cycling and question that.’

Seems at the very least disingenious, ie. the notion that he is only just realizing that people are suddenly waking up.

His team has several people with significant doping backgrounds still there, aside from Leinders. Including their Directeur Sportif who seems to have been flying under the radar for a long time now.

If you were truly serious (about being clean AND perceived to be clean) you would have never had these people (Leinders/Yates) on your team in senior roles in the first place...

 

[hiero2]

LA's attorney Herman, Tygart, and others, interviewed:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/must-hear-tygart-herman-ford-discuss-armstrong-on-espn_256665
and the interview:
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8487101

VdV, Zabriskie, Danielson, Slipstream:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/garmin-sharp-responds-to-usada-case-with-rider-statements_256645

Leipheimer
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/10/news/leipheimer-says-he-came-forward-to-usada-to-join-critical-mass-in-changing-cyclings-culture_256640

The WSJ op-ed page is here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444799904578048672603746526.html?KEYWORDS=leipheimer

something strange about that link - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444799904578048672603746526.html?KEYWORDS=leipheimer

 

[TubularBills]

Brailsford:



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Richard+Moore

Sky = USPS = same talking points.

Brailsford and Sky are rotten to the core.

Evidence? = Instinct.

We've seen this all before.

i.e. Losers.

 

[PCutter]

Hayden Roulston on twitter, doesn't seem happy with the leniency, possibly some subtext given he rides for The Shack

"Lucky no kiwi is in that investigation. 6m ban would be laughed at. We would all get LIFE!!! Jail time."

 

[halamala]

Ben Jacques-Maynes ‏@Benjm1

who thinks the UCI's first move will be to CAS everyone for a full 2-year ban?

 

[TubularBills]

Clean?

This was one of my most inspirational photos?

Should it still be?

 

[Mr.DNA]

Ben Jacques-Mayne

Ben Jacques-Mayne:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/olympics/ci_21741154/lance-armstrong-drug-case-no-shock-watsonville-pro

Lance Armstrong drug case no shock to Watsonville pro cyclist

"I know I have in the past, and will continue to race against guys who take illicit substances," he said Wednesday before heading out for a training ride. "I've had races taken from me by dopers and money taken from me by dopers. If I dwell on that and the amount of cheating in the sport you can work yourself up into such frenzy you can't sleep at night. You have to cut off the what-ifs and do the best you can."

 

[Weapons of @ss Destruction]

Hayden Roulston on twitter, doesn't seem happy with the leniency, possibly some subtext given he rides for The Shack

"Lucky no kiwi is in that investigation. 6m ban would be laughed at. We would all get LIFE!!! Jail time."

Wonder if he also thinks that same treatment should be applied to the DS who just hired him?

 

[Franklin]

Yes, he was a great rider Ricky.

@riccardo_ricco
Armstrong era un campione punto e basta. Poi a me non emozionava ma era un gran corridore.

I can respect Ricco for not piling on.

 

[shojii]

Hayden Roulston on twitter, doesn't seem happy with the leniency, possibly some subtext given he rides for The Shack

"Lucky no kiwi is in that investigation. 6m ban would be laughed at. We would all get LIFE!!! Jail time."

Nice one Hayden. Here's what you said in August...pretty much covers of the subtext.

http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/news/todays-news/8356-armstrong-treatment-a-joke.html

 

[Franklin]

Nice one Hayden. Here's what you said in August...

http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/news/todays-news/8356-armstrong-treatment-a-joke.html

That's why I have more respect for Ricco in this regard.

 

[PCutter]

Nice one Hayden. Here's what you said in August...pretty much covers of the subtext.

http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/news/todays-news/8356-armstrong-treatment-a-joke.html

ha, and he thinks its CYCLING that lacks the credibility!!! Guess you have to support the boss when he's signing your cheques

 

[Maxiton]

Does it mean Sky domination has been postponed?

Yep. Most likely. (One can only hope.)

Ben Jacques-Maynes ‏@Benjm1

who thinks the UCI's first move will be to CAS everyone for a full 2-year ban?

Or lifetime bans.

Clean?

This was one of my most inspirational photos?

Should it still be?

Yes. Might as well take your inspiration where you can find it.

 

[movingtarget]

Wow six month bans. Who did a deal ? I have no respect for these riders. Now they are saying they have been clean for the past five years. Really ? Hincapie's retirement was well timed. If they wanted any respect at all for being honest, they should have admitted to this years ago when they would have served the full two year ban and derailed their careers as others have. They would have returned to the sport. They always do as someone is always willing to give them another chance. Vaughters also comes out of it looking like a total hypocrite as do others. At least Kohl had the goods to retire from the sport never to return. More than can be said for others for who it seems, a ban just constitutes a temporary loss of income.