Reactions from the peloton

[hrotha]

What.
We aren't talking about protesters here. We're talking about what the general public thinks when they hold an opinion about cycling. That goes without saying. That figure does include every single casual fan and pretty much everybody who has ever shown some interest in sports in general.

Do you think hardcore cycling fans don't care about the economy or something? No, they're simply completely different matters. I don't know why you keep mixing them.

Your understanding of Spanish reality is nonexistent.

Lololololol

 

[mr. tibbs]

Ty-Ty Hamilton calls for Pat to step down. Surprise.

And Merckx is quoted:

Meanwhile, Belgium's five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx says he is sickened for his sport in the wake of the Armstrong scandal.

Merckx said: "I met Lance many times. He never spoke to me about doping, doctors or other things. He didn't have to report to me either, it was his problem but I fell into the trap."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20040927

 

[No_Balls]

But I do. The clenbuterol thing was a clear positive test and he was part of OP. They couldn't have busted him if the amount of substance in his body were under the threshold value.

And as i said. He broked the rule. He was banned and got stripped of even more titles then was supposed (because of the circus which followed). While i dont have any illusion he was clean during his Discovery time, who was?

This is were the problem is. Even though one couldnt "respect" even the little fraudster.

The problem is more like the overall doping culture in cycling rather then which speaks out against it or whom gets caught in the process. You fail to see the bigger rider as a rule of thumb takes a stand against doping. Wiggins has suddenly, when being a winner, become quite about it mind you.

Contador, as failure in the tests provides, as a proven doper has a responsibility. But i dont see what makes that much harder supporting him from the likes of Schleck, Evans, Wiggins et al. After all the only thing which separates them from Contador is "never tested positive".

 

[AussieEdge]

And as i said. He broked the rule. He was banned and got stripped of even more titles then was supposed (because of the circus which followed). While i dont have any illusion he was clean during his Discovery time, who was?



The problem is more like the overall doping culture in cycling rather then which speaks out against it or whom gets caught in the process. You fail to see the bigger rider as a rule of thumb takes a stand against doping. Wiggins has suddenly, when being a winner, become quite about it mind you.

Contador, as failure in the tests provides, as a proven doper has a responsibility. But i dont see what makes that much harder supporting him from the likes of Schleck, Evans, Wiggins et al. After all the only thing which separates them from Contador is "never tested positive".

Well how else is one suppose to protest one's Innocence other by 'never testing positive'???

 

[No_Balls]

Well how else is one suppose to protest one's Innocence other by 'never testing positive'???

I think you should check out the book The secret race. Very demoralising.

 

[AussieEdge]

I think you should check out the book The secret race. Very demoralising.

My question still stands...

 

[Dear Wiggo]

But I do. The clenbuterol thing was a clear positive test and he was part of OP. They couldn't have busted him if the amount of substance in his body were under the threshold value.

There's no threshold - it's a prohibited substance.

 

[Big Doopie]

i'm sorry, but anyone who had any doubt --

indurain, samuel sanchez and valverde are now confirmed dopers.

what a group of absolute frauds.

their reactions bring into question whether the sport can ever be saved.

 

[D-Queued]

i'm sorry, but anyone who had any doubt --

indurain, samuel sanchez and valverde are now confirmed dopers.

what a group of absolute frauds.

their reactions bring into question whether the sport can ever be saved.

I admit it, I am a die hard.

Can we say that Indurain is a confirmed dope, while the others are confirmed dopers?

Sometimes I like to pretend too.

Dave.

 

[hiero2]

My question still stands...

Yeah, that's a real problem, innit? Testing - or anti-doping measures in general, have to get back to being seen as reliable and trustworthy, or we will make no progress. Clearly many, if not most, of the Euro riders are willing to go the "extra step", and must believe that there is no harm.

Not that those "extra steps" are ever far from any athlete's mind. Nature of the beast.

 

[cineteq]

i'm sorry, but anyone who had any doubt --

indurain, samuel sanchez and valverde are now confirmed dopers.

what a group of absolute frauds.

their reactions bring into question whether the sport can ever be saved.

Especially when we don't hear the 'antagonists' speak up.

 

[Lukenwolf]

God almighty. Valverde - the next dopist scumbag to defend Armstrong. My face hurts. I've palmed it too often already today. Ok, let's have a show of hands:

Rubiera,
Valverde,
Sanchez,
Indurain

What in the name of all that's holy are those guys smoking? Do they roam the city streets at night, licking windows? How far divorced from reality have you got to be. This is just ridiculous.

 

[Bala Verde]

God almighty. Valverde - the next dopist scumbag to defend Armstrong. My face hurts. I've palmed it too often already today. Ok, let's have a show of hands:

Rubiera,
Valverde,
Sanchez,
Indurain

What in the name of all that's holy are those guys smoking? Do they roam the city streets at night, licking windows? How far divorced from reality have you got to be. This is just ridiculous.

Lol. They all need to convince themselves that their own pro wins have any meaning or value at all. It keeps their own bubble from bursting; It's all they have that they can to hang on to and that gives meaning to their professional lives they invested so much time in.

 

[blaxland]

God almighty. Valverde - the next dopist scumbag to defend Armstrong. My face hurts. I've palmed it too often already today. Ok, let's have a show of hands:

Rubiera,
Valverde,
Sanchez,
Indurain

What in the name of all that's holy are those guys smoking? Do they roam the city streets at night, licking windows? How far divorced from reality have you got to be. This is just ridiculous.

Well said.And i totally agree 100./.
"Riders need to be able to speak honestly without repercussions"

 

[robow7]

God almighty. Valverde - the next dopist scumbag to defend Armstrong. My face hurts. I've palmed it too often already today. Ok, let's have a show of hands:

Rubiera,
Valverde,
Sanchez,
Indurain

What in the name of all that's holy are those guys smoking? Do they roam the city streets at night, licking windows? How far divorced from reality have you got to be. This is just ridiculous.

What Spanish riders have spoken out against LA?

 

[Love the Scenery]

Valverde's statement is repulsive.

In the past, I defended Valverde insofar as he came up through a notorious systematic team doping program (Kelme) and was subjected to many of the same pressures as Jesus Manzano, David Zabriskie, etc. For those reasons I did not condemn him. However, his support of Armstrong is so repulsive, so vicious and so evil, that I can obviously no longer support him.

I eat my previous posts on Valverde.

 

[No_Balls]

Valverde's statement is repulsive.

In the past, I defended Valverde insofar as he came up through a notorious systematic team doping program (Kelme) and was subjected to many of the same pressures as Jesus Manzano, David Zabriskie, etc. For those reasons I did not condemn him. However, his support of Armstrong is so repulsive, so vicious and so evil, that I can obviously no longer support him.

I eat my previous posts on Valverde.

I second that.

Doping is one (obviously big) thing. But seeing as Armstrong did so many other things (bribing, smearing, bullying, threathening) which clearly defies anything ethical his comments is downright evil. Maybe, he hasnt read the report, but then you should just shut the **** up.

I am very disappointed and feel downright sick to the bone.

 

[hrotha]

What Spanish riders have spoken out against LA?

None.

Or at least I haven't heard or read anything about a single rider supporting USADA and celebrating the ban. And believe me, I've been on the lookout.

 

[cathulu]

I like that these vile scumbags cling to armstrong because that is the only way to validate their own tainted **** wins. They really are sad losers. To hell with them.

 

[PosterBill]

I am telling you, the worst part of cycling has been the extent cyclists are willing to go in the denial of doping. It amazes me how some of these guys seem to actualy revel in the denial of doping, taking the charade to unebelievable lengths. Those are the guys that really **** me off. Frank Schleck's dad crying about how poor frankie should just give up cycling. Frank's outrage at testing positive. Yet nobody asks ole Frank about the fuentes payment anymore. Same thing with guys like Valverde. Armstrong...they all do it.

I don't know if it's right but I really don't mind those guys that just go with the straight denial and refuse to go on waxing and crying about it even though they know they are guilty.

 

[AussieEdge]

http://www.cadelevans.com.au/cadelsdiary.aspx

Doesn't say much but he never was a big media talker

 

[pastronef]

I haven't heard anything from the 3 GARMIN riders, whose 6 months ban have been ratified by the UCI.
is it now SURE that thay can ride again next March?
CAS in not involved in any way I hope

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Cavendish:





http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20051664

Frodo is such a bell-end. He's no better than the Spanish to be honest. He's too busy playing the victim card than actually condemning Armstrong.

I seem to recall that Frodo hoped that Ricco would be raped in prison - does he wish the same on Armstrong? (Ironic really given that Frodo's brother is a dealer - so does Frodo hope his brother gets raped as well?)

 

[blackcat]

Frodo is such a bell-end. He's no better than the Spanish to be honest. He's too busy playing the victim card than actually condemning Armstrong.

I seem to recall that Frodo hoped that Ricco would be raped in prison - does he wish the same on Armstrong? (Ironic really given that Frodo's brother is a dealer - so does Frodo hope his brother gets raped as well?)

well well.

MJM brings the laffs

Frodo might get a starring role in the new LOTR film Jackson is shooting in Tasmania. He might be able to book a ticket with Floyd to Tour of Southland

 

[hrotha]

BEHOLD! A former Spanish pro who comes out with stuff that is not embarrassing to read!
http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/...paje-era-pan-nuestro-de-cada-dia-_800575.html
Sergio Pérez. Pro from 2001 to 2004 (Relax, Baqué). Granted, not a big name, but hey, it's something.

When I raced, doping was routine. I know perfectly well what went on, and everyone else who was there knows it too. There's never been unity in cycling. Everyone just thinks "As long as it doesn't affect me..."

It was pretty blatant, a matter of course. And if a rider didn't have access to that stuff, you know... I was a pro for five years achieving ******-all in small teams that couldn't afford that stuff. They put pressure on us to get it sorted out on our own. I barely made a penny, so I couldn't spend half of that on a good doctor. I was on my own in a world that was pretty much a whole different galaxy. That's why when I managed to finish 4th or 5th I was so happy.

I've seen [Armstrong] suffering like a dog by me on a climb. Then, suddenly, he made that leap and went from human to Martian. No matter how talented you are, that was a leap that had to do with something completely different. That kind of stuff doesn't happen just because, no matter how talented you are. He ran the show in such a way, with so many sponsors, so much money... It was a different level

Those who are there already know that either they give in or there's nothing they can do. I'd say 98% of all professional riders have taken something. But not just in cycling, in other sports as well.

The people who are in the sport already know what's it all about. They don't say anything because they're hypocrites. Contador, Schleck or Valverde can come out and tell us anything they want, but they know perfectly well what's going on. Of course there's stuff we don't know about, because there's a lot of hypocrisy in top sports. Armstrong played the same game as everyone else, but with more resources. He was a star, the no. 1, but if he hadn't had that lab advantage maybe he wouldn't have won seven Tours.

If they suspend Armstrong, cycling as we know it and as it's worked up till now will disappear. Many riders who are still there wouldn't be able to remain there. If we start looking into the past, there'll be tons of prizes to give back. So the only thing that can be done is to sweep it under the rug, because if they start digging up the past, there won't be an end to it. Many, many cases would come out.

We must change the procedures and reinvent cycling, which has turned into a circus and now it's reached a point where it's blown up. The UCI has possibly covered up positives in exchange for a whole lot of money. But the thing is, the UCI has its own doctors, who talk to the team doctors. That's how they knew when they had to pass a test.

The best signing for a team is not a good rider, but a good doctor.

Now, of course I disagree with him about not digging up the past, but at least he's honest about why he thinks that shouldn't be done. No BS from him.