Reactions from the Pro Peloton to #USPSConspiracy (USADA) - post here

[JPM London]

http://www.twitter.com/Hayden Roulston @HaydenRoulston


I was once told. Front page news today. Fish and chip paper tomorrow. Yeah right! This 'fish and chip paper' must be on roids!

I think he pulled it down and replaced it with a comment about being misunderstood and a link to his website - where he goes on to state how anti-doping and pro-control he is before he goes off on one to say how horrible it is that they talk bad about LA - the great idol...

Maybe not an epic one, but a fail none-the-less - at least in my book!

Also, there is an article ( http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Jalabert-un-peu-partage/308092) with reactions from Jalabert, Hinault and Bernard Thevenet. Jaja talks around the subject, stressing how bad it all is for cycling. He goes as far as to say that one can be angry at Armstrong for that, but overall he is pro-Lance, stating that he was good for cycling, boosted cycling outside Europe. Basically, as another doper from the same era, not too much of a surprise.

Hinault just says that he couldn't give a sh**, it should all have been sorted out 10-12 years ago.

Thevenet also starts with the "bad for cycling" note, but goes on to say that if he was guilty it is good that he is being sanctioned, as this sends a strong message to current cyclists (though he qualifies that by "if the UCI follows USADA").

I know JaJa and Hinault are some of the foremost french stars, but why on earth would L'Equipe ask for an opinion from people who they know will back up LA?
And Hinault - How on earth could this have been "sorted 10-12 years ago"? He'd barely started lying about the saddle cream yet... Jeez...

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Paul Kimmage interview

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

I know JaJa and Hinault are some of the foremost french stars, but why on earth would L'Equipe ask for an opinion from people who they know will back up LA?
And Hinault - How on earth could this have been "sorted 10-12 years ago"? He'd barely started lying about the saddle cream yet... Jeez...

When I read it correct they are saying quite a lot. Hinault the most actually. He knows what's being going on but wasn't at liberty to say/do anything about it but smile at the podium.

I think Hinault shouldn't have been up there in the first place but that's a whole differrent story.

 

[lemoogle]

Another few tweets by Jimmy Engoulvent:

can't wait to see the LA films at the cinema, specially the ending

And one I find quite interesting

Armstrong was an innovator that's clear. But without doping an "innovator" that finishes 18th at the tour, it's just not the same

http://twitter.com/JimmyEngoulvent

 

[Adamastor]

I know JaJa and Hinault are some of the foremost french stars, but why on earth would L'Equipe ask for an opinion from people who they know will back up LA?
And Hinault - How on earth could this have been "sorted 10-12 years ago"? He'd barely started lying about the saddle cream yet... Jeez...

L'Equipe has not been involved AT ALL in this. They only relayed the info. The comments were made most on RTL radio this morning (for Jalabert and Thévenet), Hinault commented on Ouest France website. Jaja is official cycling commentator for RTL.

L'Equipe paper edition does not bring anything today. The news came out during Europe's night. Furthermore, throughout the whole USADA/Armstrong affair, l'Equipe did never bring anything researched, or substantial against LA. A few years ago, just before LA's return to Tour, Damien Ressiot, Mr drugs at L'Equipe, was clearly invited to shut up on comments, unless he has some evidence to show (http://www.acrimed.org/article3417.html, citing an article by Le Canard Enchainé:"...Il a également été expressément demandé à Damien Ressiot de ne plus générer de révélations et de se contenter de traiter l’info dopage en réactivité," ("...Mr Damien Ressiot was clearly asked not to release revelations, and to stay confined in handling doping info reactively...")

I guess he even was on holiday, otherwise l'Equipe would have at least prepared a comment in today's paper. Evryone knew the deadline of Thursday in the States for LA, and there were only 3 strategies:

- fight legally
- accept arbitration
- give up

L'Equipe is not in favour, nor against LA. They just don't give a sh...t

 

[frenchfry]

In general, omerta is alive and well in pro cycling. Let the doping continue!

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

L'Equipe is not in favour, nor against LA. They just don't give a sh...t

You might be wrong. L'Equipe is Amaury = ASO.

 

[sniper]

Paul Kimmage interview

Thanks!
I'm listening to it now and it's nothing short of brilliant.
Who's the second guy being interviewed?
Both he and Kimmage are downright slamming the UCI.

 

[gheizhwinder]

Jeremy Whittle.

 

[JPM London]

When I read it correct they are saying quite a lot. Hinault the most actually. He knows what's being going on but wasn't at liberty to say/do anything about it but smile at the podium.

I think Hinault shouldn't have been up there in the first place but that's a whole differrent story.

Right, I get your point. BH's point being more about everyone in the sport knowing and having just been through Festina and all, but clearly not wanting to change anything. Lie in the bed they made and all... Not so much about the aspect of being able to do anything with the tools they had available to do so, which clearly there was no chance of at the time...

He's never been a boring character, that's for sure, and yeah - I agree about his being up there on the podiums...

 

[The Hitch]

Not a pro, but on cnn they had peter flax or some such, editor of bycycling magazine or some such and even though he aknowledged that the case against Armstrong is strong he said that for him and cycling fans armstrong will always be the wiiner of those tours, and that armstrong is taking the moral highground against a witchhunt.

 

[Coup de Foudre]

It's the tree that hides the forest. The best weapon against doping is the police.

This bit from anti doping advocate Dr. Jean-Pierre de Mondenard is apt (from cyclingnews "French Cycling Reacts" http://http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/french-cycling-reacts-armstrong-to-lose-tour-titles):
"It's the tree that hides the forest. The best weapon against doping is the police."
A sorry state of affairs indeed, but until serious public scrutiny shifts towards institutionalized enabling over individual performances, the arms race between doping methods and detection in competitive sports will escalate, unhindered. Cycling has a real opportunity here to set an example and put the blatant denial and apologism of professional sports in perspective.

 

[sniper]

This bit from anti doping advocate Dr. Jean-Pierre de Mondenard is apt (from cyclingnews "French Cycling Reacts" http://http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/french-cycling-reacts-armstrong-to-lose-tour-titles):
"It's the tree that hides the forest. The best weapon against doping is the police."
A sorry state of affairs indeed, but until serious public scrutiny shifts towards institutionalized enabling over individual performances, the arms race between doping methods and detection in competitive sports will escalate, unhindered. Cycling has a real opportunity here to set an example and put the blatant denial and apologism of professional sports in perspective.

true.
the reason we need to approach doping like any other drugcrime is that if we don't then doping in prosports is bound to escalate big time. you don't need a glass bowl to predict that.

 

[JPM London]

Paul Kimmage interview

This is a brilliant interview w Kimmage and Whittle.

Seriously (about 14 mins in) when Kimmage talks about 99 and how when all the riders from the previous year (Ullrich et al) stepped back on the doping because of what happened in 98 and how the LA positive in the early part of the race was covered up how that changed everything. How the game was back on. How that small window of opportunity for changing the sport was closed again because the UCI facilitated a new doper to be the image of the new clean era...
That hurt inside. I freely admit I almost started crying...
No matter you already know this to be, just having it said out loud just brings it home...

If nothing changes - if McQuaid gets to carry on as if nothing happened. If UCI gets to carry on as if nothing happened - that's just too painful.

 

[Big Doopie]

couple of things stand out.

1. Pros, ex-pros, team managers, etc. don't want to condemn armstrong too strongly because they are either complicit in doping themselves or...since their jobs are in cycling they fear repercussions from the uci. the years of corruption and criminal activity by the uci and the fact that they are left stading has people still fearful and walking on eggshells.

2. Nike's continued support of armstrong is absolutely reprehensible. i have not bought anything Nike for many years. i hope others will now do the same.

 

[python]

ulle said something like, 'i was always proud of my 2nd place and i know who crossed the finish line first...'(my translation)

 

[BroDeal]

ulle said something like, 'i was always proud of my 2nd place and i know who crossed the finish line first...'(my translation)

This shows what we already knew, that Ullrich has about one hundred times more class than Armstrong.

 

[thehog]

ulle said something like, 'i was always proud of my 2nd place and i know who crossed the finish line first...'(my translation)

"I'm not thinking about these titles. I don't know the details of the process. I'm proud of my second-place finishes," the 1997 Tour winner said of his runner-up spots behind the American in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

 

[The Hitch]

Contador - I no nothing about the case, if its over or not, i am focusing on the Vuelta.

Pretty predictable.

 

[hrotha]

This continues to be the most deppressing thread in the Clinic.

 

[hrotha]

From Spanish TV:
Valverde: "He's a great champion and he will always be, whatever happens"
Unzue: "He's still a role model"

Purito and Lastras also supported Armstrong but I couldn't catch their statements properly.

 

[roundabout]

Long live the changing environment.

Feels like 1998 all over again.

 

[BroDeal]

This continues to be the most deppressing thread in the Clinic.

It shows that not only has the sport's culture not changed but the majority of cyclists are morons. Contador is one of the few smart enough to deflect the question by feigning ignorance.

 

[eleven]

Long live the changing environment.

Feels like 1998 all over again.

The changing environment where the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[User Guide]

Wow so not 1 single 1 then.
Shameful
Lol @ fairplay Unzue