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

[BotanyBay]

As a Canadian who admires Steve Bauer, who used to ride with Lance, who was on Motorola, and who now has a Pro team racing in Europe...I would love to hear him say something. Even if it was bland, or had something circumspect in the language of his statement.

Com'on Steve, stand up for clean cycling.

Never happen. Steve was a "transition years" rider. Best we mentally lump him back into the mid-80's group and just leave it alone.

Heck, Phinney handed his only son over to Och, because he remembers "80's Och and not "Dope Director Och"

 

[pedaling squares]

Chris Horner has got to decide whether something happened, nothing happened, or something probably happened but it was a long time ago and we're not a part of that.

It would be a real letdown to miss the Tour for something that the vast majority of the team was not involved in. When you look at the way the [RadioShack and Leopard] teams merged, there are not a lot of guys related to the problems in the past.”

Link.

What problems, Chris? That doesn't exactly scream, "no evidence", does it?

 

[mtb Dad]

As a Canadian who admires Steve Bauer, who used to ride with Lance, who was on Motorola, and who now has a Pro team racing in Europe...I would love to hear him say something. Even if it was bland, or had something circumspect in the language of his statement.

Com'on Steve, stand up for clean cycling.

Steve did speak up in 1988 when the CCA asked him to appear in a FairPlay ad, after Delgado got off for his probenecid positive thanks to Hein.

But weird how quiet he is for a guy who's career went off a cliff in 1990. Maybe l those rich guys on his tours were/are LA fans.

I think this is why this thread will be full of lame comments (Tlford excepted). They are all either friends or did it themselves. Still hoping for a truth and reconciliation event with a public shaming of VerDRUGgen.

 

[happychappy]

I wonder what Great Lord of the Universe Saint Millar has to say on the matter.

 

[joe_papp]

Chris Leigh (triathlete)

"Thx @IronmanTri for making correct decision. 800+pros endorsed this rule, it shouldn't be changed for 1. It's not about guilt or innocence."

"the only thing lance has influenced is his own profile and the bottom line for WTC."

https://twitter.com/#!/ChrisLegh

Thanks for posting this.

I realize this thread could make for dull or bland reading, but the point is just to document the responses in one place so they'll be easy to review - for posterity's sake of course...

To the person who asked about Bauer, i'll shoot him an email, but it's late here so I might not get to it tonight.

cheers,

JP

Chris Sutton (Team Sky)

'what a joke. @lancearmstrong http://www.trizone.com.au/20120614/lance …'

http://twitter.com/cjsutton2/status/213015635461029888

My tweet in response to Sutton:

Good to know you believe in the sanctity of the antidoping process, @cjsutton2 esp just after the bosses got back from mtg ASO in France

(https://twitter.com/joepabike/status/214247995405897728)

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

I wonder what Great Lord of the Universe Saint Millar has to say on the matter.

He was critical of LA in his book, not directly accusing him of doping but having a go at him over his attitude to the subject - in person as well as in print. Its quite a self-serving piece on Millar's behalf but also a thinly veiled accusation at LA.

 

[ElChingon]

Chris Horner has got to decide whether something happened, nothing happened, or something probably happened but it was a long time ago and we're not a part of that.

It would be a real letdown to miss the Tour for something that the vast majority of the team was not involved in. When you look at the way the [RadioShack and Leopard] teams merged, there are not a lot of guys related to the problems in the past.”

Link.

What problems, Chris? That doesn't exactly scream, "no evidence", does it?

Well although it may sound fishy it had been talked about in the past (>~5 years ago) that Chris had been left out of the Olympic teams because of Lance or not being in the "Lance Camp". He was always in great shape yet was just ignored as a possible selection for the Olympics, excuses like he wasn't racing in Europe, hadn't won a Euro race, etc.

That leads to how it was also talked about that Chris was not ever signed by a Lance team for some odd reason even though he was way back a up and comer, then an Ex-Euro dropout, then a top Conti racer, but never signed for a (the) USA based team in Europe. So when he signed with Astana (I know not a USA team but was where they ended up after Disco disbanded) in 2008 the absence of Lance seemed to be the reason he was signed and when Lance returned it looked like he'd be left out of the "Lance Camp" but somehow integrated although there was talk of ruff edges, which seemed to be washed down after some interviews (what we could make out from those interviews).

The problems, well the hay days of the Conspiracy are out of Chris's time with Lance, maybe (big maybe) he was left out of the Conspiracy?

Note: this is a guess as to what might of happened based on old rumors and hearsay.

 

[Nick777]

Chris Leigh (triathlete)

"Thx @IronmanTri for making correct decision. 800+pros endorsed this rule, it shouldn't be changed for 1. It's not about guilt or innocence."

"the only thing lance has influenced is his own profile and the bottom line for WTC."

https://twitter.com/#!/ChrisLegh

Chris McCormack was a bit the other way...

Chris McCormack ‏@MaccaNow

That's a shame! Kona this year, doesn't seem like much fun anymore!

Not surprising, given the company he keeps..

Guess who?

 

[Benotti69]

<snip>

My tweet in response to Sutton:

Good to know you believe in the sanctity of the antidoping process, @cjsutton2 esp just after the bosses got back from mtg ASO in France

(https://twitter.com/joepabike/status/214247995405897728)

good to see Sky keep giving us dots to join up that will point to their doping. the more dots the merrier

Edit: pick through this and post your favourite comments/tweets here

http://bananasandwater.tumblr.com/




Andrew Talanksy original tweet;

"dont care what you think of @lancearmstrong, USADA really shouldn't repeatedly accuse someone of something with ZERO hard evidence"


oooops real colour and texture of argyle shining through?

 

[rickshaw]

good luck on this one

. Want this to be a resource that's easy to access and doesn't require a lot of wading through typical Clinic in-fighting

A certain "Big George" commented here http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hincapie-leipheimer-vande-velde-zabriskie-opted-out-of-olympics

I think this is the kind of bland, blanket disavowal you had in mind

"I can confirm to you that I never spoke with '60 Minutes,' he said via a statement through his attorney. "I have no idea where they got their information. As I've said in the past, I continue to be disappointed that people are talking about the past in cycling instead of the future. As for the substance of anything in the '60 Minutes' story, I cannot comment on anything relating to the ongoing investigation."

In my book, GH fits the definition of a tragic hero, great man with a fatal flaw.

 

[Ferminal]

Chris Horner has got to decide whether something happened, nothing happened, or something probably happened but it was a long time ago and we're not a part of that.



Link.

What problems, Chris? That doesn't exactly scream, "no evidence", does it?

Well, between Kim and Johan most people would say they shouldn't have a license to start with.

Andrew Talanksy

oooops real colour and texture of argyle shining through?

I think Talansky is just naive, which actually gives me some hope...

 

[fatandfast]

A certain "Big George" commented here http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hincapie-leipheimer-vande-velde-zabriskie-opted-out-of-olympics

I think this is the kind of bland, blanket disavowal you had in mind

"I can confirm to you that I never spoke with '60 Minutes,' he said via a statement through his attorney. "I have no idea where they got their information. As I've said in the past, I continue to be disappointed that people are talking about the past in cycling instead of the future. As for the substance of anything in the '60 Minutes' story, I cannot comment on anything relating to the ongoing investigation."

In my book, GH fits the definition of a tragic hero, great man with a fatal flaw.

the bar has been raised or lowered depending on your perspective. Most pro riders will be cautious about comments. Wondering how inexpensive the testing will become. If the USADA is really looking for the guilty why stop at testing a few Postal samples.
The American justice system has been on hold and a new one scurried in place,now Armstrong is unable to race because he is assumed guilty under the new criteria and will be punished immediately and without trial . Just the way the USADA has it set up.
Big George and others are probably crossing their fingers that chain of custody protocols were not followed and if that is not the case that the budget and intent of the investigators do call for lots of stored samples to be tested under this new technique . Lots of pro teams that were previously not effected may be crushed if a new standard is applied to 5,8 0r 10 year old samples.

pro cyclists need to look no further than their union to wonder why other sports are not subjected to this kind of "justice". Watching the Eurocup,NHL and NBA championships things would be very different in the unions involved in those sports acting like the UCI

 

[hrotha]

I think Talansky is just naive, which actually gives me some hope...

I struggle to believe any pro rider would know less about this issue than your average Clinic poster. Especially one who rides with several of Armstrong's ex-teammates and whose boss is JV. Have they never explained to him what the whole raison d'être of Slipstream is supposed to be? Doesn't he know about several of his teammates spilling the beans in front of the GJ? Just how much naivety is plausible?

Even if he knew nothing about the past, he only needed to read a little about the case to know his "zero evidence" remark is completely bogus. It smells. A lot.

If I were JV I'd definitely have a serious talk with him. I also hope Slipstream will put their money where their mouth is and say publicly they welcome the news and hope the whole truth comes out no matter what.

 

[Nilsson]

I struggle to believe any pro rider would know less about this issue than your average Clinic poster. Especially one who rides with several of Armstrong's ex-teammates and whose boss is JV. Have they never explained to him what the whole raison d'être of Slipstream is supposed to be? Doesn't he know about several of his teammates spilling the beans in front of the GJ? Just how much naivety is plausible?

Even if he knew nothing about the past, he only needed to read a little about the case to know his "zero evidence" remark is completely bogus. It smells. A lot.

If I were JV I'd definitely have a serious talk with him. I also hope Slipstream will put their money where their mouth is and say publicly they welcome the news and hope the whole truth comes out no matter what.

It makes it even harder to believe when you consider the fact that Talansky normally has a pretty big mouth when it comes to doping, testing, clean cycling etc. and always is one of the first who feels the need to throw some condemning comments. Although that behavior could be just as naive (or hypocritical) of course.

 

[bobbins]

Any comment from Saint David yet? Maybe he only comments on non-english speakers who are dopers?

 

[Normandy]

Any comment from Saint David yet? Maybe he only comments on non-english speakers who are dopers?

Not seen any from St David yet, but Murdoch owned Sunday Times has two separate articles on the subject, one 3/4 page article in the sports section and one 3/4 page in the comments. Only other riders mentioned in the articles are non British. No British rider including Britain's own home grown doper does not get a mention.

 

[MD FACG FACP]

I doubt anyone will express Any thing other than support for Lance. Why would they he's passed a lot of drug tests and is a doper, thus DTs don't mean squat which raises questions about their own legitimacy.

 

[MarkvW]

Not seen any from St David yet, but Murdoch owned Sunday Times has two separate articles on the subject, one 3/4 page article in the sports section and one 3/4 page in the comments. Only other riders mentioned in the articles are non British. No British rider including Britain's own home grown doper does not get a mention.

With rare exceptions (Kimmage, Walsh . . .), the media is just a pack of vultures. They will only attack the weak and they won't spend the money to develop a strong story on their own. Armstrong is now perceived as weak--that is why he is now being attacked. When Armstrong was perceived as strong, Murdoch wouldn't make a move against him.

 

[veganrob]

Guys like Horner and Talansky should just STFU and let people think they are stupid instead of opening their mouths and confirming it.

 

[fatandfast]

the announcement by 4 of Lance's ex teammates on the same day at the same time to be removed from consideration for the Olympics was a shot heard around the world. CVV has very little profile in the US cycling market but the other three could have used the exposure of being selected. Levi will have to sell his IDs, George his clothes and camps without the stars and stripes. Z selling his bag cream ,may be the one that benefits the most cause that stuff is going to come in handy

http://www.dz-nuts.com

 

[veganrob]

the announcement by 4 of Lance's ex teammates on the same day at the same time to be removed from consideration for the Olympics was a shot heard around the world. CVV has very little profile in the US cycling market but the other three could have used the exposure of being selected. Levi will have to sell his IDs, George his clothes and camps without the stars and stripes. Z selling his bag cream ,may be the one that benefits the most cause that stuff is going to come in handy

http://www.dz-nuts.com

Yea, the bag cream is overpriced but the instructions are funny.
Hope they don't mix it up with the warming embrocation. Oooohhh Aaaaiiiyeeeeowwww

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

With rare exceptions (Kimmage, Walsh . . .), the media is just a pack of vultures. They will only attack the weak and they won't spend the money to develop a strong story on their own. Armstrong is now perceived as weak--that is why he is now being attacked. When Armstrong was perceived as strong, Murdoch wouldn't make a move against him.

Ironic isn't it? Armstrong preyed on those whom he perceived as weak (Andreu, Kimmage, Landis, etc.). Now that he has been weakened, he is the prey.

Karma at its best.

To me, it is interesting not just who comments on this, but who does not. So far, we have nothing from some of the top riders in the US. Phinney says nothing so far? He was one of the first to yap about Vino.

 

[Velodude]

With rare exceptions (Kimmage, Walsh . . .), the media is just a pack of vultures. They will only attack the weak and they won't spend the money to develop a strong story on their own. Armstrong is now perceived as weak--that is why he is now being attacked. When Armstrong was perceived as strong, Murdoch wouldn't make a move against him.

So I must have been dreaming about Murdoch's Sunday Times publishing saucy extracts from Walsh's book LA Confidentiel resulting in Armstrong taking defamation action under UK's draconian defamation laws that side with the oppressed?

Very much looking now like Armstrong obtained a confidential settlement by fraud (here read judgment obtained by fraud under UK law) if USADA is successful in obtaining a non qualitive positive from Armstrong.

 

[hfer07]

Phinney says nothing so far? He was one of the first to yap about Vino.

spot on -He's the one I would love to hear from about LA's current situation, knowing how "adamant he was back then on doping issues & his continuing defense on LA".

........And nonetheless I'd like to hear from CADEL EVANS as well

 

[cleanmarine]

How about the fact we have not heard from Lemond, Landis, or Andreu this week? Has the USADA told them to run for cover and prepare for the Lance Klingon strike force?