Ricco's Mountain ascents

[happychappy]

Reduce his ban!

Reduce his ban, decriminalise possession of "performance enhancing drugs". Let's see him sprinting the entire climb. It'll be a whole lot more honest than the current farce of pro cycling.

 

[jens_attacks]

free il cobraaa! forzza ricco!

 

[thehog]

free il cobraaa! forzza ricco!

Ricco rocks 58.17s for Ventoux. Cleans.

Smashed his face as well.

Grave incidente occorso a Riccardo Riccò mentre tentava un record di velocità sul Mont Ventoux: il corridore è volato ad alta velocità sulla discesa, mentre provava a battere il record di ascesa stabilito da Iban Mayo nella cronometro del Tour de France 2004 (55’51’’). Nessuno, si dice, a parte lo spagnolo è mai andato sotto i 59 minuti, nemmeno Chris Froome e Nairo Quintana che lo scorso anno dominarono la salita a fine tappa. Riccò ci ha impiegato 58’17’’, ma sulla discesa è volato e ha rimediato uno svenimento e una commozione cerebrale. Ricordate Riccardo Riccò? Lo soprannominavano il Cobra.

 

[the sceptic]

Ricco rocks 58.17s for Ventoux. Cleans.

Smashed his face as well.

Good signs. Almost 15% slower than Mayo.

 

[angelofthehills]

He sure did smash his face.

He says it happened on a 60 km/hr descent...but the Cippolini bike came out fine!

His Twitter account here: https://twitter.com/riccardo_ricco

 

[Tonton]

Something bothers me about this Ricco circus. We are watching this unfold like we watched Frank VDB or Pantani. A sad tragedy. And I think we know how it will end. Does the guy have any friends, any family?

 

[thehog]

Something bothers me about this Ricco circus. We are watching this unfold like we watched Frank VDB or Pantani. A sad tragedy. And I think we know how it will end. Does the guy have any friends, any family?

He sure does. And a loving son. The guy is cool. The UCI can ban you from racing but not from climbing mountains.

He has a book just released (in French) and a documentary to follow. He ain't going anywhere.

 

[pastronef]

looks like he hit the deck pretty hard, and hit his head an had a concussion.

but no way we will see him wearing a helmet I fear.

 

[Tonton]

He sure does. And a loving son. The guy is cool. The UCI can ban you from racing but not from climbing mountains.

He has a book just released (in French) and a documentary to follow. He ain't going anywhere.

Sure he's going somewhere. To his grave. And it feels like we (as in the public) are watching the guy die and take pics with a cell phone. It really bothers me.

 

[The Hitch]

He sure does. And a loving son. The guy is cool. The UCI can ban you from racing but not from climbing mountains.

He has a book just released (in French) and a documentary to follow. He ain't going anywhere.

This is probably the most popular doping and cycling forum on the internet and he has had like 5 responses to his ascent.

So I agree. This "isn't going anywhere".

 

[The Hitch]

Sure he's going somewhere. To his grave. And it feels like we (as in the public) are watching the guy die and take pics with a cell phone. It really bothers me.

If you are talking about Ricco doping himself to his death, well, yes doping is dangerous and can kill people but I think you are overexaggerating its effect. Even if you look at the 90's there are plenty of people who doped to ludicrous levels with EPO for gt after gt after gt and are perfectly ok right now, 2 decades later. Think about the insane levels of doping going on in sports like NFL and tennis and football, and in the latter case may be happening essentially none stop year round for decades. I heard some of the guys in professional wrestling in the 90's -2000's would take drugs every day for months or years on end, more regularly than they ate or drank and never even lost their looks. Others died of course, or ended up paraplegic and that's how it goes.

There are records of athletes openly admitting they would willingly die early if it meant winning a medal.

Even if Ricco is coming close to those levels of doping, and I doubt it, he's doing so on 1 or 2 short term occasions, doping to do an ascent.

He probably doped way more when he was actually competing for the Giro.

The only counterargument is that he may be doing it without proper medical advice whereas most of the sports i mentioned the dopers would have access to the best doctors.

But even still, I think its unlikely Ricco is really doing any serious damage to himself. He's risking it and I think its very stupid to do so but that's probably all he's doing.

 

[Tonton]

If you are talking about Ricco doping himself to his death, well, yes doping is dangerous and can kill people but I think you are over-exaggerating its effect. Even if you look at the 90's there are plenty of people who doped to ludicrous levels with EPO for gt after gt after gt and are perfectly ok right now, 2 decades later. Think about the insane levels of doping going on in sports like NFL and tennis and football, and in the latter case may be happening essentially none stop year round for decades.

There are records of athletes openly admitting they would willingly die early if it meant winning a medal.

Even if Ricco is coming close to those levels of doping, and I doubt it, he's doing so on 1 or 2 short term occasions, doping to do an ascent.

He probably doped way more when he was actually competing for the Giro.

The only counterargument is that he may be doing it without proper medical advice whereas most of the sports i mentioned the dopers would have access to the best doctors.

But even still, I think its unlikely Ricco is really doing any serious damage to himself. He's risking it and I think its very stupid to do so but that's probably all he's doing.

Are we talking about the same guy, the one who almost died of an auto-transfusion?

I know Vino is doing great, Jaja races in Kona, but I don't think it is as much about doping as it is about how Ricco dopes. His mental health. He got busted time after time, seems as unstable as the VDB or Pantanis, the guys who did self destruct. And without having to worry about tests, ha may actually be using much more stuff today than Pantani, Big Mig, or Mr. 60% ever did.

 

[The Hitch]

Are we talking about the same guy, the one who almost died of an auto-transfusion?

I know Vino is doing great, Jaja races in Kona, but I don't think it is as much about doping as it is about how Ricco dopes. His mental health. He got busted time after time, seems as unstable as the VDB or Pantanis, the guys who did self destruct. And without having to worry about tests, ha may actually be using much more stuff today than Pantani, Big Mig, or Mr. 60% ever did.

He got busted twice. So once less than Di Luca. What examples are there of him being mentally unhealthy? Its impossible to psychoanalyze people over the internet anyway unless they do or say really crazy **** like say mourinho. Is Ricco a jerk sure, but I don't know that you or anyone can make too many conclusions about his mental state without actually sitting down with him many times.

Oh and plenty of proffessional athletes don't have to worry about tests. And they tend to have more financial means too and better access to drugs than Ricco presently has.

 

[the sceptic]

Are we talking about the same guy, the one who almost died of an auto-transfusion?

I know Vino is doing great, Jaja races in Kona, but I don't think it is as much about doping as it is about how Ricco dopes. His mental health. He got busted time after time, seems as unstable as the VDB or Pantanis, the guys who did self destruct. And without having to worry about tests, ha may actually be using much more stuff today than Pantani, Big Mig, or Mr. 60% ever did.

I find it hard to believe that Ricco is going to juice himself to the brink of death as a hobby cyclist. And I also dont think you know enough about the man to make such statements about his mental health.

I dont think Ricco is any more crazy or unrepentant than other dopers. He was just unlucky.

 

[thehog]

This is probably the most popular doping and cycling forum on the internet and he has had like 5 responses to his ascent.

So I agree. This "isn't going anywhere".

He also has one hell of a bargaining chip stored in his head. My take is his ban will be reduced for 4 years and he'll race again. Give it time.

 

[Tonton]

I find it hard to believe that Ricco is going to juice himself to the brink of death as a hobby cyclist. And I also dont think you know enough about the man to make such statements about his mental health.

I dont think Ricco is any more crazy or unrepentant than other dopers. He was just unlucky.

I'm not trying to play doctor here, in fact Ricco is the one who played doctor on himself and he almost died. For me, this auto-transfusion gone bad was a sign of reckless behavior that makes me question his judgement, and I'm absolutely questioning his mental health too. I conclude that the guy needs help. You may disagree: fine. When he dies, I won't "see I told you so". I'll be too disgusted. I feel sorry for him in a way. Big smile on a beat up face

 

[thehog]

I'm not trying to play doctor here, in fact Ricco is the one who played doctor on himself and he almost died. For me, this auto-transfusion gone bad was a sign of reckless behavior that makes me question his judgement, and I'm absolutely questioning his mental health too. I conclude that the guy needs help. You may disagree: fine. When he dies, I won't "see I told you so". I'll be too disgusted. I feel sorry for him in a way. Big smile on a beat up face

And this is the problem with anti-doping. The cyclist who is caught is dropped by his team, the sport and by the administration (UCI).

It would be much better if there was some form of rehabilitation program and support provided rather than just isolating riders once they test positive.

If it wasn't for the AFLD Ricco would still be riding today and be able to afford a Doctor who would assisted him with doping.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Damn, Ricco still hast it. Such a shame he isn't allowed to race anymore

He was on Cera like all te others, he simply got busted while most others got away with it.

 

[thehog]

Good signs. Almost 15% slower than Mayo.

Awaiting the results from the wind meter. If there's a tailwind I'll be spewing!

 

[Tonton]

And this is the problem with anti-doping. The cyclist who is caught is dropped by his team, the sport and by the administration (UCI).

It would be much better if there was some form of rehabilitation program and support provided rather than just isolating riders once they test positive.

If it wasn't for the AFLD Ricco would still be riding today and be able to afford a Doctor who would assisted him with doping.

...something like probation, with a program, on-going testing, graduation, reinstatement? Interesting idea.

 

[The Hitch]

He also has one hell of a bargaining chip stored in his head. My take is his ban will be reduced for 4 years and he'll race again. Give it time.

What bargaining chip?

 

[thehog]

What bargaining chip?

See final point of my translation of a recent interview:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1504274&postcount=19

He's well aware of other CERA positives at the time which were buried.

 

[roundabout]

And this is the problem with anti-doping. The cyclist who is caught is dropped by his team, the sport and by the administration (UCI).

It would be much better if there was some form of rehabilitation program and support provided rather than just isolating riders once they test positive.

If it wasn't for the AFLD Ricco would still be riding today and be able to afford a Doctor who would assisted him with doping.

Eh, the authorities have trouble catching the dopers as it is, but you want them to waste* money trying to rehabilitate those who they actually manage to catch.

* see Pfannberger, Sinkewitz, Di Luca and other serial dopers

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Something bothers me about this Ricco circus. We are watching this unfold like we watched Frank VDB or Pantani. A sad tragedy. And I think we know how it will end. Does the guy have any friends, any family?

Eh, the authorities have trouble catching the dopers as it is, but you want them to waste* money trying to rehabilitate those who they actually manage to catch.

* see Pfannberger, Sinkewitz, Di Luca and other serial dopers

Worked like a charm for Thomas Dekker. He now even earns more money as a - former - doper - wonderboy - who - has - turned - to - the - good - side - and - who - gets - his @rse - kicked - in - every - race - he - enters then in his days with Geertje Leinders.

Anti - doping pays, sometimes.

 

[The Hitch]

See final point of my translation of a recent interview:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1504274&postcount=19

He's well aware of other CERA positives at the time which were buried.

So he says.