Riders we can believe in?

[Barrus]

Cadel and Cav. Cadel because he takes an anti doping stance and Cav because i have an inkling, that he hates dopers and he does not need to dope. Menchov, Cancellara, Hushovd and Nibali also fit the bill too in my view.

Menchov was linked with the Freiburg-thing, right?

Nibali was seen training with Pelli and Ferrari, so I doubt he is clean.

 

[L'arriviste]

I would be weary of using Caritoux as an example of a clean rider, Willy Voet said that he won the Vuelta in 84 cleanly but that he doped at other times in his career.

Caritoux was implicated in the Bercy doping ring investigation along with a considerable number of RMO riders (all of whom were Paul Kimmage's colleagues) after police raided the event in mid-November 1986.

I have so far been unable to find evidence of a conviction against him (as opposed to, say, Charron and Sainz) since a) the story didn't attract enough mainstream press interest, and b) the case appears not to have been settled until 1990, which gave it plenty of time to get lost in the ether. Certainly it would appear that the police (quite rightly) were more interested in the dealers.

It's important to remember anyway that, as applies to much of the widespread drug use of the time, the peculiar demands of Six Day racing led many riders of the time to do amphetamine-based substances in order to stay sharp rather than for direct competitive gain.

 

[slartiblartfast]

Doping - difficult to prove, impossible to disprove - even for podium girls.

 

[The Valley]

Is the answer really noone?

No, I'm sure there are plenty more clean riderrs in the peloton now than there used to be, but I'm sure that there are still cheats out there. Let's just say I don't think Vincenzo Nibali, Joaquin Rodriguez and Samuel Sanchez will be on my Christmas list...

 

[Archibald]

Mr Reformed himself, David Millar
I'd like to think he's clean now

 

[euanli]

I'm pretty sure many of the podium girls are performance enhanced in one way or another

 

[spalco]

Cancellara well, lets see, rode for Riis, dedicated to Frank and Andy Shcleck, so like the others doesnt have a moral problem against doping. Hes also bar Contador and Valverde - 2 proven dopers, the most amazing athlete in the sport of the last 5 years, winning everything he puts his mind to, usually with absolute ease. Could be clean, but again, unlikely imo.

With Cancellara it was very telling to me how he responded to the (really absurd) "bike-doping" claims last year - sort of like "yeah yeah doping is bad mkay, but this, if a rider did this he would really get shunned by the peloton".

As if one kind of cheating is morally worse than a different kind of cheating.

 

[uphillstruggle]

Andy Hampsten.

.

I have no idea weather Hampsted was clean or not but if you look at his results Andy kept getting very good results through the 'transition' period from the less effective PED to the EPO era. 4th in the 86 tour; top 10's in the early 90's GT.

I'm not really implying Andy is dirty or otherwise. I just find it strange that many are certain he is clean yet believe anyone who can get into the top 10 of a GT must be dirty.

 

[will10]

Farrar
McEwen

 

[danjo007]

Mr Reformed himself, David Millar
I'd like to think he's clean now

yeah ok.. like when he came back from suspension, and all of a sudden he got allergic to the sun and went yellow.. hides it with copious amounts of sunscreen, then makes up allergy story...
did his allergy disappear, cause he's no longer covering up

hes as clean as armstrong.

 

[will10]

yeah ok.. like when he came back from suspension, and all of a sudden he got allergic to the sun and went yellow.. hides it with copious amounts of sunscreen, then makes up allergy story...
did his allergy disappear, cause he's no longer covering up

hes as clean as armstrong.

It's not a made-up allergy, he had PMLE or Prickly Heat. A friend of mine has it and it is a nasty condition, goes months without it and then flares up badly for 3-4 weeks. Makes cycling a dreaded past time as you have to lather up with so much heavy-duty sun cream, that you don't sweat as much, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion. Millar gained a lot of respect from me during that Tour.

 

[LugHugger]

It's not a made-up allergy, he had PMLE or Prickly Heat. A friend of mine has it and it is a nasty condition, goes months without it and then flares up badly for 3-4 weeks. Makes cycling a dreaded past time as you have to lather up with so much heavy-duty sun cream, that you don't sweat as much, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion. Millar gained a lot of respect from me during that Tour.

+1. I have to put up with this too. the more that screen that you apply, the worse the PMLE gets since your skin's efficiency at managing core body temperature suffers. the only way to try to manage the worst of the condition is to use high SPF protection from April through to September.

 

[marcantony]

I agreee about Moncoutie is clean, may be some other french riders - Voeckler, Fedrigo, not sure about Gadret

 

[B_Ugli]

If you base your assessment of Professional Cycling on the likeability factor of riders and the spin generated by their teams as to team anti-doping policies you would probably say that a small percent of the peleton (possibly less) are performance enhancing.

The reality is that if you take out the spin from the Teams, the UCI, and the riders themselves that percentage will probably be a lot higher. If you look closely at the politics, allegiances, financial motivations and ties within the sport this becomes very clear.

Look at the Giro as an example

Any normal person with a court case hanging over their head would be beside themselves with worry and probably a bit of a mess right now. Contador is currently wiping the floor with everyone in Italy and enduring the boo's every day as he rockets towards the finish line. He doesnt seem to fussed about it as its just "part of cycling". Likewise our Operation Puerto survivor Scarponi is on the best form of his life, both pre and post puerto.

If Riis was really concerned about cyclings image he would have put Contador on gardening leave until the CAS hearing. Having said that other riders unhappy about the situation could have simply refused to start until Contador was excludedfrom the race/got the message he was not welcome.

But of course getting busted is just an inconvenience really isnt it!

 

[compete_clean]

I have no idea weather Hampsted was clean or not but if you look at his results Andy kept getting very good results through the 'transition' period from the less effective PED to the EPO era. 4th in the 86 tour; top 10's in the early 90's GT.

I'm not really implying Andy is dirty or otherwise. I just find it strange that many are certain he is clean yet believe anyone who can get into the top 10 of a GT must be dirty.

I am certain of that ^^^ clean performance.

Find me one story or person who has connected him with drug use. He avoided comment on drug use until recently.

 

[uphillstruggle]

I am certain of that ^^^ clean performance.

Find me one story or person who has connected him with drug use. He avoided comment on drug use until recently.

As I said, I am not calling him dirty but there are inconsistencies with the line of thinking many take in the clinic. Namely that competing from 1990 onwards was impossible without dope. Either it was possible to be competitive with the dopers in the early 90's (to an extent) or guys like Hampsted & Mottet where not clean.

I frankly don't know either way.

 

[pmcg76]

As I said, I am not calling him dirty but there are inconsistencies with the line of thinking many take in the clinic. Namely that competing from 1990 onwards was impossible without dope. Either it was possible to be competitive with the dopers in the early 90's (to an extent) or guys like Hampsted & Mottet where not clean.

I frankly don't know either way.

As I pointed out in another thread, EPO seems to have entered the peoloton in 1990 through a few individuals, it also seems to have been widespread by 1994/95. What stage of growth it was at in 92 is truly guesswork. Hampstens ride in 92 possibly falls under the suspicious radar but we dont know one way or another.

According to Willy Voet, RMO were not using EPO and it seems Festina only started using EPO at the start of the 93 Tour. The French teams only seemed to switch to EPO in 94/95 if they all did switch. Helvetia were a noted clean team. I cant imagine the Colombians being at the forefront of EPO usage. Joe Parkin was at Tulip until the end of 91 and even though he mentions EPO it doesnt seem likely the whole team woulsd get on it. Motorola were not on EPO according to Steve Swart until the mid 90s. Zulle says he didnt take EPO in his first year which was 92, Jesper Skibby started in 93. Even Fignon suggests EPO usage at Gatorade was individual. Believe what you want of those statements.

Make a list of teams not likely to be on EPO in 92.
RMO
Festina
Z/Gan
Castorama
Postobon
Helvetia
Motorola


The rest we dont know but it seems more likely 92 was still a lot of individual riders as opposed to full teams like from 94 onwards. We akso have to factor in this was the infancy stage for EPO usage so how many guys knew how to use it effectively, I would imagine only those with the doctors like Ferrari, Conconi, Cechini.

 

[VeloCity]

I agreee about Moncoutie is clean, may be some other french riders - Voeckler, Fedrigo, not sure about Gadret

It's impossible to say that anyone "knows" any particular rider is clean. The best we can say is that there are clean riders out there, probably quite a few of them, we just don't know with any certainty who they are.

I bet if you'd asked the same question say 10 years ago, Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie would've been high on a lot of people's list of riders they "know" to be clean.

 

[pmcg76]

It's impossible to say that anyone "knows" any particular rider is clean. The best we can say is that there are clean riders out there, probably quite a few of them, we just don't know with any certainty who they are.

I bet if you'd asked the same question say 10 years ago, Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie would've been high on a lot of people's list of riders they "know" to be clean.

Ah no, the reason Moncoutie etc have a better reputation is becasue somebody at some point has named them as being clean.

10 years ago, there was no evidence against Floyd, Tyler or George but I never heard anyone categorically name them as being clean.

There is a miniscule difference.

 

[TRDean]

Kenny van Hummel

 

[VeloCity]

Ah no, the reason Moncoutie etc have a better reputation is becasue somebody at some point has named them as being clean.
.

Which means nothing. Verbruggen just named Armstrong as being clean.

 

[Galic Ho]

Cadel and Cav. Cadel because he takes an anti doping stance and Cav because i have an inkling, that he hates dopers and he does not need to dope. Menchov, Cancellara, Hushovd and Nibali also fit the bill too in my view.

Bahahaha.

Cancellare rides with the Schlecks. He's been accused of having an electric motor on his bike. You must have miss Roubaix 2010. You're taking the **** on this one.

Cav. Frodo has been to the orthodontist. HG usage messed his teeth up. Nice try.

Menchov was team mates with the Chicken. Obviously you haven't heard of the investigations begun after Kohl's confessions. Mostly Rabo riders, Menchov was at the top of the list. Human blood plasma investigation. Nice try again.

Nibali. Yes, Pellizotti's training partner who was spotted before last years Giro with Franco on a training ride with non other than Ferrari tailing them with a stop watch on a scooter. Really dude? Really?

Evans. BMC, Legangue, use to be Phonak, aka, he's on Floyd's old team run by the same schmucks. Add in he keeps up with all the major GC guys...you catch my drift.

Thor is probably the only one I'd have faith in. He's lukewarm most of the time. Sure he's on JV's squad, but he rarely fires. Only one you listed with any credibility. If you didn't know any of the above details then you haven't been in the Clinic long enough.

 

[gregod]

i believe alberto contador ........................................................................
.................................................. to be doped to the gills.

i believe (insert name) ...........................................................................
.................................................. to be doped to the eyeballs.

 

[cycladianpirate]

Can you genuinely believe in anyone in pro cycling?? I'm sorry to say that too many honest people who love the sport will cling on to some shred of hope that there is one out there who plays fair. If recent events have taught us anything it's that there are only two kinds of pro cyclists - those that admit to cheating and those that don't.

It comes to something when cycling fans are praising the former.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Didier, Laurent. He's the cousin of my girlfriend, a lovely chap. He does in no way strike me as one that would take... preparations.
His performances are a good reflection of that, I think