Stapleton calls on people to look to the future, not the past

[BMC fan]

Good advice from Bob Stapleton...

Landis' presence at the Amgen Tour of California somewhat overshadowed the actual racing. Tony Martin's stage victory and Michael Rogers' defense of the overall race lead made it a great day for HTC-Columbia, yet most media reports focused on Landis.

HTC-Columbia team owner Bob Stapleton offered support to Landis but called on people to look forward and move on from the past.

"I have tons of sympathy for Floyd," Stapleton told ESPN. "I don't think anybody has suffered more who's been involved in a situation like this. It's destroyed his entire life. He has my sympathy, but I don't want him to take the focus off the good work that's been done in this sport and by these young athletes."

"He's increased the audience, but he's ruined the message. The message is this sport is part of a healthy lifestyle for 160 million people in the U.S. and Europe alone. He's talking about the history of the sport, but this sport has a good future and it's in the Tony Martins and the Mark Cavendishs and the Tyler Farrars, the guys who are growing up in a different generation of the sport. This sport has made remarkable, objective progress since Floyd Landis."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/landis-makes-an-appearance-at-the-amgen-tour-of-california

 

[blackcat]

Stapleon might like to get Frodo off his transfusions and medical program, and teeth braces.

 

[Cerberus]

One wonders whether Stapletons suggestion is entirely untainted by self-interest.

 

[Publicus]

I wonder if Stapleton understands that Floyd is talking about the present. The players are all still here.

 

[carl spackler]

This sport has made remarkable, objective progress since Floyd Landis."

Prove it

"history is a protective armor against being misled.” - Howard Zinn

 

[BroDeal]

Is this now the official position everyone in the sport will take: Look to the future and forget about the past? Implicitly they are admitting what FLandis says is true.

 

[red_flanders]

Funny, they said the same thing about Festina. Then Peurto. Then Manzano. Then Jaschke. Then Kohl. Now Floyd.

If someone could just let me know when the future starts, I'll take the advice.

 

[ExRower]

Stapleton has that opinion because he was involved in that tainted past.

 

[BMC fan]

Prove it

"history is a protective armor against being misled.” - Howard Zinn

Anti doping people in the sport report this, the results of riders always thought to be clean show this, and the blood passport shows that doping cannot be at anywhere the level that it was. There is now almost a level playing field - the effects of doping are much more marginal and this is improving every year. In the few years the blood passport will have almost gotten rid of it.

Lots of big names may have been involved with doping in the past but they simply can't be now a days. It's not fair on the sport to go back and investigate when they were doing seven or eight years ago and ruin what good work has been done.

Is this about vengence against a hand full of riders, or about the future of the sport?

 

[carl spackler]

Back to the Future

If all they cared about was the future, then why didnt any of them give Floyd a ride?

 

[BroDeal]

Anti doping people in the sport report this, the results of riders always thought to be clean show this, and the blood passport shows that doping cannot be at anywhere the level that it was. There is now almost a level playing field - the effects of doping are much more marginal and this is improving every year. In the few years the blood passport will have almost gotten rid of it.

Lots of big names may have been involved with doping in the past but they simply can't be now a days. It's not fair on the sport to go back and investigate when they were doing seven or eight years ago and ruin what good work has been done.

Is this about vengence against a hand full of riders, or about the future of the sport?

I hope you never bump into anyone who offers to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

[red_flanders]

Anti doping people in the sport report this, the results of riders always thought to be clean show this, and the blood passport shows that doping cannot be at anywhere the level that it was. There is now almost a level playing field - the effects of doping are much more marginal and this is improving every year. In the few years the blood passport will have almost gotten rid of it.

Lots of big names may have been involved with doping in the past but they simply can't be now a days. It's not fair on the sport to go back and investigate when they were doing seven or eight years ago and ruin what good work has been done.

Funny. I head the same after Festina, Peurto, Manzano, Jascke, and Kohl. Now Floyd.

Someone please call me when the future starts.

 

[thehog]

Is this now the official position everyone in the sport will take: Look to the future and forget about the past? Implicitly they are admitting what FLandis says is true.

Agreed. I think the comments have good merit. He's acknowledging the past was bad but there has been changes. Problem being the past problem namely Atmstrong still rides and has a large influence on cycling. As long as Armstrong still rides the problem remain.

 

[Berzin]

We can pretty much disregard any statements by people who are making their living in the peloton.

The comments will run the gamut from "let's look to the future" to accusing whistleblowers of being mentally unstable and angry/jealous at cycling.

From Stapleton to Vaughters, to Fat Pat McQuaid to Armstrong and Bruyneel, the comments are very predictable and self-serving, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.

Which is why pro cycling needs an investigation conducted by outside agencies. It's the only way we have a chance at getting some real change take place.

 

[Cerberus]

Agreed. I think the comments have good merit. He's acknowledging the past was bad but there has been changes. Problem being the past problem namely Atmstrong still rides and has a large influence on cycling. As long as Armstrong still rides the problem remain.

The problem existed before Armstrong rode it will exist after Armstrong leaves. Either Landis allegations will fade or they won't. in the later case heads will roll and we'll be told that cycling now enters a new era. It's even possible that the use of doping will decline, but dollars to doughnuts we will not see a clean Tour winner.

 

[BMC fan]

Funny. I head the same after Festina, Peurto, Manzano, Jascke, and Kohl. Now Floyd.

Someone please call me when the future starts.

After those previous scandels there was a hope that the morals of the sport would change.

But this time they're not relying on the riders good will. They have a system that is squeezing doping itself - the window to dope is getting smaller and smaller.

It's interesting that you mentipon Peurto because most people believe that scandal has now on too long consider how long ago it was. So we want to start investigating from even further back, and have that go on for years?

I agree with those that say the sport has moved on and it doesn't serve any good purpose to have this spectacle clouding out everything. If Floyd feels some personal release in admitting to his doping then that's great, but it really isn't necessary to take down the sport with him by focusing on the past and getting the police involved.

We are talking about sport here after all. It's not fair on the clean riders today. I bet if we could poll them they would be against this.

If you don't like Armstrong then don't buy his stuff or support him - but don't ruin cycling just to get at one man.

Look what Floyd has done to the ToC?

 

[bianchigirl]

So BMC fan you'd like to see Andy Rihs left in the sport - a man who was allegedly prepared to pay for a rider's blood doping programme - not to mention the series of actual doping positives his teams have enjoyed? I'd suggest he's part of the problem and sweeping his misdeeds under the carpet and allowing him to remain in the sport simply isn't a credible solution.

 

[BroDeal]

...CRAP SNIPPED...

Look. Bobby Crehan is back. Does anyone know this turd in real life?

 

[red_flanders]

I agree with those that say the sport has moved on and it doesn't serve any good purpose to have this spectacle clouding out everything. If Floyd feels some personal release in admitting to his doping then that's great, but it really isn't necessary to take down the sport with him by focusing on the past and getting the police involved.

Of course not, you're an apologist who wants to see nothing changed because for some reason the status quo is more important to you than the long-term health of the sport.

I'd speculate that you're yet another incarnation of the local troll and/or some douche from Public Strategies here to puke out the talking points from the people who have been poisoning the sport for the better part of two decades.

 

[BMC fan]

So BMC fan you'd like to see Andy Rihs left in the sport - a man who was allegedly prepared to pay for a rider's blood doping programme - not to mention the series of actual doping positives his teams have enjoyed? I'd suggest he's part of the problem and sweeping his misdeeds under the carpet and allowing him to remain in the sport simply isn't a credible solution.

Look, deBathification did not work too well in the aftermath of the Iraq war because the Bathists were so much apart of the society. It's same with cycling. Doping was such common practise across the sport that almost everybody will have a connection to it in some way. The best way is take a south African or Russian approach post the soviet union and look to the future instead of being McCathyite about it.

The clean teams and riders don't want your approach. The fans don't want your approach. It's bad for the sport.

Lets move forward and not hold grudges. The past is the past.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

What Stapleton means is 'please don't investigate me or my team'.

Hmmm - Pinotti is climbing well this Giro. Frodo must have seriously overdone the HGH last year to be warned right off it this season.

 

[janus1969]

Over the years, I've come to believe that the sport is inherently doped. I've been a fan since the early years of MY life (circa 1980) when I had to wait months to find out results because the European mags took about 3 months to hit the Oregon bike stores near me.

Eddy friggin Merckx was CAUGHT doping, but you don't spew invective against him. We all know about Tom Simpson and we all look at him as a cautionary tale, almost apocryphal in nature.

I know my appeal won't stop you, but I have to do it for myself. Stop isolating single individuals you DON'T LIKE and focus on the REAL problem. You completely blunt your arguments and limit your credibility when you focus on a select group to the expense of the rest of the cheaters.

Are you so blinded by your hate that you think the likes of Pantani were clean?! Do you honestly believe that Wiggins amazing Tour last year was CLEAN?! Hell, as much as I admire Big Mig (I am Basque, after all...), I have NO doubt that he wasn't an angel. Hell, I'm SURE Alberto is juiced, too.

Stop dogpiling on one guy and start looking at the whole picture. If you think that Armstrong and his associates are everything wrong, then you are truly as blind as they are.

 

[Rip:30]

Look, deBathification did not work too well in the aftermath of the Iraq war because the Bathists were so much apart of the society. It's same with cycling. Doping was such common practise across the sport that almost everybody will have a connection to it in some way. The best way is take a south African or Russian approach post the soviet union and look to the future instead of being McCathyite about it.

The clean teams and riders don't want your approach. The fans don't want your approach. It's bad for the sport.

Lets move forward and not hold grudges. The past is the past.

Apples v.s. Oranges.

Cycling is not a country or society. People (bad apples) can be removed from cycling with relative ease. Question is will there ever be a way to dissuade future members from taking the sauce and forming a new mafia.

 

[red_flanders]

Over the years, I've come to believe that the sport is inherently doped. I've been a fan since the early years of MY life (circa 1980) when I had to wait months to find out results because the European mags took about 3 months to hit the Oregon bike stores near me.

Eddy friggin Merckx was CAUGHT doping, but you don't spew invective against him. We all know about Tom Simpson and we all look at him as a cautionary tale, almost apocryphal in nature.

I know my appeal won't stop you, but I have to do it for myself. Stop isolating single individuals you DON'T LIKE and focus on the REAL problem. You completely blunt your arguments and limit your credibility when you focus on a select group to the expense of the rest of the cheaters.

Are you so blinded by your hate that you think the likes of Pantani were clean?! Do you honestly believe that Wiggins amazing Tour last year was CLEAN?! Hell, as much as I admire Big Mig (I am Basque, after all...), I have NO doubt that he wasn't an angel. Hell, I'm SURE Alberto is juiced, too.

Stop dogpiling on one guy and start looking at the whole picture. If you think that Armstrong and his associates are everything wrong, then you are truly as blind as they are.

No disagreement, this is about the UCI and people seeing in fact, yes, the whole sport is dirty. This revelation goes DIRECTLY to the UCI.

Still, it can't be ignored that as the biggest name in the sport, and a doper who has created multiple doping teams and pulled a lot of riders into it, Armstrong is a big fish, and drilling him will create the catalyst that may finally allow the sport to change.

 

[rata de sentina]

If LA had just stayed away then maybe the sport may have moved into the future. But he didn´t, the past reared it´s ugly head not only that but it came with a fanfare proclaiming a noble cause. Generally people are prepared to let sleeping dogs lie but not when it´s howling in your ear and trying to bite your leg off.