Stephen Roche comments

[JPM London]

Read this article that was recently posted in the Landis-link-sticky by Smaryka:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/45...h-cycling.aspx

At first I thought (silly me) that he would actually weigh in with something good, but the further you get down it's almost as if he can't say anything but: "The past is in the past. Which, being in the past, is in the past and as such it's in the past and should stay there (in the past)... Because it's in the past."

Although I tend to agree with him regarding Basso and Millar, this whole interview is more a non-discussion discussion (is that related to the non-denial denial I wonder?). But, hey, it's good to know that Pat is a good guy in case anybody is in doubt, because he's apparently doing a great job fighting doping and "rebuilding confidence in cycling" in the present (which is not in the past and so it can stay in the present until it has passed into the past) regardless of whatever he, Hein and UCI did in the past (which we don't talk about as it, you guessed it, is in the past). Also good to know it's best not to talk about the past as long as we remember that some unmentionable things did happen in the past and remember to learn from them (however that is done, not being able to talk about them).

But enough about dear Mr Roche, who obviously never doped himself as he said so (sometime in the past, that is in the past)... Apart form obviously being on Conconi's list of "amateurs" who were used to "research a test for EPO" in the early 90's.

 

[nevada]

Time to make Lemond president of the UCI.

 

[Roland Rat]

What else could be expected from him? He's part of the Irish cycling mafia so he's not going to say anything other than at worst, following the party line or at best, saying nothing.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

(which is not in the past and so it can stay in the present until it has passed into the past)

gold.........

 

[Benotti69]

What else could be expected from him? He's part of the Irish cycling mafia so he's not going to say anything other than at worst, following the party line or at best, saying nothing.

Irish mafia is very small, McQuaid family and other? whoever they maybe, dont know if Roche is currently a beneficiary of the UCI at the present.

McQuaid as i see it is currently out numbered by Kimmage and Walsh, 2 to 1..that is a lot more Irish speaking out against cycling in its current guise* than other nations......

* proportionally the cycling community is very small in ireland compared to france, belgium, italy, holland and germany so to have 2 world class journos writing the way they do makes ireland a positive rather than a negative in my eyes....

sean kelly is very much a non commentator on PEDs in cycling, which is better than nothing although not what cycling needs. but he does not condemn the lemonds, landis, kimmage and walshes. i have a small amount of respect for that, rather than roche, liggets et al other omerta heads

 

[Animal]

More blether from the "look the other way" brigade.

A sorry state of affairs.

 

[markrosen]

Time to make Lemond president of the UCI.

I hope you are kidding....right?

p.s. happy 65th birthday Eddy!

 

[nevada]

I hope you are kidding....right?

p.s. happy 65th birthday Eddy!

Nope, temporary contract, clean the sport up and move on.

 

[Darryl Webster]

No suprises there from Roche, I always got the impression he`d put a price on his grannies head if it suited him and find it impossible to believe his tdf, toI @ worlds triple was "clean". Horrid man.

Sean Kelly on the other hand, likely no angel but an absalutely genuine man much respected for his humility and wisdom in the peloton.

Humility...theres the word that seperates mere champions from the true greats, dope or otherwise.

 

[forty four]

yes very few top level athletes have any amount of humility its rare but nice to see. the opposites would be the la's cavendishe's and ricco's etc...

 

[orbeas]

Stephen Roche

Irish Mafia

Pat McQuaid

Pat McQuaids son is a riders agent-- Stephen roche's son is one of his clients

Stephen Roche was appointed by McQuaid onto the UCI

Pat McQuaids son spent the tour of California in the Radio Shack team car.

so why would Roche say anything other than copy McQuaid ???

 

[Roland Rat]

Irish Mafia

Pat McQuaid

Pat McQuaids son is a riders agent-- Stephen roche's son is one of his clients

Stephen Roche was appointed by McQuaid onto the UCI

Pat McQuaids son spent the tour of California in the Radio Shack team car.

so why would Roche say anything other than copy McQuaid ???

Don't forget:

Darach: owner of Shady.. sorry.. Shadetree Sports, organiser of the Tour of Ireland, instrumental in securing sponsors for many international races and a successful bike/component importer/distributor;

Anne: Published cylcling magazines and was appointed to produce the official Tour de France guide;

And the less conflicted interests:

Paul: owner of a bike holiday business;

Keiron: second largest bike importer in Ireland).

 

[L'arriviste]

Irish Mafia ... so why would Roche say anything other than copy McQuaid ???

Roche has always been touchy on doping. Fellow Irishman Paul Kimmage wrote openly about the doping scene in Rough Ride yet he came close to sycophancy when talking about his old pal "Rochee" (something the writer now regrets).

So if someone writes "everyone was doing it" while at the same time declaring a Roche love-in, why would that prompt a threat of litigation from Roche?

In this same article, Roche says of Kimmage:

"Yes, it's O.K. to wake everybody up to the danger of drugs, I do agree, but at the same time there's a limit as to what you can say"

then, he continues

"I say kids today need sport ... to keep them away from drugs ... So encourage them to ride a bike." [my emphasis]

A bit ironic, but it still doesn't explain why he'd threaten litigation.

The man has a hotel with his name in the title. Perhaps that's what it is.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Don't forget:

Darach: owner of Shady.. sorry.. Shadetree Sports, organiser of the Tour of Ireland, instrumental in securing sponsors for many international races and a successful bike/component importer/distributor;

Anne: Published cylcling magazines and was appointed to produce the official Tour de France guide;

And the less conflicted interests:

Paul: owner of a bike holiday business;

Keiron: second largest bike importer in Ireland).

Don't forget Andrew - Pats son who manages a host of Pro riders - including Nicholas Roche, son of Stephen....

In fact didn't the UCI ProTour Council (of which Roche is a member) just pass this yesterday...

The UPTC also decided to introduce regulations on the functions of riders' agents. As a result, from 1 January 2012, the UCI will be one of the first International Federations to have strict regulations in place concerning agents. This measure aims to establish a list of certified agents in which riders can trust.

....I wonder who could benefit from that.....

 

[131313]

the writer now regrets

You know, that link should be required reading for everyone who buys into the "that's all in the past" BS.

Ignoring the past simply doesn't help. Roche was conveniently ignoring the past before it even happened! He'll gladly continue to do so.

And I love this gem: "Even the strongest insurance companies have gone down the road trying to get money off Armstrong, or rather not to give him money [the SCA case], and they lost, because nobody could prove that he had done those things."

He certainly has that lie down Pat (bad pun intended).

Newsflash: Roche added to Oakley Board of Directors.....

 

[smaryka]

Still no BikePure response to Roche's comments or from Shane Stokes either, that I've seen.

Makes me wonder if the Irish thing goes deeper than the anti-doping thing. I would hope not but...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Thanks for reminding me 131313....

Gary McQuaid - nephew of Pat has a nice big job in Oakley....

 

[Apolitical]

Very strange comments, indeed

So, the statute of limitations should go back only to 2006? But, 2005 is in the past?

 

[Condorman]

Dan Martin and Nicholas Roche are cousins fwiw

 

[Anonymous]

remember of course that stephen roche is organising a tourdecure cancer ride and is a livestrong fan.. What do you expect?

http://www.stephenrochetourdecure.com/
http://twitter.com/StephenRocheTDC

 

[ilillillli]

More blether from the "look the other way" brigade.

A sorry state of affairs.

yeah, we need a UCI president that's part of the "make a bunch of snide comments about how everybody's dirty but don't actually offer coherent plan on how to clean it up" brigade.

burn it down.

 

[Benotti69]

Stephen Roche old school omertaist cant help himself.

Stephen Roche retweeted

@GeoffThomasGTF @stephenj_roche : Like you Geoff, I to believe in 2nd chances. It is to easy to forget all the good @lancearmstrong did.

 

[2008885]

He's right - I seem to have forgotten all the good Armsrong did completely!

 

[Benotti69]

Re:

He's right - I seem to have forgotten all the good Armsrong did completely!

Oh he did lots of good, bags, buckets, trucks full of good, just no can seem to find it!!!

 

[Fortyninefourteen]

Re:

I hope you are kidding....right?

p.s. happy 65th birthday Eddy!

Nope, temporary contract, clean the sport up and move on.

Do you really think anyone, even Lemond, can come in on a contract, blow it up, and then let the next bastard sweep the room?