The Sky-Con-O-Meter. Predictions on how much more ridiculous they can get

[DirtyWorks]

Well worse. Without Wiggins Froome wouldn't have the A1 super elite program he's on. Go elsewhere and he might have risk and find his own doctors and suppliers.

If Sky guys move and try to reproduce The Program, they will likely get an AAF.

It seems like Pat and Hein are not quite as dedicated to the Sky program given Pat's latest ramblings compared to the Armstrong hyperbole. Seems like Sky got a different deal.

I predict a Sky-stacked podium in the TT. All three spots.

 

[Maxiton]

It seems to me that those who can't see what is bothersome about Friggins and company are just like those who couldn't see what was bothersome about Lance and company.

I think part of what happens is that so many professional athletes in so many different sports are on such complete doping/drugging regimens that many spectators have lost perspective on what natural performance profiles look like. There are so many cases in so many venues of stars who appear to come out of nowhere, and the media so cultivates their stories, that such things come to seem normal, and even though occasionally some of them may have something to them, most of them don't.

In sports like cycling or track and field so many of the recent (last three decades) champions (all?) have tested positive or admitted doping that it seems unlikely that the current champions are not doing the same. One wants to hope that Usain Bolt is just something special, and at least in his case his talent was evident when he was a teenager - but almost all the guys he is beating - Gay, Blake, Gatlin, etc. - have actually been caught already, and this ought to generate skepticism in even the most uncynical observer. In cycling even one of the most naturally talented cyclists in recent memory - Contador - was doping in order to win the big tours (I say it so confidently not because I am some clinic hater who wants it to be so, but because he was caught) - and so it is reasonable to question riders like Froome and Wiggins whose history does not indicate talent at the Contador level, but whose current dominance is reminiscent of Lance Armstrong.

Of course there are still those who believe Armstrong never tested positive, but this is really willful blindness to a mountain of evidence, some of it direct, some of it circumstantial.

Why some of us care - to read Wiggins's jingoistic "I don't dope because I'm British" piece in the Guardian made me very tired - I'd like to believe that someone who takes such a self-righteously bigotted attitude would never dope, but after having watched pro sports for decades, I doubt very much that it is so.

The only thing I take exception to in your statement is your characterization of Armstrong. Wiggins says he could never cheat simply by virtue of being British. That may be true, I wouldn't know, but I do know that Armstrong never cheated because, well, it's just not an American thing, cheating. We're all about fair play. In the USA, winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.

Armstrong (and his team) dominated seven (7) Tours in a row, all while being the most tested athletes in the history of sport, without once ever testing positive. When you saw Armstrong racing and winning, you were witnessing pure American spirit, writ large on the plains and mountains of the Old World.

So if you Brits are incapable of cheating, maybe it's something you learned from us, the Americans? It makes sense, because Wiggins freely expresses his admiration for Armstrong. Clearly, he sees in LA a kindred soul. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[mastersracer]

I'm not sure if I have to laugh or log off...

Liquigas couldn't drop anyone, not even the Sky domestiques and then Liqui imploded due to Sky's efforts.

Truly master, I know you love Sky and I congratulate you with the first UK winner, but leave it at that. Don't make up stuff, ok?

Liquigas actually did a good job setting pace much of the day. It was Basso's acceleration on the last climb that made the first selection. Nibali just didn't have a great day and Wiggins and Froome (mostly Froome) smelled the blood in the water and a chance to put some time into Nibali when they finally had to spend a bit of time with their nose in the wind.

I think people have over-estimated Nibali - he's going to get his first Tour podium (which says something about the weak field this year) but there's a big difference between a Tour winner and Giro or Vuelta one (just ask Basso).

 

[The Chicken]

The only thing I take exception to in your statement is your characterization of Armstrong. Wiggins says he could never cheat simply by virtue of being British. That may be true, I wouldn't know, but I do know that Armstrong never cheated because, well, it's just not an American thing, cheating. We're all about fair play. In the USA, winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.

Armstrong (and his team) dominated seven (7) Tours in a row, all while being the most tested athletes in the history of sport, without once ever testing positive. When you saw Armstrong racing and winning, you were witnessing pure American spirit, writ large on the plains and mountains of the Old World.

So if you Brits are incapable of cheating, maybe it's something you learned from us, the Americans? It makes sense, because Wiggins freely expresses his admiration for Armstrong. Clearly, he sees in LA a kindred soul. Nothing wrong with that.

This is a joke, right? Tell me you were joking.

 

[Maxiton]

This is a joke, right? Tell me you were joking.

Moi?

ÇÝÓĀäÇÝÓĀäÙÜńœ

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

This situation reminds me of team orders in Formula 1. The racing is phony. The results are fixed.

BMC should buy out Froome's contract.

Ummmm, I dunno. Seems like too many stallions and not enough work horses.

I think Froome should just take the lead (at Sky) by outperforming the current lead.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

The only thing I take exception to in your statement is your characterization of Armstrong. Wiggins says he could never cheat simply by virtue of being British. That may be true, I wouldn't know, but I do know that Armstrong never cheated because, well, it's just not an American thing, cheating. We're all about fair play. In the USA, winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.

Armstrong (and his team) dominated seven (7) Tours in a row, all while being the most tested athletes in the history of sport, without once ever testing positive. When you saw Armstrong racing and winning, you were witnessing pure American spirit, writ large on the plains and mountains of the Old World.

So if you Brits are incapable of cheating, maybe it's something you learned from us, the Americans? It makes sense, because Wiggins freely expresses his admiration for Armstrong. Clearly, he sees in LA a kindred soul. Nothing wrong with that.

No disrespect intended, Max, but thank you. I needed a good laugh.

 

[Franklin]

I think people have over-estimated Nibali - he's going to get his first Tour podium (which says something about the weak field this year) but there's a big difference between a Tour winner and Giro or Vuelta one (just ask Basso).

AHAHAHAHAHA

At least Nibles is nothing gainst Froome and Wiggins...

Oh no... silly of me. he was clearly off form

 

[blackcat]

Ummmm, I dunno. Seems like too many stallions and not enough work horses.

I think Froome should just take the lead (at Sky) by outperforming the current lead.

he already is outperforming him.

he lost 90sec in a crash on stage 3 or 4.

Otherwise, it would be game on. See if he is that loyal, when the choice is more than real

 

[sittingbison]

he also sat up in the ITT, and stopped under DS instruction on was it Tourssuire? And I thought it looked like he was going to wiz straight past Nibali after the catch om Peyresourde until Wiggo told him to stop

 

[pugdog]

The only thing I take exception to in your statement is your characterization of Armstrong. Wiggins says he could never cheat simply by virtue of being British. That may be true, I wouldn't know, but I do know that Armstrong never cheated because, well, it's just not an American thing, cheating. We're all about fair play. In the USA, winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.

Armstrong (and his team) dominated seven (7) Tours in a row, all while being the most tested athletes in the history of sport, without once ever testing positive. When you saw Armstrong racing and winning, you were witnessing pure American spirit, writ large on the plains and mountains of the Old World.

So if you Brits are incapable of cheating, maybe it's something you learned from us, the Americans? It makes sense, because Wiggins freely expresses his admiration for Armstrong. Clearly, he sees in LA a kindred soul. Nothing wrong with that.

A masterful dissertation. Applause!

 

[Bonkstrong]

The only thing I take exception to in your statement is your characterization of Armstrong. Wiggins says he could never cheat simply by virtue of being British. That may be true, I wouldn't know, but I do know that Armstrong never cheated because, well, it's just not an American thing, cheating.

No he didn't. If you want to be taken seriously then don't lie.

 

[Bonkstrong]

A masterful dissertation. Applause!

It's a masterful piece of creative writing, a dissertation it most certainly is not.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

he already is outperforming him.

he lost 90sec in a crash on stage 3 or 4.

Otherwise, it would be game on. See if he is that loyal, when the choice is more than real

for sure. I just meant he will need to keep it up and improve form for next year so Sky have no choice but to throw support to him next year.

This year Froome has been very loyal. But next year I think the person who we may see how much loyalty is in their character is Wiggins.

 

[mastersracer]

AHAHAHAHAHA

At least Nibles is nothing gainst Froome and Wiggins...

Oh no... silly of me. he was clearly off form

actually, he admitted that he had a calf injury on yesterday's stage:

I had a muscular problem and I couldn't pedal very well," Nibali explained afterwards. "My calf was hurting and I wasn't able to be as agile as I would have liked. This morning when I got on the bike I felt this small problem and I just hoped it wouldn't get any worse."

 

[DirtyWorks]

It's a masterful piece of creative writing, a dissertation it most certainly is not.

FYI: Maxiton's post was a good blend of ironic humor. Unless Maxiton's chimeric and evil twin has taken over....

 

[DirtyWorks]

for sure. I just meant he will need to keep it up and improve form for next year so Sky have no choice but to throw support to him next year.

This year Froome has been very loyal. But next year I think the person who we may see how much loyalty is in their character is Wiggins.

If only it worked like that though... There's a couple of forces at play here:

1. Froome's already been passed over by Sky management at the Tour of Spain and at this TdF. (2012) No reason they won't do it again.
2. Froome thinks he's got it all going on because of the doping program Sky's set up. If he steps away from the protection/program of Sky and tries to replicate it at another team, I think he'll get an AAF.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

A masterful dissertation. Applause!

+
Maxiton is really on form this Tour.

 

[enCYCLOpedia]

No he didn't. If you want to be taken seriously then don't lie.

Actually, he did. Here is what he wrote: "I know exactly why I wouldn't dope. To start with, I come to professional road-racing from a different background to a lot of guys. There is a different culture in British cycling. Britain is a country where doping is not morally acceptable. I was born in Belgium but I grew up in the British environment, with the Olympic side of the sport as well as the Tour de France. I don't care what people say, the attitude to doping in the UK is different to in Italy or France maybe, where a rider like Richard Virenque can dope, be caught, be banned, come back and be a national hero."

It goes on. Please don't accuse others of lying.

 

[Cauberg]

This isn't particularly aimed at enCYCLOpedia (sic), but I've been following these boards for a while now as I'm interested in cycling and enjoy reading the various opinions expressed here.
However, it seems that text comprehension from some posters is rather lacking, and is getting in the way of informed debate, presumably this is due to English not being the posters' first language, but I think I would then be a little more reticent about expressing such forthright views.

 

[SilentAssassin]

Everyone here is a clinical expert, and can diagnose whether a rider cheated by the way he pedals on a bike.

 

[D-Queued]

Everyone here is a clinical expert, and can diagnose whether a rider cheated by the way he pedals on a bike.

You are not a Clinic expert until you have at least 1,000 posts.

Best of luck in your quest.

Dave.

 

[thehog]

In 44 pages of posts this must have been mentioned, but next year Froome to lead Sky with Wiggins as domo.

One I didn't pick was Froome and Wiggins riding away from the lead group with Froome freewheeling up a mountain top finish gesturing at the yellow jersey. At will he wanted to chase down a former Tour of Spain winner and had to soft soft pedal and wait for the yellow jersey.

I'd thought I's seen it all but apparently not!

 

[mastersracer]

One I didn't pick was Froome and Wiggins riding away from the lead group with Froome freewheeling up a mountain top finish gesturing at the yellow jersey. At will he wanted to chase down a former Tour of Spain winner and had to soft soft pedal and wait for the yellow jersey.

I'd thought I's seen it all but apparently not!

you can get last year's Vuelta on DVD...

 

[thehog]

you can get last year's Vuelta on DVD...

Valverde wasn't in last year's Tour of Spain.

Do you follow cycling outside of the Tour? Methinks not.