Tom Danielson

[DirtyWorks]

As a former Tommy D fan, I read this article on was pretty blown away. I think the people he is insulting is us, the fans.

If you are going to treat Pro Cycling as a sport where viewers have some confidence the game is not rigged, then it is absolutely an insult and has been since at least the 7x myth the UCI assisted in creating.

If you are going to treat Pro Cycling like a travel brochure, "oohh look at those pretty mountains the riders are climbing." Then no insult as the game is immaterial.

I've come to the conclusion the game aspect is rigged in one way or another all the way down to the local industrial park criterium. Treating it any other way makes a potential fan look foolish.

I think the path Pat and Hein are trying to take the sport may as well be equated to entertainment wresting with jokers like TD just throw-away wrestling talent. http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...d-Series-Cycling-group-over-new-calendar.aspx

 

[goggalor]

I'd be too ****ing embarrassed to talk to anyone if I did what he did. This is a guy who set records in amateur hill climbs while on EPO, HGH, test and god knows what else. I guess he's not intelligent enough to feel ashamed.

And seriously, Garmin are letting banned riders partake in their training camps? And this is cycling's so-called "clean team"? What a joke of a sport.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

So the UCI wouldn't let Valverde attend his team launch a few days before his ban was up yet Danielson has carried on as if his ban never existed.

The Danielson interview was not part of a team event. That is the difference.

You think Valverde didn't do interviews during his ban?

 

[goggalor]

I'd be too ****ing embarrassed to talk to anyone if I did what he did. This is a guy who set records in amateur hill climbs while on EPO, HGH, test and god knows what else. I guess he's not intelligent enough to feel ashamed.

And seriously, Garmin are letting banned riders partake in their training camps? And this is cycling's so-called "clean team"? What a joke of a sport.

Oops. Reading the article properly, it's talking about some sponsor's cycling camp, not a Garmin training camp. That makes sense, because there are pretty strict rules about who a banned athlete can have contact with, right?

 

[noddy69]

Was he doing that interview for school kids or just plain thick people.....this is how it read to me.

Agreement lielielielielielielielie transparant lielielielielielielielie kids lielielielielielielielielie awesome lielielielielielielielielielielielie my book......cha ching cash in I'm gonna make loadza money suckers.....ohh yeah the kids wont ever blah blah blah lie.

 

[bobbins]

The Danielson interview was not part of a team event. That is the difference.

You think Valverde didn't do interviews during his ban?

Both Valverde and Contador had to train in plain gear and couldn't attend team events. The UCI even warned riders off riding in non sanctioned events with Tyler Hamilton.

They would have been interviewed surely, but what justification does CN have in interviewing a z-grade doper like Danielson rather than a clean rider struggling for a contract?

Maybe you should find riders that each season struggled for a contract and maybe even gave up the sport whilst Danielson was kept on at Garmin.

 

[knewcleardaze]

Can't these guys' suspensions apply to talking to the press as well as racing. The least they could do is STFU for a few months.

Agreed. These guys should keep their yaps shut.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

stomach cramps

I finaly got around to reading the article. Afterwards I suddenly got the stomach cramps and had to run back and forth to the toilet to drop the kids off at splash-town.

All is better now that I have had some good TDcoffee!

 

[DirtyWorks]

Maybe you should find riders that each season struggled for a contract and maybe even gave up the sport whilst Danielson was kept on at Garmin.

I'd pay money for that. But, the problem as always, we don't know if the rider is actually clean until it's way, way too late. The UCI and their member federations assist in making things as difficult to examine as possible.

And that would be the story line all the way through, assuming you can find a clean one.

 

[Kennf1]

Vaughters is not amused (tweet):

One interview I won't be tweeting is the Tom Danielson one. Good grief... *shaking head*

 

[V3R1T4S]

JV and Tommy D

These guys need their own TV show.

"The Misadventures of JV and Tommy D"

Tom goes around and opens his mouth on just about any topic - from "preaching" cycling and being "transparent" to shooting for 7 w/kg at lactate threshold and crushing Vino on the Vuelta climbs - and Vaughters has to swoop in on twitter to reprimand Tommy with hilarious analogies such as the one linking his mental faculties to a flat tire.

The great thing is these guys are just being themselves, so I fully expect the misadventures to continue.

 

[V3R1T4S]

I almost forgot...

...with a drunken Rick Crawford rant every episode or three throwing in a curveball.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Vaughters is not amused (tweet):

One interview I won't be tweeting is the Tom Danielson one. Good grief... *shaking head*

Please compile a timeline containing:

1. publish date of interview
2. creation of CN anti-TommyD thread
3. tweets from JV

Thanks.

I would, but Mr "ex-dopers must apologise to the fans" has blocked me on twitter and I can't be bothered logging out to check his tweets.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

A little logic game if anyone would care to play:

Q: Did JV know TD was going to do this interview?

JV is in damage control mode. It *looks* like he didn't have a clue.

TD therefore can do what he likes, he does not have to check with JV. And what's more pertinent: JV is not there, physically, to see or hear what his rider is doing.

Now replace interview with "doping".

JV's argument has been "I test my riders. I have seen 100s of blood profiles, therefore I am an expert. I know they are clean.". Even though he could not explain elevated retics in Ryder's last TT day blood values, and hopped from reason to reason, contradicting himself in the process. Even though the BP can be easily beaten.

I've been thinking on these things, and believe this is the same as saying, "I have seen 1000s of women, therefore I am an expert on women". Clearly a logical fallacy.

 

[BroDeal]

These guys need their own TV show.

"The Misadventures of JV and Tommy D"

Tom goes around and opens his mouth on just about any topic - from "preaching" cycling and being "transparent" to shooting for 7 w/kg at lactate threshold and crushing Vino on the Vuelta climbs - and Vaughters has to swoop in on twitter to reprimand Tommy with hilarious analogies such as the one linking his mental faculties to a flat tire.

The great thing is these guys are just being themselves, so I fully expect the misadventures to continue.

...with the Benny Hill tune as the show's official music.

I don't have anything against TD or even his doping. Although I am sure there is an urge to rush out and attempt to repair their public images, he and the others would be wise to lie low for a while. At least let the next season start so there is plenty of other cycling news to bury any PR missteps.

 

[blackcat]

JV's argument has been "I test my riders. I have seen 100s of blood profiles, therefore I am an expert. I know they are clean.". Even though he could not explain elevated retics in Ryder's last TT day blood values, and hopped from reason to reason, contradicting himself in the process. Even though the BP can be easily beaten.

hmm. we know why the retics were up. The measurement device was incorrectly calibrated, what are you Dear Wiggo, stupid or something?

 

[Galic Ho]

A little logic game if anyone would care to play:

Q: Did JV know TD was going to do this interview?

JV is in damage control mode. It *looks* like he didn't have a clue.

TD therefore can do what he likes, he does not have to check with JV. And what's more pertinent: JV is not there, physically, to see or hear what his rider is doing.

Now replace interview with "doping".

JV's argument has been "I test my riders. I have seen 100s of blood profiles, therefore I am an expert. I know they are clean.". Even though he could not explain elevated retics in Ryder's last TT day blood values, and hopped from reason to reason, contradicting himself in the process. Even though the BP can be easily beaten.

I've been thinking on these things, and believe this is the same as saying, "I have seen 1000s of women, therefore I am an expert on women". Clearly a logical fallacy.

JV has committed numerous gaffs himself. But not to the scale his riders do. JV by comparison to the average pro rider, albeit current or former, is a certifiable genius. The average pro is a moron intellectually. Lucky for them the average person is also not too bright. Even some of the more knowledgeable fans can be fooled.

So I can understand JV's twitter post. What that means is another thing altogether. Clearly JV doesn't have everyone on a leash, they're allowed to voice their opinions and we're all the merrier for it. It's a win win scenario!

We've all heard the JV talk before, how about we keep this stuff to Tommy D. It's good to hear someone is flapping away. I do wonder if he'd yap so much if someone was questioning his top 10 at the Tour? I'd say that would be a no. IMO he should pipe the hell down like Bro Deal suggested. I'd love to hear the timeline the peloton set for this reformation he carried on about. Oh snap, that's right, there is no proof it happened.

BTW Wiggo, you should have heard the theories about Tommy D back in the day. Why he was promising at Postal and then crap afterwards. Did you ever hear about his special Inuit genetics and how he was the only pro rider who would gain 5kg over the course of a GT? If not, then stay tuned for the next episode of "Secret stuff that Garmin does that you don't know about but that you should totally believe."

 

[Galic Ho]

And yet again the media portray him and other banned riders as some sort of heroes. Shouldnt levi be banned for life, this is a second offence, no? Reading CN you would think Omega are the bad boys for sacking his lyin ***. Odd.

Scarponi has been banned for a second time. This time for collaborating with Ferrari. 3 month ban ends new years eve. Was backdated to the first of October. He'll race again and shock horror, dope again. They really need to crack down on this garbage. Dope twice should equal a life ban. Even Contador mentioned it and we all know what he does. There is precedent for it given numerous pro's who the Clinic assumes are doping have asked for it to occur.

However if Levi returns he'll be clean. He was clean this year or very close to it. Why do you think he was suddenly pack fodder? Or couldn't hold a candle form wise to what he brought at the races he targeted in 2011? Because he was pretty much clean this year and for a reason. All the guys USADA gave a ban to were clean IMO or there about's this year. Will Tommy D be clean upon his return? Was he clean during the period he proclaims? We know Levi clearly wasn't. He was doping IMO up to the Tour de Suisse in 2011.

What about Tommy D? Cleaner, but still with the same brain that is controlled by his tongue. His performances have always been funky. Like super weird funky. Almost impossible to fathom. Like he was clean and was not very good but suddenly that potential people saw kicked in during a specific race. The kind of potential that can be explained by doping. Plus we've all heard the story about him at his first Garmin training camp. That doesn't paint a nice picture. Wind him up and let him rip I say. I can always use a good laugh from a pro cyclist pretending to be a reformed doper. At least the other four former USPS guys are quiet. They must be the brighter ones in the bunch.

 

[Galic Ho]

The Danielson interview was not part of a team event. That is the difference.

You think Valverde didn't do interviews during his ban?

Valverde is a different calibre rider though. His case was also very high profile at the time. Only Ullrich and Basso's caused more headlines.

Regarding interviews there were one or two in English but not many. We heard stories on the forum about what he was doing, but for the most part not much was said. As for the Spanish speaking world, well I cannot comment.

Also look at the duration of the ban. Valverde's ban was 18 months off the bike and 6 months back dated. The back dated part is the entire duration of Danielson's. They aren't the same thing. Similar yes, but enough differences IMO for Bobbins to have an issue with it and for that concern to be justifiable and warranted. UCI appeared to have an axe to grind with Valverde publicly. Can't say I have ever heard of them taking issue with Danielson. Let's not forget Valverde lost results for races the UCI vetted and decreed he was clean. Tommy D didn't. Not allowing Valverde to speak at a Movistar function sounds pedantic and petty.

 

[ghostofjoy]

Plus we've all heard the story about him at his first Garmin training camp. That doesn't paint a nice picture. Wind him up and let him rip I say. I can always use a good laugh from a pro cyclist pretending to be a reformed doper.

Never heard this before, what's the story? After reading Rick Crawford's rants, I suddenly find Tommy D a fascinatingly idiotic character, a bit of a Shakespearean fool, where as he used to be merely brick-like in both intelligence and off-bike entertainment value.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

hmm. we know why the retics were up. The measurement device was incorrectly calibrated, what are you Dear Wiggo, stupid or something?

No that was only the first Hgb reading from 2 days before the Giro, as experienced by every other pro tour team there. *cough*

The retics was a handling issue or well within expected values or coz of hypoxia from the TT that day, no wait the Stelvio stage the day before.

 

[filipo]

Never heard this before, what's the story? After reading Rick Crawford's rants, I suddenly find Tommy D a fascinatingly idiotic character, a bit of a Shakespearean fool, where as he used to be merely brick-like in both intelligence and off-bike entertainment value.

While you're at it, where might one read these rants of Rick Crawford?

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Never heard this before, what's the story? After reading Rick Crawford's rants, I suddenly find Tommy D a fascinatingly idiotic character, a bit of a Shakespearean fool, where as he used to be merely brick-like in both intelligence and off-bike entertainment value.

There was an anonymous comment on Steve Tilford's blog saying TommyD got sprung doping via internal Garmin control at training camp and told to tone it down.

When asked, JV denied it entirely.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

There was an anonymous comment on Steve Tilford's blog saying TommyD got sprung doping via internal Garmin control at training camp and told to tone it down.

When asked, JV denied it entirely.

Indeed, these internal test programs are risk control systems. Run the a-team within the parameters. Never tested positive, all squeaky clean.

 

[mewmewmew13]

While you're at it, where might one read these rants of Rick Crawford?

Might still be on his twitter timeline.