The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
spalco said:Tony Martin is one of the few cyclists who I really want to believe in, not least because he would be risking so much if he's doping, more than probably almost any other cyclist - not only intense condemnation by the German public/media but also his fallback career as a policeman, which surely would over if he's caught.
spalco said:Tony Martin is one of the few cyclists who I really want to believe in, not least because he would be risking so much if he's doping, more than probably almost any other cyclist - not only intense condemnation by the German public/media but also his fallback career as a policeman, which surely would over if he's caught.
sniper said:Did you also believe in Ricco, because he would never be foolish enough to dope again after having been caught, risking not only his cycling but also any other carreer?
spalco said:Hell no. I like Ricco, but I wouldn't entrust him with a pack of chewing gum even if he gave me his firstborn as security.
And re: cyclists' intelligence, yeah cyclists are not known as an especially smart sort of athlete, but the tiny slimmer of hope I still have in the integrity of the sport rests on people like Martin. If not him, who else is there to believe in?
craig1985 said:What, Tony Martin speaks English to a pretty good level, has ridden for an American team his entire pro career, won plenty of TT's in his career and people claim that he is a doper? No way. Plus even though he is from the old East Germany, he and his family escaped before the Berlin Wall came down, so he isn't in the same boat as Klöden, Zabel, Ullrich etc.
spalco said:Could you please stop using that nickname, it's offensive.
Mrs John Murphy said:No more 'offensive' than any other nickname that get used around here. You could claim that the 'Panzerwagen' is just as offensive because of its connections to the SS Panzerwagen.
maltiv said:Seriously though, Tony Martin has had a really natural progression. Every year his TT has become only slightly better, ultimately resulting in a WC title. Also, the fact that he wants to do a good GC in GTs, yet gets dropped each time a mountain approaches, doesn't exactly resemble a typical doper. Furthermore, when you add to the equation that his form is fairly consistent and that he hasn't been on any particularly shady teams, I find it quite unreasonable that he has a thread here at all.
sniper said:according to this short german article, Tony is commited to the anti-doping-cause, which is why riding for Saxo Bank was never an option for Tony.
He is even quoted as saying "I could never imagine myself riding in a team with Alberto Contador".
http://www.fnp.de/fnp/sport/ueberregional/rmn01.c.9226552.de.htm