Tour du Romandie: 27 April - 2 May 2010

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Still ****ed?
At least Anton isn't doped

Says who?

 

[Arnout]

Ouch, touché

 

[sartoris]

What a victory by Valverde! The guy is a phenomenon - he can climb, time trial and sprint, win one day races, one week races and three week races. All-in-one pack!

This triumph is yet another slap in the face of all the haters I'm sorry for you guys. You'd better bite your tongues and surrender to the evidence: no other rider today is as complete as Valverde.

Quiz: Who's leading the UCI ranking?

 

[luckyboy]

It's a slap in the face for cycling more than the haters.

 

[theyoungest]

What a victory by Valverde! The guy is a phenomenon - he can climb, time trial and sprint, win one day races, one week races and three week races. All-in-one pack!

This triumph is yet another slap in the face of all the haters I'm sorry for you guys. You'd better bite your tongues and surrender to the evidence: no other rider today is as complete as Valverde.

Quiz: Who's leading the UCI ranking?

Why does it seem that Valverde fans are always so full of themselves? People don't "hate" him for his riding, you know (although a little attacking wouldn't hurt). It's his doping people don't like. And not even that, just the way it's so blatantly obvious and he got away with it. For now.

 

[sartoris]

That's your opinion. I have mine. Valverde rules. You can always switch off the TV or not read the papers if you don't like to see Valverde winning.

No other guy is being more controlled than he. He's winning and the haters are biting the dust. And he is drawing lots of people towards cycling.

Salute the master, acknowledge the evidence! Best regards.

 

[Moondance]

It's a slap in the face for cycling more than the haters.

Was it a disgrace and a slap in the face for cycling as well when Richard Virenque was allowed to ride the 1999 Tour and win the polka dots even though everyone knew full well what he had done?

 

[sartoris]

It's his doping people don't like..

Doping? When has he tested positive? I might have missed something...

And not even that, just the way it's so blatantly obvious and he got away with it. For now.

Got away with what? Is he allowed to run in Italy? Could he run the '09 Tour?

Swallow that one.

 

[maltiv]

Why does it seem that Valverde fans are always so full of themselves? People don't "hate" him for his riding, you know (although a little attacking wouldn't hurt). It's his doping people don't like. And not even that, just the way it's so blatantly obvious and he got away with it. For now.

It's not like he's the only one who's gotten away with doping. This case is 4 years old and even if he were suspended initially he still would've been back riding a long time ago. The system ****ed up badly - but it's time to let it go.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

My annoyance with it is how people who will openly support Vinokourov or Riccò acting like Valverde winning something is the end of the world, or a 'tragedy' for cycling. Nonsense really. It's no problem for cycling. It's not like he's changing anybody's perception. Everybody who cares enough about cycling to know who Alejandro Valverde is knows all about Operación Puerto and his involvement. Why get upset about him winning? I could understand if you're going to go over to the Asturias thread and throw a tantrum about Constantino Zaballa winning too, but to get on Valverde's case for doing whatever he can to keep riding - which I'm sure several of the posters here would do in his position - is a bit ridiculous really.

Is he a doper? Sure. Is he a highly talented rider? Yup. Should he have been banned? Definitely. But it's got to the point where, if he hasn't been singled out by the UCI, he's sure being singled out by cycling fans.

 

[luckyboy]

It's not like he's the only one who's gotten away with doping.

So what? Lots of people are doping. Does that mean that we should let everyone go free?

This case is 4 years old and even if he were suspended initially he still would've been back riding a long time ago. The system ****ed up badly

It doesn't matter how old a case is.. His lawyers have ****ed it up badly.

but it's time to let it go.

Oh, come on. Whatever is left of the credibility in this sport will cease to exist if that happens. Manzano said that there was organised doping at their former team, and his blood bag (his blood, his name, his pet's name) was in Fuentes' clinic. If he doesn't go down with this against him, what is the point of anti-doping activites? Why should they let one doper go and sentence others?

 

[luckyboy]

But it's got to the point where, if he hasn't been singled out by the UCI, he's sure being singled out by cycling fans.

It's the fault of the Spanish courts (and some national feds) that barely anyone has been sanctioned over Puerto. There's evidence that Piti doped, and it's not in the hands of biased Spanish authorities anymore. RFEC should've done something about all the other riders instead of leaving it to CONI to struggle and trick their way to getting someone's blood bag out of Spain.

And I don't single riders out. I don't want any dopers in this sport. If I had to call out everyone who had some evidence against them every time they got a result of any kind, I would be extremely bored.

 

[theyoungest]

My annoyance with it is how people who will openly support Vinokourov or Riccò acting like Valverde winning something is the end of the world, or a 'tragedy' for cycling. Nonsense really. It's no problem for cycling. It's not like he's changing anybody's perception. Everybody who cares enough about cycling to know who Alejandro Valverde is knows all about Operación Puerto and his involvement. Why get upset about him winning? I could understand if you're going to go over to the Asturias thread and throw a tantrum about Constantino Zaballa winning too, but to get on Valverde's case for doing whatever he can to keep riding - which I'm sure several of the posters here would do in his position - is a bit ridiculous really.

Is he a doper? Sure. Is he a highly talented rider? Yup. Should he have been banned? Definitely. But it's got to the point where, if he hasn't been singled out by the UCI, he's sure being singled out by cycling fans.

My reaction wasn't directed against Valverde, but against (some of) his fans, who just seem to ignore the fact that the only reason Valverde is riding right now is not his cycling prowess, but his legal team. They should be happy he's even riding, and not lash out against the "haters" who are a bit reluctant to accept him as the God of cycling.

 

[danjo007]

shallow win. chalk that one up to the lawyers.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

My reaction wasn't directed against Valverde, but against (some of) his fans, who just seem to ignore the fact that the only reason Valverde is riding right now is not his cycling prowess, but his legal team. They should be happy he's even riding, and not lash out against the "haters" who are a bit reluctant to accept him as the God of cycling.

Your reaction to an overly-egregious Valverde fan was not the intended recipient of my comment. There are a lot of people who treat a Valverde win like the end of the world but will still praise up other known or suspected dopers, and I feel that while he's done plenty deserving of ridicule and dislike, it's unfair to single out Valverde that way.

 

[theyoungest]

Your reaction to an overly-egregious Valverde fan was not the intended recipient of my comment. There are a lot of people who treat a Valverde win like the end of the world but will still praise up other known or suspected dopers, and I feel that while he's done plenty deserving of ridicule and dislike, it's unfair to single out Valverde that way.

Don't think there are many who would support Ricco and Vino, and condemn Valverde. But fair enough.

 

[The Sheep]

well to be honest you could argue Vino and Ricco have already served their time

 

[Runitout]

Don't think there are many who would support Ricco and Vino, and condemn Valverde. But fair enough.

I would. Ricco and Vino have served their time. Ricco has even dobbed on his supplier. He may be an ****, but if he races with panache he'll get a miniscule bit of my support.

I actually found Ricco's frankness and refusal to play the 'I'm sorry, it was a moment of weakness/I was injured and felt like I needed a helping hand to get me on my feet/I only did it once or twice' quite refreshing. He told the uncomfortable truth. He doesn't seem to be the most likable bloke going around, though!

Valverde? Nah. He's been copped and should pay the price. He's a bigger wheelsucker than Rebellin, anyway.

 

[Notso Swift]

IT just makes me annoyed every time I see him in a results sheet, at the top is even worse

 

[El Imbatido]

Oh, come on. Whatever is left of the credibility in this sport will cease to exist if that happens

Since when did cycling have any credibility?

 

[luckyboy]

Haha

You've got to admit that this is a joke though - riding and winning big races whilst banned from racing in a country.

 

[Nearly]

well to be honest you could argue Vino and Ricco have already served their time

There seems to be a perverse logic about that says the holiest are those who have done their time (sorted in preference by how we feel about their riding style/persona) and the worst are those who have not been caught because we know or suspect they should have been (equally sorted in preference by how we feel about their riding style/persona). [I thought Piti was in a confusing class of his own having been caught and doing time but still being out there winning until Levi became the latest villain for having done his time under the radar.]

It's funny - a circus really - but in a "system" where everyone is a doper unless they prove themselves innocent and then when they get caught all "time" is the same (i.e. 2 years) the currency of "having already served their time" is seriously overvalued.

I think we need to go back to basics.

 

[reyan12]

What a victory by Valverde! The guy is a phenomenon - he can climb, time trial and sprint, win one day races, one week races and three week races. All-in-one pack!

This triumph is yet another slap in the face of all the haters I'm sorry for you guys. You'd better bite your tongues and surrender to the evidence: no other rider today is as complete as Valverde.

Quiz: Who's leading the UCI ranking?

i couldnt agree with you more.Valverde is the most interesting rider for me along with Contador!He's a complete all-rounder.Sorry haters he will definitely ride the TDF this year.

 

[issoisso]

Only just saw the final two stages.

Basso and Spilak both surprised me quite a bit. In different ways, of course. Spilak's made a big, sudden jump up in performance. Basso's done the opposite.

Roy also impressed me greatly.

My annoyance with it is how people who will openly support Vinokourov or Riccò acting like Valverde winning something is the end of the world, or a 'tragedy' for cycling. Nonsense really. It's no problem for cycling. It's not like he's changing anybody's perception. Everybody who cares enough about cycling to know who Alejandro Valverde is knows all about Operación Puerto and his involvement. Why get upset about him winning? I could understand if you're going to go over to the Asturias thread and throw a tantrum about Constantino Zaballa winning too, but to get on Valverde's case for doing whatever he can to keep riding - which I'm sure several of the posters here would do in his position - is a bit ridiculous really.

Is he a doper? Sure. Is he a highly talented rider? Yup. Should he have been banned? Definitely. But it's got to the point where, if he hasn't been singled out by the UCI, he's sure being singled out by cycling fans.

Sums up my view completely. It's like someone flipped a coin randomly to see who should be hated by everyone.

Screw the bird flu pandemic, this forum's suffering from a selective blindness pandemic.

I actually found Ricco's frankness and refusal to play the 'I'm sorry, it was a moment of weakness/I was injured and felt like I needed a helping hand to get me on my feet/I only did it once or twice' quite refreshing. He told the uncomfortable truth.

Who is this "Ricco" guy you speak of?

I only know a "Riccò". You know, that guy who repeated over and over and over again that he only took EPO once for the Tour because he "hadn't trained enough so had to make up somehow", then proceeded to apologize and assure us it was just a one-time thing and he would never make that "mistake" again.

In short, everything you just praised him for not doing.

 

[auscyclefan94]

well to be honest you could argue Vino and Ricco have already served their time

But are still unrepentant

too easy for valv.

Rogers doesn't even get podium i believe

True. Bit dissapointed with rogers performance. I thought he would be able to saty with AV and have to battle it out in the sprint.