Vinokourov cracks @ the Vuelta

[Steampunk]

Vinokourov abandoned the Vuelta today and it leaves me with all kinds of mixed emotions. On the one hand, Vino is one of the cheats who got caught, and it seems as though cycling and cycling fans are unable to forgive and forget after a cyclist does his time and returns. It was almost painful watching the camera pan on him as he suffered (sticking with him longer than on anyone else). On the other, doping was not what made him an entertaining character.

But that's not what I want to talk about. Watching today's stage, though, as Vino joined the breakaway and then cracked, it occurred to me that:

1. Vinokourov is likely one of the few clean riders in today's stage. I have nothing to back that up, but he remains a supremely talented cyclist (albeit at the wrong end of his career) and he got absolutely crushed.

2. Comebacks from two years of not cycling are exceptionally difficult. Some degree of poor form surely came from the absence of racing over the past two years. This raises all kinds of questions about some of the others who are starting to return to racing and others who are returning to racing after long layoffs.

I'd prefer not to rehash many of the stale and endlessly (predictably) repetitive threads in this forum, but I was quietly saddened/conflicted by Vinokourov's efforts today. I would never have considered myself a fan, but there was something intrinsically sad about his performance today.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Vinokourov abandoned the Vuelta today and it leaves me with all kinds of mixed emotions. On the one hand, Vino is one of the cheats who got caught, and it seems as though cycling and cycling fans are unable to forgive and forget after a cyclist does his time and returns. It was almost painful watching the camera pan on him as he suffered (sticking with him longer than on anyone else). On the other, doping was not what made him an entertaining character.

But that's not what I want to talk about. Watching today's stage, though, as Vino joined the breakaway and then cracked, it occurred to me that:

1. Vinokourov is likely one of the few clean riders in today's stage. I have nothing to back that up, but he remains a supremely talented cyclist (albeit at the wrong end of his career) and he got absolutely crushed.

2. Comebacks from two years of not cycling are exceptionally difficult. Some degree of poor form surely came from the absence of racing over the past two years. This raises all kinds of questions about some of the others who are starting to return to racing and others who are returning to racing after long layoffs.

I'd prefer not to rehash many of the stale and endlessly (predictably) repetitive threads in this forum, but I was quietly saddened/conflicted by Vinokourov's efforts today. I would never have considered myself a fan, but there was something intrinsically sad about his performance today.

Interesting post - the thing that caught my eye in it was when you said it is likely he is "one of the few clean riders".

Some here may argue that he is back to his old ways - to be honest we don't know. But if he is clean - then surely todays performance would be a truer reflection of his real capabilities.

Therefore - his retirement today would have gone unnoticed like the other four who DNF'd.

 

[fatandfast]

Sandra Bullocks is backing out of her Tour De France movie offer to play a Russian Pussy rider, my emotions are all over the place. Vino gone bye bye. Is he racing Worlds? They better lighten up on this drug thing so he can get his self esteem back before he is too old to race. His attacking style got him right into the van. How do you say gloryhole in Russian?

 

[usedtobefast]

Sandra Bullocks is backing out of her Tour De France movie offer to play a Russian Pussy rider, my emotions are all over the place. Vino gone bye bye. Is he racing Worlds? They better lighten up on this drug thing so he can get his self esteem back before he is too old to race. His attacking style got him right into the van. How do you say gloryhole in Russian?

so bring back the old vino?!

 

[Fatclimber]

Who knows how motivated Vino's been over the last 2 years? How much training has he actually done? It would be a lot easier for someone like Basso to remain motivated to train hard until he returned to racing. Vino is days away from 36 years old. When racers relied on human abilities, they couldn't be competitive at that age anyway.

The careers of professional athletes are short. c'est la vie. I used to repect him and his riding when I was naive.

 

[issoisso]

Vinokourov abandoned the Vuelta today and it leaves me with all kinds of mixed emotions. On the one hand, Vino is one of the cheats who got caught, and it seems as though cycling and cycling fans are unable to forgive and forget after a cyclist does his time and returns. It was almost painful watching the camera pan on him as he suffered (sticking with him longer than on anyone else). On the other, doping was not what made him an entertaining character.

But that's not what I want to talk about. Watching today's stage, though, as Vino joined the breakaway and then cracked, it occurred to me that:

1. Vinokourov is likely one of the few clean riders in today's stage. I have nothing to back that up, but he remains a supremely talented cyclist (albeit at the wrong end of his career) and he got absolutely crushed.

2. Comebacks from two years of not cycling are exceptionally difficult. Some degree of poor form surely came from the absence of racing over the past two years. This raises all kinds of questions about some of the others who are starting to return to racing and others who are returning to racing after long layoffs.

I'd prefer not to rehash many of the stale and endlessly (predictably) repetitive threads in this forum, but I was quietly saddened/conflicted by Vinokourov's efforts today. I would never have considered myself a fan, but there was something intrinsically sad about his performance today.

Vino was spotted meeting with Michele Ferrari throughout this summer in switzerland. That is all.

 

[logical cranium]

Sandra Bullocks is backing out of her Tour De France movie offer to play a Russian Pussy rider, my emotions are all over the place. Vino gone bye bye. Is he racing Worlds? They better lighten up on this drug thing so he can get his self esteem back before he is too old to race. His attacking style got him right into the van. How do you say gloryhole in Russian?

I like this way of thougt. Sandra Bullocks is hawt. I dont really understand gloryhole though. is that sprinting term?

ive decided to post on this befor other "scintist" litter thread with propoganda.

vino was great racer but got caugt with hand in drug jar, or gloryhole??? I have studied VAM TV of stage today. Vino will place 3rd in next year copa bartoli.

so, cheer up vino fans!

 

[Steampunk]

Sandra Bullocks is backing out of her Tour De France movie offer to play a Russian Pussy rider, my emotions are all over the place. Vino gone bye bye. Is he racing Worlds? They better lighten up on this drug thing so he can get his self esteem back before he is too old to race. His attacking style got him right into the van. How do you say gloryhole in Russian?

?

1. So cyclists who get caught doping are treated like pedophiles. Never to be trusted again. Fair enough. Ridiculous, but not surprising.

2. You don't like cyclists who attack? Right: better to roll along at 20kph.

3. I was picking up on the drama of sport, which, frankly, is the only reason to watch this stuff (for better or for worse).

4. Interesting that Vino should elicit such a strong response (or was my veiled question about Armstrong too subtle).

 

[Anonymous]

?

1. So cyclists who get caught doping are treated like pedophiles. Never to be trusted again. Fair enough. Ridiculous, but not surprising.

2. You don't like cyclists who attack? Right: better to roll along at 20kph.

3. I was picking up on the drama of sport, which, frankly, is the only reason to watch this stuff (for better or for worse).

4. Interesting that Vino should elicit such a strong response (or was my veiled question about Armstrong too subtle).

Well, you obviously haven't seen the Lance garage workout video all the fanboys have downloaded to their pooters. He sweats a lot in it, and from the screen shot I saw, looks pretty buff... The biggest problem is that the porn industry had a pretty big dip in viewership once the video became available.

Now, on to Vino. To suggest that the other riders were obviously doped because Vino was shelled OTB is a bit unfair considering the fact that he hasn't raced in 2 years. It seems logical that would happen. Even The Uniballer didn't vie for the win in his first few months back. Don't forget, Vino JUST came back. It does mean that in January or February, he should be right back where he was, as if he never left...or at least within 2 places of where he was when he left. It also means that he will be allowed a physiologically improbable blood profile so long as it is within specific markers specified by the UCI. Good for him!

 

[fatandfast]

Vino didn't get spanked because he is still a doper. He went backwards on the climbs because he couldn't carry the 200 pound bag of bad karma. The dude is a tool, If being a punk in Kazastan is cool then he is the coolest.

 

[180mmCrank]

?

1. So cyclists who get caught doping are treated like pedophiles. Never to be trusted again...

+1

You get caught you are a villain but if you never test positive and that makes you a hero? I can't buy into that - it's too simplistic and I dont' think it helps move things forward.

 

[Anonymous]

+1

You get caught you are a villain but if you never test positive and that makes you a hero? I can't buy into that - it's too simplistic and I dont' think it helps move things forward.

Actually, it is riders who get caught and then get honest about it who are vilified.

 

[BYOP88]

Who knows how motivated Vino's been over the last 2 years? How much training has he actually done? It would be a lot easier for someone like Basso to remain motivated to train hard until he returned to racing. Vino is days away from 36 years old. When racers relied on human abilities, they couldn't be competitive at that age anyway.

The careers of professional athletes are short. c'est la vie. I used to repect him and his riding when I was naive.

Unless they have a heart the size of a small planet and one ball, then they can, honest guvnor

 

[craig1985]

The official line is 'fatigue'.

 

[Colonel]

It makes Armstrong's performance at the Giro seem all the more impressive.

It makes it even more crooked and dodge.

 

[Steampunk]

+1

You get caught you are a villain but if you never test positive and that makes you a hero? I can't buy into that - it's too simplistic and I dont' think it helps move things forward.

Everything's legal so long as you don't get caught, I suppose.

I'd feel a whole lot better if as much money was spent on testing and testing R&D as went into doping. Never gonna happen, but it currently breeds skepticism.

 

[Izoard]

Actually, it is riders who get caught and then get honest about it who are vilified.

EXACTLY! Sure, some people don't like Vino, but's he's back racing. How's Kohl doing? How about Patrick S? Or perhaps read this wonderful snippet by Mike Sayers (I know this has been used elsewhere in the forum, but it seems to suit here as well).

 

[Sheltowee]

Vino was spotted meeting with Michele Ferrari throughout this summer in switzerland. That is all.

How do you know this?

 

[Anonymous]

i just think it shows that vino is nowhere near full fitness and ready to do a three week tour...

what is vinos normal level, do we assume that the blood transfusions he had during the tour where the days he won and the rest he was clean, or do we assume he was doping for all 2 weeks or so.. I think vino is a supremely talented rider, i think with the right guidance (and no i dont mean JB) he could have won an awful lot, i just think he was on the wrong teams most of the time and badly guided..

is a clean vino that bad, will be pulling out of every tour, no, he just needs to get fit, but assuming hes clean becuase he pulled out, or assuming everyone stronger than him is doping is a stupid argument.. not everyone starts equal..

 

[HombredeSubaru]

I predicted this before it happened.
He is probably still doping also pardners.

Only one Lance can make a comeback at this age.

Vinokourov = fail

 

[pedaling squares]

These Lanceaholics are boring and tiresome.

I predicted this before it happened.
He is probably still doping also pardners.

Only one Lance can make a comeback at this age.

Vinokourov = fail

Five days in and this troll has already hijacked a few threads. If we can all ignore and/or resist responding, s/he will probably go elsewhere to seek attention/gratification and the clinic threads will once again be interesting and informative.

No doubt an intelligent rebuttal will be posted, but I'm out.

 

[BroDeal]

Five days in and this troll has already hijacked a few threads. If we can all ignore and/or resist responding, s/he will probably go elsewhere to seek attention/gratification and the clinic threads will once again be interesting and informative.

No doubt an intelligent rebuttal will be posted, but I'm out.

Why don't we just get on CN's case to start banning these guys. Ignoring won't work because they create new identities every other day.

 

[logical cranium]

Why don't we just get on CN's case to start banning these guys. Ignoring won't work because they create new identities every other day.

Ez, flock of bro, bro bros grow sum pelotas.

You dont want this to tern into that other place. BAN! Whaaaaah! BAN. my feeling hurt by troll. Whaaaah!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ez, flock of bro, bro bros grow sum pelotas.

You dont want this to tern into that other place. BAN! Whaaaaah! BAN. my feeling hurt by troll. Whaaaah!

If you look very closely, people, you will actually find the odd word that resembles English.....but not many.
Could be the most sensless post, of the thousands of contenders.

As for Vino, the subject of this thread, time will tell.
Next year will be a better pointer, but I have a feeling he won't be able to climb, within the boundaries of the passport, so expect a "spike" in his readings, prior to any Grand Tour he gets into.

Of course, this "spike" will not be accompanied by a raft of excuses.
My prediction.

 

[Sheltowee]

Ez, flock of bro, bro bros grow sum pelotas.

You dont want this to tern into that other place. BAN! Whaaaaah! BAN. my feeling hurt by troll. Whaaaah!

Get a grip and grow up.