• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Viva Espana!

Sep 21, 2009
2,978
0
0
Visit site
TourOfSardinia said:
Lots of wins by Spanish born riders in the last couple of months:

Milan-San Remo - Óscar Freire Gómez
Paris-Nice - Alberto Contador Velasco
Tour Mediterranean - Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
Volta ao Algarve - Alberto Contador Velasco

Are they peaking too early???

You missed this one:

GP Bahrein - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

He's also peaking too early :p
 
Nick777 said:
This belongs in the clinic.

sour-grapes.jpg
:rolleyes:
 
Jan 18, 2010
3,059
0
0
Visit site
Nick777 said:
This belongs in the clinic.

you may have a point.

but I'm Certain Fernando Alonso has never cheated. that was Nelson Piquet and the Renault team on team orders... and oh yes, Alonso won that race.:rolleyes:

i have no comment on Valverde and AC. but suffice to say i still respect Friere and Flecha.
 
sublimit said:
you may have a point.

but I'm Certain Fernando Alonso has never cheated. that was Nelson Piquet and the Renault team on team orders... and oh yes, Alonso won that race.:rolleyes:

i have no comment on Valverde and AC. but suffice to say i still respect Friere and Flecha.

And where does Fernando Alonso, a Formula 1-driver, fit in the picture?

May we then discuss mr. Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 gifted winner of Formula 1?
 
Sep 21, 2009
2,978
0
0
Visit site
No_Balls said:
And where does Fernando Alonso, a Formula 1-driver, fit in the picture?

May we then discuss mr. Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 gifted winner of Formula 1?

Yes, of course, but Fernando is the one who has peaked early this season :p

Back to the thread topic, cycling in Spain is not anywhere close its status during the Indurain era. It's true that now there are more riders at the top and not only stage race contenders but also guys like Freire and Flecha.

I still remember when 15 years ago we could see 3 or 4 Spanish teams at the TdF all of them with potential top 10 riders, but look at how many get an invite now. Only two, one is sponsored by a public institution and the other one by a French banking group who is leaving this season. Riders better get results if they want to keep their jobs.

Then, there is Mr. win-it-all, but I don't think he'll last that much in that attitude to racing all year for a win.

Races are also disappearing or struggling to survive. Andalucia and Catalunya were able to close their parcourse only a few weeks before the start.

There is very little interest from the public, media and sponsors. Broadcasting of cycling events in Spain just sucks compared to similar events in other places.

The appearance of big names in other sports may also be driving sponsorship away from cycling. Vuelta a Valencia disappeared because public institutions chose to put their money on America's Cup and the Formula-1 GP.

So yes, Spaniards may get great results at cycling, but their future is bleak.
 
icefire said:
Yes, of course, but Fernando is the one who has peaked early this season :p

Back to the thread topic, cycling in Spain is not anywhere close its status during the Indurain era. It's true that now there are more riders at the top and not only stage race contenders but also guys like Freire and Flecha.

I still remember when 15 years ago we could see 3 or 4 Spanish teams at the TdF all of them with potential top 10 riders, but look at how many get an invite now. Only two, one is sponsored by a public institution and the other one by a French banking group who is leaving this season. Riders better get results if they want to keep their jobs.

Then, there is Mr. win-it-all, but I don't think he'll last that much in that attitude to racing all year for a win.

Races are also disappearing or struggling to survive. Andalucia and Catalunya were able to close their parcourse only a few weeks before the start.

There is very little interest from the public, media and sponsors. Broadcasting of cycling events in Spain just sucks compared to similar events in other places.

The appearance of big names in other sports may also be driving sponsorship away from cycling. Vuelta a Valencia disappeared because public institutions chose to put their money on America's Cup and the Formula-1 GP.

So yes, Spaniards may get great results at cycling, but their future is bleak.

Didn´t know that utterly dominance was in fact a poor thing, but at english speaking forum, everything is possible. Recall discussions as these when Indurain dediced to quit and everyone asked what would happened with spanish cycling after he had left. The notorious Phil Liggett was one of them. So, as always there is this wishful thinking from jealous anglosaxons.

About the media. Well, cycling has always lived in the shadows of football, other sports, the new-born-intrests in Formula 1 (which will disappear as soon as there are no Alonso, or new Alonso, around) and compared to these the intrests has been relatively weak, despite Mr Indurain. The same goes for every other country by the way.

Spain will continue to breed succesfull mountaineers and alrounders, sorry to disappoint you, and even though, there are no spanish teams around (as yet) there is not like the others team CAN´t AFFORD not hiring them, because simply, they are the best. And with that knowledge the breeding ground will be there for the future.

15 years ago? There were NOT 10 riders with the possibility to win. There was Indurain and 9 other domestiques (well, possibly with the exception of Lejarreta). As we speak there are 9 riders with the possiblity to win which indeed is the mark for development of spanish cycling.
 
Oct 27, 2009
133
0
0
Visit site
icefire said:
Yes, of course, but Fernando is the one who has peaked early this season :p

Back to the thread topic, cycling in Spain is not anywhere close its status during the Indurain era. It's true that now there are more riders at the top and not only stage race contenders but also guys like Freire and Flecha.

I still remember when 15 years ago we could see 3 or 4 Spanish teams at the TdF all of them with potential top 10 riders, but look at how many get an invite now. Only two, one is sponsored by a public institution and the other one by a French banking group who is leaving this season. Riders better get results if they want to keep their jobs.

Then, there is Mr. win-it-all, but I don't think he'll last that much in that attitude to racing all year for a win.

Races are also disappearing or struggling to survive. Andalucia and Catalunya were able to close their parcourse only a few weeks before the start.

There is very little interest from the public, media and sponsors. Broadcasting of cycling events in Spain just sucks compared to similar events in other places.

The appearance of big names in other sports may also be driving sponsorship away from cycling. Vuelta a Valencia disappeared because public institutions chose to put their money on America's Cup and the Formula-1 GP.

So yes, Spaniards may get great results at cycling, but their future is bleak.

are you referring to Alberto Contador?i think there is nothing wrong when a person takes seriously every tournament he enters.this guy is really amazing and no one comes close to him so far!
 
Oct 27, 2009
133
0
0
Visit site
icefire said:
Yes, of course, but Fernando is the one who has peaked early this season :p

Back to the thread topic, cycling in Spain is not anywhere close its status during the Indurain era. It's true that now there are more riders at the top and not only stage race contenders but also guys like Freire and Flecha.

I still remember when 15 years ago we could see 3 or 4 Spanish teams at the TdF all of them with potential top 10 riders, but look at how many get an invite now. Only two, one is sponsored by a public institution and the other one by a French banking group who is leaving this season. Riders better get results if they want to keep their jobs.

Then, there is Mr. win-it-all, but I don't think he'll last that much in that attitude to racing all year for a win.

Races are also disappearing or struggling to survive. Andalucia and Catalunya were able to close their parcourse only a few weeks before the start.

There is very little interest from the public, media and sponsors. Broadcasting of cycling events in Spain just sucks compared to similar events in other places.

The appearance of big names in other sports may also be driving sponsorship away from cycling. Vuelta a Valencia disappeared because public institutions chose to put their money on America's Cup and the Formula-1 GP.

So yes, Spaniards may get great results at cycling, but their future is bleak.

Im from Asia(im not a Spaniard) and im new to this(cycling) kind of sports.I really admire the Spanish riders and all the other Spanish athletes who excell in other sports(basketball,football,tennis,f1 etc).They are so dominating and are the envy of some countries!

I'd never have the opportunity to watch Indurain rides but i know he's great.He's been dominant.The number of Spanish team those years were far more great compared today.Ironically,during his(Indurain) years no other notable Spanish rider had flourished (aside from him) in contrast today,a handful of good (if not the best) Spanish riders had emerged and had been dominating the cycling world.

The Spaniards had won the last 4 edition of the TDF (arguablly the most prestigious among the 3 GT's)and the possibilty is great that the trend will continue.Therefore i can say that the future of the Spanish cycling/Spanish riders are still bright!
 
reyan12 said:
Im from Asia(im not a Spaniard) and im new to this(cycling) kind of sports.I really admire the Spanish riders and all the other Spanish athletes who excell in other sports(basketball,football,tennis,f1 etc).They are so dominating and are the envy of some countries!

I'd never have the opportunity to watch Indurain rides but i know he's great.He's been dominant.The number of Spanish team those years were far more great compared today.Ironically,during his(Indurain) years no other notable Spanish rider had flourished (aside from him) in contrast today,a handful of good (if not the best) Spanish riders had emerged and had been dominating the cycling world.

The Spaniards had won the last 4 edition of the TDF (arguablly the most prestigious among the 3 GT's)and the possibilty is great that the trend will continue.Therefore i can say that the future of the Spanish cycling/Spanish riders are still bright!

+1 Giro and douzens of Vueltas and the Olympics.

Don´t worry. He is one of Uniballers worshipper who think he can race forever.

He even pretends that he has been around in 15 years when the truth is -99.
 
Jan 18, 2010
3,059
0
0
Visit site
No_Balls said:
And where does Fernando Alonso, a Formula 1-driver, fit in the picture?

May we then discuss mr. Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 gifted winner of Formula 1?

I agree Massa should of been champion 2008 because of the Renault team cheating- no complaints on that one. winning without cheating is what its about otherwise what is the point of sport,, this goes for any sport.

Alonso and Hamilton were both gifted wins. Alonso got a race and Hamilton the championship through other people cheating. **** it lets get back to cycling...
 
Sep 21, 2009
2,978
0
0
Visit site
Sorry to dissappoint you, but you got me wrong: I'm no jealous anglosaxon uniballer worshiper. Anyway, good to know that having never set my feet in any English speaking country my command of the language is not so bad after all :D Those who have read my posts in other threads will have figured out where I come from, though ;)

My point was that regardless what results Spaniards get, sponsors are flying away from the sport and races are being busted from the calendar. ASO has taken hold on Unipublic (the Vuelta organiser) and there have been rumours about the Vuelta moving dates to Spring and being reduced to 2-weeks long.

So riders may be doing very well, but the sport as such not so much. This may end up in a situation where Spain becomes a cycling power comparable to Australia (no pun intended): a bunch of highly ranked riders (World Champ included) all of them in teams abroad and a few races that are used as off-season training camps. At least Spanish fans won't have to stay up at weird hours to watch live the races that matter.
 
Mar 13, 2009
2,890
0
0
Visit site
icefire said:
Sorry to dissappoint you, but you got me wrong: I'm no jealous anglosaxon uniballer worshiper. Anyway, good to know that having never set my feet in any English speaking country my command of the language is not so bad after all :D Those who have read my posts in other threads will have figured out where I come from, though ;)

My point was that regardless what results Spaniards get, sponsors are flying away from the sport and races are being busted from the calendar. ASO has taken hold on Unipublic (the Vuelta organiser) and there have been rumours about the Vuelta moving dates to Spring and being reduced to 2-weeks long.

So riders may be doing very well, but the sport as such not so much. This may end up in a situation where Spain becomes a cycling power comparable to Australia (no pun intended): a bunch of highly ranked riders (World Champ included) all of them in teams abroad and a few races that are used as off-season training camps. At least Spanish fans won't have to stay up at weird hours to watch live the races that matter.

i see your point, but it is a long way from happening, spain has over twice the number of people australia does and I dare say cycling is a little higher up the foodchain in the national psyche.
I'd hate for the vuelta to lose GT status. This year looks interesting. 9 mountain stages, though 2 are fairly soft. 5 of those with a mountain top finish, just a pity stage 3 didn't appear later.
 
Nov 24, 2009
1,602
0
0
Visit site
karlboss said:
i see your point, but it is a long way from happening, spain has over twice the number of people australia does and I dare say cycling is a little higher up the foodchain in the national psyche.
I'd hate for the vuelta to lose GT status. This year looks interesting. 9 mountain stages, though 2 are fairly soft. 5 of those with a mountain top finish, just a pity stage 3 didn't appear later.

And who would get the Vuelta's GT status if they lost it? ToC? TdU? Tours of Oman and Qatar? Pah, never gonna happen
 
icefire said:
Sorry to dissappoint you, but you got me wrong: I'm no jealous anglosaxon uniballer worshiper. Anyway, good to know that having never set my feet in any English speaking country my command of the language is not so bad after all :D Those who have read my posts in other threads will have figured out where I come from, though ;)

My point was that regardless what results Spaniards get, sponsors are flying away from the sport and races are being busted from the calendar. ASO has taken hold on Unipublic (the Vuelta organiser) and there have been rumours about the Vuelta moving dates to Spring and being reduced to 2-weeks long.

So riders may be doing very well, but the sport as such not so much. This may end up in a situation where Spain becomes a cycling power comparable to Australia (no pun intended): a bunch of highly ranked riders (World Champ included) all of them in teams abroad and a few races that are used as off-season training camps. At least Spanish fans won't have to stay up at weird hours to watch live the races that matter.

Sponsors are flying away from everything and anything that do not bring in large returns; including cultural events like art and music festivals. It is most likely more a symptom of the world economic crisis than some lack of interest in Spanish cycling. Teams are losing sponsors as well and certainly not just in Spain. Add to that the fact that nothing comes close to the interest in football, not even a winning Alonso, though he may trump Contador as folks in Spain love their cars and motorbikes more than their cyclistas. As an x-patriot living in Spain, the tv coverage is great compared to the US. It´s only the smaller/obscure races that get dodgy coverage. The bigger races have more than enough for this obsessed cyclist.
 
Mar 13, 2009
2,890
0
0
Visit site
Big GMaC said:
And who would get the Vuelta's GT status if they lost it? ToC? TdU? Tours of Oman and Qatar? Pah, never gonna happen

don't see that anyone else has to have it, just have 2 GTs, but i like 3 and the route is often good. Now to somehow gain more attention like the giro has.
 
Apr 16, 2009
394
0
0
Visit site
Jesus Manzano of Spain exposed doping practices in a series of articles in the Spanish newspaper Diario AS in March 2004. This included his use of EPO, Cortisone, Testosterone, Human Growth Hormone, Nandrolone, Oxyglobin, and the extreme practices to administer them.[256]. The revelations were so strong that Spanish investigations were begun, and these in turn lead to Operación Puerto.

Janet Puiggros Miranda of Spain became the second Spanish athlete to commit a doping offence at the Olympics after also testing positive for EPO during a pre-Olympic test. Like Gonzalez, she was withdrawn from competing (in the Women's Cross-Country race). She also denied the administration of a "B Test", which is used to verify the first drug test.

José Reynaldo Murillo of Spain tested positive for Erythropoietin in the 46th Vuelta a Guatemala in October 2004.[245]

Roberto Heras, the winner of an unprecedented fourth Vuelta a España, tested positive for EPO prior to the penultimate stage of the 2005 Vuelta a España.[268] He was stripped of his 2005 Vuelta win and the victory was given to Russian Denis Menchov. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[255].

Iñigo Landaluze, made his breakthrough by winning the 2005 Dauphiné Libéré, but it was soon announced he had tested positive for abnormally high testosterone and was suspended from racing until his case was heard out. In 2006, however, he was cleared to return to racing after he showed that the lab conducting tests committed procedural errors. The UCI then failed to show that those errors did not affect the outcome of the tests. The CAS panel reviewing the case said that it was "probable" that Landaluze had committed a doping violation, but the UCI had failed to meet its burden of proof in the case. New revisions to the WADA Code would suggest that Landaluze would have lost his case under the new rules.[270] The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' states 'Acquitted for legal reasons'[255]

Jenaro Ramos Lozano of Spain tested positive for Stanozolol on 8 April 2005. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[255].

Garcia Quesada Adolfo of Spain tested positive for Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in competition on 19 May 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years."[234]

Victor Hernandez Baeta of Spain tested positive for EPO in an 'out of competition' test on 4 July 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years."[234]

Santos Gonzalez Capilla of Spain tested positive for Triamcinolone acetonide on 4 March 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' stated "disqualification, warning and reprimand"[255].

Aitor González, the winner of the 2002 Vuelta a España, tested positive twice in 2005, first during an out of competition test in August, and again during the 2005 Vuelta a España for a methyltestosterone metabolite. González claimed that the positive test was the result of a contaminated dietary supplement called Animal Pack prescribed by a doctor.[277] González was handed a two year ban and retired soon afterwards. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' listed 17 alpha methyl, 5 beta androstane, 3 alpha 17 beta dio and a 2 year ban[255]

Oscar Grau of Spain tested positive for Finasteride. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' states "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[255].

Jon Pena Hernaez of Spain tested positive for Phentermine in competition on 1 August 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years."[234]

Christina Alcade Huertanos from Spain was disqualified for 2 years. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' listed Triamcinolone acetonide and a 2 year ban[255]

Aitor Osa from Spain was involved in the Operación Puerto doping case. The Guardia Civil in Madrid linked numbers used by Dr. Fuentes to identify blood sample bags to names; number 1 to Ullrich, number 2 to Basso, number 4 to Botero, number 5 to Sevilla, number 7 to Aitor's brother, Unai Osa, number 8 to Aitor Osa himself.[282]

Unai Osa from Spain was involved in the Operación Puerto doping case. The Guardia Civil in Madrid linked numbers used by Dr. Fuentes to identify blood sample bags to names; number 1 to Ullrich, number 2 to Basso, number 4 to Botero, number 5 to Sevilla, number 7 to Unai Osa himself, and number 8 to his brother Aitor Osa.[282

Jose Antonio Pastor Roldan of Spain tested positive for Terbutaline on 19 June 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' stated that he was sanctioned by 'disqualification and a warning'[255].

Fernando Torres of Spain tested positive for Ephedrine in competition on 8 July 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years - (under appeal by rider)."[234]

Jordi Reira Valls of Spain tested positive for Stanozolol and hCG on 16 May 2006. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2006' states "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[255].

Aketza Peña of Spain and the Euskaltel-Euskadi team tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone on 30 May 2007. The sample was taken after stage one of the Giro del Trentino on 24 April and was announced during the 2007 Giro d'Italia.[304] The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[234]

José Antonio Pecharroman Fabian from Spain tested positive for Finasteride 'in competition' on 26 August 2007. The UCI summary of 'Decisions on Anti-Doping Rule Violations made in 2007' stated "disqualification and ineligibility for 2 years"[234].

Iban Mayo tested positive for EPO on the Tour de France's rest day, July 24, it was announced Monday night. His Saunier Duval team was informed of the positive test by the UCI and immediately suspended the Spanish rider.

Manuel Beltrán tested positive for EPO after the first stage of the Tour de France. The news broke on 11 July 2008. Blood abnormalities before the tour start had led French anti-doping agency AFLD to target the rider. Beltrán's team Liquigas withdrew him from the tour with immediate effect. French police questioned Beltrán over possible offences, and searched his hotel room. The B-Sample has not yet been tested.[312]

Moisés Dueñas was withdrawn from the Barloworld team before the 11th stage of the Tour de France on 16 July. The official statement from ASO stated that he had tested positive for EPO at the end of the time trial fourth stage.[318] Barloworld, two days later, announced that they were withdrawing from sponsorship after this year's Tour de France.[319]

Maria Moreno of Spain tested positive for EPO at the Beijing Olympics on 31 July. She left China on the day of the test, before the results were published, and reports in Spain claimed an 'anxiety attack'. IOC communications director Giselle Davies said: "She was tested in the Village and she had already left China that evening before having had the result. The test has come back positive for EPO. The disciplinary commission has ruled that she should be excluded from the Games and have her accreditation withdrawn." The IOC passed the case to the UCI for follow up.[326]

Antonio Colom tested positive for EPO in an out of competition test on 2 April. He was targeted for additional controls using information from his blood profile. Colom's positive drug test is the second within the ranks of Katusha within five weeks (see Christian Pfannberger). [349]

On 31 July 2009, it was announced that Mikel Astarloza had tested positive for Recombinant Erythropoietin (EPO) on 26 June 2009 and was being provisionally suspended by the UCI.[353]

On 18 September 2009, it was announced that Liberty Seguros Continental team riders Nuno Ribeiro (Portugese), Isidro Nozal and Hector Guerra tested positive for EPO-CERA in controls prior to the Tour of Portugal. Ribeiro went on to win the general classification.[355]
 

TRENDING THREADS