When is the smackdown on Chris Horner?

[Scott SoCal]

Agreed on the age/Vo2 part.....but what about recovery? It is a huge part of a GT and 3 weeks in Horner has not lost a watt.

Chris is certainly lean. Very, very lean. Skinniest I have ever seen him

Hmmm. So it's an AICAR thing or something similar?

Maybe no oxy vector drugs at all. Interesting.

 

[MacRoadie]

Legendary is the new epic.



Dude.

 

[leon993]

So your Trollkraft is so weak that you make things up? Mmmmkay...well, I think that is a clear sign you know deep down Froome is doing the same junk as Horner. You silly Froome fangirls are just like the Armstrong fanboys of old...almost makes me shead a tear...good times, good times.

If you look at Horner in Vuelta and Froome in TDC, both are insanely thin. They are taking something that burns the fat while leaving muscles intact. I think it is as simple as that.

 

[Hugh Januss]

If that is the case then what is he on that is so much better and why is no one else on his team on it? If this is something quite advanced it would be surprising that someone not (previously) doping would have the contacts that most other teams and riders don't.

That's easy, he is "on" whatever Froome is "on".
Who said he was not previously doping? The decade during which he was in his 30's would be the time when he was "doing what was necessary" that would be doping, now do you get it? A decade (that would be roughly equivalent to 10 years) might just be enough time to build up those sort of contacts, no? Particularly if he spent a good part of that time under the tutelage of Johann Bruyneel.
As to why the rest of the team was at a lesser level, who knows? Maybe they didn't want to spend the money? Maybe they didn't trust something new?

 

[hfer07]

Agreed on the age/Vo2 part.....but what about recovery? It is a huge part of a GT and 3 weeks in Horner has not lost a watt.

Chris is certainly lean. Very, very lean. Skinniest I have ever seen him

apart from recovery-aging has a huge toll on "raising performance level" fast enough to top field.

I'm amazed why arguments like these keep showing up from time to time, when we hear the answers from the very top riders retired working as commentators & on magazines every single time---the likes of Sean Kelly, Virenque, Hinault, Perico, Stephen Roche, Luis Herrera,Miguel Indurain, Sastre -even a recent column on Jens Voigh---all have spoken of it endless times: as a rider ages, the toughest part of being competitive is to "push the body to respond properly" since it takes "much longer" to train it "and most of all-to "recover it" from hard efforts ,therefore becomes an inevitable fact having to accept that you may well be competitive, but you'll never be at the best of your past peak/form"-never discounting that the youngsters coming up reaching their top shape make racing more discouraging for and aged body.......


and apparently good ol' 41 y.o. Horner is the absolute exception it seems....

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

That's easy, he is "on" whatever Froome is "on".
Who said he was not previously doping? The decade during which he was in his 30's would be the time when he was "doing what was necessary" that would be doping, now do you get it? A decade (that would be roughly equivalent to 10 years) might just be enough time to build up those sort of contacts, no? Particularly if he spent a good part of that time under the tutelage of Johann Bruyneel.
As to why the rest of the team was at a lesser level, who knows? Maybe they didn't want to spend the money? Maybe they didn't trust something new?

Plenty of people have speculated that he might not have been doping until (more) recently and this is his last chance to make money so he might go out with a bang.
When he started still seems up for debate (Is he rider 15?)
Actually a decade is 10 years (that is the definition).
Then, I would expect to see everyone back on an even keel next year as other teams and riders move to the next big thing. We shall see.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Please tell me who said that???

I should have really put Sky has made everyone up the ante.

Don't you think that Froome's performance in the Tour might push Bertie to older limits?

It is possible but then that could be said of any rider at almost anytime i.e. Contador pushed other riders limits, no?

 

[Galic Ho]

Don't be too shocked if Papi does the Giro. Porte is no Nibali. Papi wins by minutes.

Tim Kerrison said pre Tour based on Madone times Froome and Porte could 1-2 the Tour. He was not lying.

Porte gets anywhere near Contador's 2011 level, he can win the Giro. I hope Nibali is racing the Giro. I don't think in this year Giro's form, Porte could beat him. Porte is still untested over 3 weeks. Froome isn't. He's had 3 full cracks with one Vuelta post Tour and one Vuelta carrying and waiting for Wiggins. He knew he could win this years Tour.

Sky were morons announcing Porte. Sure I called it before Porte said he'd aim for it, but announcing your war cry a good 9 months early is moronic. They all know what you're gonna do. Given them time to prep. I wonder whether Ochowicz and Rihs are gonna let Evans go full throttle? Damn that'd be taking the mickey wouldn't it? Two Aussies at the Giro head to head!

 

[elduggo]

That's easy, he is "on" whatever Froome is "on".

this could be bad news for froome. Can't imagine there would be the same will to 'hide' any negative results from Horner's drugs tests (were there to be any, of course).

we have Horner to thank for highlighting how inadequate drugs testing is. Whatever doubts people may have about Froome, for one reason or another, won't be entertained in Horner's case.

one thing puzzles me though, why was Horner so poor in the last TT? Calculated, perhaps?

 

[elduggo]

Why do pros usually decline and stop in their mid to late 30s? Actually you don't know. It just seems to be the historical norm. Is it because of their chronological age, or because they have ridden too much?

do they really decline though? Or is it more a case that younger, up-and-coming riders appear on the scene and the role of the older rider changes to something less prominent than before?

There is no reason to think that older riders, if properly 'prepared', couldn't stay going into their 40s. Take the likes of known dopers like Armstrong and Hincapie as an example. I'm sure both could be competitive now were they still riding and juicing.

I think most retire out of weariness of the sport (all the travel, etc). And older riders will tend to have more by way of family commitments.

I wonder did Lance and AICAR ever cross paths?

 

[Nicko.]

No, I was just pointing out reality. Whatever Sky are on, evidently the secret is out, just like I predicted. When doping riders like Froome and Horner can thumb their noses and confidently proclaim they will never test positive, the mutancy just got kicked up a notch. Especially when they are kicking a$$ with times that rival the most doped up EPO times.

...

I thought the consensus was that the select few Sky riders got an advanced/expensive/state-of-the-art chemical boost of elevated 3-week W/kg, no?

Are Radioshack spending those substantial resources on the promising/to-build-on Horner?

If the argument is that Horner has nothing to lose and gives himself a well needed retirement plan by pulling all stops in the grand finale, he shouldn't be able to finance it by himself, no?

BTW, I am not arguing he's clean, not at all. I just don't see how he can be on the exotic juice Froome is claimed to burn.

Discuss.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Nibali said:

"on the Angliru. I was in great shape, but it's normal that I gave in to Horner at the end."

So to follow Horner would have been abnormal, I suppose.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUxPHnFnxo0

Skip to 5 minutes and have a bucket ready.

What on earth is the problem. Best stage of any race I've seen all year. Nibali was fantastic, and it was an amazing race. Very intense stage.

I don't know that I'd have called it legendary but I find Horner's enthusiasm refreshing. Nice to see someone having a great time on the bike.

I found it a nice interview, nice fella that Chris. Just like the other Chris. Nice ride on Angliru too, if the other Chris had been unleashed two years ago and didnt have to waite for cry baby the then not yet Sir Wiggums he would have equalled this Chris.

The year of Chris.

 

[Lexman]

Horner in the last two stages kinda reminds of Riis of the late 90's in a grand tour

my thoughts exactly

 

[smajo.fb]

his performance/power - highly suspicious
his 3-week day-to-day recovery at his age and at this terrain/conditions - flat out ridiculous

 

[Cycle Chic]

Horner on ITV 4

https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/cycling-la-vuelta-a-espana/series-4/episode-20

Here's Horner's SPEECH - this is a must hear post race interview which has been missed because it was done by Matt Rendell for ITV 4.

Its at 40mins - unfortunately the ads cant be skipped through - its well worth waiting for !

Who the hell does Chris Horner think he is !! I think ped's eradicate all rational thinking and realms of reality.

He really thinks HE has become a CYCLING LEGEND

 

[RedheadDane]

When is the smackdown on Chris Horner?

Let's hope never. Let's hope there won't be any need for a smackdown.
I might be extremely naive, but last time I checked Horner had never tested positive for anything and in my honest opinion it means he's clean. A person is innocent until proven guilty, also if they win a GT at the ripe old age of 41.

 

[sniper]

What on earth is the problem. Best stage of any race I've seen all year. Nibali was fantastic, and it was an amazing race. Very intense stage.

I don't know that I'd have called it legendary but I find Horner's enthusiasm refreshing. Nice to see someone having a great time on the bike.

i would agree and would share his and your enthusiasm if only i could be sure this was achieved in a level doping field.

otherwise i don't see the fun in a 41 year old getting jacked up on gen-doping whilst 25 year old riders quit the game because of a lack of perspective.

 

[argyllflyer]

Let's hope never. Let's hope there won't be any need for a smackdown.
I might be extremely naive, but last time I checked Horner had never tested positive for anything and in my honest opinion it means he's clean. A person is innocent until proven guilty, also if they win a GT at the ripe old age of 41.

I have never had a speeding ticket. I am younger than Chris Horner though.

"Testing positive" means nothing. When it comes to doping suspicion, rider history has to be taken into account, as does the person's character and whether or not there is any rumour (unsubstantiated or not) of illegal practices, doping doctors on team etc. Horner is older than some riders fathers, he has rode for very dubious teams and managers, he has supported the convicted cheat Armstrong very publically. Leipheimer is supposed to have knowledge of his EPO use to recover from injury. Past doping doesn't mean he is now, but it means he's not afraid to cross that line.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Horner actually turns to the camera and talks to it....like he's Bill Clinton.

"As you folks sit at home you got to see something you may never get to see accomplished ever again in your life.

I hope all of you enjoyed every pedal stroke of every suffering I did all the way to the finish. I hope you loved every moment the same way that I did"


https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/cycling-la-vuelta-a-espana/series-4/episode-20

that's the funniest sporting speech I,ve ever seen and heard.

 

[alspacka]

Horner actually turns to the camera and talks to it....like he's Bill Clinton.

"As you folks sit at home you got to see something you may never get to see accomplished ever again in your life.

I hope all of you enjoyed every pedal stroke of every suffering I did all the way to the finish. I hope you loved every moment the same way that I did"


https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/cycling-la-vuelta-a-espana/series-4/episode-20

that's the funniest sporting speech I,ve ever seen and heard.

Can't believe people are supporting this on the basis of "enthusiasm".

 

[darwin553]

Sky were morons announcing Porte. Sure I called it before Porte said he'd aim for it, but announcing your war cry a good 9 months early is moronic. They all know what you're gonna do. Given them time to prep. I wonder whether Ochowicz and Rihs are gonna let Evans go full throttle? Damn that'd be taking the mickey wouldn't it? Two Aussies at the Giro head to head!

Why is it moronic?

It makes the likely performance for Porte at the Giro all the more believable if he goes there and starts leading the GC as the team can then point to the fact that he has been preparing himself for the race for the last 9 months unlike Horner who just happens to show up at a GT and is set to walk away with the win.

 

[sniper]

ok, so vaughters has seen horner's bloodpassport over "the last few years" and noted that it looked hilarious and like a "tdf mountain stage" (or is the latter just RR's rephrasing?).
And vaughters spread the word, because...?

And what causes UCI to leave Horner in peace?
passport software malfunctioning or something else?

 

[Fortyninefourteen]

Horner actually turns to the camera and talks to it....like he's Bill Clinton.

"As you folks sit at home you got to see something you may never get to see accomplished ever again in your life.

I hope all of you enjoyed every pedal stroke of every suffering I did all the way to the finish. I hope you loved every moment the same way that I did"


https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/cycling-la-vuelta-a-espana/series-4/episode-20

that's the funniest sporting speech I,ve ever seen and heard.

"..may never get to see..." Actually more like I hope never get to see...

 

[Ripper]

Horner FTW.

Great race, the Vuelta this year. Much more exciting than le Tour (which is becoming a yawn fest).

Impresionante!