Who was the real winner of Flanders?

[davidg]

No need to set up a poll - out of 32 posters who have made comments on this threat 19 posters so far are more than suspicious of yesterdays performance or of top riders.
4 I put in a category of 'Innocent until proven guilty'.
5 said they were 'suspicious'.
4 I put in as 'Didn't say', 'Didn't want to say'.(I put you in that group)
1 poster was writing his account of riding the course.

As for people standing at the side of the road - plenty of people still go to watch WWF.

Let me re-phrase. You quoted 'the complete lack of trust and faith most followers of Pro cycling have in the sport today'

What I am saying is that having 32 people on an internet forum is hardly sufficient to make a catch-all statement about most followers. I dont believe that this forum represents the general view in cycling, certainly not amongst my community.

I still believe that the average person watching the race either on TV or on the road, is enjoying the spectacle for what it is and not trying to analyse the doping scenario to death. That is not to say they are naive, just that it does not occupy their every thought as it seems to for a few people here.

Given the opinion of some people posting, I wonder why they 'follow' the sport, since they seem to get very little pleasure from it.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Let me re-phrase. You quoted 'the complete lack of trust and faith most followers of Pro cycling have in the sport today'

What I am saying is that having 32 people on an internet forum is hardly sufficient to make a catch-all statement about most followers. I dont believe that this forum represents the general view in cycling, certainly not amongst my community.

I still believe that the average person watching the race either on TV or on the road, is enjoying the spectacle for what it is and not trying to analyse the doping scenario to death. That is not to say they are naive, just that it does not occupy their every thought as it seems to for a few people here.

Given the opinion of some people posting, I wonder why they 'follow' the sport, since they seem to get very little pleasure from it.

You highlighted the wrong part of my quote...

the complete lack of trust and faith most followers of Pro cycling have in the sport today.

I don't view people who stand at the side of the road as 'followers of Pro Cycling', in most cases they are merely spectators.

As this is a a cycling forum I would expect most people on here to 'follow' the sport and have a certain knowledge of how the sport works.

 

[JayZee]

But in general North Americans tend to want to call things for what they are - they tend to be more black and white in their thinking - and of course as with all generalisations there are many N Americans who are not like this. With respect to doping/cheating I think you would find a similar attitude in the UK. So it doesn't surprise me to find that you get polarised views in these countries. Something like ... doping is cheating... any cyclist that dopes is a cheat ... you can only win if you dope... all winning cyclists are cheats... the whole sport is rotten.

I think you will find more generally in Europe a broader perspective, one that takes in the whole sport and it's history... and less of a desire to judge the sport just on doping. An acceptance of the good and the bad as part of the theatre of the sport. They are very different perspectives on what constitutes healthy competition. It is a mistake to think of this as naivety.

Huh?? In my experience as a North American fan/follower of pro cycling, I completely disagree. I would put myself and my friends/family (who are also fan/followers) in the "Europe" category.

Flanders was a fantastic race even if the top 30 were doped to the gills.

 

[Escarabajo]

Huh?? In my experience as a North American fan/follower of pro cycling, I completely disagree. I would put myself and my friends/family (who are also fan/followers) in the "Europe" category.

Flanders was a fantastic race even if the top 30 were doped to the gills.

Where are those fans? where do you live?

 

[180mmCrank]

Huh?? In my experience as a North American fan/follower of pro cycling, I completely disagree. I would put myself and my friends/family (who are also fan/followers) in the "Europe" category.

Flanders was a fantastic race even if the top 30 were doped to the gills.

Great - I imagine you are one of many who think like this. As I said the trouble with generalisatons is exactly that they are generalisations. I'm glad you enjoed the race it was awsome wasn't it

 

[Hugh Januss]

I think a large percentage of real cycling fans in the US would tell you that they think everybody dopes. They just tend to get *** when it comes to their own favorite. Not very different from a lot of Brits, Aussies or Spaniards.
By real fans however, I am leaving out the July only, learned everything I know about bike racing from OLN/VS, Lance haremites.

 

[Oldman]

I think a large percentage of real cycling fans in the US would tell you that they think everybody dopes. They just tend to get *** when it comes to their own favorite. Not very different from a lot of Brits, Aussies or Spaniards.
By real fans however, I am leaving out the July only, learned everything I know about bike racing from OLN/VS, Lance haremites.[/QUOTE]

Vivid reference. May I use it in the future?

 

[Hugh Januss]

I think a large percentage of real cycling fans in the US would tell you that they think everybody dopes. They just tend to get *** when it comes to their own favorite. Not very different from a lot of Brits, Aussies or Spaniards.
By real fans however, I am leaving out the July only, learned everything I know about bike racing from OLN/VS, Lance haremites.[/QUOTE]

Vivid reference. May I use it in the future?

Knock yourself out.

 

[9000ft]

Oh the clucking inthe hen house!

 

[buckwheat]

Have you followed cycling for very long?

you guys are pathetic. why is it that the folks who don't win always accuse? somebody is always going to be faster, someone is always going to win.

Yeah Tff! Why are you so negative?

 

[buckwheat]

Let me re-phrase. You quoted 'the complete lack of trust and faith most followers of Pro cycling have in the sport today'

What I am saying is that having 32 people on an internet forum is hardly sufficient to make a catch-all statement about most followers. I dont believe that this forum represents the general view in cycling, certainly not amongst my community.

I still believe that the average person watching the race either on TV or on the road, is enjoying the spectacle for what it is and not trying to analyse the doping scenario to death. That is not to say they are naive, just that it does not occupy their every thought as it seems to for a few people here.

Given the opinion of some people posting, I wonder why they 'follow' the sport, since they seem to get very little pleasure from it.

I think the people who love the sport and also have raced and/or ride a lot realize that "normal" human beings get kind of tired after about 200km of hard riding and wonder how these ET's are putting in these superhuman performances.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features...ongs-team-radioshack-trek-madone-6-series-rvv

BTW. I thought Pharmstrong was 5'8". In the picture with his u-23 team he looks like a dwarf. How the heck is he riding a 58cm bike with a saddle height of 758 mm? Race Radio knows him and says he's no way 5'10".

575mm from tip of saddle to the center of the bars? Please.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

Track and Field is a larger sport world wide, has more tests then Cycling, and they are both run under the WADA code.

BS. The IAAF performed about 4k tests in 2009. Nearly all of the medal winners at the worlds were tested "1-3" times OOC.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

You people need to decide whether dopers are getting away with it because the drugs are too difficult to detect or whether it's because the UCI doesn't want to catch anyone. You can't have it both ways.

 

[buckwheat]

You people need to decide whether dopers are getting away with it because the drugs are too difficult to detect or whether it's because the UCI doesn't want to catch anyone. You can't have it both ways.

Why not? They're not mutually exclusive..

 

[burritogirl]

I guess what I meant with my post was, why do you guys immediately try to focus on the negative? No, I may not have been a cycling fan for as long as some of you, but I have been a fan for quite some time, in addition I do have an inside into the game. If you don't believe in it, in the beauty of it, why even watch?
Cancellara's win was a great one. No one could go with him because he was the strongest on the day. Remember that the next time you get dropped on your local wednesday night worlds

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I guess what I meant with my post was, why do you guys immediately try to focus on the negative? No, I may not have been a cycling fan for as long as some of you, but I have been a fan for quite some time, in addition I do have an inside into the game. If you don't believe in it, in the beauty of it, why even watch?
Cancellara's win was a great one. No one could go with him because he was the strongest on the day. Remember that the next time you get dropped on your local wednesday night worlds

Your post makes no sense. It's "insight" into the game, not "inside" into the game.

Nobody said cycling isn't beautiful. Of course it's beautiful. And when I'm going to the Wednesday night crits, I'm not jacked up. WTF does that have to do with Cancellara winning Flanders? Seriously.

Cancellara deserved the win. There's no doubt in my mind that on an even playing field, he would be the strongest. I agree with you there.

 

[burritogirl]

So how do you know it's not an even playing field? You don't.
Your not there, sludging through 260k in the rain.
THat's what I was getting at. This whole post has been about the immediate knee jerk reaction that whoever won was doped to the gills. It's bull****.
I did actually mean inside not insight. I do actually have an inside version of pro bike racing.
Still on your wednesday night ride, somebody always puts the smack down, just like Fabian did today, and your left sitting on the side lines

 

[burritogirl]

inside meaning on the the inside btw

 

[flicker]

I axed a question a while back if riders were drug tested after a classic.

Since Classics are all out efforts, I think the riders should have a little leeway as far as enhancing. Just my opinion, take it for what its worth. My guess is I am not the only one who thinks that about the Hardman races.

 

[MacRoadie]

I axed a question a while back if riders were drug tested after a classic.

Since Classics are all out efforts, I think the riders should have a little leeway as far as enhancing. Just my opinion, take it for what its worth. My guess is I am not the only one who thinks that about the Hardman races.

I am quite sure there are any number of thoughts in your head that are yours and yours alone.

 

[blaxland]

+1

Whenever someone wins we go accusing them of doping and trying to work out who was clean. It is kind of sad imo.

+1 Agreed....................Great ride by Cancellara and also Miller(Garmin)...Good to see Hincapie and Burghardt riding into form.6TH and 20TH.Bring on Roubaix...

 

[flicker]

I am quite sure there are any number of thoughts in your head that are yours and yours alone.

Come on,Mac. Lookie lookie at the hatricks and doubles valpiti was pulling in the classics.a few years back. And the amazing little Damiano C. And olman Rebbelin winning the uphill sprints. And good ole Paulo Bettini. Cricket didn't just get that power from drinking Pellegrino water.

Top fueling my boy Mac. Highly enertertaining.

 

[Race Radio]

So how do you know it's not an even playing field? You don't.
Your not there, sludging through 260k in the rain.
THat's what I was getting at. This whole post has been about the immediate knee jerk reaction that whoever won was doped to the gills. It's bull****.
I did actually mean inside not insight. I do actually have an inside version of pro bike racing.
Still on your wednesday night ride, somebody always puts the smack down, just like Fabian did today, and your left sitting on the side lines

Were you this bothered when Cancellara was using Checcini as his doctor? Were you this concerned when he continued to use him after 1/2 his client list was caught doping? He even defended him an in interview less then 3 years ago. He only stopped working with him publicly after he was forced to.

Ever wonder who the blood bag from Fuentes fridge with the name "Clasicomano Luigi" belongs to? Do you think that Cancellara was the only rider that was not part of the program on Fasso?

There is nothing wrong with pointing out the obvious. Pretending it does not exist and getting angry when anyone points it out does nothing.

 

[180mmCrank]

I axed a question a while back if riders were drug tested after a classic.

Since Classics are all out efforts, I think the riders should have a little leeway as far as enhancing. Just my opinion, take it for what its worth. My guess is I am not the only one who thinks that about the Hardman races.

I had to check the date on this one to see if it was written on April 1st

You are joking right?

 

[flicker]

I hope and pray that all the riders entering Flanders 20 10 were clean. My guess is the top 5 were. No joke, its the best I can do. If some were dirty I would be dissapointed. Nothing more to add.