Why do cycling journalists persist with the nonsense about cycling being cleaner?

[Mrs John Murphy]

They only make themselves look stupid parroting the UCI party-line and hold themselves hostage to fortune when those supposed 'clean' riders get busted.

DB: So what did you make of yesterday's action? Did we see the four strongest riders in the race make their case for the podium?

DF: It would already be too late for Liquigas if it wasn't for an excessively hard route. What struck me yesterday, though, as has done consistently over the past two years, is that we often don't see the best racing in the mountains in grand tours any more. The two big mountain stages in the Giro to date have been among the least interesting of the race. And I'm fairly certain that it's because the racing is cleaner

http://live.cyclingnews.com/3.html

A 'cleaner' top five of:

Nibs - accused of working with Ferrari
Basso - Busted as part of OP
Scarponi - Busted as part of OP
Cuddles - on Phonak 2 showing remarkable improvement in ability at age 33+
Vino - hahahahahahahahaha

And this is the new 'cleaner' peloton.

I know that Daniel Benson gave a woeful performance on Radio 5 the other day but really this is taking the biscuit.

 

[ak-zaaf]

They only make themselves look stupid parroting the UCI party-line and hold themselves hostage to fortune when those supposed 'clean' riders get busted.



http://live.cyclingnews.com/3.html

A 'cleaner' top five of:

Nibs - accused of working with Ferrari
Basso - Busted as part of OP
Scarponi - Busted as part of OP
Cuddles - on Phonak 2 showing remarkable improvement in ability at age 33+
Vino - hahahahahahahahaha

And this is the new 'cleaner' peloton.

I know that Daniel Benson gave a woeful performance on Radio 5 the other day but really this is taking the biscuit.

Youtube 'Basso 2006', compare to this year and you'll see at least he is riding cleaner.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I just think it is a silly thing to say - hacks and the UCI have been claiming that cycling is 'getting cleaner' since 1998 which is clearly hasn't - so why make a claim that is clearly untrue and almost certainly going to be disproved in the not too distant future.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I just think it is a silly thing to say - hacks and the UCI have been claiming that cycling is 'getting cleaner' since 1998 which is clearly hasn't - so why make a claim that is clearly untrue and almost certainly going to be disproved in the not too distant future.

Wild guess: financial interests.

 

[Ripper]

Actually, I think many of the Journo's are doing a good job. Another quote from DF:

"I'm not sure. The big issue here is the UCI. If Landis's allegations are true, there is no future for the people currently in charge of that organization, or indeed the organization itself. Armstrong's relevance at this point, I fear, is not all that great. The battle lines are drawn in that debate: there is probably a majority who don't believe his Tour wins were doping-free, and a still large minority whose belief that they were can never be shaken."

Seems to reflect reality.

Now, we all know there are a few out there with their head's so far up Pharma's **** (JW anyone?)

 

[delbified]

you know there's something wrong when the manufacturer of EPO sponsors a major pro bike race

 

[Ferminal]

Outside of Liquigas and a couple of other top riders, I have a random thought that the Giro is "clean" (i.e no tranfusions).

But the last week will reveal all.

And wtf @ the procycling muppet that said yesterday wasn't interesting.

 

[eleven]

I just think it is a silly thing to say - hacks and the UCI have been claiming that cycling is 'getting cleaner' since 1998 which is clearly hasn't - so why make a claim that is clearly untrue and almost certainly going to be disproved in the not too distant future.

I almost started a thread on that very topic. Post-Festina, everyone said "well, this young new generation will be cleaner!

Then all of the busts of the early 2000's and people said "this young generation will be cleaner" (that was Basso etal, and then Contador...and Rasmussen)

Then the Fuentes and the Spanish mess and everyone said "this next generation will be cleaner!" (eh...well, OK - maybe not!)

Now it's 12 years since Festina and people STILL think the younger generation will be cleaner - despite the ongoing investigations, the rampant evidence to the contrary and the frequent busts of this "younger generation". I'd be quite surprised if there are any clean riders from any team at the sharp end of the peloton.

Sometimes I wonder if we'd be better off lifting the ban on doping.

 

[eleven]

you know there's something wrong when the manufacturer of EPO sponsors a major pro bike race

In the very small local events I take part in, the sponsors always give away free samples. Just sayin...

 

[pedaling squares]

I think it's the only way to get many interviewees to discuss the sport. And a case of not biting the hand that feeds. As I type, images of Lance, Levi, and a Garmin rider are on my screen, along with ads for Hincapie clothing and a BMC bike.

 

[Ripper]

Outside of Liquigas and a couple of other top riders, I have a random thought that the Giro is "clean" (i.e no tranfusions).

Good points. Right now it kinda looks like USPS - a big line of Leaky leading the whole way up the climb. Of course, it could just be the the peloton is letting them do all the work and the pace is not too harsh ... then again, there is the TTT.

And now the Giro helecopter cam has zoomed in on sheep in a field!

 

[bianchigirl]

While ever there are riders from the 90s/00s operating as DSes/trainers/support staff at the very top of the pro sport then the doping culture will be continued to be normalised.

 

[BMC fan]

Why do cycling journalists persist with the nonsense about cycling being cleaner?

Answer: because we can tell doping is no where near it was from the blood profiles.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Really? Are you that naive?

 

[Ferminal]

Answer: because we can tell doping is no where near it was from the blood profiles.

Sorry, what blood profiles were they?

Were you referring to Lance Armstrong's 2009 Tour de France numbers?

 

[theswordsman]

Youtube 'Basso 2006', compare to this year and you'll see at least he is riding cleaner.

+1
Basso still posts his drug tests to the Mapei website. I don't know if he's kept up with his SRM data, but he posted it for I believe at least the first year. He was posting it every day during the Giro last year, but he was frustrated by his finish and decided to start training based how he felt, as basing it on data didn't get him the results he wanted.

 

[Anonymous]

because it is cleaner?

just because former dopers are racing having served bans, doesnt mean that they are doping (as much) as before. Basso is a good example.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Do you really feel that confident in saying that (especially in what has come out this week and is likely to come out in the near future)?

Do you really feel that confident when you see the likes of Pinotti a mere 20 seconds down on Nibali and 40 seconds down on Sastre...

Is it really cleaner when Vino is performing at pretty much the same level he was with T-Mob?

Is it really getting cleaner with the old dirty doctors and DS's still very much in place?

I know that cycling journalists have to claim the sport is cleaning itself up (just like track and field journalists have to do the same) but it seems a somewhat stupid thing to say. It is like politicians declaring the recovery is just round the corner, or the war is being won, it does nothing to their credibility 6 months down the line when the next scandal breaks, or the economy tanks. It insults our intelligence if nothing else.

 

[Anonymous]

Do i think we have multiple teams running organising million dollar doping systems within the team in the style of the old east germany.. no..

Do i think people are doping, yes.

 

[eleven]

because it is cleaner?

just because former dopers are racing having served bans, doesnt mean that they are doping (as much) as before. Basso is a good example.

after today's performance, you really don't think Basso's doping?

 

[Roninho]

after today's performance, you really don't think Basso's doping?

I have no idea if he is doping, but if i remember correctly basso destroyed everyone on basically every road that went uphill in 2006. He won by 9 minutes (18 on nr 4...). He certainly isn't doing that in this Giro (see saturday, or last week's climb).

As for the journalists, imo it's just silly to say it's cleaner, even if it actually is (or the odds of getting caught are getting higher). In holland our tv-reporter just kept on screaming "it's the new cycling" when young guys like Ricco and Kohl won, we all know how that worked out....

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Do i think we have multiple teams running organising million dollar doping systems within the team in the style of the old east germany.. no..

Do i think people are doping, yes.

You think that Columbia, Shack and Katusha aren't using team-wide systematic doping?

When I see Horner beating Piti - my first reaction isn't 'the sport is getting cleaner'

When I look at the ave speed for some of the stages of this Giro - my first reaction isn't 'the sport is getting cleaner'.

Saying the sport is cleaner is like saying that Amy Winehouse is cleaner because she is only shooting up 4 times a day instead of 5.

 

[Bobby700c]

after today's performance, you really don't think Basso's doping?

You obviously need to read the post you quoted more carefully.

Saying the sport is cleaner is like saying that Amy Winehouse is cleaner because she is only shooting up 4 times a day instead of 5.

And in a way, she would be.

 

[eleven]

You obviously need to read the post you quoted more carefully.

I think I read it properly. It starts by saying the sport is cleaner. It then uses Basso as an example of a former doper.

I don't think Basso is a "former" doper. Based on yesterday, I think he's a current doper.

 

[eleven]

I have no idea if he is doping, but if i remember correctly basso destroyed everyone on basically every road that went uphill in 2006. He won by 9 minutes (18 on nr 4...). He certainly isn't doing that in this Giro (see saturday, or last week's climb).

As for the journalists, imo it's just silly to say it's cleaner, even if it actually is (or the odds of getting caught are getting higher). In holland our tv-reporter just kept on screaming "it's the new cycling" when young guys like Ricco and Kohl won, we all know how that worked out....

It's true that he ripped others up and down the 2006 Giro. He hasn't shown quite that level of performance since his return. Could be because he's clean, but I suspect it has more to do with being away from top-level competition for two years. And he DID rip everyone else yesterday.