Wiggins, a man in love!

[Apolitical]

I must be living in a parallel universe from Mr. Wiggins. Besides having a much more difficult time finding a place to eat in Silver City, NM during Gila, I can't for the life of me figure how Lance Armstrong has affected me?

Looking back at old magazines, talking to teammates and coaches who raced 15-20 years ago, it doesn't seem like cycling in the US has changed a whole lot. The Coors Classic has become the Tour of California, we still have Philly (barely), and domestic racers still have to have other jobs or live with their girlfriends. Drivers still hate me. What's changed?

Maybe he's brought strippers and blow to the UK or something?

Try Diane's and Shevek next time you're in Silver City, I enjoyed both.

Being I was in my 20's racing as a cat II 20 years ago (and raced against a lot of the guys hitting retirment age), I'd say racing is worse off. The fields were deeper, and younger, back then and there were more teams with budgets: Saturn, Coors Light, Subaru Montgomery, LA Sheriffs, Shaklee, Falcon, Mercury.. off the top of my head. These teams were also able to steal good talent from outside the US too.

As one article pointed out, LA didn't do much other than promote himself....

 

[Race Radio]

Try Diane's and Shevek next time you're in Silver City, I enjoyed both.

Being I was in my 20's racing as a cat II 20 years ago (and raced against a lot of the guys hitting retirment age), I'd say racing is worse off. The fields were deeper, and younger, back then and there were more teams with budgets: Saturn, Coors Light, Subaru Montgomery, LA Sheriffs, Shaklee, Falcon, Mercury.. off the top of my head. These teams were also able to steal good talent from outside the US too.

As one article pointed out, LA didn't do much other than promote himself....

Very true. Where are the major consumer brands? There are none in the US peloton, used to be a bunch.

 

[ergmonkey]

Very true. Where are the major consumer brands? There are none in the US peloton, used to be a bunch.

Don't worry, I'm sure they will be tripping over one another in their rush to support U.S. road cycling as the federal investigation plays out.

 

[BroDeal]

Very true. Where are the major consumer brands? There are none in the US peloton, used to be a bunch.

It is also interesting that Versus gets precious few advertisers for its TdF broadcast. The income level of typical U.S. recreational cyclists should be an attractive demographic. Perhaps the number of viewers is not worth targeting.

 

[The Freak]

In what way is Wiggins being hypocritical? Unlike Millar and Garmin who wear their anti doping credentials on their sleeve and market their team this way, Wiggins has not done that. He made a point of not joining in the disapproval of Vino's return, stating that there was a lot of hypocrisy about this. He says Sky is not an anti doping team, it's just a team that happens not to dope. He's not a hypocrite at all.

He's not a doper either, as you can see from this years tour.

Seriously, guys, it's not that hard to understand why riders respect the legends of the sport. Away from the internet most people give other people great respect - it's only here that you get all the hatred and gossip.

 

[Mr.DNA]

In what way is Wiggins being hypocritical? Unlike Millar and Garmin who wear their anti doping credentials on their sleeve and market their team this way, Wiggins has not done that.

Yes he has. I will try to dig out a Cycle Sport interview from a few years ago for some quotes. As I remember he was extremely critical of dopers.

 

[BroDeal]

BPC returns.

 

[Hugh Januss]

The Freak- brand new user registers and immediately starts slamming regulars and posting only in threads where LA is discussed. I wonder who he might be.

 

[Mr.DNA]

BPC returns.

Thanks for pointing that out. I won't waste my time.

FWIW it's the Cycle Sport "Clean Issue," October 2006.

 

[The Freak]

Yes we all remember his desire to want to punch a team mate if he was in the same room after his team was thrown off the tour.

But he has developed a more mature approach has evidenced in his recent interviews. Of course he doesn't agree with doping - I'm sure he was against Eddie Merkx doping as well, and against his hero Tom Simpson doping - but he also recognises the reality about different eras of the sport.

These are intelligent adult people who don't live in a cartoon world.

 

[Realist]

I must be living in a parallel universe from Mr. Wiggins. Besides having a much more difficult time finding a place to eat in Silver City, NM during Gila, I can't for the life of me figure how Lance Armstrong has affected me?

Looking back at old magazines, talking to teammates and coaches who raced 15-20 years ago, it doesn't seem like cycling in the US has changed a whole lot. The Coors Classic has become the Tour of California, we still have Philly (barely), and domestic racers still have to have other jobs or live with their girlfriends. Drivers still hate me. What's changed?

Maybe he's brought strippers and blow to the UK or something?

This is an interesting point and perhaps worthy of its own thread?

 

[Valverde fanboy]

Thanks for pointing that out. I won't waste my time.

FWIW it's the Cycle Sport "Clean Issue," October 2006.

Yes he is against doping - nothing has changed there - but he does not live in a cartoonish moral universe where you're either evil or a saint. His hero is Tom Simpsin who was doped up to the eyeballs. You have to be a realist about the eras and what the top riders were doing and take that into account. The fact is Armstrong is one of the legends of the sport. I'm sure he likes Contador too despite his obvious doping in 09.

He has an adult mature approach to the issue and is careful not to be hypocritical. He's not like Millar and Garmin who market themselves on this issue.

But a better thread would for all those people who said Sky would stick Wiggins on a programme this year to repent before the forum!

If he was on a programme then I am a banana!

 

[pedaling squares]

Valverde fanboy = BPC

 

[Valverde fanboy]

Valverde fanboy = BPC

Yeah it's not really a secret. Jesus. I announced it in the mod thingy thread. You're supposed to be ignoring me and just reporting.

It's a tribute to mod Bala Verde who is a gay fanboy of the doper Valverde who is currently suspended.

 

[cody_57]

Wiggins?

Is Wiggins' sycophantic drivel and atttempt to secure a ride at RS next year?

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

Wiggo needs to go back to the track.

 

[NashbarShorts]

"Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong"....

Wow, I guess Wiggo forgot about Bassons, or perhaps Simeoni.

My favorite is Chann McRae, who got thrown out of Postal b/c he had the audacity to win Philly/Nationals over LA's lover, Jaw-ge Hincapie.

 

[durianrider]

I reckon next year he will be smashing it.

 

[131313]

"Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong"....



My favorite is Chann McRae, who got thrown out of Postal b/c he had the audacity to win Philly/Nationals over LA's lover, Jaw-ge Hincapie.

How can you possibly blame that on Lance? McRae should have known better. A couple of years prior, that's EXACTLY what led to Marty Jemison getting tossed. Didn't those guys get the memo? BFF George was supposed to win, no matter what.

 

[BikeCentric]

I must be living in a parallel universe from Mr. Wiggins. Besides having a much more difficult time finding a place to eat in Silver City, NM during Gila, I can't for the life of me figure how Lance Armstrong has affected me?

Looking back at old magazines, talking to teammates and coaches who raced 15-20 years ago, it doesn't seem like cycling in the US has changed a whole lot. The Coors Classic has become the Tour of California, we still have Philly (barely), and domestic racers still have to have other jobs or live with their girlfriends. Drivers still hate me. What's changed?

Maybe he's brought strippers and blow to the UK or something?

Don't forget that USA Cycling has for whatever reason raised annual license fees at a rate far above that of inflation in order to use all that money to seemingly not promote or grow the sport in any way whatsoever.

Not to mention they gobbled up NORBA and domestic mountain biking has probably 1/2 the number of participants than it did 10 years ago.

Yeah that "Lance Factor" has been pretty good for Trek and Nike and I think that's about it.

 

[BikeCentric]

Oh yeah and the San Francisco Grand Prix is gone because Tailwind decided they didn't want to pay the City of SF for the cops needed to close down the streets, after the last race of course.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Valverde fanboy = BPC

Yeah, he sent me a couple of PM's before they got him. He blames Bala Verde for banning him all the time. If that is the case I would like to nominate him for Mod of the Year.

 

[NashbarShorts]

Didn't those guys get the memo? BFF George was supposed to win, no matter what.

Yeah, I was at that race. Afterwards, poor Jaw-ge looked like he was SOOO going to get Lance and Johan to kick McRae out of the sorority.

You'd think winning Philly would be enough to secure a ride at the Tour. (Especially as a former high-school teammate of Lance's). Instead McRae got fired and the following year was riding for "Schroeder Iron", if I recall. That has got to be the biggest disgrace of a national jersey in recent memory...

(Well, that and LA getting Zomegnan to blacklist Simeoni from last year's Giro.)

 

[131313]

That has got to be the biggest disgraces of a national jersey in recent memory...

two words: Tyler Hamilton

As I said, the writing was on the wall. He followed the same career path as Jemison (Noble House, anyone?). Evidently, Jemison kissed enough behind to be on the tour bubble, but then made the cardinal sin of mentioning that "he'd like to win a stage in the stars and stripes while supporting Armstrong". Bench, meet Marty...

p.s. not only did Postal can him, but when he quit the sport then tried to get a rep job with Trek, they sent him a "you aren't qualified" letter in the mail. OUCH! The Arm of Strong is long...and vengeful!

 

[redtreviso]

I read an interview with Wiggins a while back...He really does believe in Lance.. He believes in that transformation thing.. He may not have cancer but he would probably like to so he could come back as a different kind of athlete. Wiggins is a fool. A special kind of fool..