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Zabriskie - non-denial of the day

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Colm.Murphy

Colm.Murphy

Feb 21, 2010
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From the latest CN article:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/zabriskie-zones-in-on-amgen-tour-of-california

Claiming his "slipped seatpost" ruined his Tour last year? This is hard to swallow. Not because a post slipping is uncommon but that it was not caught and than it caused such a grave reduction in his ability. I am doubtful of his claim.

Next, the comments regarding Landis, and the very clear lack of anything resembling a direct denial, is also jarring. He termed reading his name in the email "unpleasant". I have to believe this is intentionally being left open to interpretation so as to not have to make a public statement that could bite him later on.

Mr. Z-man, if you doped, simply admit the mistake and take your medicine. JV made it clear you would not lose your job. My hope is that if you were called to testify, you were open and honest and can put this behind you, and that you've been racing clean. Might be a lot to ask for but hope must have a root somewhere. Why not here?
 
JPM London

JPM London

Apr 13, 2010
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Colm.Murphy said:
From the latest CN article:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/zabriskie-zones-in-on-amgen-tour-of-california

Claiming his "slipped seatpost" ruined his Tour last year? This is hard to swallow. Not because a post slipping is uncommon but that it was not caught and than it caused such a grave reduction in his ability. I am doubtful of his claim.

Next, the comments regarding Landis, and the very clear lack of anything resembling a direct denial, is also jarring. He termed reading his name in the email "unpleasant". I have to believe this is intentionally being left open to interpretation so as to not have to make a public statement that could bite him later on.

Mr. Z-man, if you doped, simply admit the mistake and take your medicine. JV made it clear you would not lose your job. My hope is that if you were called to testify, you were open and honest and can put this behind you, and that you've been racing clean. Might be a lot to ask for but hope must have a root somewhere. Why not here?
Click to expand...

Don't forget that some people might not really be at liberty to say very much as they might be involved in certain procedings...
 
lean mean &green

lean mean &green

Jun 22, 2009
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Colm.Murphy said:
Next, the comments regarding Landis, and the very clear lack of anything resembling a direct denial, is also jarring. He termed reading his name in the email "unpleasant". I have to believe this is intentionally being left open to interpretation so as to not have to make a public statement that could bite him later on.

Mr. Z-man, if you doped, simply admit the mistake and take your medicine. JV made it clear you would not lose your job. My hope is that if you were called to testify, you were open and honest and can put this behind you, and that you've been racing clean. Might be a lot to ask for but hope must have a root somewhere. Why not here?
Click to expand...

JV isn't his only worry. it was rumored that USADA would show leniency on those who confess but that's unlikely amnesty, probably just a reduced suspension of 2 years to 1 for instance. that's still not much of a deal when you can keep your mouth shut and get no suspension whatsoever.

zabriskie's response to landis, or avoidance of the topic, makes things pretty clear. he's an interesting personality. from what i remember he's never really bashed landis like you'd expect from someone who is innocent or guilty. i think he's naturally a straight shooter and hates the double speak but he doesn't hate it enough to do anything stupid like making a full confession. there's even an outside chance he's cooperating with federal investigators, who knows?
 
F

flicker

BANNED
Aug 17, 2009
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Colm.Murphy said:
From the latest CN article:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/zabriskie-zones-in-on-amgen-tour-of-california

Claiming his "slipped seatpost" ruined his Tour last year? This is hard to swallow. Not because a post slipping is uncommon but that it was not caught and than it caused such a grave reduction in his ability. I am doubtful of his claim.

Next, the comments regarding Landis, and the very clear lack of anything resembling a direct denial, is also jarring. He termed reading his name in the email "unpleasant". I have to believe this is intentionally being left open to interpretation so as to not have to make a public statement that could bite him later on.

Mr. Z-man, if you doped, simply admit the mistake and take your medicine. JV made it clear you would not lose your job. My hope is that if you were called to testify, you were open and honest and can put this behind you, and that you've been racing clean. Might be a lot to ask for but hope must have a root somewhere. Why not here?
Click to expand...

I do not exactly understand how it would be beneficial to DZ or Garmin to admit he was a doper. I do not believe he was of course he would have had much better results if he had doped. If I was DZs boss and he admitted to doping I would have to fire him.
 
J

jae2460

Aug 19, 2010
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flicker said:
I do not exactly understand how it would be beneficial to DZ or Garmin to admit he was a doper. I do not believe he was of course he would have had much better results if he had doped. If I was DZs boss and he admitted to doping I would have to fire him.
Click to expand...

If memory serves me correctly, he beat Lance Armstrong and everyone else (including known dopers) in the Tour de France time trial and wore the yellow jersey in the TdF and isn't he the only American to win stages in all 3 grand tours? He's not exactly a bad rider, maybe a bit inconsistent compared to some stage racers but he was a bit of a time trial specialist and has been trying to be more of an all-rounder in recent years with mixed success.
 
F

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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jae2460 said:
If memory serves me correctly, he beat Lance Armstrong and everyone else (including known dopers) in the Tour de France time trial and wore the yellow jersey in the TdF and isn't he the only American to win stages in all 3 grand tours? He's not exactly a bad rider, maybe a bit inconsistent compared to some stage racers but he was a bit of a time trial specialist and has been trying to be more of an all-rounder in recent years with mixed success.
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He beat a lot of people in TTs yes. He has not been able to show consistentcy in longer stage races. He has crashed out. Really it shows me he is an excellent TT man and he rides all out. That does not mean anything doping related as far as what Landis says.
What he said in the interview is consistent with what a rider of his potential would do. If he has the preparation and the other riders do not have the preparation he can achieve mightly. Dave is more suited to a 1 week race where he can get an excellent focus on. The 3 week thing is for a select group. He is to good to use as a domestique.
 
TubularBills

TubularBills

Sep 15, 2010
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Charged Then, clean now?

I like Z, and granted this is out of context, but, 'started dwindling':

“Our friendship started dwindling after he went positive and then the last contact I had with him was maybe in March last year.”

Sounds like, 'Scared Straight'.

Hey, Captain America: tell us what's up!
 
Granville57

Granville57

Dec 7, 2010
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There are a few points of interest in this article.
I must admit, this particular sentence reads quite strange:
“All the physiotherapy staff were hitting me with therapies and they raised my saddle up and I was able to help Ryder Hesjedal for a few days and finish the Tour but I didn’t get what I wanted from it.”
Click to expand...
It almost comes off as a rough language translation. As if it took an entire staff to raise his saddle? The whole thing just doesn't resonate well. I have to wonder if he was misquoted slightly or if the story was written too hastily.

As far Zabriskie's performance over the years, most people seem to forget (or never knew to begin with) just how many career threatening injuries he has had. I can only imagine the toll that takes on a pro rider over time as physical issues are bound to resurface unexpectedly.
One example:
David’s career has not been without set backs. David has been hit by cars four times – the last of which nearly ended his career. In May of 2003 David was descending a canyon in Salt Lake City Utah when an SUV made a left hand turn directly into him. The accident left David in a wheelchair for months. Slowly he was able to graduate to a walker and then, through much rehabilitation and determination, he walked, and eventually, rode his bike again.
Click to expand...
http://davezabriskie.com/ztest/?page_id=2


If one wants to consider any performance "suspicious," the only one I might point to would be the inaugural ToC in 2006 when he finished 2nd overall, by .29, to FLandis who we now know, with certainty, was doped. Speaking of Floyd (and I hope I'm not incurring any wrath here since it is part of both the article and the OP) I have long wondered why nobody seems to have approached Zabriskie with much of anything in regards to Floyd in the last five years. I don't even remember coming across a "no comment" comment from Z-Man. It seem inexplicable to me.

They were roommates and, reportedly, very close friends. Their antics together on USPS--the stuff of legend. So besides the fact that he has not weighed in at all on the topic (and I've been waiting), he doesn't even seem to have been asked...until this very interview. That makes no sense to me whatsoever (unless I've missed something).

Here they were in better times:
http://books.google.com/books?id=c8UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=bicycling+magazine+august+2006+landis&source=bl&ots=2ci8dfFvx5&sig=fKd8nzyCRKa-0tUyTHNG2cB5cfM&hl=en&ei=FFpXTfjGIcPKgQfvibmlDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=bicycling%20magazine%20august%202006%20landis&f=false

(Strangely, that was the only link I could find. There used to be many more to that article :confused:)
 
hrotha

hrotha

Jun 10, 2010
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I'm not sure what you found jarring in what Zabriskie said. He said he didn't know if it was the right thing - if Landis were lying it would clearly be the wrong thing, so Zabriskie is obviously referring to its impact on cycling (he can't be objective, of course). He says reading his name in the mails was unpleasant, and I'm sure it was. So, I would say he's telling the truth, without even bothering to twisting it. He's not confessing but he's not being a cynical *******, not saying "I've never had any problem with doping" or anything of the sort. I very much prefer his attitude to others.
 
craig1985

craig1985

May 6, 2009
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Well Dave Z did ride solo for entire Vuelta stage in 2004 to get the win, I guess it was helped that Piti crashed, but still. I agree with BroDeal, he doped when at USPS, and at CSC, but not now.
 
J

jimmypop

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Jul 16, 2010
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Anyone who thinks this guy was Landis' roommate and didn't also participate in doping is pretty fecking dense.
 
F

flicker

BANNED
Aug 17, 2009
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jimmypop said:
Anyone who thinks this guy was Landis' roommate and didn't also participate in doping is pretty fecking dense.
Click to expand...

Yes I do remember the fateful espresso binge they shared!
 
O

Orinda8

Jun 22, 2010
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I agree with the previous poster that it is strange how no one has asked Z in an interview about his relation of FL. As soon as FL made his statement I sent Z an e-mail asking him to come clean. He seems to be throwing FL under the bus in this interview, downplaying the close friendship they had. He did not just share an apartment in Spain but over here there were frequent trips between his home in Utah and Floyd's house in Calif, I think there was even a room set aside for him in FL's Ca house. There was one interview I read where Z in Utah called FL in Ca complaining about how tired he was from training(they were already on separate teams then); "that's how you are supposed to feel" stated FL. Did he further suggest what doping regimen would help Z??? Come clean DZ
 
Willy_Voet

Willy_Voet

May 2, 2009
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One time FL and DZ were at breakfast and DZ asked FL to pass the "orange juice." Thinly veiled reference to Michele Ferrari so I think we can safely say that DZ was using EPO.

JV has more explaining to do as to why he runs the dirtiest team in the peloton.
 
S

SC1990

May 22, 2009
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Willy_Voet said:
One time FL and DZ were at breakfast and DZ asked FL to pass the "orange juice." Thinly veiled reference to Michele Ferrari so I think we can safely say that DZ was using EPO.
Click to expand...

My god. Perish the thought that he was just asking for orange juice at breakfast. That must have made breakfast really tricky in France, I wonder what you ask for if you want orange juice? (Obviously you don't ask for 'orange juice, that would be ridiculous!)
 
Willy_Voet

Willy_Voet

May 2, 2009
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SC1990 said:
My god. Perish the thought that he was just asking for orange juice at breakfast. That must have made breakfast really tricky in France, I wonder what you ask for if you want orange juice? (Obviously you don't ask for 'orange juice, that would be ridiculous!)
Click to expand...

Look, there are two groups of people in the world who ask for orange juice: Those who want a tasty citrus based beverage loaded with vitamin C and Ferrari clients. I think we know which group FL and DZ belong to.
 
M

mwbyrd

Apr 7, 2009
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Colm.Murphy said:
Why not here?
Click to expand...

Colm,

No offense, but why do you spend so much time reading between the lines trying to discredit everything you read and come to the assumption "they/he/she is a doper"? Do you really expect every rider to just come out and say I'm a doper? Why would you expect them to do so knowing they would lose their jobs/livelihood?

Have these riders personally affected you? Taken your job as a pro rider? Just curious.

Thanks,

Mike
 
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