If you want to use a one word description how about greed?

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

This is part of the shake-up we had to have. I really don't hold any hope that cycling will root out doping on principle, the greed is too great. But when the biggest sponsors start pulling out one after another, and pro cycling finds up the creek without a paddle, then if what is seemingly is the main motivator - the hip pocket - gets a hit they may perhaps start to get serious about it.

Too bad so many clean riders and support personel have to have their livelihoods ruined.

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Did you know that 64.3% of all statistics are just made up?

The unfortunate paradox though is that as the sponsorship $$$ dry-up, the sport will need to spend more and more $$$ on dope-testing.

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This is great news for them to pull out; a few more real big ones and cycling can die for a few years, get their poop together and start over.


Life is starting to look good in the pack.

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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

When will Hincapie announce he is going to Astana?

I wonder how this works from a legal standpoint regarding the team riders and staff. They are truly farked when this happens this late in the year. The chance of finding another team is low. Contracts are supposed to be submitted to the UCI in just over two weeks. It seems like they would have a legal case against T-Mobile.

Who is on T Mobile these days? There have been so many changes over the last two years I have lost track of things. Hincapie. Rogers. Gerdemann.

What the hell does Rogers do? If he has any thoughts about winning the Tour, they are gone for next season. There is no way he can find a team that will support him. A single day rider like Hincapie can probably find a place for himself that will support his attempts at P-R and Flanders, but Rogers is buggered.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Time for the Australian goverment to step in through a quango like "Telstra" and do an Astana.

But unlikely considering a new goverment was elected a week ago.

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Sad but probably true. Ultimately it will be the money that will cause changes.

2008 is looking to be a disaster. There are a lot more sponsors that are slated to leave. Then there is still the possibility that Astana will implode. How big would that be--to have T-Mob and Astana go?

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

I think the odds on Astana imploding a higher than what they make out. I don't think they did their homework on what the sponsors ultimately wanted. Though the excuse thay give of not wanting to channel funds through Biver is plausible.

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Some of the new reports imply that T-Mobile will continue to fund the team because they have a contract through 2010 but they do not want their brand name associated with the sport. You know things are bad when something like that happens. Ouch!

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

According to posters on other boards, T-Mobile bought out their contract and handed a large sum over to Stapleton; so there is no money problems for the team.

I wonder if Stapleton hit T-Mob with evidence of complicity in doping to increase the settlement.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Maybe they'll do an Omega Pharm and change to one of their product names. A quick perusal of their US web-site brought forth the possibilities:

MyFaves

and

Familytime


But I don't know what the German plans are called.

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"We have worked hard with the current team management to create a cleaner sport of cycling. We have now decided to put our money to other uses," Akhavan said.

What utter bull****e. T-Mobile wanted results, when it was revealed what that took, they want to slink away and act like they were trying to be part of the solution. Screw them! For my small tiny part, I will not be buying any T-Mobile services. While I loathe Armstrong because of who he is, for the most part I feel for the riders because they take the fall.

Where will Hincape go?

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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein

TM leaves cycling

http://www.cyclingheroes.info/id993.html

A story about greed is in the making...

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Cycling pictures


www.cyclingheroes-pictures.com

Can Hincapie win the Tour !

You know Bro, I am not so sure about that. Most of the races will still be held, and because of the shake-up, we should be able to expect some surprise winners. I think the cycling will be good in the initial part of the season. Unfortunately, it will only take one thing, like Betini finally getting busted, to wipe race sponsors away....then we will be screwed....on 2nd thought, maybe you are right.

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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein