Dear ASO (I want my EPO!) . . .

Originally Posted by serpico7

If this year is a taste of the future of pro cycling, I'd like my money back (oh, right, I never paid any money).

If the future involves only slightly doped riders marking each others every move with very few able to mount attacks, and only on the last climb of a stage involving 3 HC climbs, I'd rather not bother tuning in. Don't get me wrong, I thought the doping crackdown would result in a more level playing field. But I didn't realize how much of a killjoy it would be for the mountain stages.

How I miss the days of Ras and Contador unleashing viscious attacks on each other and on the poor wheelsuckers who tried to follow them. I would have paid to see the Cobra mixing it up with those two.

How I miss the very red-blooded (both figuratively and literally) Vinokurov racing to a stage win and into viewers' hearts.

How I miss Flandis' spectacular comeback in the grueling heat, where he had to pour gallons of water on himself to prevent his supercharged body from overheating.

How I miss the improbably large mountain climbing German striking fear in the enlarged hearts of smaller climbers with his relentless grinding of massive gears that make mere mortals' knees buckle at just the thought of turning Der Jan's pedals.

How I miss l'elefantino shifting into the drops and blowing the field to pieces. His love of the slopes on the road made me willing to turn a blind eye to his love of the slopes away from cycling.

And how I miss uni-ball. While his team's dominance took some of the suspense out of the race, watching Pharmstrong in the mountains was a joy. The attacks, the counterattacks, the dancing on the pedals, the look.

If the future of cycling is the whinging, wheelsucking Cadel Evans and Tours like this one, I beg you to reconsider. Please bring back Ras, Contador and the Cobra.

Regards,
Fan of the "old" cycling

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

-1.

I'd rather watch authentic rather than fake. Rather not have all the talented kids being pressured to risk their lives. Rather not have attrition be meaningless... with the ability to refuel whenever you needed to.

I don't think one race can be a fair sample to make a judgmernt, if dominant displays of physical strength and power is what you enjoy. I've enjoyed this year's race. And in any case... a doped peloton should be just as competitive against each other as a non-doped peloton. I have enjoyed this year's Giro and Tour de France... despite the fact that there are most likely dopers in both (Ricco in the Giro for sure).

I like to see human beings struggling against their natural physiologies and endurance barriers, not powering up climbs like robots.

Originally Posted by serpico7

If this year is a taste of the future of pro cycling, I'd like my money back (oh, right, I never paid any money).
<snip>
Regards,
Fan of the "old" cycling

Originally Posted by serpico7

If this year is a taste of the future of pro cycling, I'd like my money back (oh, right, I never paid any money).

If the future involves only slightly doped riders marking each others every move with very few able to mount attacks, and only on the last climb of a stage involving 3 HC climbs, I'd rather not bother tuning in. Don't get me wrong, I thought the doping crackdown would result in a more level playing field. But I didn't realize how much of a killjoy it would be for the mountain stages.

How I miss the days of Ras and Contador unleashing viscious attacks on each other and on the poor wheelsuckers who tried to follow them. I would have paid to see the Cobra mixing it up with those two.

How I miss the very red-blooded (both figuratively and literally) Vinokurov racing to a stage win and into viewers' hearts.

How I miss Flandis' spectacular comeback in the grueling heat, where he had to pour gallons of water on himself to prevent his supercharged body from overheating.

How I miss the improbably large mountain climbing German striking fear in the enlarged hearts of smaller climbers with his relentless grinding of massive gears that make mere mortals' knees buckle at just the thought of turning Der Jan's pedals.

How I miss l'elefantino shifting into the drops and blowing the field to pieces. His love of the slopes on the road made me willing to turn a blind eye to his love of the slopes away from cycling.

And how I miss uni-ball. While his team's dominance took some of the suspense out of the race, watching Pharmstrong in the mountains was a joy. The attacks, the counterattacks, the dancing on the pedals, the look.

If the future of cycling is the whinging, wheelsucking Cadel Evans and Tours like this one, I beg you to reconsider. Please bring back Ras, Contador and the Cobra.

Regards,
Fan of the "old" cycling

Originally Posted by serpico7

If this year is a taste of the future of pro cycling, I'd like my money back (oh, right, I never paid any money)...

Originally Posted by serpico7

If this year is a taste of the future of pro cycling, I'd like my money back (oh, right, I never paid any money).

If the future involves only slightly doped riders marking each others every move with very few able to mount attacks, and only on the last climb of a stage involving 3 HC climbs, I'd rather not bother tuning in. Don't get me wrong, I thought the doping crackdown would result in a more level playing field. But I didn't realize how much of a killjoy it would be for the mountain stages.

How I miss the days of Ras and Contador unleashing viscious attacks on each other and on the poor wheelsuckers who tried to follow them. I would have paid to see the Cobra mixing it up with those two.

How I miss the very red-blooded (both figuratively and literally) Vinokurov racing to a stage win and into viewers' hearts.

How I miss Flandis' spectacular comeback in the grueling heat, where he had to pour gallons of water on himself to prevent his supercharged body from overheating.

How I miss the improbably large mountain climbing German striking fear in the enlarged hearts of smaller climbers with his relentless grinding of massive gears that make mere mortals' knees buckle at just the thought of turning Der Jan's pedals.

How I miss l'elefantino shifting into the drops and blowing the field to pieces. His love of the slopes on the road made me willing to turn a blind eye to his love of the slopes away from cycling.

And how I miss uni-ball. While his team's dominance took some of the suspense out of the race, watching Pharmstrong in the mountains was a joy. The attacks, the counterattacks, the dancing on the pedals, the look.

If the future of cycling is the whinging, wheelsucking Cadel Evans and Tours like this one, I beg you to reconsider. Please bring back Ras, Contador and the Cobra.

Regards,
Fan of the "old" cycling

Originally Posted by Klodifan

hmmm... its an interesting argument.

in a perfect world, id love to see clean racing. we dont live in a perfect world, however.

I also dont think this years lackluster tour is b/c of guys backing off epo. clearly, the peloton is still dirty. I just dont see this as an epo issue at all, but a personality issue.

these guys are boring, so the race is boring. their dispositions lack the charisma that so many of the riders you referenced above have. except for valverde, b/c hes a star! too bad he crashed and cracked in the pyrenees. and ricco injected life into the tour until he was booted for injecting something else. the rest of the lot just dont have "it".

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

I don't agree it's a personality thing. Charisma doesn't suddenly make your legs able to power you up a hill 3 minutes faster. Valverde is regarded as a reasonably aggressive rider. Don't see him lighting it up too much.

Some of the anecdotal effects of dope (EPO) that I have heard are that you can't feel much (especially pain) in your legs. That would kinda help if you wanted to mount an attack on a climb.

Have any of you guys raced others on a bike up a hill before? It hurts.

Originally Posted by Klodifan

The previous two stages, and much of today's stage was ridden by guys who were too reticent about their attacking abilities. If this is the future of cycling, then it is in trouble. I havent heard overwhelming commentary about how exciting these stages have been. On the contrary, it has been incredibly boring. Too many guys within seconds of each other sounds exciting on the surface, but those results indicate that this lot lacks that something extra special, that something something that makes good riders great. Greatness, overcoming physical and mental challenges through amazing endurance and strength are qualities that inspire and draw people in.

Maybe Shakespeare can explain it better than I. He said:

"Be not afraid of greatness. some are born great, some acheive greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them".

Isnt it better to achieve greatness then to have it thrust upon you? These guys seem afraid of greatness. Whomever wins this year, and if they are seen as great, it is b/c le tour and its greatness, not b/c of his individual flair.

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

I think it's all relative. If the top six cyclists are all close in ability... the tactics are much more cat and mouse IMO than if you have one or two who are dominant. Do you honestly think that cyclists have this reserve of performance that they are "reticent" to express and they end up repressing it due to a lack of confidence and charisma?