Team Clean

thebluetrain

helmutRoole2

All those people who swore up one side and down the other that USP/Disco was clean are starting reemerged from out of avalanche of evidence to the contrary.

Welcome back BT.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

kennf

That is a great article. It actually gives me hope for the sport.

I liked Millar's question to Gripper: "How does Astana get a pro license?"

Also, Vaughters invited David Walsh to live with the team during Paris-Nice (unclear whether Walsh has accepted).

Finally, the bit about the rider who was disgusted with having to wear his old teams kit (since 2007 wasn't over), and says "I don't want to give those dirtbags a reason to come after me." Wonder who that rider was?

Bro Deal

The Z-Man???

Tommy D. seems very unhappy with Buyneel/Disco. Could be him.

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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

earth_dweller

My assumption is Tommy D.

Bro Deal

It has to be one of the riders on the left of the story, and one of those that was on a big team that had team doping. That leaves TD and Z-Man. With TD's displeasure at how he was treated on Disco, it has to be him.

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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

kennf

I don't know, I doubt Discovery would care if someone didn't wear their colors throught the end of the year, since the team is dead, but who knows. I guess it would be Tailwind "going after" someone, not Discovery. Maybe the rider was just going for some drama. There's riders from Discovery, Saunier Duval, CSC and Credit Agricole. Can't wait for ToC.

Frigo's Luggage

Tommy D is my guess. Did Vande Velde have an uncomfortable parting?

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We are all made of stars.

Casa

I noticed nobody said anything about this quote:

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Having a great time laughing at you morons!

slovakguy

wasn't d. millar's split with s. d. less than amicable? he'd be my bet for speaking sotto voce about his former managers. only caveat is over the use of "dirtbag" and if it has any currency in his circle.

on a side note, any thoughts on if they should strive for a "team win" concept or if they should focus on putting a rider forward?

__________________
"To Hell with poverty, we'll get drunk on cheap wine."
--Gang of Four, To Hell With Poverty

Bro Deal

Because of thise quoate:

Astana's new general manager is Johan Bruyneel, former director at Discovery/U.S. Postal, teams that never recorded a positive test but were continually dogged with allegations. Some men in the room chafed during their years at Discovery and don't bother to hide the ax they have to grind.

I think it's one of the Disco riders, and Tommy D. is much happier with his current team.

Millar may be the other good option becaue it looks like he ws one of the few that was interviewed a lot compared to most of the others.

__________________
"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

plectrum

Unfortunately for cycling I will predict that all Team Slipstream end up proving is that in cycling it is not possible to win clean. I have recently read a 12 page interview with Teamslipstream and Vaughters outlined his plan for the Grand Tours. It was bold and especially due to the set up of the Le Tour 08 he feels that if his team can capture yellow in the first 3 days they will hokd it for the next 7 or so. I just think that every emerging team will think like his and some will not be playing fair, doping with cyclists that are as good or better than his.

Good luck Johnny boy but you and your team needs to make sure that Concept Slipstream isn't just a flash in the pan.

slovakguy

yeah, i'm convinced it's a former usps/disco rider. they are the litigious types to hold a rider to the letter of his contract, the "ax" you've quoted, & "dirtbag" would have a greater currency in that group.

as for the other point, that's why i'm figuring they'd have to concentrate on team honours. a primary clean rider could not survive a bad day or two in the g.t.'s, while the team might very well cover for a rider sapped from the day before without significant penalty to their overall position.

__________________
"To Hell with poverty, we'll get drunk on cheap wine."
--Gang of Four, To Hell With Poverty

thebluetrain

USPS/Disco was clean. Never had a positive test.