BREAKING NEWS: ASTANA & HIGH ROAD BANNED FROM GIRO !!!!

[thunder]

Borat.


It's all spelt out in the book 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'

don't they play that Syrian dramatisation of the Protocols on SBS at about 1am on Sunday morning, actually monday morning.

"The Storm Always Rages Twice".

Hmm, think that is a Lebanese program, and not affiliated in anyway whatsoever with Hezbollah

 

[italiano]

Borat.


It's all spelt out in the book 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'

Vino was one of them?

 

[Cobblestones]

OMG, without Rasmussen or Contador, this year's TdF favorite would be ... Cadel???

 

[Powerful Pete]

It seems political to me re. CONI. Since when have the Italians been against doping?

LOL, it is all relative. Given the follow-up of some other national federations to investigate Puerto we Italians look pretty dog-gone good, thank you. After all, Basso lost TdF wins, and we have people of the caliber of Cunego and Ballan being tested two days in a row.

 

[earth_dweller]

Oh please, it's all Armstrong's doing... let's see he doesn't Contador to go to the Tour this year because he's afraid that he would win again, and again and win up to 8 Tours and get the record. He's ****** off at Garzelli cos he's prettier that LA. Now for High Road, he's ****** off at Hincapie because, because....

mmmm might need some work.

oh and for the record, of course I don't believe it.

 

[earth_dweller]

great quote from Angelo Zomegnan about why they didn't invite Astana in l'Equipe:

First, he says that he didn't invite them because Contador is only thinking of the Tour, and Leipheimer would only use the Giro as preparation. "If the race is not in their plans, well then we don't invite them."

Then he continues "and that is without remember all the scandals caused by this team in 2007. The team changed direction, it's true but we have to wait and see. You don't become a virgin again when you get up in the morning."


Ha! The dissing of the Giro does seem to be the reason that High Road was not invited. For me, the rejection of Aqua& Sapone is the big surprise here.

 

[Frigo's Luggage]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHAHA AHAHA AHAHA AHAHAHA, oh christ this is the funniest thing to happen in a long while.

You know why they are doing it, it is because Astana are cheats, Bruyneel is a cheat, Discovery were cheats, Armstrong was a cheat, Contador is a cheat.

I love this, enough is enough, stands are being taken and casualties occuring, yes they are all as guilty as each other but you can't ban everyone just those big enough to send shockwaves.

It will take a couple of years but I hope and pray cycling is on the road to recovery and can be seen as an example fo taking sports past doping.

Lance never tested positve. He was clean.

 

[italiano]

Thank you E-D. To ask respect is not unic with italians.

Surprise about Acqua e Sapone? Don’t be. This is inter-italian affair. Garzelli old goods to affect it.

 

[TheDarkLord]

great quote from Angelo Zomegnan about why they didn't invite Astana in l'Equipe:

First, he says that he didn't invite them because Contador is only thinking of the Tour, and Leipheimer would only use the Giro as preparation. "If the race is not in their plans, well then we don't invite them."

Then he continues "and that is without remember all the scandals caused by this team in 2007. The team changed direction, it's true but we have to wait and see. You don't become a virgin again when you get up in the morning."


Ha! The dissing of the Giro does seem to be the reason that High Road was not invited. For me, the rejection of Aqua& Sapone is the big surprise here.

Do you think dissing the Giro is the sole reason for not inviting teams, or is it more an excuse (and valid by itself of course) to avoid teams that are potentially involved in doping scandals?

 

[earth_dweller]

Do you think dissing the Giro is the sole reason for not inviting teams, or is it more an excuse (and valid by itself of course) to avoid teams that are potentially involved in doping scandals?

DiLuca and his team were invited. Nothing clean there.

I think they are using the excuse of doping & dissing the Giro to assert their power and take care of old 'hurts'.

 

[Crankyfeet]

DiLuca and his team were invited. Nothing clean there.

I think they are using the excuse of doping & dissing the Giro to assert their power and take care of old 'hurts'.

Agreed. FWMOW.

 

[Crankyfeet]

It seems like this RCS throwing of weight is really another big blow to sponsors just when we don't need it IMO. Whatever your take on some of these teams.. it's obvious its political. Pay backs for old time sake are just too damn arbitrary.

As Team High Road's Marco Pinotti explains...even the Pro Tour was better than this. At least you knew where you stood re. policy and invites.

 

[cyclingheroes]

It seems like this RCS throwing of weight is really another big blow to sponsors just when we don't need it IMO. Whatever your take on some of these teams.. it's obvious its political. Pay backs for old time sake are just too damn arbitrary.

As Team High Road's Marco Pinotti explains...even the Pro Tour was better than this. At least you knew where you stood re. policy and invites.

I like Pinotti a lot, good rider - smart guy. But its not really new. Ask the riders of Unibet.com what their Pro-Tour license was worth in 2007... The sponsor (Unibet.com) left the sport...

 

[Crankyfeet]

I like Pinotti a lot, good rider - smart guy. But its not really new. Ask the riders of Unibet.com what their Pro-Tour license was worth in 2007... The sponsor (Unibet.com) left the sport...

Uni-bet was a fairly unique case though. Without the Pro Tour guarantees in the GT's now... it is hard for sponsors to know for certain if they are goping to get a return on investment in the biggest races. They may not even get to start in them, based on the whim of a few personalities running these events.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Uni-bet was a fairly unique case though. Without the Pro Tour guarantees in the GT's now... it is hard for sponsors to know for certain if they are goping to get a return on investment in the biggest races. They may not even get to start in them, based on the whim of a few personalities running these events.

Unibet was the first act of this show. Astana & co is the second act. I am asking myself what plot they will have...

 

[thunder]

Unibet was the first act of this show. Astana & co is the second act. I am asking myself what plot they will have...

they will hurt their brand tho.

Unless the Swiss registered medical team come in REALLY HOT, what will they do. I do not recognise any names. Gatesie would be their team leader!

 

[whiteboytrash]

Unibet was the first act of this show. Astana & co is the second act. I am asking myself what plot they will have...

Its the American connection..... Hincapie/Stapleton = High Road & Bruyneel/Levi et al = Astana. RCS know singlehandly Hincapie/Bruyneel raped the the sport in the early 2000's. Yes everyone was taking gear but these guys took it to a level that had never been seen before. In addition to this its UCI payback. US POSTAL/Disco were part of the UCI globalisation scheme of cycling... therefore they would never ever test positive. Its pay back for the UCI fudging the results for years on end. Control is back with the Grand Tours and thats how it should remain. Bruyneel now has to pay for his years of **** stirring and backhanders. He should have left the sport when he was told to leave.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Its the American connection..... Hincapie/Stapleton = High Road & Bruyneel/Levi et al = Astana. RCS know singlehandly Hincapie/Bruyneel raped the the sport in the early 2000's. Yes everyone was taking gear but these guys took it to a level that had never been seen before. In addition to this its UCI payback. US POSTAL/Disco were part of the UCI globalisation scheme of cycling... therefore they would never ever test positive. Its pay back for the UCI fudging the results for years on end. Control is back with the Grand Tours and thats how it should remain. Bruyneel now has to pay for his years of **** stirring and backhanders. He should have left the sport when he was told to leave.

Not forgetting the fact that Bruyneel and Armstrong effectively snubbed RCS by focussing entirely on the TdF.

 

[earth_dweller]

As I learned on another site...

NGC-Medical are Swiss registered but they ride Fondriest bikes, have an Italian DS, and a heavily Italian roster. The most important point in their favor, however, has to be this: Leonardo Moser rides for them. L. Moser is the nephew of Francesco Moser.

Now that one makes sense to me.

 

[Bro Deal]

LOL. Get his. Bruyneel is now complaining about IPCT members possibly going back on an agreement. Anyone think he'll live up to the previous agreement and get rid of Cantador?

"Above all, we hope, for the Tour of Italy as well as for cycling in general, that the Giro can go on. All IPCT members decided in their General Assembly of January 17th not to participate in races where Pro-continental teams start, if their riders do not have a biological passport."