Cyclingnews letters section

[Runitout]

I just had to post about this.

http://www.cyclingnews.com.au/letters.php?id=letters/2008/05-01letters

There's so much goodness in these letters, I just don't know where to start. I learnt today that Hamilton and Evans are definitely clean (he can just tell, all the way from Australia), that Millar gave a full confession, that neither Armstrong nor the entire USPS team ever failed a dope test, and the fact that several riders were really really quick up Plateau de Beille last TDF means that the performance of those riders isn't actually that good. I also learnt that if you post a fast time on a never-to-be-repeated, down-hill, tailwind TT, that you are thereby disqualified from talking about a repeat performance on a hill in a mountain stage of the Tour.

That god for the readers of Cyclingnews. I haven't learnt so much in a long time.

 

[thunder]

I just had to post about this.

http://www.cyclingnews.com.au/letters.php?id=letters/2008/05-01letters

There's so much goodness in these letters, I just don't know where to start. I learnt today that Hamilton and Evans are definitely clean (he can just tell, all the way from Australia), that Millar gave a full confession, that neither Armstrong nor the entire USPS team ever failed a dope test, and the fact that several riders were really really quick up Plateau de Beille last TDF means that the performance of those riders isn't actually that good. I also learnt that if you post a fast time on a never-to-be-repeated, down-hill, tailwind TT, that you are thereby disqualified from talking about a repeat performance on a hill in a mountain stage of the Tour.

That god for the readers of Cyclingnews. I haven't learnt so much in a long time.

idiots

 

[classic1]

You read the cyclingnews letters page? Why do you people do these things to yourselves?

 

[thunder]

You read the cyclingnews letters page? Why do you people do these things to yourselves?

cos they're ghey

 

[TheDarkLord]

You read the cyclingnews letters page? Why do you people do these things to yourselves?

1. Some people get pleasure from bashing the tools who write those letters.
2. Some people are gluttons for punishment.

 

[rob of the og]

idiots

LOL, that Basso letter was going so well until it mentioned Hamilton...

 

[whiteboytrash]

LOL, that Basso letter was going so well until it mentioned Hamilton...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0btIj7StmQ

- I mean look at him.... no helmet and trying to shake hands with someone in a car ! Has the boy learnt nothing ?

 

[huboon]

A gem from today's batch:

Slipstream, Astana and Le Tour

After stage 5 of the Giro, Slipstream is ranking 20 and 21 out of 22 in the two team's competitions. Enough about Slipstream having earned a Tour invite. Keep them if you want, but also invite Astana. It's time to take decision making out of the hands of a bunch of jaded, fat, old men and make the sensible choices. There are no dopers on Astana. If you want to kick out another team, make it CSC. Their manager, by his own admission, won the Tour by doping.

Tom Lewis
Smyrna, DE, USA
Wednesday, 14 May 2008

 

[Wayne666]

A gem from today's batch:

I grew up in DE and strangely feel some sort of guilt by association, probably because the stupidity of that letter is so far-reaching.

 

[thunder]

"The no dopers on Astana" line has an astonishing totalitarian regime propaganda feel to it.

Just cos you say it, does not make it so, infact, it is enlightening, even the need to issue such a denial. Think Bush at war, African heads of state with civil wars or overturned elections, Kim Jong Il, etc etc etc.

 

[poulidor]

I grew up in DE and strangely feel some sort of guilt by association, probably because the stupidity of that letter is so far-reaching.

We understand your position and we are supporting you in your momentary dismay...

 

[poulidor]

Is cyclingnews bound to publish these kind of stupid letters?
Or are they stupid too?

 

[Ava Marie]

"There are no dopers on Astana" something tells me this is said with a wave of the hand

"These are not the droids you are looking for"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnjaUoR15dU

 

[Tech72]

Agreed, the "there are no dopers on Astana" quote is way out in left field and pure ****. There are no saints among JB's boys.

However, the guy does have a certain point. Why is Astana the only team punished by not being invited to the Tour while other teams with just as bad and well publicized history of doping, ie CSC, Cofidis, High Road by another name, etc. are all "innocent"? Yes, there's the backroom drama between the UCI, ASO, Astana, JB, the Easter Bunny, Santa, etc, etc. But for the sake of consistency and administering rational rules, if you condemn one for a crime, you have to condemn the other guilty parties for the same crime.

 

[thunder]

Agreed, the "there are no dopers on Astana" quote is way out in left field and pure ****. There are no saints among JB's boys.

However, the guy does have a certain point. Why is Astana the only team punished by not being invited to the Tour while other teams with just as bad and well publicized history of doping, ie CSC, Cofidis, High Road by another name, etc. are all "innocent"? Yes, there's the backroom drama between the UCI, ASO, Astana, JB, the Easter Bunny, Santa, etc, etc. But for the sake of consistency and administering rational rules, if you condemn one for a crime, you have to condemn the other guilty parties for the same crime.

there is doping, and then there is doping.

bruyneel was effectively stealing the tour with his transfusions last year.

if Levi did not get a mechanical in stage ten or wherever and lost 20 seconds as a sanction, and could have ridden for himself, he would have won the Tour with that last transfused tt. Contador obviously got transfused too.

 

[Eldrack]

Why do people send letters in to Cyclingnews when they could come here and get abused for being idiots by you guys? It'd be so much more fun for everyone .

 

[Ava Marie]

Agreed, the "there are no dopers on Astana" quote is way out in left field and pure ****. There are no saints among JB's boys.

However, the guy does have a certain point. Why is Astana the only team punished by not being invited to the Tour while other teams with just as bad and well publicized history of doping, ie CSC, Cofidis, High Road by another name, etc. are all "innocent"? Yes, there's the backroom drama between the UCI, ASO, Astana, JB, the Easter Bunny, Santa, etc, etc. But for the sake of consistency and administering rational rules, if you condemn one for a crime, you have to condemn the other guilty parties for the same crime.

No team comes remotely close to the level of BS that Astana has showered on the ASO over the last 3 years. The teams you suggest are not in the same league. You forget that Astana showed up to the 2006 tour with 5 riders involved with Opration Puerto. In 2007 they had two riders, Vino and Kash, who were sitting in the top 10 on GC test postive for transfusions. Testosterone is very simple to do on your own, transfusions are an organized program. They has 3 other riders test postive last year alone. Then they go out and hire Johann "The Hog" perhaps the most famous doping DS in cycling?

CSC, High Road, etc.....they have nothing on the dopers in Astana.

 

[whiteboytrash]

No team comes remotely close to the level of BS that Astana has showered on the ASO over the last 3 years. The teams you suggest are not in the same league. You forget that Astana showed up to the 2006 tour with 5 riders involved with Opration Puerto. In 2007 they had two riders, Vino and Kash, who were sitting in the top 10 on GC test postive for transfusions. Testosterone is very simple to do on your own, transfusions are an organized program. They has 3 other riders test postive last year alone. Then they go out and hire Johann "The Hog" perhaps the most famous doping DS in cycling?

CSC, High Road, etc.....they have nothing on the dopers in Astana.

It was also the contempt they had for cycling in general. Not all would have seen the Dauphine last year; the way they treated race was a disgrace. Winning stages at will then dropping off when they wanted to waving to the cameras on the way out the back. It made an absolute mockery of the sport & to those (mainly French) riding clean. If the Hog is smart as he'd like us all to believe then why did he go to Astana ? Surely with all his Tour winning experience he'd have a lot more to offer at another team. The problem is his '**** you' stance he has on cycling. He rarely looks at the bigger picture. Bruyneel is not a very intelligent man. The 'we are the new Astana' is more a cover for the Lance years than so much this year.

 

[Crankyfeet]

I just can't work out the anti-Slipstream sentiment in America?... . Especially considering the team is domiciled in the US.

Is it because their existence increases the pressure on the JB's, Astana's, and Armstrong's of this world?

The one team that is proclaiming to be clean coming near to last in the teams competition says something about the rest.

 

[fscyclist]

I just can't work out the anti-Slipstream sentiment in America?... . Especially considering the team is domiciled in the US.

Is it because their existence increases the pressure on the JB's, Astana's, and Armstrong's of this world?

The one team that is proclaiming to be clean coming near to last in the teams competition says something about the rest.

Top reasons.
1. Self-righteous - no one likes the schoolyard tattle-tale or teacher's pet
2. Vaughters' glasses
3. Vaughters' sideburns
4. David Millar and his pansy ass bike throwing attempt. I'm surprised he was able to lift it off the ground.
5. Hypocrisy
6. Argyle