I don't agree with your sentiment. We here in CF know that LA was as doped as his competitors. I would think that most people in the public don't know/realize this, and still look at him as a hero, and as a role model. It is good to educate these people on the reality of the situation. Also, the other reason why most here are especially ****** with LA is that he got away with his doping for 7 years with Tour wins thanks to his connections to the UCI.plectrum said:Perhaps Lance should start one titled 'Get a life, you bitter twisted freak'
This is quite boring really who cares everyone doped Lance was still the best, perhaps Scott should realise that if his father was cycling in the group one/two generations younger he would have also been doped to the eyeballs.
I know it is **** but it is very hard to make a decision to be clean when you know that means losing, not just one race but for your whole career.
The cycling authorities allowed it to get out of hand and they are the ones to blame not the individuals.
TheDarkLord said:I don't agree with your sentiment. We here in CF know that LA was as doped as his competitors. I would think that most people in the public don't know/realize this, and still look at him as a hero, and as a role model. It is good to educate these people on the reality of the situation. Also, the other reason why most here are especially ****** with LA is that he got away with his doping for 7 years with Tour wins thanks to his connections to the UCI.
I agree that he wasn't the only one riding doped who wasn't being caught. And he just rode the best of the doped bunch. But I also agree with your point that the system provided an environment where they either doped, or quit, or rode way under their comparative ability level. And the only way to really solve this problem is to expose the corruption in the governing body and other administrators of the sport that helped create this rotten system... so that they can be replaced with a new ethos and dedication to not repeat the evils of the past. Whilst corruption, fraud and lies are not exposed.... crime pays and it continues to live on...plectrum said:The Dark Lord / Micron
It will do absolutely no good for an Armstrong related saga to hit cycling, actually it could destroy it. Also everyone here seems to forget exactly what Armstrong did for global cycling amongst the general public. During le Tours, his cycling was brilliant and regardless of doping he was still better than the rest.
I was always an Ulrich fan, maybe because he was from Europe, maybe becuase he was a goliath. He was smashed each time by Lance, not because of dope but because the latter was better prepared mentally and physically for the competition.
You talk about corruption and place it firmly on Armstrong's shoulders but if it wasn't for Festina / Puerto we would never have known about countless other cyclists. Do you think UCI was bribed all these years or do you think that on occasions it has become too obvious for authorities to ignore.
Yes the situation has been **** and got way out of hand but there is no way it is one man's fault, especially a cyclist who only really ever wanted to cycle on one competition each year.
LeMond needs to get on with his own life and forget about someone who really has little to do with him or his career.
I agree that it's not one man's fault. I think the Festina revelations had nothing to do with UCI and everything to do with French Customs busting ***** Voet and the gendarmarie raiding team hotels.plectrum said:...
You talk about corruption and place it firmly on Armstrong's shoulders but if it wasn't for Festina / Puerto we would never have known about countless other cyclists. Do you think UCI was bribed all these years or do you think that on occasions it has become too obvious for authorities to ignore.
Yes the situation has been **** and got way out of hand but there is no way it is one man's fault...
It isn't really baloney though, Trek bikes are absolutely huge, Specialized is a US company, Marin is a US company, Giant is a Taiwanese company and Ridgeback .. dunno but doesn't sound German, Italian or French!Powerful Pete said:I continue to be amazed by statements that cycling was globalised by the likes of Armstrong, and that proving him to be a doper would destroy cycling.
Baloney. As we have stated time and time again, the heartland of cycling is Europe. That is that. This is where crowds of people gather in bars to watch the world road race championships and 60 y.o. guys (who have never raced) smoke cigarettes, drink beer and comment on whether Bettini sprinted in a 53X13 or something else.
Cycling in countries like the US has been a great boost, especially to bicycle and component producers, but it is my belief that it will always remain a niche.
Armstrong didnt have any either, still doesnt. He has big PR campaigns etc... but never a personality.plectrum said:....and Indurain had 0 personality!
ego does not = charisma.oely said:Armstrong didnt have any either, still doesnt. He has big PR campaigns etc... but never a personality.
+1.oely said:Armstrong didnt have any either, still doesnt. He has big PR campaigns etc... but never a personality.
And to think, I almost drafted a rational, sincere reply. Thank goodness I read this paragraph first. I've written this progression down before:plectrum said:I know we want to all see honesty and openess but firstly it will never ever happen, Armstrong doesn't ride professionaly any more and so will never EVER fail a drug test. The nearest was some BS about EPO but that was so clouded in **** it shouldn't have ever reached the press and to be honest if it wasn't in Le (I hate USA) Monde then the editor would have been sacked.
So, what are you trying to say here? Did the immense crowd at the start of the Tour in London come because of Armstrong's fame or not? I really cannot infer what you mean by the last sentence.plectrum said:It isn't really baloney though, Trek bikes are absolutely huge, Specialized is a US company, Marin is a US company, Giant is a Taiwanese company and Ridgeback .. dunno but doesn't sound German, Italian or French!
I know it is great to think of cycling as Campagnolo & Colnago but isn't it this part of cycling which is miniscule. You can talk about Europe but when le Tour started in London last year the crowds were immense and how many of these associate what they see with Armstorng's fame.
Since you obviously are the patriot/Armstrong is an American hero type who believes cycling would have died if it weren't for him, I have a suggested sport for you to investigate. Professional Wrestling is filled with flags and contests that the faithful believe are real athletic competitions. It is a great sport for hero worshiping types like you who blind themselves to reality. In fact, I would be surprised if you were not already intimately familiar with the personalities involved in the sport.plectrum said:I know we want to all see honesty and openess but firstly it will never ever happen, Armstrong doesn't ride professionaly any more and so will never EVER fail a drug test. The nearest was some BS about EPO but that was so clouded in **** it shouldn't have ever reached the press and to be honest if it wasn't in Le (I hate USA) Monde then the editor would have been sacked.
folks, remind me to feed this guythoughtforfood said:Since you obviously are the patriot/Armstrong is an American hero type who believes cycling would have died if it weren't for him, I have a suggested sport for you to investigate. Professional Wrestling is filled with flags and contests that the faithful believe are real athletic competitions. It is a great sport for hero worshiping types like you who blind themselves to reality. In fact, I would be surprised if you were not already intimately familiar with the personalities involved in the sport.
I also detest the manner in which you revel in the fact that he probably doped, but they didn't catch him. You make me want to vomit as does Mr. Armstrong. Cycling would have been better off without his uber doping, and his 7 TdF victories are one of the greatest sports farces to have ever taken place. He deserves the Barry Bonds treatment, but he raises money for cancer, so he must be a great guy, right? Well that is unless you read what the people who know him say about him.
Hey, I hear they need Bigfoot hunters too, maybe a change of career for you? (BTW, I love Bigfoot stuff because as a kid my dad took us to a movie about Bigfoot and would always tell us these scary stories about Bigfoot sightings in our area. I hope you catch one, because even though I grew out of my belief they exist, it would be kind of cool if they did.) If that doesn't suit you, I have a multi level marketing company that I would love you to get involved with. I know people will term it a "pyramid scheme" but they are just haters who don't realize that it is a trapezoid, and that if you work really hard, I will get rich. Hey, I will donate some of my..err....our money to a charity or cancer research if that will sweeten the deal.
Plus they introduced high cadence cycling.micron said:The only way in which he and Bruyneel changed the sport was to make it common practice for 8 teammates to be on the front of the peloton nearly to the top of the last climb on a hard mountain stage. This simply wasn't the norm before Armstrong post cancer. Thankfully, there have been signs in early season racing that that is no longer the norm - it certainly isn't acceptable any longer.
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