Somehow, I can't get excited about it this year

[Cobblestones]

Well, I think the title says it all. Somehow, I can't get excited about it this year. Usually, at this point in time in previous years, I would have memorized team rosters, stages, climbs, told everybody at work not to expect to see me before lunch for the next 3 weeks, etc.

This year ... not so much.

I know, we should expect an epic battle between Astana and the rest of the world, or whatever, but I just can't get excited. I don't want to see another blue train even if it's a lighter shade of blue. And I don't want to see all the old dope farts compete again: LA, Kloden, Basso, AC, Schleck, Boonen ... I just can't get myself to care. Maybe I'll watch some stages, maybe I can get into it again, but right now, it doesn't feel like it. Tomorrow, the ITT starts. I fully expect AC to win it and stay in yellow for 3 weeks. The only thing which might stop him is if his bags clot before he can use them.

I thought the Giro was interesting, and some of the spring races. This year's TdF looks like to become a sordid affair. Everyone jacked up to the max, and ready to top off when needed. The best responders will float to the top, and we already who that is. I just looked at a tape of 2007. What a piece of chickenshit that was. This year's going to be the same, except the two freak responders are on the same team and ASO+UCI will not allow for any more scandal. So, not even any drama from that direction.

Anyhoo, I don't want to be a killjoy for ya'll, so I stop my rambling now.

Cheers

 

[No_Positives]

Well, I think the title says it all. Somehow, I can't get excited about it this year. Usually, at this point in time in previous years, I would have memorized team rosters, stages, climbs, told everybody at work not to expect to see me before lunch for the next 3 weeks, etc.

This year ... not so much.

I know, we should expect an epic battle between Astana and the rest of the world, or whatever, but I just can't get excited. I don't want to see another blue train even if it's a lighter shade of blue. And I don't want to see all the old dope farts compete again: LA, Kloden, Basso, AC, Schleck, Boonen ... I just can't get myself to care. Maybe I'll watch some stages, maybe I can get into it again, but right now, it doesn't feel like it. Tomorrow, the ITT starts. I fully expect AC to win it and stay in yellow for 3 weeks. The only thing which might stop him is if his bags clot before he can use them.

I thought the Giro was interesting, and some of the spring races. This year's TdF looks like to become a sordid affair. Everyone jacked up to the max, and ready to top off when needed. The best responders will float to the top, and we already who that is. I just looked at a tape of 2007. What a piece of chickenshit that was. This year's going to be the same, except the two freak responders are on the same team and ASO+UCI will not allow for any more scandal. So, not even any drama from that direction.

Anyhoo, I don't want to be a killjoy for ya'll, so I stop my rambling now.

Cheers

Would you prefer last year's Tour, which was the lamest race ever. This is the most fired up I have ever been for a prologue, which is usually a crappy stage and a waste of a good day.

 

[Geoff Vadar]

Look to be honest I am in the same boat. I wanted to love this sport. I cant cope with it though. It is what it is I guess. Paying careful attention to who responded to Kohl and how they went about it has been demoralising.

No question in my mind the fight is over. 100% of the 2009 TDF field will dope at some point during the race. Not one rider will ride clean.

Kids start doping at 19 or 20 under the guidance of parents and coaches to reach the top and never stop until they retire.

There is doping in other sports for sure but not like this......not like this....

 

[Geoff Vadar]

Would you prefer last year's Tour, which was the lamest race ever. This is the most fired up I have ever been for a prologue, which is usually a crappy stage and a waste of a good day.

To be honest its because of people like you (uneducated, immoral, slightly mentally retarded) that the sport is where it is. People like you crying out for 'entertainment' that is beyond natural physical limits. Just so you can sit on your couch and punch your fist in the air and go 'yeah yeah destroy them'.

Instead of appreciating 10-12 of the worlds most elite cyclists riding together on the very edge and barely being able to break each other by more than a few metres you want guys destroying fields and riding like 'robots' and smashing the opposition.

People who cannot appreciate the small nuances of competition at the elite level dont deserve to comment.

 

[Bro Deal]

Yup. Armstrong in the race makes it a farce. Does anyone really think he won't be doped to the eyballs just like he was before?

Aside from AC the rest of the contenders look like second raters. It reminds me of the 2004 Giro when the two contenders were on the same team, and the race pretty much sucked.

 

[guncha]

I think last year's racing was very exciting. It had more and harder mountain stages for GC than this year. But we have Pharmstrong and Contadoper this year. I guess I am as excited as usual. Only the route could have been better...

 

[leerobbs]

No question in my mind the fight is over. 100% of the 2009 Tour de France field will dope at some point during the race. Not one rider will ride clean.

I don't know about the 100 per cent or not. Last year we saw Ricardo Rico riding like he was on a motorcycle climbing those mountains and leaving everyone behind. He was soon found to be doping and drop kicked out. If everyone was doping last year he would not have gassed everyone like he did. I think the doping is dropping off. We all know if they are a step ahead of what is being tested for they will not get caught, but the result of being caught is pretty servere for them especially for someone like Armstrong. His contention about the past and not doping would be certified as a lie and all his career would be a farce. I don't see him chancing that at this point in a comeback year. What would the point be? If he could ride clean and be successful (and that does not necessarily mean winning the tour)his reputation would be enhanced.

I am excited as always about 3 weeks of racing everyday. If you love the sport of cycling then how could you not love the tour?

 

[Scotttri]

I agree I've been looking forward to the race, I also agree that not everyone is dopeing, I believe it is getting cleaned up

 

[jimmypop]

I agree I've been looking forward to the race, I also agree that not everyone is dopeing, I believe it is getting cleaned up

I once believed in the Easter Bunny.

 

[No_Positives]

To be honest its because of people like you (uneducated, immoral, slightly mentally retarded) that the sport is where it is.

I've always thought that Jeff's who spell their name Geoff were kind of weird.

 

[thebluetrain]

I've always thought that Jeff's who spell their name Geoff were kind of weird.

I always thought they spelled it that way because they were uneducated and slightly mentally retarded.

 

[Geoff Vadar]

I've always thought that Jeff's who spell their name Geoff were kind of weird.

More evidence thinking is not your strong point.

 

[Cobblestones]

So, I checked in at one point and saw Kloden in first place. The selfsame Kloden who was implicated in the Freiburg clinic report and I was thinking this must make everybody happy. The crowd which claims that without doping nothing goes, and the Discotana/Hogstrong fanboys (as long as they can repress the fact that he's a T-mobile guy. Oh well, whom am I kidding. The fanboys have mastered the art of repression).

Then I checked in again at the end and saw Cancellara getting a congratulatory hug from Mr. 60%, his DS for a 20s winning time gap. Wasn't Riis at one point persona non grata at the TdF?

Take away the TT specialists (although I don't know anymore what Cancellara is since last year's TdF mountain stages) and you have:

Contador
Kloden
Evans
Leipheimer

Yeah right.

Alt er ved det gamle på Riget - stort set

 

[Klodifan]

Hey, Cobblestones.

I know how you feel. It seems as if TPTB are satisfied with the past few years of appearing to go after dopers, but now it's back to business as usual. I would love to watch and root for clean athletes. However, I seriously lost interest and became disheartened when only a few riders were targeted and varying levels of discipline enforced based on federation. For anyone observing the profession, with a clear and fair mind, it was frustratingly insulting. Hopefully, you'll get back into by stage 7 or so. At least it's in HD this year...

 

[Cobblestones]

Klodifan,

Nice of you to say that.

You know, when I made my avatar on this forum, I was considering something similar as 'Klodifan'. I always thought that Kloden was a particularly stylish rider. I'm kind of glad I reconsidered (mostly because there already was a Klodifan). I chose a more neutral name because I feared that whichever rider I professed a particular interest in by my choice of a username, might at one point become discredited. I feel like as you might have felt when the Freiburg scandal broke. Except, for me it's not about any particular rider, it's about cycling in general.

Maybe I get into the spirit again. BroDeal wrote once an excellent post on the cycling news forum about how we all know what's going on, but in some schizophrenic way, we can still enjoy the actual racing. I'll try to dig it up. I haven't posted much the last 2 weeks neither here nor at cyclingnews. I read some of what is written over there, but they have now split the actual racing discussion section from the doping discussion section, which I think is a mistake. Anyway, maybe as you say, I might be back posting at one time. I'll go out for a spin now and watch the fireworks with my kids tonight.

Have a nice holiday weekend!

 

[helmutRoole2]

To be honest its because of people like you (uneducated, immoral, slightly mentally retarded) ...

If you posted this on your own pos forum you'd have to ban yourself.

However, I have to say, I think this could be the best Tour in quite some time.

 

[pantani_lives]

Yup. Armstrong in the race makes it a farce. Does anyone really think he won't be doped to the eyballs just like he was before?

I agree. The hero worship he's treated with is repulsive. My only hope is that he will finally be caught officially, but I suppose that will never happen.

 

[Klodifan]

Klodifan,

Nice of you to say that.

You know, when I made my avatar on this forum, I was considering something similar as 'Klodifan'. I always thought that Kloden was a particularly stylish rider. I'm kind of glad I reconsidered (mostly because there already was a Klodifan). I chose a more neutral name because I feared that whichever rider I professed a particular interest in by my choice of a username, might at one point become discredited. I feel like as you might have felt when the Freiburg scandal broke. Except, for me it's not about any particular rider, it's about cycling in general.

Maybe I get into the spirit again. BroDeal wrote once an excellent post on the cycling news forum about how we all know what's going on, but in some schizophrenic way, we can still enjoy the actual racing. I'll try to dig it up. I haven't posted much the last 2 weeks neither here nor at cyclingnews. I read some of what is written over there, but they have now split the actual racing discussion section from the doping discussion section, which I think is a mistake. Anyway, maybe as you say, I might be back posting at one time. I'll go out for a spin now and watch the fireworks with my kids tonight.

Have a nice holiday weekend!

You have a great screename and avatar, Cobblestones.

I wasn't too disappointed with the accusations implicating Klodi. I've accepted that they all dope to some degree. I'm also an avid baseball fan and my favorite team, the Dodgers, also have their share of doping scandals. As a result, I've become a cynical fan. No sport is immune and all athletes suspect. I can almost accept that it is what it is, but when egregious arrogance is thrown in the mix, it becomes so off-putting that I can barely follow the sport... barely...

 

[helmutRoole2]

You have a great screename and avatar, Cobblestones.

I wasn't too disappointed with the accusations implicating Klodi. I've accepted that they all dope to some degree. I'm also an avid baseball fan and my favorite team, the Dodgers, also have their share of doping scandals. As a result, I've become a cynical fan. No sport is immune and all athletes suspect. I can almost accept that it is what it is, but when egregious arrogance is thrown in the mix, it becomes so off-putting that I can barely follow the sport... barely...

Okay,let me expound on my previous post. I think this will be the best Tour ever in terms of entertainment value. I find it hard to believe that Kloden will support another Tour winner if he feels he has a shot at the overall. I have to think that Armschlong wouldn't enter the race if he didn't think he could win, so it goes without saying, all syringes on are on the table. Cantadope is the best of the three but talent alone won't win the race. Lipohiniehole can't win with or without dope but I get the feeling he's not above manipulation by Armschlong (to be referred to as just Schlong for the sake of character conservation from this point on.)

I won't predict a winner, but I will predict a backroom deal wins it.

 

[swampy1970]

Personally, If any of you ***** were so against doping (especially blood doping and EPO) then you started watching the wrong sport. It's not like blood doping wasn't going great guns in the mid 80's (the US, Italians, Mosers hour record, East Germans and the Russians) and then EPO hit the lights during the late 80's.

Save your cries for, oh, 20 years ago....

Someone call the whaaammmmbulance.

I'm not saying it's right, far from it... but it's like y'all had your head up your asses until 1999.