"Those riders named...will not be allowed to start"

[weremichael]

Man, my wife and I are heart broken. The veil has droped again and I must face what I already know: My cycling heroes are all dopers. My wife said, "This was my first and last foray into watching sports." During July we usually prepare French food every night and take longer rides on our daily cycling commutes to and from work. We will try to continue this tradition.

I have purposefully deluded myself that these riders don't dope. Deep down I knew that the peleton dopes as a whole, it just sucks that my rider (Basso) was caught and so many others weren't. It's hypocritical to not just end competitive cycling completely. As long as humans compete, we cheat.

I, like others here, use the tour to train harder and I still will. When these scandels break out my only resort is to train old school (smoking cigerettes, drinking espresso and taking speed). I only hope I don't drop dead after climbing, so I can make it home to drink copious amounts of homebrew.

This sport has been dirty since it started and will be dirty as long as it exists. I just wish it would go the way of the World Cup and all other professional sports: IGNORE THE PROBLEM. Where does professional cycling get off telling athletes that they can't ruin their bodies and inspire young people to do the same.

My sarcastic vote for the winner: Thomas Voeckler!! It's a damn French conspiracy I tell you. Ever since the prologue coverage at the Dauphiné Libéré (the camera focused on Voeckler and ignored Zabriskie's blistering performance), I knew the jig was up. Viva la France!


Michael

 

[tcklyde]

That's my thought exactly.

Mr 60% must have had the gun placed squarely to his temple.

And I thought that I was shock-proof at this stage?

Yeah, unbelieveable. He seemed to accept it so meekly...

 

[doctorSpoc]

Mancebo calls it quits from the sport...

man i'm really feeling for these guys... if i thought they were a few bad apples then i wouldn't feel that way but... riders do what they do to keep up... i really don't think anyone gains an advantage by doping, only disadvantage by not doping and that's what has allowed me to continue to watch it, even all the while know the doping is pervasive.. if eveyone was clean then everyone would finish in the exact same spots as when they are all doped to the gills.. can you imagine having to face your family and friends after this and have to walk around your home town or any town and having people wispering and pointing as you pass... this is messed up.. i understand that they are big boys and they knew the risks...but still... it must be pretty rough...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/jun06/jun30news5

 

[doctorSpoc]

Eurosport.com says Vino probably will not be able to compete since it seems the UCI rules say teams need at least 6 rider to compete in a GT

http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto917322.shtml

 

[weremichael]

Bruyneel one smug *******:


"This is certainly an unfortunate situation for all of professional cycling, not just those teams and riders involved. And even though the top pre-Tour favourites have been suspended from competition, all of our Discovery Channel riders continue to maintain their focus on tomorrow’s prologue time trial. The entire team has prepared meticulously for this race as they have over the past seven years and we continue to have high expectations about our chances in this year's Tour de France."

Prepared meticulously, EXACTLY!

Michael

 

[Bro Deal]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/jun06/jun30news5
Prepared meticulously, EXACTLY!

That was my exact thought when I read that statement. Too bad they did not find the lab that Disco uses. I am tired of listening to American fans pretend that riders from the USA would never dope--except for Hamilton.

 

[wolfix]

Bruyneel one smug *******:


"This is certainly an unfortunate situation for all of professional cycling, not just those teams and riders involved. And even though the top pre-Tour favourites have been suspended from competition, all of our Discovery Channel riders continue to maintain their focus on tomorrow’s prologue time trial. The entire team has prepared meticulously for this race as they have over the past seven years and we continue to have high expectations about our chances in this year's Tour de France."

Prepared meticulously, EXACTLY!

Michael

Why should Bruyneel feel bad? He and his boys have worked hard to achieve what they have. Guys like you are now have attacked him for being dirty for 7 years and in recent weeks we see that there is no evidence to claim otherwise. None of his riders have ever tested positive. And now we know he is the best TDF manager and LA is the TDF rider ever. The excuse that "he doped" is really weak. The others doped and could not beat him.
Everyone that threw dirt for the past 7 years has just got their asses handed back to them. As sad as this , many deserve everything they have coming. Several weeks ago I made the statement that "You better be careful what you wish for," concerning fans that wanted LA hung out to dry.
Karma at work.......

 

[Rob81]

i add this, im my opinion, we had the proof something was "boiling" already during last Tour Of Delphine, you remember big names going surprisingly slow, and not only occasionally, not only on occasional bad stage. I suspect they were scared to get caught "just before the storm", because after the storm all is shining... well, not now.

 

[bobke]

That was my exact thought when I read that statement. Too bad they did not find the lab that Disco uses. I am tired of listening to American fans pretend that riders from the USA would never dope--except for Hamilton.

I just love this.
Jan and Basso are busted straight up and this gets turned back on Disco and Lance. WHy the hell wouldnt they been smug?

They have been through:
1. federal French investigations
testing in 2001-2002 retro every riderPostal for EPO in 2000
2. multi million dollar law suits interviewing everyone who had ever worked for Postal in like 10 years, and won the lawsuit with damages
3. won the libel lawsuit in London today
and on and on...

I mean at this point Bruynee, sounded very upset but focused on his team.
Read the whole interview at cyclingnews.
He is not gloating.

 

[Treky]

First of all, I have to say this news shocked me. It was very unexpected and has given me a rude awakening. Not to mention it has really spoiled it for me so much so I am thinking of cancelling my season pass on my Tivo.

If I was a pro. I'd not want to win by doping. To me it would be a very hollow victory. I have not been following the pro. news so closely but I get the impression that folks here agree that all or most pro. cyclists use some kind of drug (from "meticulously" comment above I understand you guys are saying they were meticulous enough not to get caught). Very sad situation.

I am going to ask some basic questions here, I hope you guys bear with me and answer my questions. I guess it is not always possible to detect by blood or other tests if a cyclist has been doping? Let us not kid ourselves. Did anybody every suggest making these drugs legal (those that cannot be detected by tests)? How else can we make sure no cyclist in a tournament is doping?

This shadow that is hanging over the whole sport is really off putting. I do not want to follow it nor do I want my kids to become pro cyclists.

 

[wolfix]

You're wasting your breath and cyber keys. I love the attitude now that since a few stars [and only a few] are caught , LA is guil\lty too. The whole peloton is cheating!!!! What about Boonen,Fabian Cancellara, Magnus Backstedt, Oscar Friere, Damiano Cunego,and Thor Hushovd????

 

[bored_again]

If we're into historical doping look at the report from Diario Vasco, which includes Marco Pantani's name, along with Menchov, Thomas Dekker and Flecha. This gets weirder and weirder


http://www.diariovasco.com/pg060630/prensa/noticias/Deportes/200606/30/DVA-DEP-369.html

 

[Orla_24]

Yea, the Disco boys are allowed to be gleeful, that includes Lance.

If he didn't dope and they didn't - he is a superhuman.

If he dope and they doped - he won fair and square, and managed to finish his career with his name more or less intact.

He's the winner here, for sure - he deserved his TDF wins.

 

[doctorSpoc]

You're wasting your breath and cyber keys. I love the attitude now that since a few stars [and only a few] are caught , LA is guil\lty too. The whole peloton is cheating!!!! What about Boonen,Fabian Cancellara, Magnus Backstedt, Oscar Friere, Damiano Cunego,and Thor Hushovd????

the names that you mentioned... they are all doping... deal with it... and some of us have been saying this all along... it's only now that it has been brought home to a lot of the naive, now that they realize that if the authorities can keep an eye on just one doctor associated with cyclist for a couple months and catch 10% (~25 x 20 teams) of the pro peleton with their pants down.. they realized their naivety.. present company excluded of course... some will never learn.

 

[doctorSpoc]

Yea, the Disco boys are allowed to be gleeful, that includes Lance.

If he didn't dope and they didn't - he is a superhuman.

If he dope and they doped - he won fair and square, and managed to finish his career with his name more or less intact.

He's the winner here, for sure - he deserved his TDF wins.

for sure... any way you slice it LA deserved his wins... but since super humans only exist in the movies... i think everyone knows the deal... but who cares about LA... he's done and hung up his cleats...can't we move on from LA..

 

[rejobako]

That was my exact thought when I read that statement. Too bad they did not find the lab that Disco uses. I am tired of listening to American fans pretend that riders from the USA would never dope--except for Hamilton.

They wouldn't. Hamilton must be adopted from some European country.

I must say, it's been fun watching all of you gnashing your teeth at the thought that LA has gotten away with doping to the tune of 7 TdFs, and now your heroes can't even manage to get to the starting line when he's finally out of the way.

Your boys need to learn some discretion or get better lawyers.

 

[Durangodave]

Yea, the Disco boys are allowed to be gleeful, that includes Lance.

If he didn't dope and they didn't - he is a superhuman.

If he dope and they doped - he won fair and square, and managed to finish his career with his name more or less intact.

He's the winner here, for sure - he deserved his TDF wins.

Well, the Disco boys are watching the sport they've dedicated their lives to dragged through the mud. I can't imagine they are gleeful, regardless of their own possible degree of complicity in the doping-culture.

I think Bruneel's comments are an attempt to put the best face on the situation - on behalf of his sponsor, and the American audience that his sponsor depends on.

I hope you stick with the sport long enough to see it cleaned up, Orla. I think it's fantastic that there are fans who aren't racers themselaves.

 

[wolfix]

I am tired of listening to American fans pretend that riders from the USA would never dope--except for Hamilton.

And I am tired of people like you who make that statement. I'm an American and chances are I have followed this sport for many more years then you have. I have heard many things, but never have I ever heard an American say that American cyclists would never dope.
Matter of fact of all the guys on our local rides there is not one guy who is a big fan of Disco. And one of our local riders rides currently for Disco. Never have any of them ever said anything about doping being an European problem.

 

[weremichael]

Why should Bruyneel feel bad? He and his boys have worked hard to achieve what they have. Guys like you are now have attacked him for being dirty for 7 years and in recent weeks we see that there is no evidence to claim otherwise. None of his riders have ever tested positive. And now we know he is the best TDF manager and LA is the TDF rider ever. The excuse that "he doped" is really weak. The others doped and could not beat him.
Everyone that threw dirt for the past 7 years has just got their asses handed back to them. As sad as this , many deserve everything they have coming. Several weeks ago I made the statement that "You better be careful what you wish for," concerning fans that wanted LA hung out to dry.
Karma at work.......

I never said anything about LA. As far as I am concerned he is the past. I am talking about the 2006 pro cycling season not just one Grand Tour or a previous winner. Pro cycling is a lot more than the Tour de France.

I just find it strange that busting one doctor turns up this many names. Who are the other doctors that Disco and the rest of the peleton visiting?? I find it naive to believe that this isn't pervasive in the entire peleton. I guess Bruyneel should be smug that it wasn't his team's doctor that was busted.

Michael

 

[doctorSpoc]

Well, the Disco boys are watching the sport they've dedicated their lives to dragged through the mud. I can't imagine they are gleeful, regardless of their own possible degree of complicity in the doping-culture.

I think Bruneel's comments are an attempt to put the best face on the situation - on behalf of his sponsor, and the American audience that his sponsor depends on...

for sure this is bad for everyone in the sport, including Disco... i really think Bruyneel is trying to put a good face on it and move ahead, but i think he should wait 'til after the racing starts in earnest for those type of comments.. his comments are a little oft putting and maybe just slightly premarture... because of the scale of the scandle it tarnishes the everyone in the sport and makes it obvious even to the casual fan, to sponsors etc. that the doping is an integral, ingrained part of our sport... Bruyneel knows that the next time he goes for sponsorship, this is going to make it much harder.. bugets could be diminshed and salaries cut... it's a disaster for everyone, there are no winners here...