gtr1

I don't really have an issue with Valverde winning. It was a great and exciting race. And he rode it perfectly. He doped, paid the price, came back. I'd like to think that current doping controls means he can't still be doping, so too most the peleton. (I believe in fairy tales) My only issue is how people can crucify 1 rider as an ex-doper and others are regarded as heroes. Should all be equal. I suppose at the end of the day, it's who we like and who we don't.

Valverde

'Former' doper..................

The BSSS was a series. I think 4 or 5 races over the last few months. Last was a week ago. I think riders are scared of crits because they are hard racing on the limit. I remember guys rather doing a training ride last year than racing Helivac races.

480 riders in 1 category on a 4 k circuit ??? Scary!!

Not many I hear

I somehow think they forgot to get the race sanctioned by CSA ???????

I thought he had retired ???

Last year was the Helivac series in JHB. For a few years there was the Engen series held around the country. Many of the tours have a crit as a stage of the race. In the Cape at a stage there was a night crit series in Stellenbosch by Lights by Linea. They race on Killarney in Cape Town which is like a crit. BSSS in Pretoria hold a crit series at Swartkops. And if you go back in the years there was the Zoo Lake Kermesse, Boksburg Kermesse, Il Campione was a crit race. The start of Rapport Tour was often a crit. Many club races were crits around Apex in Benoni, Top Star Drive-in in Jo-burg etc. etc. So nothing new............

Tail wind all the way...........

For someone who 'conveniently' announced his retirement just prior to a doping ban becoming public knowledge, he seems to be training and racing quite a bit. And show me any doper who admitted to it prior to being caught................really. If you can cheat by taking a short cut in a race, then you can dope.

There were anomalies detected in his biological passport. He had the opportunity to defend, or explain why this could be possible. He chose not to, hence the ban.

First of all nothing new about crit racing. Been around as long as I remember So definitely not a new format to get used to. And don't make a decision about classes weeks before entries close. Wait until close date. That's what it is there for. How do you know you may only have 10 riders ?? We would have entered 5 in 1 category alone. And in a crit race, you can't have 100 guys racing together, nevermind mixing weekend warriors with racing categories. You are looking for accidents, especially in a crit where bike handling is critical. At worst they could combine all vets together, or a few age groups. They are still advertising the event and getting mileage on an event that is half of what was promised. But anyway, we will continue to support other events that are reliable.

When asked about all the vets categories that were scrapped, were told they can race with the weekend warriors.

No. 3 weeks before event they scrapped categories. Something about not enough entries. But way before entries even close :-(

Too true. Waste of space !

Waste of time. All this advertising and then when you want to enter they have decided to scrap half the categories. Hope nobody pitches.

I see his ban only ends 3 March 2019 ???

Is his ban not over ?

He raced Panorama tour earlier this year. I think he won.

Somebody mentioned to me that Max Knox has been caught for doping. Either tested at or after Panorama Tour ?? Anybody heard anything ? There was speculation that he was the 3rd person in the recent report about Shan Wilson. I have looked on CSA and Googled, but can't see any press about it ?

If he gave up names he kills his supply business. Now he just doesn't race but still makes money selling :-( Retroactively go test all his race partners and anyone associated with him through coaching etc. That would be a good start. At 50 does he really care about a 6 year ban. Never really coming back to top end of the sport at almost 60. They should find a more meaningful punishment. Sue him for all sponsorship money, winnings, fraud. Freeze his bank accounts. Then offer him a deal.

Only removing all his results from 2014 :-( But makes you question all his results going back.

Was a lot tougher than expected. Especially starting with elites etc. but great race. Well organized. Any idea where results will be posted ?

Chris, happy for you to make some money out of a long standing business. I was 1 that had some criticism. I suppose time will tell what happens with CWC and the pricing model. Many people are anti CL. They are not the cheapest, and service not always the best. So to see a company that has good pricing and service, being brought into that fold, does not bode well. I really hope and wish that the CWC model remains the same, but I don't see how CWC will keep the competitive pricing model while under the CL brand. You will now have to support the local distributor as CL does, which places CWC at the mercy of markups and bad service from that angle. So I hope the model remains and works. It is not just about you and your son still being involved in the business and offering the same good service. In this day and age of online shopping it's about price first and foremost. And unfortunately CL is dismal in this regard.