Lance Armstrong Banned and Stripped of TDF Titles

[FLYIT]

Let me start by saying that I am not a LA fanboy in the purest sense but I do think he is undoubtedly on of the greatest cyclists ever. Did he use some chemical help? absolutely. Is he lieing about it ? sure. But they all did, at that level ! You don`t get to that height without exploiting every conceivable method at you disposal that you can get away with, be that trainers, equipment, diets, team support, meditation.....whatever gets the job done providing you can get away with it within the application of the rules! Was he caught out at the time, possibly, but no allegations stuck. For many of the others that were caught, tough luck. Point is they were caught red handed within a reasonable timeframe, not years after the fact and largely based on the bleating of some major sinners with a sudden attack of conscience. He did not get to the levels of achievement through EPO and testosterone alone contrary to some of the haters and whingers posts. He`s easy to hate, no doubt, arrogant, bullying, ambitious....but equally easy to admire, tough, focussed, intelligent, brilliant rider ( the Beloki shortcut incident springs to mind!) I don`t believe that any of the past winners were clean , and i don`t care, it`s high level sport and they wanted to win, they all played by the same unspoken rule( don`t get caught!) Do we now strip all the past winners of their titles and hand the yellow jerseys to the also rans? You`d have to believe in fairy tales if you think top level sport is totally drug free!

I think the USDA with their rabid and typical hypocrictical Yank attitude have done the the sport so much harm with the irony that Armstrong as one of their own did a lot of good for the sport etc.( I can feel those flamethrowers lighting up !) The UCI have joined the crusade to try and save face but the truth is they are directly implicated in that they knew what was going on all along but ignored it in the interest of BIG business. Heads must roll there too if the sport is to regain some cred.

A lot of speculation is going on now regarding possible law suits against Armstrong by sponsors etc. but that would be absurd i.m.o. as they all got their moneys worth from Armstrongs success, If they now go and claim their money back they`d better be willing to pay it all back to the suckers who bought their Jawbones and vitamins in the first place.That is unlikely to happen but you can bet that a lot of lawyers are nursing their hard ons as we speak!

All of the above has been said before and none of it will change anything. I will only loose major respect for Lance if he rolls over under this pressure and blubbers a confession as per the other soft c*cks. Untill then he will always be one of the greatest in my eyes chemicals or not, I am not naive enough to believe in fairy tales!

WELL SAID

[dracs]

When any rider wins Le Tour, it is customary for him to share the total winnings between the whole team. The theory being that he will make enough money from appearences and sponsorship not to need it. So . . . . if Le Tour wants to claim back the prize money it will have to go to the team mates to do so . . . . those same team mates that are currently being given get out of jail free cards for what they are doing :-)

very good point... I doubt it will be incumbant on the tour organisers to try go after the team mates as Armstrong would have shard by tradition rather than any obligation - but it does raise a very valid moral question and open yet another can of worms.

 

What precedent is there for dopers returning prize money - what happened with Contador and Landis?

Edited October 25, 2012 by dracs

[eddy]

The longer this goes on the more I find myself changing my mind about things and the more sympathy I feel for the man.

 

He's down. Lets stop the kicking now.

 

Unlike LA, i do not believe in kicking a man when he is down. I do however believe in justice.

 

He turns the corner when he apologises to Betsy Andreau.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/lancearmstrong/9632129/Lance-Armstrong-is-a-bully.-I-could-not-let-him-win-says-whistle-blower-Betsy-Andreu.html

[GoLefty!!]

'Lance Armstrong is a bully. I could not let him win,' says whistle-blower Betsy Andreu

 

 

She has suffered six years of personal hell, having her reputation, her emotions and even her weight ridiculed. But the more Lance Armstrong attacked her, the more Betsy Andreu stayed firm.

 

 

Damn, she looks pretty fine / firm to me. Strong lady, just like my wife.

[Peter Parker]

I am waiting for the new Lance book to come out.

'Told you it's not about the bike'

Should be good.

[dracs]

Unlike LA, i do not believe in kicking a man when he is down. I do however believe in justice.

 

He turns the corner when he apologises to Betsy Andreau.

 

http://www.telegraph...tsy-Andreu.html

Look as we know Betsy was correct on her accusations, but I think she has and continues to make a meal of the intimidation etc. The direct link of anything she's said and Frankie refusing to get on a Ferrari program and him not getting a ride in 2000 is by no means clear (he was getting to the end of his career and could have jumped to another team if he still had so much to offer), and what is not mentioned in the public press hysteria is he was given a job as assistant team director the next 2 years. Hardly someone being ostracised. So the team looked after him. Nor is it repeated in the popular press that Lance offered him a ride again early in 2000 and Frankie turned this down.

 

The quote used to suggest intimidation where Lance said to Frankie "By helping to bring me down is not going to help y’alls situation at all. There is a direct link to all of our success here. I suggest you remind her of that,” is actually a statement of fact, Hincappis' email to Frankie was in a similar vain although George also played the sympathy card in pointing out that all the guys livilhoods depended on Betsy toning it down.

 

Anyway good for her she can get herself in all the papers now and say she was right all along, but I do still wonder if she was motivated by a sense or right and wrong or an intense dislike for Lance. Its funny that they continued to go to dinner with the armstrongs and the like through all these years of intimidation, and the only whistle she blew was of Lance's admission in the hospital - not her discovery of Frankie's EPO or all is team mates ongoing use of drugs while Frankie drew a salary from the team.

 

Anyway I am sure Lance may have played it rough at times and may have said "hurtful" things - but in context of a circle of people who all knew what was happening, and one person is relentlessy trying to take you down - is that really surpising?

[jatho]

 

[bclark]

So I wonder when the Lance movie ... or the 'why I cheated' book will be out.

Cause you know its gonna happen. Anything for more $$$$$$

Edited October 25, 2012 by bclark

[Mellow]

Interesting how the spanish cyclists (Contador, Sanchez, Indurain) still opt for the "no positive test" argument.... makes you wonder, or not.

[Garfield2010]

Interesting how the spanish cyclists (Contador, Sanchez, Indurain) still opt for the "no positive test" argument.... makes you wonder, or not.

 

Dude I am done "wondering". I know everyone is vrot.

 

Now then........... whats next??? Do the Ironmen also dope???? Macca Crowie and co........... are they all clean?????

[Lucky Luke.]

Next is when we find out what Sky have been putting in their black motorbikes. Could be a while though. No cancer shield but the cashflow is strong with this one.

[JGR]

Dude I am done "wondering". I know everyone is vrot.

 

Now then........... whats next??? Do the Ironmen also dope???? Macca Crowie and co........... are they all clean?????

I think there might be but not as rife. There arent many guys that dominate and crush everyone year on year. It is no where as predictable as the results in cycling. Also a lot less money involved to fund all the craziness

[Garfield2010]

I think there might be but not as rife. There arent many guys that dominate and crush everyone year on year. It is no where as predictable as the results in cycling. Also a lot less money involved to fund all the craziness

 

I guess so................

 

But then again Lance struggled to compete with the top guys while he was doping so what does that tell us?

[Mellow]

I guess so................

 

But then again Lance struggled to compete with the top guys while he was doping so what does that tell us?

 

Time to make friends with IM management ?

[Wyatt Earp]

Next is when we find out what Sky have been putting in their black motorbikes. Could be a while though. No cancer shield but the cashflow is strong with this one.

 

Is it maybe, but just maybe not a possibility that SKY have employed some new training and nutrition methods ?

[Lucky Luke.]

Is it maybe, but just maybe not a possibility that SKY have employed some new training and nutrition methods ?

 

Yes it is 100% a possibility. Sadly history dictates that it's a very very small one.