LeMond to run for UCI Presidency

[JustinHayes]

According to www.cyclingnews.com

 

Only US Tour de France winner says it is “now or never” for cycling

Greg LeMond has revealed he is ready to take on Pat McQuaid and run for president of the UCI, after being asked by the anti-doping movement Change Cycling Now.

“It is now or never to act,” LeMond said in an interview with the Le Monde newspaper. “After the earthquake caused by the Amstrong case, another chance will not arise.”

LeMond, 51, is now the only American to have won the Tour de France after USADA disqualified Armstrong for life and cancelled his seven Tour victories. He has been outspoken on anti-doping matters and was a key witness in the Floyd Landis case.

“I'm ready. I was asked and I accepted,” LeMond said. “If we want to restore public confidence and sponsors, we must act quickly and decisively. Otherwise, cycling will die. Riders do not understand that if we continue like this, there will soon be no money in cycling.”

Change Cycling Now is a newly-formed pressure group dedicated to helping find a positive future for cycling. It held a conference in London over the weekend.

McQuaid has been president of the international cycling federation since 2005, serving to date four two-year terms. The next election is to be held in March 2013.

While questioning whether he was really “the best candidate,” LeMond said that “I am willing to invest to make this institution more democratic, transparent and look for the best candidate in the longer term. I think someone like Dick Pound [former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency], is perfect in terms of ethics, who has real experience in the fight against doping and corruption.

LeMond suggested in fact that McQuaid should resign.

“If Pat McQuaid really loves cycling, as he claims, he would have resigned. He could say, 'Okay, I made mistakes, but now I quit to find a new leader for the UCI,'" LeMond said.

LeMond said that he hopes Armstrong will one day confess to what he did during his career.

“I hope so. One day or the other. When he feels completely isolated and doesn't have any money, he may tell the truth. Armstrong has done much harm to cycling.”

['Dale]

[pista]

Could be a good thing.

[Chro Mo]

Yup.

He has always been an innovator, and his dogged resistance to Armstrong - for which he was vilified by most at the time - stands out with others of the era like Kimmage and Walsh.

I think he would be a good ambassador for the sport, and would drive issues such as the transparency of the UCI, the independence of the doping agency and cycling's image as a whole.

He was a great rider, maybe a bit flawed as a man, but who isn't.

He most certainly would be streets ahead of Pat McQuaid in terms of being trustworthy, and I think he would actively pursue the removal of Hein Verbruggen from cycling forever.

 

He'd get my vote, for sure.

['Dale]

Who decides?

 

I don't understand the UCI's procedures, with respect to presidency.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Puncheur

[JustinHayes]

LeMond is exactly what we need at the top ranks. He has always been an advocate for drug free cycling and will be the proverbial "cat amongst the pigeons" if he gets voted in. Basically, the equivalent of the DA becoming the ruling party in this country

Edited December 3, 2012 by JustinHayes

[HappyMartin]

Cool idea

[udxcob]

How do we know he raced clean in the 80's?

[Zook]

Excellent. Personally I resent paying UCI dues with such obvious chops at the top (no reference to the local people, who I don't know much about). Be nice to have it shaken up a bit.

[HappyMartin]

How do we know he raced clean in the 80's?

 

We don't but he has always been loudly against doping and against the most famous alleged doper who shall go unnamed until I fetch my flame retardant underwear from my forum drawer

 

His times up the well known climbs and on the regular stages are also a lot slower than the big speed increase that occurred in the alleged EPO era.

 

But we don't know. There are no guarantees in life. Surprised you never noticed that already.

[Cippo]

Oh well. Let's see what happens.

[Wyatt Earp]

So the ultimate nappy sh!tter not really Mr. Nice guy who refuses to become a has been might now control our sport

 

I might as well dedicate the rest of my cycling career to Critical Mass and booze cruises.

[Dirtbreath]

Cycling does need a kick in the arm and a shot in the pants.

[LeTurbo]

I'm not entirely sure why McQuaid (whoever he is) must resign because of what Armstrong did or didn't do.

 

Actually, I find it odd in most situations where the head guy is "expected" to assume responsibility for something he couldn't know about or foresee, and then resign - thereby tossing aside vast amounts of experience, knowledge, and the chance to learn for mistakes and possibly prevent them in future (see Chro Mo's "flawed as a man" comment above).

 

Anyway, I don't know that LeMond will make as vast a difference as he'd like to believe he will. The animal he would head ain't gonna change that much.

[Danger Dassie]

I'm not entirely sure why McQuaid (whoever he is) must resign because of what Armstrong did or didn't do.

 

Actually, I find it odd in most situations where the head guy is "expected" to assume responsibility for something he couldn't know about or foresee, and then resign - thereby tossing aside vast amounts of experience, knowledge, and the chance to learn for mistakes and possibly prevent them in future (see Chro Mo's "flawed as a man" comment above).

 

Anyway, I don't know that LeMond will make as vast a difference as he'd like to believe he will. The animal he would head ain't gonna change that much.

 

http://redkiteprayer.com/2012/09/the-explainer-why-slapping-paul-kimmage-wont-work/

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/9622116/Michael-Ashenden-challenges-UCIs-reputation-in-face-of-Lance-Armstrong-fall-out.html

 

http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2012/michael-ashenden-armstrong-triangle

[Jaco-fiets]

So the ultimate nappy sh!tter not really Mr. Nice guy who refuses to become a has been might now control our sport

 

I might as well dedicate the rest of my cycling career to Critical Mass and booze cruises.

 

Well Dangle it seems we are the only 2 who thinks Lemond is a wanker of note! Imagine how this Nancy will bitch once at the top of a governing body