"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Who's gonna cast the first stone?

Here's a question:
There is a rider that won five Tours at what is accepted as the beginning of the EPO era, yet he is never really mentioned on this board, in the mags, or in the papers as using PEDs. I won't use his name because I'm not accusing him of anything. BUT, if everyone is going to bust on Riis for his HCT level, Ullrich, Pantani, Lance, Landis, Basso, et al, then how can you not call into question he who can't be named and many others before him who admitted using various substances? Even the great LeMond, who by his own admission was as pure as the driven snow, says the drug era began in 1991. It must have because that's when people started beating him.
Anyway, why is it that most fans seem to only have this holier than thou revelation over the last decade?

Yeah, Indurain wasn't too bad....

I think people respect Indurain. He's a nice guy, he doesn't have a big mouth, so people leave him alone. I've definitely heard people I know say they think he used EPO. Who knows? One thing is certain, he had a nice incremental rise to the top. He grew and grew, worked a lot for Pedro Delgado, and then became a TdF winner himself. So you can't say he just got awesome and came from nowhere.

I think people respect Indurain. He's a nice guy, he doesn't have a big mouth, so people leave him alone. I've definitely heard people I know say they think he used EPO. Who knows? One thing is certain, he had a nice incremental rise to the top. He grew and grew, worked a lot for Pedro Delgado, and then became a TdF winner himself. So you can't say he just got awesome and came from nowhere.

It seems that with his VO2 Max of 94, the concensus seems to be that while some are genetically gifted, this guy was more of a physiologic freak of nature. That probably helps folks believe that he didn't need the juice.

It seems that with his VO2 Max of 94, the concensus seems to be that while some are genetically gifted, this guy was more of a physiologic freak of nature. That probably helps folks believe that he didn't need the juice.


Ahhhh, but by the same token, a certain Texan has also been deemed a "genetic freak" by physicians, but yet his is the first name cast upon the altar of sin by the haters.

Ahhhh, but by the same token, a certain Texan has also been deemed a "genetic freak" by physicians, but yet his is the first name cast upon the altar of sin by the haters.

Armstrong's VO2 max has been reported at 83...about 10 less than LeMond, and 6 less than Indurain IIRC.

Armstrong's VO2 max has been reported at 83...about 10 less than LeMond, and 6 less than Indurain IIRC.

lemond is ugly and fat

Armstrong's VO2 max has been reported at 83...about 10 less than LeMond, and 6 less than Indurain IIRC.


Who among us can boast the same?
My point is this: if any average punter can hold the wheel of any of these guys, come forth and cry foul. Until then, enjoy the show. Were you (and I use "you" in the collective sense) entertained? That's really the whole point of professional racing. If you know someone in your local event was jacked up, lodge a complaint. That made a difference in your life. But as for the pro peleton, don't hold these guys up to be choir boys and don't think doping is a recent blight on the sport.

lemond is ugly and fat

And bitter. Don't forget really, really bitter. :D

He does seem to have the highest maximal food consumption (VfoodMax) of all former Tour champions, though...

Who among us can boast the same?
My point is this: if any average punter can hold the wheel of any of these guys, come forth and cry foul. Until then, enjoy the show. Were you (and I use "you" in the collective sense) entertained? That's really the whole point of professional racing. If you know someone in your local event was jacked up, lodge a complaint. That made a difference in your life. But as for the pro peleton, don't hold these guys up to be choir boys and don't think doping is a recent blight on the sport.

There's truth to that. People lay flowers and water bottles and stuff at the Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux, and the guy died on that climb from the pile of drugs he was on. Amazing the power of cycling fans to (selectively) look the other way.

There's truth to that. People lay flowers and water bottles and stuff at the Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux, and the guy died on that climb from the pile of drugs he was on. Amazing the power of cycling fans to (selectively) look the other way.

and what about how people worship Pantani too?

and what about how people worship Pantani too?

The list goes on. If anything, watching young healthy people die should be a motivator to actually do something about doping culture in pro cycling. But no...

There's truth to that. People lay flowers and water bottles and stuff at the Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux, and the guy died on that climb from the pile of drugs he was on. Amazing the power of cycling fans to (selectively) look the other way.

It was the 60's man. Everyone was on drugs....

Looking the other way has absolutely nothing to do with it. Tom Simpson was respected or even loved by almost everyone involved in cycling. He still is, in Belgium, in the UK, in France, and for very good reasons. I'll tell you a story about Tom Simpson. It might be anecdotal but it fits in with his character. One Christmas Rik Van Looy was asked to go to a hospital childrens ward in Belgium to meet and cheer up some terminally ill kids. He was too busy. Tom Simpson heard about this. The bloke went and brought a stack of toys and went in and visited them himself. No fanfare, no publicity. I've read about him clowning and making time for the kids during afternoon sessions at six day races as well. By all accounts Tom Simpson was an absolute gentlemen.

That is why people still put flowers on Tom Simpsons memorial on Mont Ventoux.

It was the 60's man. Everyone was on drugs....

Looking the other way has absolutely nothing to do with it. Tom Simpson was respected or even loved by almost everyone involved in cycling. He still is, in Belgium, in the UK, in France, and for very good reasons. I'll tell you a story about Tom Simpson. It might be anecdotal but it fits in with his character. One Christmas Rik Van Looy was asked to go to a hospital childrens ward in Belgium to meet and cheer up some terminally ill kids. He was too busy. Tom Simpson heard about this. The bloke went and brought a stack of toys and went in and visited them himself. No fanfare, no publicity. I've read about him clowning and making time for the kids during afternoon sessions at six day races as well. By all accounts Tom Simpson was an absolute gentlemen.

That is why people still put flowers on Tom Simpsons memorial on Mont Ventoux.

:beer:

My own ignorance of history got the better of me, and I wasn't alive for the 60's so I know I don't get it 100%. But if such a well-loved pro cyclist dies because of a problem, it would seem a more fitting tribute to actually face the problem, and I guess the impression that I get is that nobody really thought the drugs were a big deal.

people still don't,

the dopers get monuments and shrines, the guys who come clean are labled as liars, jealous losers, and has beens.

people still don't,

the dopers get monuments and shrines, the guys who come clean are labled as liars, jealous losers, and has beens.

If that's the case then it just seems to confirm that notion that everyone's doping (or at least most)

lemond is ugly and fat

Let's see how you look at his age with his metabolic disease.

What do you people do for fun? Laugh at homeless people and the sick at hospitals?

lemond is ugly and fat

And he'd still drop any of our ' pretty' and skinny' arses!

Considering all the slack that most cycling fan's cut for likes of blatent cheaters like Pantani, you'd think that we'd have a bit more respect for the first American to win the TdF. Despite the less than gracious remarks toward our 'beloved' Lance, Greg is, and was, a great champion. He came back from an injury that would have kept most of us from even riding a bike again to win the greatest cycling event in the world.

And he'd still drop any of our ' pretty' and skinny' arses!

Considering all the slack that most cycling fan's cut for likes of blatent cheaters like Pantani, you'd think that we'd have a bit more respect for the first American to win the TdF. Despite the less than gracious remarks toward our 'beloved' Lance, Greg is, and was, a great champion. He came back from an injury that would have kept most of us from even riding a bike again to win the greatest cycling event in the world.

+1

Here's a question:
Even the great LeMond, who by his own admission was as pure as the driven snow, says the drug era began in 1991. It must have because that's when people started beating him.
Anyway, why is it that most fans seem to only have this holier than thou revelation over the last decade?
Strange that Lemond says the drug era started right around his last Tour, despite Pedro Delgado testing positive for probenecid, a masking agent, during the 1988 Tour de France. You have to assume drugs came way before masking agents.

And he'd still drop any of our ' pretty' and skinny' arses!

Considering all the slack that most cycling fan's cut for likes of blatent cheaters like Pantani, you'd think that we'd have a bit more respect for the first American to win the TdF. Despite the less than gracious remarks toward our 'beloved' Lance, Greg is, and was, a great champion. He came back from an injury that would have kept most of us from even riding a bike again to win the greatest cycling event in the world.


I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm really sick of Lemond's whining and bellyaching. As if he is
completely free from "sin"...

I think Indurain is also respected because he paid his dues in the peloton being Delagdo's workhorse before he won his 1st TDF..

Let's see how you look at his age with his metabolic disease.

What do you people do for fun? Laugh at homeless people and the sick at hospitals?

Figures...

Of course not, but he's still ugly and fat. And he's certainly not homeless, have you seen his mountain lodge/ compound/ ski resort? He lives like royalty!

he's spanish. come on.

Let's see how you look at his age with his metabolic disease.

What do you people do for fun? Laugh at homeless people and the sick at hospitals?

no. but if you are to be believed, most of us run around in our lawless nation, armed to the teeth with our preferred brand of assault rifle, taking out anyone who looks at us the wrong way.

Indutrain is respected because he raced hard and STFU otherwise.

no. but if you are to be believed, most of us run around in our lawless nation, armed to the teeth with our preferred brand of assault rifle, taking out anyone who looks at us the wrong way.


We shouldn't discriminate against the blind like that. Shoot them, too.

:D

We shouldn't discriminate against the blind like that. Shoot them, too.

:D


I'm not prejudiced. I hate everybody.

j/k

like I said b4......http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=240933

"Having spent the 2006 season on the pro circuit let me quote one " THEY'RE ALL ON THE JUICE "
I was a support person, and each racer had their own 'formula'. Of course a large percentage
is over the counter, however when I asked the racer to elaborate I got an evasive answer
"welcome to the real world".
Any protein based enhancer can be beat with an item you or I could
buy in any grocery store. ( *not gonna give it up )
Personally towards the end of the season, I had a real bad incident with poison Ivy and ended up in
the emergency room with my face so swollen I could not see. They shot me up with roids, handed
me a bottle of pills and said, "take six a day for a week, five a day the next week" and so on and so on
until one a day.
Those first two weeks I was a wild man on the bike.
I can see just how easy it could be to fall into it."

with the comment following by dog hair
"why am I not believing you "

my rebuttal...

"your in denial"

Did they put you on prednisone?

Did they put you on prednisone?

I'd like to hear from Dr Pete on this but I've been on Prendisone and it did nothing for me. I don't believe the steroids they give out for poison ivy are the same type that would enhance performance. For example Cortizone doesn't enhance your performance as much as it helps you recover.

I'm no endocrinologist or anything, but you're pretty much right. Steroids that are used for most medical purposes (prednisone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, etc.) are generally used for their anti-inflammatory properties and really don't have a ton of anabolic properties. They're used for acute inflammation, but the goal is usually to get patients off the steroids quickly, because in my world (surgery) they have a negative impact on tissue strength, infection rates, wound healing, and glycemic control. Surgical patients on chronic steroids like prednisone are scary. Acutely, though, they're great for things like anaphylaxis, severe asthma attacks, COPD exacerbations, cerebral edema, severe exacerbations of things like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's, and other things on the list of "very bad things."

As far as anabolic steroids, I don't know much about them, but they're very different from prednisone and company in terms of their effects.

If LeMond were going after anyone other than Sir God Lance the Anointed King of all things Holy, Great and Pure, no one would care.

If LeMond were going after anyone other than Sir God Lance the Anointed King of all things Holy, Great and Pure, no one would care.

+1 If he were going after Fignon you better believe this forum would be in full support. God knows we Americans have to hate the French ;)

no. but if you are to be believed, most of us run around in our lawless nation, armed to the teeth with our preferred brand of assault rifle, taking out anyone who looks at us the wrong way.

Hey dog hair...I loved the Greg Moore tribute. I live up the street from the Forsythe shops and met him a couple of times. Really cool guy and one of the best and most fearless drivers I ever saw. The thing we all missed was getting to see Greg run Indianapolis...

When he was killed at Fontana, I went down and put flowers up at the Forsythe Racing shop entry...after a day, there were all kinds of tributes and memorials out there...

Greg kicked @ss...