"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Riis Admits It!!!

The Eurosport audio feed says that Riis just admitted using EPO! (Of course, I'm sure it was for 3 days. :rolleyes:)

The Eurosport audio feed says that Riis just admitted using EPO! (Of course, I'm sure it was for 3 days. :rolleyes:)

Where are you getting the audio feed?

just saw the same on teletext on dutch tv.

Giro Audio Feed: http://eurosport.yahoo.com/audioplayer.html

Good for him! I'm sure he spoke with CSC before coming clean and the sponsors will move forward with the thought of a new generation of cleaner riders. If anyone really wants to believe that! Sport is sport and money talks. Hope all this stops short of Lance, 'cause the cancer community doesn't need that!

Ack. I saw it on the front pages of Danish newspaper [ www.jp.dk ]i wonder how this will affect csc? And is walter godefroot gonna be the next director to hold a conference?

^^ I agree. No idea if Lance doped or not but the power his name holds in getting funding for cancer research is, at this point, too important.

Ack. I saw it on the front pages of Danish newspaper [ www.jp.dk ]i wonder how this will affect csc? And is walter godefroot gonna be the next director to hold a conference?

Riis also announced yesterday that CSC was going to continue sponsoring the team so my guess is he told them first (about his doping) and they were fine with him coming clean.

Ack. I saw it on the front pages of Danish newspaper [ www.jp.dk ]i wonder how this will affect csc? And is walter godefroot gonna be the next director to hold a conference?

as published here (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/may07/may25news2):


What does Godefroot know?

Will Walter Godefroot be the next to tell all he knows? The former Telekom team manager and current Team Astana advisor has indicated that he might do just that.

"The day will come, when I officially testify. And also about the Freiburg doctors," the Belgian told the German magazine Die Welt. He also indicated that he was aware of doping within his former team. "I am not deaf. Anyone who listened around could hear that it was spoken of openly in the peloton."

^^^I wish those guys would stop using split infinitives

Did he say during which event?

93-98

He said he used it from '93 to '98 and that he purchased and injected it himself.

1993-1998

So wtf will Proudhomme do now?

We have Landis, still on his arbitration hearing, but he's already considered not the TdF champ.

In the other hand we have a champ that confessed doping.

Wow. So he ADMITS to using during his tour win!!

Yeah, now Landis might lose his title but Riis keeps it?!

RIIS: "I MADE MISTAKES"

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/News_Riis_I_made_mistakes_article_121508.html

Friday 25th May 2007 - Cycling Weekly
breaking news

Team CSC Press Release, issued today at 4.19pm.

Concerning the current debate in Germany, Bjarne Riis would like to give the following statement:

After the long run of confessions concerning the Telekom team in the 1990s, I have decided to give a statement about my involvement.

I have decided this for two reasons.

First of all, I'm doing this to keep the focus on the work we are doing today that keeps cycling in the right perspective. The massive steps we have taken to fight doping and the ways in which we have secured that the team rests on the right and proper foundations.

I think if we are to talk about doping, we should talk about what to do now and not about the mistakes in the past. The recent developments in Germany have taken the balance out of this and therefore I want to set the record straight. And I want to do this, because the future of cycling needs the right focus.

Second of all, I'm doing this to get rid of the endless discussions about things that are truly in the past and that I personally have put behind a long time ago. I don't want my personal past to overshadow that work and brilliant effort that Team CSC is doing today. We are the number one team in the world for the second year running and I want my riders and sponsors to be proud of that. They work, within the rules, with passion, professionalism and commitment and I want them to keep on doing that. When I was a rider in the 1990s, I worked extremely hard to get my results. I worked extremely hard, day in day out and I sacrificed a lot just even to be part of the best. In that time, the perspective on doping and preparation was wrong and misguided.

That also means that I did things that I shouldn't have and I have regretted that ever since. Those were mistakes that I take the full responsibility for and I don't have anyone to blame but myself. We all make mistakes and I think my biggest mistake was to let my ambition get the better of me. That I have had to deal with a long time ago and I am glad to say that I am a lot wiser now. Both in my personal and in my professional life.

I don't want the mistakes of my personal past to stand in the way of the work we are doing today. I did what it took to compete at the highest level back then, and it's a deep satisfaction for me that those days are long gone and the sport has moved in the right direction. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be here today.

I have learned from my past – for better and for worse. The experience and wisdom I have gained informed my decision to come back to cycling and has energized me to create the best team in the world.

RE: his Tour victory

Link (http://bad.eserver.org/issues/1993/09/friedman.html)...should follow suit

Velonews:

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/12315.0.html

"Asked if he was a worthy Tour de France winner, Riis replied: "No, I am not.""

Then you should've brought the bowl with you to the Press Conf, and hand it over ;)

Then you should've brought the bowl with you to the Press Conf, and hand it over ;)
From the story on msnbc.com:

“My jersey is at home in a cardboard box,” said Riis, now manager of the CSC team. “They are welcome to come and get it. I have my memories for myself.”

From Cyclingnews: "My yellow jersey is in box at home, you can come and collect it," said Riis of his 1996 Tour performance.

Edit: Shoot, CyLowe beat me to it!

Even if he gave back his Tour win, who'd get it? Ullrich? Virenque? Dufaux? Give me a break. he won on talent. The playing field was leveled with evceryone boosting their blood. No biggie, let's move on.

From the story on msnbc.com:

“My jersey is at home in a cardboard box,” said Riis, now manager of the CSC team. “They are welcome to come and get it. I have my memories for myself.”
Put it up on Ebay......60% Spandex, right? :)

Posted this in another thread...so if Riis gives back the jersey what "clean" rider are they going to give the jersey to?

Criteria: must have ridden for team who did not have a positive drug test, was not involved with one of the "infamous" Italian doctors, was not on a team run by a DS who was caught up in drug scandal, or teammate who was either found positive or confessed. To help things along, I've bolded the ones I know about, others can comment as they see fit:

1996 TDF Final GC:

1. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom 95.57.16
3. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina 4:37
4. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina 5:53
5. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Carrera 7:07
6. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Polti 10:03
7. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto 10:04
8. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme 10:26
9. Abraham Olano (Spa) Mapei 11:00
10. Tony Rominger (Swi) Mapei 11:53
11. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto 14:14
12. Patrick Jonker (Aus) ONCE 18:58
13. Bo Hamburger (Den) TVM 22:19
14. Udo Bolts (Ger) Telekom 25:56
15. Alberto Elli (Ita) MG-Technogym 26:18
16. Manuel Fernandez Gines (Spa) Mapei 26:28
17. Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Refin 27:36
18. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina 32:11
19. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MG-Technogym 37:18
20. Yevgeny Berzin (Rus) Gewiss 38:00[/QUOTE]

Who finished 21st?

Ekimov...

OK, on to 22nd...

Ok but who are they going to give his jersey to? The next guy? Oh wait that was Jan who was on the same team and no doubt also doping...ok so the #3 rider...oops that was Richard Virenque riding for Festina, I think we all know all about Festina...ok how about 4th... oops Laurent Dufaux also riding for Festina...how about the 5th place guy? Peter Luttenberger riding for Carrera...anyone know if he was even remotely clean?

Edit: Ah Vino beat me to it. Lets look at the Jersey winners:
1996 final standings
Overall Bjarne Riis 95h 57' 16"
Second Jan Ullrich +1' 41"
Third Richard Virenque +4' 37"
Points Erik Zabel 335 points
Second Frédéric Moncassin 284 points
Third Fabio Baldato 255 points
Climber Richard Virenque 383 points
Second Bjarne Riis 274 points
Third Laurent Dufaux 176 points
Youth Jan Ullrich 95h 58' 57"
Second Peter Luttenberger +05' 26"
Third Fernandez Gines +24' 47"
Teams Festina 287h 46' 20"
Second Telekom +15' 14"
Third Maipei-GB +51' 36"

So every jersey given and the team title were all won by dopers.

LoL

Bo Hamburger is such a great name. give it to him

Well finally the ones in charge are getting brought out into the light. They are just as guilty as the riders and it's time they pay the price along with them.

IMHO they should just cut a deal with the peloton and let them all confess and then get on with the testing and the racing.

Bo Hamburger is such a great name. give it to him


+1

Unless there's someone named John Orangechicken.

Well finally the ones in charge are getting brought out into the light. They are just as guilty as the riders and it's time they pay the price along with them.

IMHO they should just cut a deal with the peloton and let them all confess and then get on with the testing and the racing.


I completely agree with you. At this point, let the riders get a free pass for past digressions under the agreement that going forward, the testing requirements will be standardized, with use of DNA to track potential future violations AS WELL as a testing program similar to the program used by Team Slipstream.

In addition -any future violations will result in a LIFETIME BAN from cycling and a fine of your salary for the previous 3 years combined.

Bettini - feel free to go work at a gas station if you do not like these rules.

Bo Hamburger is such a great name. give it to him

He already has a doping conviction...

^^ I agree. No idea if Lance doped or not but the power his name holds in getting funding for cancer research is, at this point, too important.

I dunno. With all due respect to cancer sufferers and their loved ones, the sort of cancer research fundraising that Lance does seems to be a thinly veiled scam to funnel public (and private) dollars to pharmaceutical companies while avoiding root causes of cancer like exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and other environmental factors.

The evidence is piling up that Lance beat a doped-up field by doping himself. Dispassionate observers will realize that he occupies the same moral plane as Barry Bonds. (The difference in how these two are treated in the media is sickening.) If Lance doesn't come clean, he might end up having a long career as a blackmailed politician.

Giving back the yellow jersey would be meaningless- he would still own the win. Perhaps the pre-WADA era had a longer statute of limitations than the current 8 years I just don't know. However, going back to change race placements now would create too many problems- first and foremost identifing the rightful winner amongst all the dopers.

There is no good answer on how to deal with this admission. We must simply accept it and move on or abandon that aspect of the sport.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/may07/may26news

Here it is on Cycling News

I dunno. With all due respect to cancer sufferers and their loved ones, the sort of cancer research fundraising that Lance does seems to be a thinly veiled scam to funnel public (and private) dollars to pharmaceutical companies while avoiding root causes of cancer like exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and other environmental factors.

The evidence is piling up that Lance beat a doped-up field by doping himself. Dispassionate observers will realize that he occupies the same moral plane as Barry Bonds. (The difference in how these two are treated in the media is sickening.) If Lance doesn't come clean, he might end up having a long career as a blackmailed politician.


I think this is taking it a bit far. But yes - his Foundation does little to battle the causes, but rather looks for the cure. One is politically risky (causes typically are the result more and more of industrial (Teflon) and technological polution (Cell Phones)), while cure research is apolitical, and someone can profit off of it.


It is kind of like the whole prescription acid reflux inhibitors. If people ate smaller proportions and healthier food (cause), they would reduce the levels of acid reflux. But instead, we push junk food to people, and they then need to pay for prescription drugs.

This is getting ridiculous....

^^ I agree. No idea if Lance doped or not but the power his name holds in getting funding for cancer research is, at this point, too important.


That is no reason to allow Lance to get away with cheating. Good works do not cancel out essentially defrauding the public. He broke the law (allegedly) to win some of those tours, and has used that fame to not only raise money for cancer, but for his own financial earnings as well.

In addition -any future violations will result in a LIFETIME BAN from cycling and a fine of your salary for the previous 3 years combined.

I think you are missing the point. Apparently nearly everyone in the pro peloton dopes, agreed? How many of these guys ever failed a positive test? So obviously testing isn't capable of "finding the cheaters", and therefore the riders *have* to dope to be competitive.

The intelligent approach is to admit that riders will (and must!) dope up to the point where they will trigger a positive test. Instead of banning the use of substances, make a positive test the *only* standard, and reduce the suspensions rather than increase them.

Next you'll be calling for public hangings for anyone caught driving over the speed limit...

This is getting ridiculous....

The great thing about being a cycling fan (unlike say a baseball/football fan), we can enjoy the sport without having to watch these buffoons.

I think you are missing the point. Apparently nearly everyone in the pro peloton dopes, agreed? How many of these guys ever failed a positive test? So obviously testing isn't capable of "finding the cheaters", and therefore the riders *have* to dope to be competitive.

The intelligent approach is to admit that riders will (and must!) dope up to the point where they will trigger a positive test. Instead of banning the use of substances, make a positive test the *only* standard, and reduce the suspensions rather than increase them.

Next you'll be calling for public hangings for anyone caught driving over the speed limit...


The problem is that the current testing used by most teams and tours is not extensive enough. My understanding is that CSC, Slipsteam and T-Mobile have all implemented vigorous physiological examinations of its riders. Thus, there is a baseline from which they can monitor for the slightest changes, helping to catch the cheaters. I beleive 2 CSC riders recently were suspected and are being investigated for cheating. The problem with the current testing is that it asasumes the same baseline for everyone (the 50 hemocrit level), and therefore, allows people with a standard of say 30 to cheat.

Finally - you need the LIFETIME ban in order to make the punishment for getting caught so drastic, and so punishing, that the risk/reward balance is altered. Currently - the risk is less than the reward, therefore, Basso may have to take 2 years off, but he still will be 31 when he comes back. So how much damage was done. Now if he was banned for a lifetime, and had to give back his earnings from 2004 - 2006, guess what, he may have decided it was too much to risk.

I still believe that there is the technology and given the correct protocols, they can monitor for cheating.

The great thing about being a cycling fan (unlike say a baseball/football fan), we can enjoy the sport without having to watch these buffoons.

True...and I love watching local races, we are still laying trying as hard was we can for our ability.
But hearing news like this is always very dissapointing.


+1 for the lifetime ban.

Next you'll be calling for public hangings for anyone caught driving over the speed limit...


Only if it involves NASCAR in anyway. :rolleyes:

Next you'll be calling for public hangings for anyone caught driving over the speed limit...


Nice leap there.

Bo Hamburger is such a great name. give it to him

Hamberger is a doper, for sure.

As Leggitt once commentated during Liege-Bastogne-Liege: Here we are atop of the Côte de la Vecquée, this rider looks as he's done, it's Hamburger.

There's only one way to minimize doping (note I did not say eliminate it): You set a minimum time to finish the race and anyone who's faster than that is elminated. So basically you're saying something like: "Whoever crosses the finish line first in 98 hours or more (and NOT less) wins the race. If you finish in 97 hours you're disqualified." And you'd do the same for every stage too. That's it. There's no other solution.

I dunno. With all due respect to cancer sufferers and their loved ones, the sort of cancer research fundraising that Lance does seems to be a thinly veiled scam to funnel public (and private) dollars to pharmaceutical companies while avoiding root causes of cancer like exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and other environmental factors.

The evidence is piling up that Lance beat a doped-up field by doping himself. Dispassionate observers will realize that he occupies the same moral plane as Barry Bonds. (The difference in how these two are treated in the media is sickening.) If Lance doesn't come clean, he might end up having a long career as a blackmailed politician.

+1

Finally - you need the LIFETIME ban in order to make the punishment for getting caught so drastic, and so punishing, that the risk/reward balance is altered.

Why!? It is insane to hand out such punishments to riders who are basically doing what everyone else is doing. If the test methods actually become capable of ensuring that *all* the riders do not dope, then the riders will happily quit doping. Until that time we might as well face reality.

Increasing the penalties simply intensifies the stupid circus we have now. If you use draconian scare tactics you *will* reduce the number of riders using PEDs, but that will just make "cheating" all the more beneficial!

I think the riders (and athletes in general) would be happy to stop doping if there a way to identify that other riders were staying clean.

There's only one way to minimize doping (note I did not say eliminate it): You set a minimum time to finish the race and anyone who's faster than that is elminated. So basically you're saying something like: "Whoever crosses the finish line first in 98 hours or more (and NOT less) wins the race. If you finish in 97 hours you're disqualified." And you'd do the same for every stage too. That's it. There's no other solution.


Please tell me this is one of those internet joke thingees.

Mark