Question to the people who know a lot more than me about this years Tour. Why is Millar getting so much airtime?

Is he the spokesman for all things Tour?

It looks like, from what I noticed, Velonews quotes him all of the time.

PS. It was nice to see Sean Kelly doing some commentary.

wasn't Millar a doper himself?

It riduculous.. And It's getting worse, I read an article where an Italian Man wants to start a new team that will be vigoursly "dope free" and he want Ivan Basso to head it up.. nice..

wasn't Millar a doper himself?

yep. plus he speaks english and is outspoken which makes him a good interview along with angry young bradley wiggins who thinks he deserves to be resigned solely because he is "clean". :eek:.

ed rader

I actually have grown to like Millar. Wouldn't surprise me if he's actually clean now. He certainly hasn't been setting the road on fire since he came back from his ban.

Smoothie - do you think Vaughters, Millar et al are serious about running a clean team?

Millar has stated himself that his defacto 'anti-doping spokesman' position came about from all the dope-centered questions aimed at him from journalists.
Millar said he realized he had a unique position to take a vocal stand, and acted on it because he thought it needed to be done.
He is one of very few admitted dopers who talk about it, and I applaud him for his feelings and actions on the subject.

Yeah, it smacks of hypocrisy, but I'm getting over that.
I think more pro tour cyclists need to be honest and responsible, and take difficult leadership roles when they see the opportunity.
He did the crime, he did the time, and now he's preachin the gospel.

I actually have grown to like Millar. Wouldn't surprise me if he's actually clean now. He certainly hasn't been setting the road on fire since he came back from his ban.

Smoothie - do you think Vaughters, Millar et al are serious about running a clean team?


I think they are serious about running a team and making money in the only industry they know well enough to do so.. that being said, That will all be over for them if they do get busted, so just maybe... they are serious about being clean?

Yeah, it smacks of hypocrisy, but I'm getting over that.
I think more pro tour cyclists need to be honest and responsible, and take difficult leadership roles when they see the opportunity.
He did the crime, he did the time, and now he's preachin the gospel.

I too thought it was a little hypocritical, but as you say, crime, time and gospel. It is about time someone who 'did the time' took a stand, I wish more ex dopers would speak out about why they did what they did, who was involved etc etc.
I hope Dave doesn't let up - I think he's doing a good job.

I think they are serious about running a team and making money in the only industry they know well enough to do so.. that being said, That will all be over for them if they do get busted, so just maybe... they are serious about being clean?

That would assume the team had something to do with one of the riders use of a PED; considering how vocal Vaughters/Slipstream are in regards to anti-doping, seriously doubt they'd be involved.

Here's the thing: no matter what policy a team has and what program they instill...an individual on the team may still very well decide to take a PED...but that wouldn't necessarily show a weakness on the part of Slipstream's anti-doping policy.

^^^ well their anti-doping policy includes internal tests. so in theory a doper in the ranks should be caught before he embarrasses the whole team in competition.

Millar did get a lot of coverage with interviews during the TDF because he is a quality interviewee, he's outspoken and has some great points. you're right, he is an x doper for which he has a lot of regret about if you have read or seen any of his interviews in the past, but this makes his points even better to listen too as he's seen it from both sides. on the actual cyling side of things, i hope there is better to come from the Scot as he has been pish since he came back from doping(just goes to show, EPO works!!

wasn't Millar a doper himself?not only that, but last i heard he was working with cecchini. at least he won't get caught again i guess:o

millar is a biatch.

^^^ well their anti-doping policy includes internal tests. so in theory a doper in the ranks should be caught before he embarrasses the whole team in competition.

They don't test for EPO etc; they leave that up to the authorities who already perform those tests....

From Vaughters:

"We test each rider, at least once a week for hormonal (hGH< testo etc) levels and red blood cell mass. If those levels deviate more than three standard deviations off the mean, we suspend the rider from competition.

It isn't a positive test, as we are focusing on undetectable things like autologous blood doping and growth hormone. We leave the easily found stuff to WADA and the UCI. if they can find it, then they suspend the rider. We are just preventing guys from thinking about using things that are are not currently detectable."

"We test each rider, at least once a week for hormonal (hGH< testo etc) levels and red blood cell mass. If those levels deviate more than three standard deviations off the mean, we suspend the rider from competition.[/B]"
So in a sport full of riders who take HGH, the one guy who doesn't is potentially going to be suspended because his HGH level is more then 3σ below the mean.;)

Not a bad idea actually. The UCI should have made a minimum hematocrit requirement of 50% rather than maximum. Get rid of all those non-dopers. Snitches.

So in a sport full of riders who take HGH, the one guy who doesn't is potentially going to be suspended because his HGH level is more then 3σ below the mean.;)

Certainly! A crappy slow rider is just as useless as one who get's caught doping :p