[Closed] le Tour already ruined

yawn. All have served their time. they've moved on, why don't you?

I think I'll still be glued to the telly.

It's not a proper TDF without a David Millar break. Love him.

Millar, Valverde & Contador all confirmed in their teams line ups, all convicted cheats. What a great example, cheats do prosper

Huh? Name me a race without a single convicted doper, hardly ruining anything, unless you think every single race in the last century has also been ruined, in which case the fact you care is odd!

Ruined I tell you, cancelling my trip... 😉

So you all condone drug cheats then?

I'd like to name a race without convicted cheats but instead of life time bans they all got let back in. Armstrong gets lambasted but everyone else is allowed to continue?

Millar is a disgrace now he proudly displays his " I was a drug cheat but now I'm clean halo"

Warton - because they still benefit from their creating, especially where it was steroids which, if used correctly, give benefits for several years - much longer than their ban

Im really looking forward to it this year. Hoping for a Froome, Contadoor battle. Love the way contador goes on the attack time after time during races. He's entertaining to watch.

Rocketdog, I am surprised at this low level of troll from you.

Rocketdog, i take it you don't bother with football, tennis, motorracing, horse racing etc etc etc. They are all rife with drugs.

This is before you move on to the minor detail that people lie! how many people upsell themselves in a CV, or fail to mention things that matter. As much cheating as taking PEDs in my opinion.

The Tour is entertianment, take it for what it is and don't bother with the moral stand.

Presumably the Olympics last year were ruined as well then? After all, Dwain Chambers ran...
Pretty weak troll.

EVERYONE WAS CHEATING! So we ban everyone who raced in the 90's yes?

Love the way contador goes on the attack time after time during races

Yes, it's almost super human isn't it....oh, wait

Totally agree with Rocketdog, Tour de Farce would be more appropriate as would Wimblecon for the steroid fuelled felt ball swatting currently ruining prime time TV.

Totally agree with Rocketdog, [s]Tour de Farce would be more appropriate as would Wimblecon for the steroid fuelled felt ball swatting currently ruining prime time TV. [/s] sport is entirely pointless because it's defined by cheaters

FTFY, you'll not find a single clean sport, move on.

So you all condone drug cheats then?

No, but I don't understand why you're shocked. Millar, Contador et al were always racing this year, it's not like it's a sudden shock announcement. Last year was also ruined in the same way. And the year before, and the year before that, and indeed the year before that. As was the Olympics, and the Giro, and the Vuelta, and the Dauphine, and the Paris-Nice, and the Paris-Roubaix. See where this is going?

Either you care, or you don't, hand wringing now seems rather misplaced!

I changed my opinion of Millar after I read his book. #justsayin 😛

Millar is a disgrace

He's done more for clean cycling than any other rider in the peloton.

and a damn sight more than you'll ever do.

Rocketdog, i take it you don't bother with football, tennis, motorracing, horse racing etc etc etc. They are all rife with drugs.

Proof, please.

I find it odd that people i.e. spectators, fans, put so much emotional baggage into professional sporting events. Ultimately, professional sport is shallow and money-orientated, and there purely for the spectacle.

If you want good ole, honest sporting heroes go and support more down-to-earth events such as marathons, Ironman events, triathlons, ultra-marathons, your local Saturday afternoon footie team, etc etc. Those are full of more heroes than you will ever find at professional level sport.

Professional sport is there for one thing only, and that is to entertain. If you are looking for more than that then you are in for a big disappointment.

I will always love the spectacle of the Tour and always will.

I'm not shocked, just disappointed

I'm not shocked, just disappointed

Ok then 🙄

No, but I don't understand why you're [s]shocked[/s] disappointed. Millar, Contador et al were always racing this year, it's not like it's a sudden shock announcement. Last year was also ruined in the same way. And the year before, and the year before that, and indeed the year before that. As was the Olympics, and the Giro, and the Vuelta, and the Dauphine, and the Paris-Nice, and the Paris-Roubaix. See where this is going?

Either you care, or you don't, hand wringing now seems rather misplaced!

Professional sport is there for one thing only, and that is to entertain. If you are looking for more than that then you are in for a big disappointment.

This, I don't get why people care so much! The Tour will be entertaining, and the presence of some people who have cheated, and some who are cheating does little to detract quite frankly!

He's done more for clean cycling than any other rider in the peloton.

and a damn sight more than you'll ever do.

Blatant baiting aside, there's really no need to stoop to that level, he's a convicted cheat, bang to rights so being clean now is irrelevant. As for me doing something towards clean riding I think being disgruntled by it is far more use than you saying it's ok & ignoring it

I think being disgruntled by it is far more use than you saying it's ok & ignoring it

How? Unless you're acting on it it's just an opinion. I don't think you're helping to clean up cycling by whinging on a forum, but you carry on anyway!

You're of no use whatsoever.

As for those saying "why now", I've been saying it since all their convictions, the Tour is the biggest race so brings things to ahead

Right as this is descending into the usual insults because you can't think of anything constructive to say by the usual suspects I'll leave you cheat lovers to it.

Yawn

WADA have a point, shooting dopers at dawn doesn't promote confessions. Sensible penalties do. to be in the olympics the UCI has to conform to WADA regs. Sorry if that is too simple to get.

mikey, have a read of the operacion puerto comments, have a look at the recent horse doping case, have a look at the horse riders who have been banned for drugs, FFS a darts player got banned for drugs use!!! If you believe that only cycling has an issue that is your look out. People cheat, most sports do absolutely nothing.

Blatant baiting aside, there's really no need to stoop to that level, he's a convicted cheat, bang to rights so being clean now is irrelevant.

Yes, and he's served his ban. Personally, I have more time for a repentant cheat than an unrepentant one.

The rules are the rules I guess. Enjoy the Tdf for the good stuff, there's plenty. If I'm honest I loved all the racing through the bad years. I won't let the drugs ruin my formative cycling memories.

As for those saying "why now", I've been saying it since all their convictions, the Tour is the biggest race so brings things to ahead

Why did you start then? Millar wasn't exactly the first to be busted.

Maurice Garin ruined it really, at least be consistent.

mikey, have a read of the operacion puerto comments, have a look at the recent horse doping case, have a look at the horse riders who have been banned for drugs, FFS a darts player got banned for drugs use!!! If you believe that only cycling has an issue that is your look out. People cheat, most sports do absolutely nothing.

I wasn't arguing. It was just a question, but motor racing?

Blatant baiting aside

😀

njee20
Professional cycling is entirely pointless because it's defined by cheaters.

I'm surprised Millar has got a ride, he's been awful all season!

Anyway, Millar, Contador and Valverde at least got busted for their wrong doing. I'm guessing there'll be some riders lining up who have been (maybe still are) on the PEDs, but never been caught - that's a lot worse.

Right as this is descending into the usual insults because you can't think of anything constructive to say by the usual suspects I'll leave you cheat lovers to it.

Professional cycling is entirely pointless because it's defined by cheaters.

And tennis, at the very least according to your post. My point is that every sport has cheaters, sport is rife with it. Competition of any sort is rife with it!

Someone got busted for doping at a sportive in New York, so amateur cycling isn't much better.

It's a little hypocritical to highlight certain sports.

Blatant baiting aside, there's really no need to stoop to that level, he's a convicted cheat, bang to rights so being clean now is irrelevant

He is co - owner of the Garmin team, the first team in the peloton to really take an anti-doping stance, they began taking this stance after he became part owner. garmin is the blueprint for all the other teams, in how to cultivate an anti doping environment within a team.

He sits on WADAs athletes panel, giving WADA advice about catching dopers, and how to encourage non doping sport (not just cycling)

So, he's a little more than 'clean now'

But Rocketdog's on a forum bleating, he's doing way more!

Millar is my favourite Pro - a great guy. I reckon life time bans now would be a good thing though.

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/mods-3-week-bans ]I'm not one to stymie good natured debate but...[/url]

Any good story in enhanced by the inclusion of villains. It'll make me smile every time A Contador move doesn't come off and may even let out a laugh if he gets dropped on a climb.

[url= http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2012-08-07/aj-allmendinger-positive-drug-test-adderall-suspension-career ]NASCAR drugs [/url]

If you look you'll find other cases, then there is the issue of cheating in the design of cars...

this is a weird thread

So you all condone drug cheats then?

I'd like to name a race without convicted cheats but instead of life time bans they all got let back in. Armstrong gets lambasted but everyone else is allowed to continue?

Millar is a disgrace now he proudly displays his " I was a drug cheat but now I'm clean halo"

I see your point*, it is quite unfair, I reckon the best, fairest solution would be to let Lance come back in 2014...

I mean Lance was a Cheat and a bully and all, but didn't he cure cancer or the bad AIDS or something, and I think I read that he donated his last working Gonad to Sheryl Crow or someone too...

Plus I don't even remember Millar even going on a chat show, let alone almost sort of appologising to Oprah like what Armstrong done, So Lance has to be much closer to that Halo than any of the others...

In fact the Good -> Evil scale should now go:

-Subo
-Baby Jesus
-Lance Armstrong
-Satan
-David Millar
-Piers Morgan

*(I may not be taking the topic quite as seriously as Rocketdog though).

I'm surprised Millar has got a ride, he's been awful all season!

I really enjoyed the Millar breakaway then cat-and-mouse through the streets last year.

The problem is it's so bloody complicated. And the beauty of it is that it's so bloody complicated.

Hate the convicted but repentant doper?
Hate the un-reconstructed doper?
Hate the DS who admitted doping?
Hate the DS who has never admitted doping but might have?
Hate the DS who everyone knows doped but keeps schtum?
Hate the team owner who bullied riders into doping?
Hate the team owner who tacitly allowed doping amongst his riders?
Hate the sponsor who funded the doping, took the glory, then bailed?
Hate the new successful "clean" team because they win?
Hate the guy who just sits on a four-man break and then wins?

Or just stop hating and start trying to understand how complex it can be?

Hate the guy who just sits on a four-man break and then wins?

that one...

lazy bar stewards

[s]The problem is it's so bloody complicated. And the beauty of it is that it's so bloody complicated.

Hate the convicted but repentant doper?
Hate the un-reconstructed doper?
Hate the DS who admitted doping?
Hate the DS who has never admitted doping but might have?
Hate the DS who everyone knows doped but keeps schtum?
Hate the team owner who bullied riders into doping?
Hate the team owner who tacitly allowed doping amongst his riders?
Hate the sponsor who funded the doping, took the glory, then bailed?
Hate the new successful "clean" team because they win?
Hate the guy who just sits on a four-man break and then wins?[/s]

Or just stop hating and start trying to understand how complex it can be?

Good effort at a Troll RD..
Bored at work?? 😆

🙄

Don't watch it then!

Worst part of TdF? The Tour de Trolls that comes beforehand!

[url= http://road.cc/content/news/86115-hinault-french-senators-want-kill-tour-de-france ]Hinault's thoughts on the subject[/url]

“You can ask the question, why bring this out now? Why always go looking at cycling? Why don’t the samples from the 1990s [from other sports] exist any more? Why don’t they make that come out? Enough of their bullshit! It’s always cycling that gets it. Maybe we’re no whiter than others, but we’re no blacker either. I don’t think so.”

Hinault, who besides those five Tour de France victories also won the Giro d’Italia three times, the Vuelta twice, and was road world champion in 1980, called on national sports governing bodies and the International Olympic Committee to “do their job” and put “everyone on an equal footing.”

He concluded: “Let them put the same constraints on all sports as they do on cyclists and they can open their mouths, but for now they have no interest in doing so.”

I think he makes some good points, by actually tackling the problem cycling has made itself look like 'the dirty sport' but it's clear from Fuentes that this isn't the case.

And FWIW I enjoy listening to Millar in interviews etc, he knows his stuff and has done a lot of work in anti-doping, which as other ex-dopers have shown he really didn't have to.

NASCAR drugs

Yeah but NASCAR needs Drugs, Psychotropics for the spectators / viewers, just to make it seem interesting, and clearly amphetamines to help keep the drivers awake...

can't wait to watch it myself.

Come on now, I thought we all understood that now that Lance Armstrong's been busted, we no longer need to give doping in cycling a second thought, after all, it was all his fault.

This thread makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Whilst the haterz are hatin', I shall mostly be watching a couple of hundred ridiculously talented and fit riders tackling the 21 stages of the most famous Cycling race in the world, and enjoying it to the max!

There will be thrills, spills, and almost inevitably a drug cheat or two will get caught, but that's all part of it these days. Plenty of other sports could learn a lot from cycling with regards to actually trying to tackle the problem of drug use, but its too convenient to turn a blind eye and let cycling appear to be the dirty sport.

@rocketdog

did you watch the 100m mens final at the olympics and enjoy it?

[img] http://l.yimg.com/os/388/2012/08/05/AP535125753356-jpg_115634.jp g" target="_blank">http://l.yimg.com/os/388/2012/08/05/AP535125753356-jpg_115634.jp g"/> [/img]

I must also admit that I drank at least 12 cups of tea before I got one of my Strava KOM's.....

I must also admit that I drank at least 12 cups of tea before I got one of my Strava KOM's.....

when did rocket dog just troll about the TdF and wheel size?

What is up with you fella you never used to just do this

What a shite attempt at a troll. The tour greats such as Coppi , Mercxx , Induran , Pantani and of course Armstrong were all doping in one way or another so should just ignore the last 99 TdF's.

Probably in recent times only Evans and Wiggins wins are totally without raising an eyebrow at. I think even the clean times are chemically enhancing but just not with Illegal PED's.

Forget all that lighten up and just enjoy the racing

did you watch the 100m mens final at the olympics and enjoy it?

I didn't watch, I watched the Olympic road race, that was won by that nice clean cut Vinokourov chap, oh....

Coppi , Mercxx , Induran , Pantani and of course Armstrong were all doping in one way or another so should just ignore the last 99 TdF's

Well if they admit it or you can prove it why not, seemed ok to erase Armstrong's wins from the past

I thought you'd flounced off and left us to it?

You LOVE it...you sneaky thread lurker!