no way back

[Mr Haematocrit]

Lance Armstrong's chances of securing a reduction to his life-time ban for doping appear to have taken a blow as a consequence of the UCI announcing the creation of the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) to investigate how doping became so prevalent in the so-called 'EPO-era'.

The UCI has moved away from creating a full blown 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission' and only said it was 'in the final stages of discussions with WADA to agree how best to incentivise people to co-operate with the Independent Commission."

According to the Telegraph newspaper, the Commission will have the powers to give 'a free pass' to people who testify but not those who have already been convicted of doping offences.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-armstrong-unlikely-to-benefit-by-testifying-to-uci-commission

A Good Result for cycling, refusing to be held ransom.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Ultimately I think that's a really positive way in which to proceed as it prevents people such as Armstrong from dangling carrots in exchange for deals.
Yet t still permits those who are truly sorry about their past conduct and want to help cycling to do so, while keeping self serving shitbags away from the clean up process and cycling.

 

[oldroadman]

Comments on another site, cyclingews.com, from a few people criticising Brian Cookson, saying the independent panel should not have been appointed by him/UCI. You can'y please some people. They want PMcQ out and then start at the perosn they wanted instead. Then again, most comments seem to come from those on the western side of the Atlantic, so perghaps they are not so well informed. Or have had a chance to meet the man himself, who strikes me as a very straight talking, considered, honest man who simply wants to do the best for the sport he clearly loves.

 

[User169]

Picture of him yesterday in the DM () on his hols looking well porky.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Comments on another site, cyclingews.com, from a few people criticising Brian Cookson, saying the independent panel should not have been appointed by him/UCI. You can'y please some people. They want PMcQ out and then start at the perosn they wanted instead. Then again, most comments seem to come from those on the western side of the Atlantic, so perghaps they are not so well informed. Or have had a chance to meet the man himself, who strikes me as a very straight talking, considered, honest man who simply wants to do the best for the sport he clearly loves.

Not remind you a bit of politics?

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

He's still the biggest story in cycling right now. Sad.

Interestingly though i am reading Charley wegelius' book and he seems to have gone massively overlooked by most, as many doms do. A very good read so far.
He does talk a bit about doping but seems to discuss it as something that everyone puts up with and not a handicap. He also gets flagged with a high haematocrit on one or two occasions. He explains this by saying he has a normal high haemo reading. 50-51 as normal.

One side of me thinks this is perfectly plausible and the other thinks it's just another excuse to explain doped performances. Either i have become a sceptic or i am rightly questioning such explanations and concluding them as BS. I'm not sure. He won't name names and defends most of those who have doped, explaining this as a part of a choice in a professional career.

Sorry for the deviation.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I had a quick read of l'Equipe a couple of days ago. There was even a majority in favour of giving Cookson a fair chance, which is unusual by their posters' standards. LA has been wanting to trade his secrets for the right deal for a goodly time now. But I reckon he's held out too long for any deal still to be possible. LA will keep his secrets but they won't work to his advantage any more. (At least, that's my assessment.)

 

[thom]

He's still the biggest story in cycling right now. Sad.

Really ? I honestly don't think he is any more, that most people are more interested in the future and the stuff about the past that may come out is not just about Lance - Verbruggen, McQuaid, Bruyneel + how many other riders. The Lance story is mostly told.

 

[oldroadman]

Personally I would be happy if LA was never heard from, seen, or mentoned again. He cr*pp*d all over the sport for years, and got away with it when it mattered - who stood on all those TdF podiums and took the applause? Who at UCI had some idea of what was happening? Who managed LA at his most "successful"?
Who went sponsor hunting and did they not have a good idea that LA was doing what was necessary to dominate?
All questions to which LA probably knows the answers, but this far out I don't care so long as all the people involved are gone from the sport and never get near it again.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Really ? I honestly don't think he is any more, that most people are more interested in the future and the stuff about the past that may come out is not just about Lance - Verbruggen, McQuaid, Bruyneel + how many other riders. The Lance story is mostly told.

I fear this is wishful thinking Thom. Most people want him to go away but the flurry of documentaries and films due to be released are simply going to put LA in the spotlight. If it wasn't enough that he has tarnished the sport to the point where every Tour winner gets the 3rd degree, he is also grabbing every opportunity to have his side of the story told using every media trick in the book. He is a story and, for that reason, he will be big news until he himself goes away from the spotlight and never returns!

Does anyone see that happening any time soon?

 

[thom]

I fear this is wishful thinking Thom. Most people want him to go away but the flurry of documentaries and films due to be released are simply going to put LA in the spotlight. If it wasn't enough that he has tarnished the sport to the point where every Tour winner gets the 3rd degree, he is also grabbing every opportunity to have his side of the story told using every media trick in the book. He is a story and, for that reason, he will be big news until he himself goes away from the spotlight and never returns!

The reality is Lance is now more so known now as a massive fraudster and what he may say is of little consequence to cycling racing or to current members of the UCI. To be honest, I think we should either:
1) Ban any new Lance threads in this section but create a sub forum where we just put all this crap
2) Have a single thread where this crap just accumulates
I really hate seeing another thread come up based upon the flimsiest of stories about Lance. It is the off season so I understand there are slim pickings for the cycle press to talk about but please people show some intelligence. These stories are not interesting or revelatory any more - it is only because people keep posting (like this...) that this story appears of continued interest. If you're really interested in pro-cycling, show some interest in someone else and preferably show you've got a soul and pick some aspect that this isn't built up by a corporate ad strategy - that is a large part of what created Lance.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

The reality is Lance is now more so known now as a massive fraudster and what he may say is of little consequence to cycling racing or to current members of the UCI. To be honest, I think we should either:
1) Ban any new Lance threads in this section but create a sub forum where we just put all this crap
2) Have a single thread where this crap just accumulates
I really hate seeing another thread come up based upon the flimsiest of stories about Lance. It is the off season so I understand there are slim pickings for the cycle press to talk about but please people show some intelligence. These stories are not interesting or revelatory any more - it is only because people keep posting (like this...) that this story appears of continued interest. If you're really interested in pro-cycling, show some interest in someone else and preferably show you've got a soul and pick some aspect that this isn't built up by a corporate ad strategy - that is a large part of what created Lance.

Well none of that is really my call but it wouldn't bother me if there was an LA specific thread or zone.

Regarding wether or not the content is of interest is without doubt a matter of opinion. The press love to write about a good villain, mostly because the public love reading it.

Perhaps when the season kicks off we will have more interesting stories to chit chat about - not least the constant suspicion surrounding any rider who performs to a higher level than they have previously.

Tour down under can't be far off?

 

[montage]

The only questions of any importance to the LA saga, is why is he not behind bars already?
Past that, better to obliterate him from memory