Literary indigestion

[Chuffy]

Since Friday I've read, in this order:-

The Crooked Path to Victory - Les Woodland
Bad Blood - Jeremy Whittle
From Lance to Landis - David Walsh

Has anyone else read these three? I'll try to summarise what I make of it all once I've slept on it but I'd like to know what other people think.

 

[Keith Oates]

I've not read either of them Chuffy, but I'll be interested in your summary although the Walsh guy is a pain as far as I can see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuffy]

I've not read either of them Chuffy, but I'll be interested in your summary although the Walsh guy is a pain as far as I can see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A pain if your name is Lance Armstrong or you are Hein Verbruggen. Don't shoot the messenger Keith...

 

[Keith Oates]

I agree not to shoot the messenger so long as you're sure the message is correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuffy]

I agree not to shoot the messenger so long as you're sure the message is correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could you elaborate? I've got a certain view, having read the book, but I'd be interested to hear from someone who has followed this kind of stuff for much longer than I have.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

People don't like Walsh because he's prepared to question the myth of Lance. Full stop.

 

[Chuffy]

People don't like Walsh because he's prepared to question the myth of Lance. Full stop.

Is it really as simple as that? Trouble is, in the Lance to Landis book, the thing that really stands out is the testimony offered by the various protagonists, eg the Andreus, Vaughters et al. Not to mention the L'Equipe story.

And if you accept it then the recent history of the Tour comes crashing down around your ears.

 

[Abitrary]

Is it really as simple as that? Trouble is, in the Lance to Landis book, the thing that really stands out is the testimony offered by the various protagonists, eg the Andreus, Vaughters et al. Not to mention the L'Equipe story.

And if you accept it then the recent history of the Tour comes crashing down around your ears.

The andreus and vaughters are not known for the veracity of their story telling in their home galaxy.

 

[Chuffy]

The andreus and vaughters are not known for the veracity of their story telling in their home galaxy.

Elaborate please. Or are you just being silly?

 

[rich p]

Elaborate please. Or are you just being silly?

I thought the Andreus were convincing but were they referring to LA pre-cancer? They were in the hospital room when Lance was asked what medication he was on IIRC. Did they also accuse LA of doping after the cancer?

 

[Chuffy]

I thought the Andreus were convincing but were they referring to LA pre-cancer? They were in the hospital room when Lance was asked what medication he was on IIRC. Did they also accuse LA of doping after the cancer?

Their accusations, such as they are, stem from the hospital room 'confession' and the knowledge that Frankie Andreu had by virtue of being a team mate of Lance. However there is an instant message exchange between Andreu and Vaughters which refers explicitly to doping within US Postal and Discovery based on what appears to be personal knowledge and information passed on to Vaughters by Floyd Landis.

 

[Keith Oates]

Is this the same Floyd Landis that still maintains he did not take any substance during the 2006 TdF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuffy]

Is this the same Floyd Landis that still maintains he did not take any substance during the 2006 TdF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup. But while he was riding for Postal/Disco. Who are you going to believe, the Floyd with an expensive defence team and a failed drug test arguing that he didn't do anything, or the pre-scandal Floyd talking privately to a fellow pro about doping practices within the team he's riding for...

 

[Chuffy]

To be honest, the only real difference between Floyd and Lance is that Lance's failed drug tests were retrospective. By which time he'd pretty much got away with it. Helped of course by an expensive legal team and his own brusque and bullying personality.