Merckx v Armstrong

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cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
This is often the point were people say "but they were all at it so it was all fair" and that's a resounding no.
I didnt say that though did i ? i was merely pointing out the difference between doping prior to the EPO institutionalized era was pretty amateurish and the effects fairly minor in comparison
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
I didnt say that though did i ? i was merely pointing out the difference between doping prior to the EPO institutionalized era was pretty amateurish and the effects fairly minor in comparison
I'm predicting the future, not suggesting you said something :laugh:
 

Adam4868

Guru
I'll settle the argument now...in the world ranking of doping,cheating tw@ts Lance takes it.Nobody can touch him,he's in a league of his own 🙄
 

BurningLegs

Veteran
long gone are the days of the majority of a given peloton being at it, definitely not in a systematic calculated way as with... Michele Ferrari etc
Aren’t there rumours around that he’s been involved with riders from the Astana team in the last year or two? 😞
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
Aren’t there rumours around that he’s been involved with riders from the Astana team in the last year or two? 😞
There will still be occasional outliers getting caught across antidoping agencies in all sports, but long gone are the days of the majority of a given peloton being at it, definitely not in a systematic calculated way as with USPS/Discovery Channel, motoman, Michele Ferrari etc
 

Eziemnaik

Über Member
I am not defending Lance
But
Everybody in the know knew he was doped
UCI did not give a damn untill he was about to get subpeona from US authorities
Then suddenly UCI gets sainter than St Peter and starts with unprecedented bans
If Armstrong deserves all of them (and I am not saying he doesn't) then so do UCI and most of his fellow riders from the era
 

roubaixtuesday

self serving virtue signaller
I am not defending Lance
But
Everybody in the know knew he was doped
UCI did not give a damn untill he was about to get subpeona from US authorities
Then suddenly UCI gets sainter than St Peter and starts with unprecedented bans
If Armstrong deserves all of them (and I am not saying he doesn't) then so do UCI and most of his fellow riders from the era

Armstrong's behaviour was a class apart from everyone else.

Just for example.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th.../2012/oct/11/lance-armstrong-dope-cheat-bully
 

Eziemnaik

Über Member
I am familiar
Again not defending
But the law should be applied for the offence not the character (and I find his rather unpleasant)
Again, UCI got scared by threats from USA and their sponsors so they decided to treat it as they did (and we all know they were complicit to a certain degree)
On the other side Merckx is something of a sacred cow, hence for example goalpost moving in the hour record, or never mentioned doping
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Professional cyclists are going to be as 'clean' as they need to be to continue earning. Why would they be any different? It's a business.

For all Armstrong's sophisticated doping his palmares isn't remotely on the same level as Merckx's (over 500 victories in total, 10 grand tours, including multiple jerseys several times, etc.).
 
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