Times Journalist Paul Kimmage's take on the return of the...

[Dombo]

A bitter man, still hung up over his failure as a professional sportsman, who assumes that anyone significantly better than him is on drugs.

[Grahame]

A heroic man, prepared to tell the world exactly why his promise as an amateur was not translated into professional success, and who is not afraid to reveal the hypocracy and lying that happens at the top of the sports world.

Another perspective, Dombo.

[kieran]

Well Mr Kimmage is Irish, and the Irish have a habit of slagging off their friends so I think him and Lance are really best buddies!

[Stu Merckx Man]

didnt paul write a book? is it worth a read?

[Andy E]

Yep, he sure did. It's called Rough Ride, and a bloody good read to boot. I have a copy at home if you want it.

[killyridols]

I don't think that anyone who has finished the Tour de France can be described as having failed as a professional sportsman. Sure, he wasn't as good as Armstrong but Kimmage wasn't a doper.

[Dombo]

Coming 131st the one time he managed to finish is hardly a resounding success. Sure, I doubt I could even hold his wheel for a second, but that was his job, probably the toughest sport in the world and he wasn't up to winning at it. And winning precisely nothing suggests he perhaps chose the wrong profession. Sad, for him, but it happens.

And he admitted to taking amphetamines in his book. Should have taken a few more obviously. So, "not a doper"? I don't think so.

"It's not about the bike" is a thumping good read too which I'll happily lend to anyone.

Marco?

Anyone?

[Andrew G]

[quote="Dombo"] And winning precisely nothing suggests he perhaps chose the wrong profession.

[Dombo]

Yes, a tad harsh. Apologies to Mr Kimmage. That'll teach me not to post at the end of a bad week. Maybe I just have a thing about grassing on one's mates. As Grahame says, "a different perspective". And where would our forum be without perspectives?

Just like that other big London club, swapping tales about jumping red lights and scattering herds of bambis in Richmond Park.

[Alex P]

A heroic man....mmmm - not....he is but a journalist (a bitter one at that) who is paid to write "storys" that sell papers. Storys that knock people down sell, one's that celebrate do not, he keeps his job that is the bottom line.

[Dombo]

[quote="marco"]any misunderstandings between them can be cleared up.

[Dombo]

Yes, good ol' Greg. Shame he fell out with Trek. Constant sniping at the guy who made your employer the company it is today is never a smart career move. Still, at least the efforts of Lance have put Trek in a strong enough position to still honour the lifetime warranties on Lemond bikes.

The problem is that many people cannot accept the good Armstrong has done and will do again for the sport, whereas the naysayers (Kimmage, Walsh etc) only damage it by drawing attention to what most people could not give a stuff about. A bunch of French and Italian cyclists whom nobody outside the keenest group of fans could name take drugs? Who cares?

Whereas an articulate, brash and abrasive American who's beaten a pretty nasty and virulent cancer, raises millions for charity, dates a rock star, charging up an Alp leaving all in his wake, oh and never failed a drug test? That's good sport and good telly.

Go up to the average man in the street and ask him to name a famous pro cyclist. Armstrong for sure, Merckx too if you're lucky. Famous for drug "scandals"? No, for winning it 7 times in a row in one case and for being the greatest cyclist ever in the other case.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

True....but boring as hell to a keen cyclist

[Dombo]

Maybe, but to we casual bicyclists, we fairweather fellows who only venture out when family commitments allow, who have ridden mountain bikes since '93, raced mountain bikes in Welsh sleet in high summer, through Gorrick mud in winter, twice ridden the SDW in a day, taken up this roady lark and within a year of so doing completed L'Etape du Tour, to we casualists his return to the Tour fills us with unbridled joy and the knowledge that we can once again cheer our hero through those mountain passes and again discuss our sport with colleagues.

Roll on summer

[Andrew G]

- A fiver says there is a load of excrescence spouted by all and sundry when he turns up (or not) for a race.
- A fiver says there'll be a ton a sycophantic drivel printed in the press (mainstream and cycling) before he even turns a wheel (already started). Multiplied when he does/doesn't turn up for a race.
- A fiver says he doesn't start the TdF in 2009. Most likely will be on the startlist until the last minute (for a replacement to be named) to drag as much publicity as possible out of it.
- A fiver says that following said excuses for lack of competing (probably fairly lame) he will be in the team car for the race and the excrescence overload will start again about why not racing?/moving in to team management?/impact he'll have on the race from the car?
- A fiver says most European cycling fans lose interest early on (if they had any to start with) and the "anti-US/Lance witch-hunt" picks up, stoked by the devil with the yellow stripe on his sleeve himself.

Worst case I lose twenty-five quid, but I'd be surprised if I'm out of pocket at all.