The cyclist that just wont go away

[John G]

Long, but really good listen, goes for like 1hr 51 min

[url]http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/5live/5lspecials/5lspecials_20121015-2155a.mp3[/url]

[Dombo]

[quote="marco"]Good. they were one of the teams named in the Ferrari investigation, amongst loads of others.
If pro cycling is going to genuinely change it needs to have a crisis point, if a load of those sponsors quit then the lack of money makes that happen.

[Marcus]

[quote="Dombo"]Say what you will about LA, and I admit that I was wrong and that he was a cheat who owed more to Dr Ferrari's chemistry set and the reintroduced contents of his own veins than natural ability, but he indirectly brought a lot of investment and people into the sport.
Far better for those companies such as Rabo to kick out the cheats, have a zero tolerance policy and reap the benefit of being part of something clean that people can admire.

[Phil H]

Didn't Rabobank have a development team (and a women's team)?

Who is going to jump in to replace them? In the current economic climate and with the LA situation still being hot news, I can't see new sponsors rushing in.

Of course, if the sport showed that it was being serious by having a cleanout at the top (I almost used the phrase Augean Stables there) then it might look like something was actually happening.

[Snoop Doug]

I'm with you Marco - personally I think David Millar's open letter to Rabobank sucks. It's not for him to try and coerce anyone to pay money to keep the sport going. Rabobank can decide to sponsor whoever they wish or not and reap the benefits and/or suffer the consequences accordingly. I'd like to see a complete collapse in pro level sponsorship in order that the sport might rebuild itself.

[Elliot M]

Rabobank have clearly explained that they no longer see positive benefit from being associated with the sport - to the extent they'll take their logo off the kit for 2013 - and include the UCI in the blame. Sure it's bad for those who are directly or indirectly employed, but I can't see it as bad thing in a long-term, large scale view.

Note that Marco also gave two examples of immense companies, Sky and Barclays (whose corporate ethics he might possibly disagree with) putting money into cycling as a whole.

And we should note that cycling in general still appears to be in a boom - pro racing is not the all. I'd argue that many people who bought road bikes and gone into sportives etc in the last couple of years aren't very interested in pro racing.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Elliot M"]I'd argue that many people who bought road bikes and gone into sportives etc in the last couple of years aren't very interested in pro racing.

[Keith]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]... personally I think David Millar's open letter to Rabobank sucks. It's not for him to try and coerce anyone to pay money to keep the sport going....

[Andrew G]

Well said Keith.
How many of those new to cycling and spending all their money on sky replica bikes for a sportive aren't doing it because they've been motivated by Wiggins et al? Why do you think so many ride round if full replica kits?
Anyone thinking the destruction of the pro level of a sport is good for it is severely misguided. That applies to all sports.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Keith"]I think it's good to have a rider prepared to speak openly and eloquently about what he believes in.

[Elliot M]

Just to note, I didn't go so far as to say "the destruction of the pro level of a sport is good for it". More that the loss of a high-profile sponsor wouldn't be a bad thing when considered overall in the long term - but then, it would be entirely in vain if it didn't actually lead to change, and clearly it has serious negative effects especially for development riders etc.

I guess it could be somewhat analogous to a firm collapsing due to e.g. corruption and laying off all its employees, which then led to better regulation before the whole industry around it collapsed. Canary in the coalmine and all that.

But that's just my opinion, and we'll need to wait and see.

[DavidKennett]

[url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-860283]Livestrong a fraud?[/url]

[url=http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/10/seven-shades-of-yellow/]A short story[/url] (strong language)

[url=http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Lance+Armstrong+full+speak+at+Livestrong+15th+anniversary+fundraiser&dashboard=2012/usada-lance-armstrong-doping-case&id=rOKBU_U9hHA&yr=2012]15th anniversary of livestrong[/url] with smashed vase at Lance Armstrong yellow carpet, so many they stopped cleaning them up....
[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A5nUTirCEAEboxo.jpg[/img]

[TonyC]

[img]http://i47.tinypic.com/dph6jb.jpg[/img]

[Marcus]

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDwJQM-YNek]Lance is not guilty[/url]

[Alex P]

Hilarious

Check the other vids out as well - OCD Sex - v.funny