Doping scandal rocks Tour

[dbackjon]

Favorites Ullrich, Basso barred on eve of race

STRASBOURG, France (AP) -- Favorites Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and other cyclists were barred Friday from the Tour de France in the biggest doping scandal to hit cycling in years.

The decision to prevent Ullrich, Basso and others from racing threw the sport's premier race into upheaval the day before it begins.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/more/specials/tour_de_france/2006/06/30/bc.cyc.tourdefrance.dop.ap/index.html

[dbackjon]

This is HUGE - cycling takes doping very seriously.

Could you see the NFL banning the starting QB/RB/WR of a team the day before the Super Bowl???

[AppGuy04]

This is huge, and b/c of this, the attack on Lance will only grow.

Go George Hincapie!

[dbackjon]

This is huge, and b/c of this, the attack on Lance will only grow.

Go George Hincapie!

It actually might take some of the heat off of him.

[colgate13]

It actually might take some of the heat off of him.

I was thinking the same thing.

[OL FU]

This is huge, and b/c of this, the attack on Lance will only grow.

Go George Hincapie!


Greenville Boy:nod: :nod: :nod: :D

[AppGuy04]

It actually might take some of the heat off of him.

I just think that these guys are gonna try and divert the attention towards them onto others, and Lance has long been the scapegoat, or attempted scapegoat

[Mr. C]

Lance is NOT a scapegoat. Lance, like Barry Bonds, brings a lot of this stuff on himself, because he is such a jerk. Are you aware of all of the stories about Armstrong where different people have talked about how he has tried to intimidate them from talking about his alleged drug use. Lance is a bad, bad dude, but for some reason, because of all of his Tour de France victories, a lot of Americans have ignored the shady side of his personality. Having covered cycling in the past, both in California and North Carolina, I have been told for years what a pain in the butt that Armstrong has been, all the way back to his days on the junior national team. Usually, where there is smoke, there is fire and in Lance's case, no one other than Barry Bonds has ever had so much smoke.

[colgate13]

Lance is a bad, bad dude, but for some reason, because of all of his Tour de France victories, a lot of Americans have ignored the shady side of his personality.

There's also that whole "recovered from cancer" thing that might endear him to the average joe too.

[Slammer50111]

Well this year instead of riding the wine country of France Lance will be riding the corn fields of Iowa. They don't test for drugs on Ragbrai. Which is a good thing seeing how it is a week long rolling party.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/NEWS08/606280374/1001/NEWS

[GannonFan]

Lance is NOT a scapegoat. Lance, like Barry Bonds, brings a lot of this stuff on himself, because he is such a jerk. Are you aware of all of the stories about Armstrong where different people have talked about how he has tried to intimidate them from talking about his alleged drug use. Lance is a bad, bad dude, but for some reason, because of all of his Tour de France victories, a lot of Americans have ignored the shady side of his personality. Having covered cycling in the past, both in California and North Carolina, I have been told for years what a pain in the butt that Armstrong has been, all the way back to his days on the junior national team. Usually, where there is smoke, there is fire and in Lance's case, no one other than Barry Bonds has ever had so much smoke.

Having actually known someone who raced against Armstrong when they were teenagers, I heard the same talk about him not being a nice guy. However, not being a nice guy does not lead directly into him doping. And frankly trying to intimidate people who try to discredit your life when you believe them to be lying is not necessarily a character flaw either. I'm sure I'd come off as a jerk too if I felt people were smearing me with what I thought were lies - you don't just sit back and let those things happen. If there's smoke around Lance, which there surely is, it's more a product of the general doping issues in the sport of cycling itself, not just because Lance has vigorously defended himself in the court of public opinion. If he didn't say anything about alleged doping would everyone think him innocent then?

[AppGuy04]

Having actually known someone who raced against Armstrong when they were teenagers, I heard the same talk about him not being a nice guy. However, not being a nice guy does not lead directly into him doping. And frankly trying to intimidate people who try to discredit your life when you believe them to be lying is not necessarily a character flaw either. I'm sure I'd come off as a jerk too if I felt people were smearing me with what I thought were lies - you don't just sit back and let those things happen. If there's smoke around Lance, which there surely is, it's more a product of the general doping issues in the sport of cycling itself, not just because Lance has vigorously defended himself in the court of public opinion. If he didn't say anything about alleged doping would everyone think him innocent then?

I agree, lets face it, whether he is racing or not, right now, Lance Armstrong is the face of cycling

[Mr. C]

Having actually known someone who raced against Armstrong when they were teenagers, I heard the same talk about him not being a nice guy. However, not being a nice guy does not lead directly into him doping. And frankly trying to intimidate people who try to discredit your life when you believe them to be lying is not necessarily a character flaw either. I'm sure I'd come off as a jerk too if I felt people were smearing me with what I thought were lies - you don't just sit back and let those things happen. If there's smoke around Lance, which there surely is, it's more a product of the general doping issues in the sport of cycling itself, not just because Lance has vigorously defended himself in the court of public opinion. If he didn't say anything about alleged doping would everyone think him innocent then?
I too know those who have been teammates of his and trust me, he is a despicable character. The issue of intimidation is directly involved with his trying to keep people from finding out the truth about the drug allegations. There is story, after story, after story of him strong-arming little people to get his way. If he is so clean, why does he have to use intimidation? In my book, this guy has had too many scandals swirling around him for him not to be using drugs. At some point, guys like Armstrong and Bonds will be found guilty. There is just too much evidence there.

[Cocky]

Basso will not be able to perform the double, which very few have.

Who is the favorite now?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I too know those who have been teammates of his and trust me, he is a despicable character. The issue of intimidation is directly involved with his trying to keep people from finding out the truth about the drug allegations. There is story, after story, after story of him strong-arming little people to get his way. If he is so clean, why does he have to use intimidation? In my book, this guy has had too many scandals swirling around him for him not to be using drugs. At some point, guys like Armstrong and Bonds will be found guilty. There is just too much evidence there.


I agree with you. I do not understand the love affair with Armstrong. From what i've heard as well he's a sleeze bag and hopefully he'll just fade away over time.

[Baldy]

I too know those who have been teammates of his and trust me, he is a despicable character. The issue of intimidation is directly involved with his trying to keep people from finding out the truth about the drug allegations. There is story, after story, after story of him strong-arming little people to get his way. If he is so clean, why does he have to use intimidation? In my book, this guy has had too many scandals swirling around him for him not to be using drugs. At some point, guys like Armstrong and Bonds will be found guilty. There is just too much evidence there.
The only truth about Armstrong is (and you conveniently fail to mention) that he is the most tested athlete in history and has passed every dope test ever administered to him. Sorry....End of story!

[dbackjon]

The only truth about Armstrong is (and you conveniently fail to mention) that he is the most tested athlete in history and has passed every dope test ever administered to him. Sorry....End of story!

Hey - we agree on something!!:thumbsup:

[Mr. C]

The only truth about Armstrong is (and you conveniently fail to mention) that he is the most tested athlete in history and has passed every dope test ever administered to him. Sorry....End of story!
A lot of "well-tested" athletes have been users and just haven't been caught. There are a lot of ways to avoid dectection. There are drugs being taken we don't even know about yet. There are drugs that there are no tests for. Sorry, not end of story. You have to be pretty naive to think Lance is clean.

[Baldy]

Sorry, not end of story. You have to be pretty naive to think Lance is clean.
And you have to be denying the facts if you think he isn't.

[Baldy]

Hey - we agree on something!!:thumbsup:
Cool. :D

Yeah, Lance is an A-hole, so what? It's just petty for people to keep slamming him with unfounded rumors and innuendo because of it.

[dirtbag]

Cool. :D

Yeah, Barry Bonds is an A-hole, so what? It's just petty for people to keep slamming him with unfounded rumors and innuendo because of it.

Fixed your post for you.

:D