So, we’ve pretty much determined that almost every champion from the 90′s was cheating (and a large part of their supporting cast), we know that East Germany and Italy had systematic doping programs in the 70′s and 80′s (Germany’s pretty well documented, see Rendell’s ”Death of Marco Pantani” for sources about Italy’s), French cycling has Festina and everything related to that and those players, Spain has Puerto, who the hell would be left running any of these teams that wasn’t at least suspected now? Zabel and Altig talked about sitting down after a race and not being able to keep up, Lemond is quoted after retiring that in 1991, he participated in a rolling stage of the Tour that ended up being 30 mph where it used to be 23-24, is anybody left to run these teams after we eliminate people who should be suspected of cheating?

I don’t know if I should feel this way or not, but I kind of look at today as evidence that the state might be improving a little. I know its WAY to early to say that, but look at the gaps today: 50 riders within 10 minutes of the winner up the steepest climb we’re going to have. I was expecting an elite group to bust out a big lead, but what we saw was a lot of people riding “within themselves” on the only day really left to shske things up.

I don’t know why Simoni was so excited, he basically lost the Giro today, but I think this is a (potentially) good sign.