What the hell kind of sales pitch is this? Mr. “it is impossible to win without doping” Bernhard Kohl is now opening a massive bike shop? How are you gonna sell all that gram-saving, wind-cheating schlock to armies of overpaid Masters racers when you’re on record as a member of the Better Living Through Chemistry…
Tag: Dopage
The Procycling Manager Curse?
If there’s one thing keeping American sports journalists employed, it’s the notion of curses. A curse, The Curse, Billygoats, magazines, video games—whatever. It sometimes seems that anything that has nothing to do with on-field performance sells copy. Apparently—possibly due to social support systems that don’t require pandering to the readers’ basest instincts to boil the…
Don't Snort at Media Standards
What is this show “Holland Sport”, on which cyclists say things to the world? It does not seem like it sets a reasonable standard for investigative reporting. (you should probably read the comments before proceeding) First it was Thomas Dekker, talking about how EPO didn’t help and how he only took it once. Now it’s…
If You Try Hard Enough, Everything Is Incongruous
With all the vigor of an ankle-biting yip-dog, the AFLD has refused to release its death grip on the boot of the UCI. After two (or possibly three) doping positives announced in cycling in the last week, the French anti-doping agency has now moved the focus of its anti-UCI tirade to “incongruous” substances found at…
Some Notes On Doping, Plain and Fancy
Good news, this morning: despite tweets of ill portent, the AFLD announced no new doping positives from their retesting of a select group of riders at the 2008 Tour de France. Of course, the Frenchman just couldn’t let a press opportunity go without dinging the UCI, blaming the lack of positives at this years Tour…
Do Not Feed The Trolls
Rule #14 of the Internet—according to one respected count—is to never argue with the trolls. Cycling, being a sport consumed and appreciated largely via the Internet, should be no exception. So I’m not going to talk about Bernard Kohl, or his recent whining in the press. If he wanted not to manage his weight, he…
UCI Educational Video Is Kinda Awesome
I’ll readily, even proudly, admit to being critical of cycling’s efforts against doping. I think the “Dopers Suck” campaign is counterproductive and simpleminded. I found Dick Pound’s sweeping proclamations about dopers and who was doping—regardless of evidence or due process—utterly inappropriate. And for better—Alessandro Petacchi—and for worse—Ivan Basso—I’ve stood up for riders who I thought…
What Thomas Dekker Says About The ProTour
You know it’s a slow news week when word that Thomas Dekker’s urine B sample—originally tested in 2007, and initially found to have EPO three months ago—finally comes back positive, makes front pages. You know it’s a slow news week at the end of the season because the Internet is blogging and re-tweeting the story…
Is Velocity Nation The Future Of News?
In terms of covering hard news in the cycling world, “real” media outlets are the undisputed kings. They have reporters on the ground at major races, are fluent in all sorts of languages, have an armada of contacts, receive invites to events, and get bucketloads of free crap in the mail from manufacturers. Don’t get…
How, Exactly, Does One "Come Back"?
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it from so many sources: Alexandre Vinokourov, aka Vino-4-Ever, is not only back racing, he’s riding for the same Astana team that Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador struggled for control of this summer, under the very same same director that struggled to control them. Not only…