Lance armstrong - First i'd ever heard

[London Stone Paving]

I was quite shocked to hear about Lance Armstrong being a drugs cheat. It seems he has given up fighting the allegations. I would have thought that if he was innocent that he would have fought until the bitter end to clear his name and reputation.
Could get even messier, I have read that he may have to give back his prize money and that past and current sponsors will be lining up law suits against him.
What a fall from grace !

[lutonlagerlout]

every top cyclist since greg lemond has been accused of doping
indurain,rijs ,pantani,ulrich,contador,schleck
even if lances titles are taken form him every man that came second to him has already been busted for drugs offences
armstrong has never failed a test
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

10 former team mates gave sworn statements

my mate who runs a cycling team for a big bike in sheffield says its was pandemic from the 50-late 90's

stage times in the tour de france are down about 2 minutes especially on the climbs, a good indication of less doping.

ppl like wiggins, hoy building on boardman will do wonders for the sport

why would a man whos such a fighter give up???

[lutonlagerlout]

because its a fight with no end
he has never failed a test==period
chances are him and 50% or the peloton were blood doping
you give 2 pints of your own blood off season
then it is transfused back during the race
there is a lot of tactics and teamwork in cycling
us postals was the team of the dammed
LLL

[Carberry]

Just about every professional athlete is on performance enhancing drugs. I think it's wrong that they're taking all his titles off him though, he passed all their tests and this holier than thou attitude is pissing me off.

I watched a documentary called Bigger, stronger, faster and they said in the 1988 olympics 100m final all but one of the competitors tested positive years later. It was just political that ben johnson took the fall, Carl Lewis had tested positive before but it was swept under the rug for their poster boy.

Google for "angel heredia interview" and it will give you a good idea of the state of sports.

[Noony]

read the article in the times on it on sunday, i was of the belief he passed all his tests and what a sportsman etc.

the article surely casts some serious doubt on what i believed, and seems like most things it all comes down to money and power.

[mickg]

that link to "angel heredia interview" explains everything carberry even covering how athletes manage to pass a drugs test

[Suggers]

[lutonlagerlout]

you have to remember that these guys are very talented individuals to start with
they just need that extra 2 % that makes the difference between coming 5th and winning
wiggins and team sky train at altitude in tenerife
strictly speaking that gives them an unfair advantage as it increases their bodies ability to work with low oxygen
lance's doctor michelle ferrari was once quoted as saying that epo is no more dangerous than orange juice

what ever the outcome lance was the best of his generation
LLL

[London Stone Paving]

Just read that article Carberry, made for quit depressing reading, at the same time not surprised one bit

[Suggers]

Only ever heard of Lance when he married Cheryl - she has always been in the top ten for me - something honest about her - somehow she means it......
Maybe there's a case for throwing away all drug restrictions in sport, and let the best drug/man/woman win ?
When I started in showjumping in the early 60's at the age of 15 - was horrified when my trainer rubbed turpentine spirit onto the front legs of my horse (covered by smart white bandages) - to tenderise the skin so much, the horse no way wanted to hit the jump - as soon as money's involved - the whole thing is corrupt - unfortunately cycling is on of the worst - why haven't the french won it for years...?

[Suggers]

ps - had to larf when those cricketers got done for the betting no ball thang - (I love cricket) - always thought cricket was "above that old boy" - no way- just the same as the rest.....

[Pablo]

Interesting article indeed I do wonder though how many of Heredia's claims are his ego and how much is actual known fact to him. I'm a very keen club level cyclist I manage 150+miles a week and can hold my own in a chase but when a top level fella comes along he makes us look like we're a bunch of dicks and the same goes when he goes against the top flight it's unimaginable how highly tuned they are. I'm really disapointed that some of my heroes are busted but it's much cleaner now than it used to be. When you think that only now are records from the 80's and 90's starting to fall on the track and field you understand how dirty it was and maybe still is. Swimming is possibly the biggest culprit now all these youngsters coming from nowhere and smashing the competition to pieces they reckon they've been trained on drugs from a young age at amateur untested level then they release them onto the world stage by which time the drugs work is done and they're clean. If drugs are legalised then it'll be down to who has the best pharmacist and who can design the best legal variant within the rules etc and will still result in unfair advantages.

[lutonlagerlout]

what records are being smashed on the track pablo?
long time
greg rutherford jumped a full 2 feet shorter than mike powell to win his olympic gold
swimming there have been big advances in swimsuit design,but no doubt off season steroid abuse
most of the field record are there to stay
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

Most our cycling track golds set new world records