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I get it -- you like cycling -- I do to. I think the races are so grueling that it was the first sport to find methods to endure the inhumane distances and terr

I get it -- you like cycling -- I do to. I think the races are so grueling that it was the first sport to find methods to endure the inhumane distances and terrain. But if you really like cycling you got to come to grips with how dirty the profession is -- real change won't happen until the organizers pull their heads out of the sand. Take a look at the leaderboards at the Tour de France -- these are just those that are caught: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_at_the_Tour_de_France#2008_Tour_de_France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_at_the_Tour_de_France#2... It doesn't do any good to point at FIFA soccer... their dirt is more in the power and financial aspect of their sport -- and its horrible. Cycling has far higher demands on the human body in terms of endurance and a willingness to suffer -- thus drugs (and hidden motors) will always be a real temptation.

davidw 11y ago
I like cycling, and I like clean cycling, and it does not do any good to smear the whole sport with "dirty!". What's that do to the guys who are competing clean? It pisses all over their efforts is what it does. It's not fair, and it does not help. Soccer is certainly not as hard as cycling ( https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/55/b5/51/55b551bfa7e05c39e32972920940e16c.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/55/b5/51/55b551bfa... ) , but with that much money involved, being relatively fresh after 80 minutes can count for a lot.
- mikestew 11y ago
  What's that do to the guys who are competing clean? And just who would be on that short list? Like the commenter to whom you reply, I too used to be into cycling. Paid for streaming all the races. Used to race myself, and was a race official. But one after another got popped. I used to say that if Jens Voigt ever tested positive, I'd quit watching the sport, because I thought him to be the epitome of the hard-working rider who gets by on hard work and talent. Now I'm pretty sure Jens is on the juice, too. Hell, amateurs are getting popped for doping in Grand Fondos, where there's no money and no one gives a shit. Yeah, I'm going to smear the whole sport, because it's demonstrated to be dirty top to bottom. Go read A Dog in a Hat, about an American's time low-level racing in Europe. In that author's experience, everybody dopes. Doping defines cycling, IMO, and it's been that way for years. So I don't pay any attention the sport at all and watch MotoGP instead. Because playing the game of "who's clean and who's not" is not why I watched the sport. Sure, the sprinkling of clean riders get caught in the downward spiraling revenues, but that's not my problem.
  - davidw 11y ago
    I'd bet good money that Taylor Phinney competes clean. Also: Jens Voigt retired a few years ago.
    - mikestew 11y ago
      I'd bet good money that Taylor Phinney competes clean. There was a time I'd bet good money that a number of riders competed clean. I no longer hold that opinion. Not to disparage Mr. Phinney; if I had to bet, I'd put money on him. Seems like a stand-up guy, tech inspected his bike once, really nice and down-to-earth. But I'd still only bet money I could afford to lose. Also: Jens Voigt retired a few years ago. Shows how long it's been since I've paid attention. :-)
- heartbreak 11y ago
  Neymar gains a competitive advantage working over the referee's opinion of the severity of a foul by feigning injury there (I can't believe I'm defending him), but the cyclist would not gain any advantage by laying on the pavement moaning. Also, Neymar literally broke his back in that occurrence, which is evident mere frames after that still.
  - davidw 11y ago
    Yes, soccer has an incentive to roll around on the ground. That's kind of the point. The cyclist is Adriano Malori, by the way. Sadly, he crashed again in January, with much worse consequences, but is slowly recovering: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/malori-has-goosebumps-at-speedy-recovery-from-san-luis-crash/ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/malori-has-goosebumps-at-spe...

davidw 11y ago

I like cycling, and I like clean cycling, and it does not do any good to smear the whole sport with "dirty!". What's that do to the guys who are competing clean? It pisses all over their efforts is what it does. It's not fair, and it does not help. Soccer is certainly not as hard as cycling ( https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/55/b5/51/55b551bfa7e05c39e32972920940e16c.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/55/b5/51/55b551bfa... ) , but with that much money involved, being relatively fresh after 80 minutes can count for a lot.

mikestew 11y ago
What's that do to the guys who are competing clean? And just who would be on that short list? Like the commenter to whom you reply, I too used to be into cycling. Paid for streaming all the races. Used to race myself, and was a race official. But one after another got popped. I used to say that if Jens Voigt ever tested positive, I'd quit watching the sport, because I thought him to be the epitome of the hard-working rider who gets by on hard work and talent. Now I'm pretty sure Jens is on the juice, too. Hell, amateurs are getting popped for doping in Grand Fondos, where there's no money and no one gives a shit. Yeah, I'm going to smear the whole sport, because it's demonstrated to be dirty top to bottom. Go read A Dog in a Hat, about an American's time low-level racing in Europe. In that author's experience, everybody dopes. Doping defines cycling, IMO, and it's been that way for years. So I don't pay any attention the sport at all and watch MotoGP instead. Because playing the game of "who's clean and who's not" is not why I watched the sport. Sure, the sprinkling of clean riders get caught in the downward spiraling revenues, but that's not my problem.
- davidw 11y ago
  I'd bet good money that Taylor Phinney competes clean. Also: Jens Voigt retired a few years ago.
  - mikestew 11y ago
    I'd bet good money that Taylor Phinney competes clean. There was a time I'd bet good money that a number of riders competed clean. I no longer hold that opinion. Not to disparage Mr. Phinney; if I had to bet, I'd put money on him. Seems like a stand-up guy, tech inspected his bike once, really nice and down-to-earth. But I'd still only bet money I could afford to lose. Also: Jens Voigt retired a few years ago. Shows how long it's been since I've paid attention. :-)
heartbreak 11y ago
Neymar gains a competitive advantage working over the referee's opinion of the severity of a foul by feigning injury there (I can't believe I'm defending him), but the cyclist would not gain any advantage by laying on the pavement moaning. Also, Neymar literally broke his back in that occurrence, which is evident mere frames after that still.
- davidw 11y ago
  Yes, soccer has an incentive to roll around on the ground. That's kind of the point. The cyclist is Adriano Malori, by the way. Sadly, he crashed again in January, with much worse consequences, but is slowly recovering: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/malori-has-goosebumps-at-speedy-recovery-from-san-luis-crash/ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/malori-has-goosebumps-at-spe...