I think I have gotten (and deserved, considering it IS a Texas sports website and considering the fact that I knew I was riling some people up) more than a little ribbing, and actually, it is all good. But A-Train's post was beyond stupid. I refuse to "just dismiss it". The least would be a sincere apology.
Well, since Lance is going to win anyways, the race might as well be over. I apologize to anybody that I offended for my comment earlier in this thread. In retrospect, it clearly wasn't the best choice of words. I didn't mean to offend anybody...It was just a poor attempt at a play on words on the poster's screen name, like calling me "Gay-Train". It was definitely one of those "immediately regret it after hitting the submit button" comments...
Okay, good to see that matter is settled. A-Train is just a funny guy and didn't make the comment because he's an a-hole, but was just messin' around. I think everyone should be satisfied with his apology. Anyways, back to the Tour. I'm just in total awe of Lance Armstrong; the dude is AMAZING. He is the best athlete in the world.
Thanks A-Train. Okay...back to the Tour de France: Even though I cannot help thinking that most of these guys use doping, I am still fascinated by the Tour, and I think it would be great if someone other than Armstrong could win it. I don't even think Ullrich would be the No. 1 contender for that - he has shown many times that he seems to lack the mental toughness for that. Maybe one of the younger guys can be a surprise winner this year. I hope so...
Oh we are back to the actual sport? Vinokourov finished 2nd today and made up 19 secs on Lance [12 of them bonus secs for the finish) which still makes him half an eternity behind Lance and the mountains hasnt even begun, not to mention the last time trial. Also about Lance winning the tour pre cancer. This did not happen because of his build back then. The cancer changed him. Back then he was a rider too heavy/big to hang in the mountains, and he concentrated on stage wins. Could his body have changed without getting hit with cancer? Sure, but would he want to put in the work? Cycling actually is more than 3 weeks in France, and I believe Lance was doing good in the classics before the cancer made him into another biker. This has nothing to do with taking drugs, only the cancer. Not denying he could be on drugs, but then so could all the others who has yet to evade being caught.
If Carmichael never said anything about Lance's doping, why did you say "Just look into information about Chris Carmichael, Michele Ferrari and what Greg LeMond said." You implied that things they said implicated Lance in doping. Just curious...
Yes, I said it before. I knew this was not the right place to discuss this. BTW, some infos about Lance: # Armstrong was a medium-notable young rider, among many such others, when in 1996 he was struck with testicular cancer. He became at that time at least the third member of the US Cycling team to be afflicted by severe, life-threatening illnesses. The two other riders in this group, Greg Strock and Erich Keiter, ended up suing USA Cycling claiming that US coaches systematically injected them with performance-enhancing drugs that ultimately ruined their health. Among the coaches alleged to have injected the drugs was Chris Carmichael who is Lance Armstrong's long-time training coach. # After Armstrong survived cancer and raced again in 1998, he found himself unable to compete at a high level, and ultimately stopped racing altogether after abandoning a Paris-Nice race exhausted and looking very much as one would expect a man who has undergone cancer treatment to look. At that point, Armstrong went into seclusion with coach Chris Carmichael and emerged the next year to win the Tour de France. In the space of a few months, he had gone from collapsing by the side of the road to handily winning one of the top three cycling races in the world. The label that the press, fellow riders, and amazed fans put on this feat was unanimous: "It's a Miracle". # During the 1999 Tour de France, Armstrong tested positive for cortisone, a banned performance-enhancing drug. The test result, which carried with it an immediate disqualification from the race, was explained away by claiming that it was due to a topical cream legally prescribed to Armstrong. However, Emma O'Reilly, a key staff member of the US Postal team at the time and who was present when the team discussed what to do about the positive tests, has declared to various media outlets that the saving prescription was actually a doctored one fabricated with the express purpose of deceiving Tour officials. O'Reilly, who is a respected member of the cycling community, has nothing to gain with her allegations and has no ax to grind with Armstrong. # For many years, even as early as 1996, Armstrong's favorite doctor has been Michele Ferrari whom Bicycling magazine calls without hesitation "cycling's doctor most suspected of doping athletes". Dr. Ferrari is currently on trial in Europe for allegedly supplying riders with performance-enhancing drugs. Far from distancing himself from Dr. Ferrari, Armstrong has defended his association with him and gone as far as physically threatening riders who have decided to testify against Dr. Ferrari. # Starting in 2000, French police investigated Armstrong and the US Postal team for the illegal procurement and distribution of performance-enhancing drugs. The allegations were based on anonymous tips to police that even included syringes supposedly being used in the schema. The charges, of a criminal nature and carrying hefty prison sentences, were dropped for reasons of lack of evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # Three-time winner of the Tour de France, American Greg Lemond, has labeled Armstrong's comeback from cancer as possibly "the greatest fraud" in the history of the race. To the idea that we have simple witnessed a miracle Lemond is even more blunt: "There are no miracles in cycling". Lemond suffered a shotgun accident in 1987 and had to make a difficult recovery of his own with a long path back to top competition. He clearly knows the limits of the human body at those performing heights and recognizes without reservations that his own return took a full two years and that he was "never the same". # In 2004, reporters David Walsh and Pierre Ballester published LA Confidential, a well-documented retrospective book on how Armstrong has allegedly used illegal drugs to further his career. The book includes extensive interviews with former US Postal team staff members and is but one piece away to be a final indictment on Armstrong: a positive test. Lance Armstrong sued the authors for libel in French courts, but his lawsuit was quickly dismissed. @ 111chase111: No. Look into what Greg LeMond said about Lance and read the information about Carmichael and Ferrari concerning doping allegations. Back to the race: In my opinion there is no normal way Lance can be stopped. He will win his 7th straight Tour de France. That was that, what I was saying already some time ago. Jan Ullrich is too old and he just doesn't learn from his mistakes. Lance can just be stopped if: a) he is tested positive b) he crashes or gets injured otherwise c) he really has a breakdown at one of the mountain stages. Vino can attack the hell out of himself. He just won't get the 5-6 minutes he needs to have a real chance. Vino will lose another 1:30-3 minutes at the last time trial. Maybe he can gain some ground on one mountain stage, but he certainly will lose this again on another one. He just isn't consistant enough. Jan Ullrich has not the style of riding to really attack Lance on a mountain stage. He has to be a lot better than Lance to gain time. I just don't see this happen. Other riders don't have any chances. Basso because he was in the Giro.
without a positive, I honestly don't know how anyone can say anything, expecially when he is tested more than any other athlete. The science has proven the doubters wrong. It's plain and simple. Case closed. Lance is clean.
I really wish it would be that simple. But It's just not. The testers allways will have the disadvantage against the dopers (time, money, etc.). This will be an ongoing story. I'm very sorry for that.
How can I watch this race live? I've been trying to find a channel in Austin that will show the race live. Anyone have any advice?
This time, I hardly have to do any talking myself, I could just quote GermanRoxFan's posts and write "I agree" .
Of course, Lance's blood and urine samples are still "on file" with the authorities. So dope that you clame Lance was using 7 years ago should be detectable today. I'm sure the French have gone back and tested his old blood with new tests. How come they still haven't found anything? Also, all those points that you posted were not proof. Just allegations. There has been NO ONE who has come forward to say "I saw Lance doing dope". No one. You can do a similar laundry list of "evidence" to claim that we've been visited by Aliens or that there is a monster in Loch Ness or that the Moon landing was faked. My point, of course, isn't whether he dopes or not but why do people insist on saying things that they don't know are true? It's slander and libel. You choose to believe the "evidence" because you choose to; not because the evidence is any good.
If your cable or sattelite provider carries the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) you can watch the race live at 7:30 am or a repeat of the race about a billion times throughout the rest of the day. On DirecTV, OLN is channel 608.
"He is a great, great champion, of course," Aubert said. "Every year, you wonder how it is possible he can win." Knowing the suspicions that some French fans have about Armstrong, I mimicked shooting a needle into my arm. "Do you mean you think he takes drugs?" Aubert shook his head decisively. "No, no, no. Not at all. We just don't see how it is possible." link
Like I said. You wouldn't believe how easy it is for the riders not to get caught. Especially with medication which can't be tested hours ago after the blood or urine was taken. The tests really don't mean anything. They just say that he is not as dumb and uncareful as other riders are. These tests from 7 years ago are pretty much useless. And I think the authorities don't have them anymore. But I'm not sure about this. Yes, but very reasonable allegations. And not just random allegations. Simply not true. But I recognize that any further discussions about this topic don't make any sense. I can't persuade you and you can't persuade me either. So let's just agree to disagree. I'll go back to "my" bbs, where I can discuss cycling better (in german). But one thing is for sure. It doesn't matter where I post, I'll get flamed for it anyways. Some guys over there don't like also that I'm a realist. I got bashed a little after I predicted Lance and DC would dominate this Tour de France.
I haven't read this thread so this may have been covered but not being a cycling fan but interested in Lance, I would like to know what happens when Lance's team doesn't stay with him? Do other teams box him out for their rider?
