Elite Mens *spoiler*

2

Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,112
    phil s wrote:
    I don't give a rat's ars* about the piece of paper from the UCI. What bothers me are some of his ambiguous statements, and his silence on certain matters. He is not the role model cycling needs, not by a long shot.
    Cycling doesn't need role models insomuch as it needs leadership. Asking the riders to provide that isn't sensible given that they rely on making a living from it. The UCI should be providing this not pissing around upgrading training races in Australia to become part of their failed attempt at recreating Formula 1 on two wheels. Save your ire for them and their failings to address the fundamental problems of the sport.

    Meanwhile enjoy the show.
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    phil s wrote:
    Great, just what cycling needs. A world champion with questions over his integrity. :?

    HI there.

    The piece of theatre that was this year's worlds could only ever have had the final act play out in one way!

    "Get it right up ya!" - or the Italian equivalent.

    Thinking on it, the whole organiser/uci/bettini stand managed to actually do the un-managable and unite the Italian team behind Bettini. Excluding Di Luca was another masterstroke for Il Grillo!

    Anyway you look at it, the last couple of laps were great racing - and that's what we pay to see.

    Cheers, Andy

    ps Integrity? Everyone is innocent until proved otherwise. Hearsay doesn't count.
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • scwxx77
    scwxx77 Posts: 1,469
    Anton de Lacey wrote:
    It was a very tall helmet and it did look like it was perched rather than worn to be fair.

    Sure, I knew what he meant by it but I thought is was funny nonetheless.
    Winner: PTP Vuelta 2007 :wink:
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    I agree that the UCI has lacked the right leadership in these matters, I agree that the city of Stuttgart acted in a shameful manner. The fact remains that to joe public Bettini is now another shady cyclist... as world champion he should stand up and make clear statements about winning clean, not snivelling about his human rights at a time when the sport is on its knees
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    andrewgturnbull wrote:
    ps Integrity? Everyone is innocent until proved otherwise. Hearsay doesn't count.
    Exactly, so signing a piece of toilet paper which suggests you're against doping shouldn't be a problem.

    McQuaid has been humiliated again. How long can this guy stay in office?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    scwxx77 wrote:
    Anton de Lacey wrote:
    It was a very tall helmet and it did look like it was perched rather than worn to be fair.

    Sure, I knew what he meant by it but I thought is was funny nonetheless.


    http://tinyurl.com/33ycqk

    All is explained.
    He is a bit of a Mekon head. :)
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    phil s wrote:
    I agree that the UCI has lacked the right leadership in these matters, I agree that the city of Stuttgart acted in a shameful manner. The fact remains that to joe public Bettini is now another shady cyclist... as world champion he should stand up and make clear statements about winning clean, not snivelling about his human rights at a time when the sport is on its knees
    Hell yes! A few words making a clear statement that doping is cheating would go a long way. I have to admit I was staggered when Kloden did just that a few months ago, but it kind of helped me feel he was on our side when he did it. (Yeah I know what you're thinking but give him credit for speaking up.) I suspect, however, that the peloton is pleased that Bettini is standing up for himself against the weight of the authorities. A bit like Jospeh Welch who made the speech that led to McCarthy's downfall in 1950s America.
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    phil s wrote:
    as world champion he should stand up and make clear statements about winning clean, not snivelling about his human rights at a time when the sport is on its knees

    That sounds a lot like something a government says when it's trying to tackle terrorism and wha not. "we need to protect the public, not snivel about human rights"

    Anyway, I'll just say Forza Bettini again.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • campagchris
    campagchris Posts: 773
    A great race and worthy winner on bike riding and attacking alone.Kolobnev was very unlucky I thought, but Schumacher as already mentioned did blow it by going after Evans,who at least had a go.
    All in all though I wasn't as pleased for Bettini as I was last year as all the crap has left a bitter taste.
    I also think Hugh+Big Sean were good and not a mention on drugs unlike the last few commentaries I heard by Harmon.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    "He came, he saw, he conquered," said UCI president Pat McQuaid during the winner's press conference. "Any cyclist who can win a race after the pressure he has been under is a classic and magnificent rider. I have nothing but the utmost respect for that."
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Brilliant, you spend the week trying to block the guy, the very same man who's been undermining a key plank of your policy on tackling doping and then you say "I have nothing but the utmost respect for that."

    This has gone from cock-up to comedy. Welcome to Monty Python's ProTour.
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    Good thing about watching it on the Beeb(1): no tooth-drillingly bad adverts every 10 minutes.

    Good thing about watching it on the Beeb(2): It started way earlier than on ES.

    Bad thing about watching it on the Beeb (1): no effort made by the comentators to pronounce anyone's names correctly. It was like listening to people from Yorkshire on a package holiday to Spain.

    Bad thing about watching it on the Beeb (2):Sky+ had no power to record it.

    Bad thing about watching it on the Beeb (3):No hot chicks in the commentary box. (I'm assuming that "Emma" is a hot chick - I expect she's also groovy in a far out kind of way)
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • Noodley
    Noodley Posts: 1,725
    At least McQuaid is consistent in his inconsistency.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Also: BBC's picture quality was a zillion times better and actually in widescreen.

    The ads don't bother me that much on Eurosport. At least they're short.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    vermooten wrote:
    Bad thing about watching it on the Beeb (3):No hot chicks in the commentary box. (I'm assuming that "Emma" is a hot chick - I expect she's also groovy in a far out kind of way)

    Judge for yourself:

    http://emma-davies.fotopic.net/

    I quite like her as a commentator though. Her and Harmon have a good rapport.
  • lucretius
    lucretius Posts: 143
    Surely offering your DNA is worth more than signing a worthless bit of paper.

    Also bear in mind that by not signing it he's almost certain to get more out of competition tests than anyone else.

    Either he's doping and will get caught, or if as I personally believe he's innocent then we'll hear nothing and he'll still get accused with no evidence.

    Doping aside that was great TV and I enjoyed it.
    Bike
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    lucretius wrote:
    Surely offering your DNA is worth more than signing a worthless bit of paper.

    Also bear in mind that by not signing it he's almost certain to get more out of competition tests than anyone else.

    Either he's doping and will get caught, or if as I personally believe he's innocent then we'll hear nothing and he'll still get accused with no evidence.

    Doping aside that was great TV and I enjoyed it.

    What is the point of Bettini offering his DNA? He has never been implicated in anything like Operacion Puerto, so what are they going to test it against? It would just be an empty gesture.
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    afx237vi wrote:
    Judge for yourself:

    http://emma-davies.fotopic.net/

    Website not responding! Not content with crashing your own website you now appear to have slashdotted emma's!

    Cheers, Andy
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    afx237vi wrote:

    What is the point of Bettini offering his DNA? He has never been implicated in anything like Operacion Puerto, so what are they going to test it against? It would just be an empty gesture.

    Its like watching a magician - never watch the hand thats doing all the waving around to show there is nothing up the sleeve. Its the other hand thats performing the trick. Bettini offering his DNA will prove he's had nothing to do with Puerto but nothing else. The UCI charter would not permit them to use any DNA data so obtained for any other investigation.

    If I were a top pro (assuming they give out contracts to slow, middle-aged riders), there are three circumstances I'd volunteer my DNA under the UCI charter:
    1) I'm clean
    2) I get my blood laundered somewhere other than Dr. Fuentes
    3) I don't do blood doping - EPO and / or testosterone gel are my weapons of choice.

    In any of the three cases, I can confidently offer them all the DNA they want as there will be no match and they'll have to destroy the data afterwards.

    The interesting thing is that the penalty section of the UCI charter is a little more encompassing. Unlike the DNA clause, which is Puerto-specific, it says "I am not involved in the Puerto affair nor in any other doping case"

    If it is a matter of principle, I'd far rather that Bettini didn't sign any part of the charter. Cherry-picking elements of it just doesn't give me that warm, fuzzy feeling.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    andrewgturnbull wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Judge for yourself:

    http://emma-davies.fotopic.net/

    Website not responding! Not content with crashing your own website you now appear to have slashdotted emma's!

    Cheers, Andy

    I'm cursed :shock: That works for me though... try this:

    http://www.emmadaviesjones.co.uk/
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    I'm coming to this a bit late, but......well done Bettini, that's one in the eye for McQuaid and the German organisers who would have been better served keeping their eye on erm, running the sport and erm organsing the race - I'm sure a barrier fell down somewhere......McQuaid putting the Jersey on him was a priceless bit of panto.

    I'd prefer it if Bettini now used his positon as back to back World Champion and highly influential senior pro to be less equivacol about doping in the sport.

    The UCI and McQuaid in particular has been made to look like a total fool over this whole incident and they are losing credibility by the day. Bettini has got his revenge alright and McQuaid surely knows it. ASO must be laughing their heads off.
  • Ratkilla
    Ratkilla Posts: 230
    Well done Paolo. Great ride. :D

    There is no 'evidence' against Bettini and he has never been implicated in any dope stories. As for not signing a worthless piece of paper he's quite right. Sticking to your principles isn't a crime. Yet.

    The podium was class. McQuaids' face was a picture. Worth it just for that.
    I thought the Porter/Yates commentry was dire. Soon as Eurosport came back on I switched.
    Dave Van Der Thourenhout. Legend.
    http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuse ... apped=true
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    I notice that most riders didnt finish today - and Millar said it was the hardest ride he's ever done. So presumably the DNFs just couldn't keep up?
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    vermooten wrote:
    I notice that most riders didnt finish today - and Millar said it was the hardest ride he's ever done. So presumably the DNFs just couldn't keep up?

    Pretty much. If you get dropped once the pace goes up, there's no way back, so they just stop at the pits.

    Looking at the results, I see Marzio Bruseghin is listed as DSQ. He was looking strong when he was in the breakaways, so I wonder what he did to get disqualified?
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,112
    afx237vi wrote:
    Pretty much. If you get dropped once the pace goes up, there's no way back, so they just stop at the pits.

    Looking at the results, I see Marzio Bruseghin is listed as DSQ. He was looking strong when he was in the breakaways, so I wonder what he did to get disqualified?
    His chain snapped at the bottom of the short, steep climb on the penultimate lap. Maybe, in his frustration, he took out neutral service, once they arrived, with his snapped chain?
  • bipedal
    bipedal Posts: 466
    Kléber wrote:
    Brilliant, you spend the week trying to block the guy, the very same man who's been undermining a key plank of your policy on tackling doping and then you say "I have nothing but the utmost respect for that."

    This has gone from fool-up to comedy. Welcome to Monty Python's ProTour.

    it was the German organisers trying to block bettini, not the UCI
  • bipedal
    bipedal Posts: 466
    Kléber wrote:
    Brilliant, you spend the week trying to block the guy, the very same man who's been undermining a key plank of your policy on tackling doping and then you say "I have nothing but the utmost respect for that."

    This has gone from fool-up to comedy. Welcome to Monty Python's ProTour.

    it was the German organisers trying to block bettini, not the UCI
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Is the only shred of suspicion against Bettini his stance on DNA testing?
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    Is the only shred of suspicion against Bettini his stance on DNA testing?

    That and his ability to win races. :)
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,112
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    Is the only shred of suspicion against Bettini his stance on DNA testing?
    It's not even that. He has signed the part of the UCI pledge that says he'll make his DNA available - his objection is to the compulsory taking of one year's salary.

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