The main problem

flattythehurdler
flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
edited October 2008 in Pro race
is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
It's an absolute bummer.
Dan

Comments

  • unclemalc
    unclemalc Posts: 563
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
    It's an absolute bummer.

    You are probably right. Every time someone 'unexpected' comes out with a set of big wins - "He's doping, gotta be".
    :cry:
    Spring!
    Singlespeeds in town rule.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Not so, I'm sure the winner in the Vuelta KOM was clean for example. But I have little confidence in many others...
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    Kléber wrote:
    Not so, I'm sure the winner in the Vuelta KOM was clean for example. But I have little confidence in many others...

    Why are you so sure? Wasnt the team boss threatening to fire him after his poor performance at the tour? Then suddenly he gives arguably his best performance in a GT after not doing so well in the tour de france? One explanation could be that people who were doping ahve cut down after the tdf
  • derby
    derby Posts: 114
    You can't even be sure at the local masters races, let alone the top pros. Which masters racer is on hormone replacement therapy, aka testosterone and HGH prescribed at an anti-aging clinic by a doctor for purely therapeutic purposes? :wink:
  • idaviesmoore
    idaviesmoore Posts: 557
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
    It's an absolute bummer.

    I haven't watched a pro race for 15 years without thinking 'Nah, these guys are on juice.' I may be a cynic and I maybe ill informed (I may even be jealous of their immense speed) but I know (in my heart) that all the glisters is not gold in our sport, or many other sports, come to mention it.
    Cycling is the drug whipping boy, but, when it comes down to it there are lots of other sports that rely on a bit of chemical assistance to keep the results coming in. :)
    'How can an opinion be bullsh1t?' High Fidelity
  • The Shiny
    The Shiny Posts: 30
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
    It's an absolute bummer.

    Usain Bolt.....who knows?

    Hard to look at any sport without that nagging doubt these days.
    Is it raining yet?
  • damage36
    damage36 Posts: 282
    The Shiny wrote:
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
    It's an absolute bummer.

    Usain Bolt.....who knows?

    Hard to look at any sport without that nagging doubt these days.

    Usain Bolt of course, is a totally different build from anything sprinting has seen before. So that not doping, its just silly long legs.
    Legs, lungs and lycra.

    Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    Bolt was also doing ridiculous times as a 15 year old. I know doping can go down the age range, but physiologically he's a freak. And technically he's brilliant.
    @stagehopper
  • hevipedal
    hevipedal Posts: 2,475
    stagehopper wrote:
    Bolt was also doing ridiculous times as a 15 year old. I know doping can go down the age range, but physiologically he's a freak. And technically he's brilliant.

    and of course Jamaica don't do ramdom testing do they?
    Hevipedal
    It's not only people that are irrational; 1.4142135623730950488016887242096980785696718753769480731766797379907324784621
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    of course not, 'cos all the althetes relax post training with a nice spliff... 8)
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    They don't. Which is a point other rival athletes have raised. However that doesn't negate my point.
    @stagehopper
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    is, if we are honest with ourselves, that we will never in our lifetimes watch a professional cycling event , and know who the best cyclist is. We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again.
    It's an absolute bummer.

    Agreed, but what is it that has changed ?

    You say "We will never be able to be sure the winner isn't a cheat ever again"
    But when could we be sure ?
    - could we ever ?

    It's hardly that pro cyclists have only recently started to take drugs, that cycling is now 'dirty' but a few years ago was 'clean'.
  • idaviesmoore
    idaviesmoore Posts: 557
    andy_wrx wrote:
    [
    - could we ever ?

    .

    Never Ever...as All Saints once said:roll:
    'How can an opinion be bullsh1t?' High Fidelity
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Same for Michael Phelps
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    how far does doping extend into the sport? Do many amateurs dope? I do remember that interesting, if scary, thread about people EPO doping to see what they could achieve, but I'm wondering if most people come into pro cycling clean, or have already been doping when they arrive?
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • idaviesmoore
    idaviesmoore Posts: 557
    ride_whenever wrote:
    how far does doping extend into the sport? Do many amateurs dope? I do remember that interesting, if scary, thread about people EPO doping to see what they could achieve, but I'm wondering if most people come into pro cycling clean, or have already been doping when they arrive?

    I suppose everyone was clean once and just because you dope doesn't mean you're not good IMHO. It may have to do with:

    1. What sort of person you are
    2. What pressures were put on you to succeed above and beyond what nature gave you
    3. What 'other professionals' may have been doing.


    ...maybe
    'How can an opinion be bullsh1t?' High Fidelity

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