Landis - Comments from the pros.

BikingBernie

Overall, the silence from the Pros is pretty deafening, so here is a thread to keep a record of who is passing comment and who isn't. (Not just on twitter).

Bradley Wiggins.

The 'old' Wiggins might have once said 'it's my role as a role-model to expose it and not pretend it isn't happening' , and twittered that Di Luca was a 'wanker', now it is 9 days and counting without a word. I know he is racing but coming fourth in last year's Tour didn't stop him from twittering.

http://twitter.com/bradwiggins

Wiggins, who won two golds in Beijing to add to his Individual Pursuit title in Athens, has been outspoken in his criticism of cyclists who take performance-enhancing drugs. But the Londoner said in September that Armstrong's return was "fantastic" and "exciting" for the sport.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... cling.html

Jonathon Vaughters His i-Phone seems to be broken as well. He must be missing it seeing that prior to the 19th he was twittering at least half a dozen times a day.

http://twitter.com/vaughters

Marco Pinotti

"saggezza contadina: la farina del diavolo diventa crusca".

http://twitter.com/marcopinotti

Any more?

stagehopper

I'd estimate there's around 800 pros so your list seems a bit short.

Sheptastic

presumably they've been told to keep schtum in case of legal problems and the possibilty of getting embroiled in Lance vs Landis '10

BikingBernie

stagehopper wrote:

I'd estimate there's around 800 pros so your list seems a bit short.

I know, please feel free to add any comments from any of those 800!

BikingBernie

Sheptastic wrote:

presumably they've been told to keep schtum in case of legal problems and the possibilty of getting embroiled in Lance vs Landis '10

Surely they could say something relatively neutral such as:

'This is something that the authorities, including the UCI, need to investigate to the full extent of their powers'?

'The UCI and WADA should undertake retrospective testing of all samples still held for the riders involved in these accusations'.

That sort of thing.

stagehopper

here's a few to add:

Felieu brothers - nothing
Voeckler - nowt
Moncoutie - nada

freire

Paul Martens:
Landis` dairy hits cycling world as a bomb....it can´t be fantasy, it´s too detailed, isn´t it?

http://twitter.com/pmartens83

Rodrego Hernandez

Why do they need to comment? Just let them get on with riding their bikes.

It's obvious that many of them keep Armstrong on-side wearing their gay wristbands but so far their silence is deafening.

Rhods

What do cows and milk have to do with it?

luckao

Wiggo's forgot his password.

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

Why do they need to comment? Just let them get on with riding their bikes.

It's obvious that many of them keep Armstrong on-side wearing their gay wristbands but so far their silence is deafening.

Of course.. but the hypocrisy is palpable.

DaveyL

The hypocrisy is sodding well not palpable. A lot of people on here think every word of Floyd's claims are gospel truth. Well, they very well might turn out to be but at the moment, believe it or not, in the real world they are currently allegations. Wait and see what they say if and when anything is proved.

"Bernie", take your agenda elsewhere.

RichN95.

Here's why they're not commenting:

1. By and large they never rode for an Armstrong team so haven't actually got any idea if these accusations are true. While they may well have their suspicions about USP, they've also seen Landis lie for four years. They probably don't know what to think.

2. Those riders that speak out almost always do so in response to failed tests/proven cheats, not allegations.

3. A lot of them are in the middle of a rather tough Giro at the moment and need to concentrate on that without distractions.

4. Their teams have probably told them not to comment on something which they personally have nothing to do with.

BikingBernie

freire wrote:

Paul Martens:

http://twitter.com/pmartens83

An interesting one. I hope that when he's racing he pedals forward as fast as he back-pedaled on this one.

Landis` dairy hits cycling world as a bomb....it can´t be fantasy, it´s too detailed, isn´t it?
8:38 AM May 20th via web

i didn´t say Landis tells the truth. i think it´s an strange story,which contents so much detail. i´m only confused by it
8:26 AM May 22nd via web

luckao

DaveyL wrote:

The hypocrisy is sodding well not palpable. A lot of people on here think every word of Floyd's claims are gospel truth. Well, they very well might turn out to be but at the moment, believe it or not, in the real world they are currently allegations. Wait and see what they say if and when anything is proved.

Granted, but do all stories based on allegations prevent people from musing and speaking out on such issues? Christ no. Not even a reiteration of the anti-doping advocates' stances.

They're obviously never going to come out and deal in specifics, but few stories can provoke a veil of silence descending upon the entire peloton, especially in the age of Twitter. I'm not surprised that this is one of them.

RichN95.

Talking of changing your point of view, BB, here's what you wrote about Landis a few months ago...

That's why riders like Landis resort to barefaced denial, running a media and Internet based propaganda offensive, trying to slander those running the anti-doping program, appeal to narrow-minded xenophobia (usually directed against 'The French'), employ sleasy lawyers who try to exploit any technical loophole they can find, resort to bullying, intimidation, threats and so on...

....amongst many other things you said about him. All very uncomplimentary.

But know he's changed is story so it matches your views, he's suddenly the very personification of honesty and every word his has written is solid truth and beyond reproach. To me that doesn't seem a very impartial way of viewing things.

Personally, I think USP were up to no good, but I also think that Landis has history of lying and is probably a little unbalanced at times. Therefore, I can't tell what the actual truth is. The riders, not being Armstrong obesessives, probably think the same and are keeping their views to themselves.

IanLD

As it could have a negative impact on their earnings, I'm not surprised the riders are keeping quiet regardless of what they think.

Teams will probably be thinking the same and will have advised everyone to keep their mouths and tweets shut.

BikingBernie

RichN95 wrote:

Talking of changing your point of view, BB, here's what you wrote about Landis a few months ago...

That's why riders like Landis resort to barefaced denial, running a media and Internet based propaganda offensive, trying to slander those running the anti-doping program, appeal to narrow-minded xenophobia (usually directed against 'The French'), employ sleasy lawyers who try to exploit any technical loophole they can find, resort to bullying, intimidation, threats and so on...

...amongst many other things you said about him. All very uncomplimentary.

But know he's changed is story so it matches your views, he's suddenly the very personification of honesty and every word his has written is solid truth and beyond reproach. To me that doesn't seem a very impartial way of viewing things.

Personally, I think USP were up to no good, but I also think that Landis has history of lying and is probably a little unbalanced at times. Therefore, I can't tell what the actual truth is.

It's no so much that now Landis is saying things that match my 'views' . Rather what is is now saying matches all the other evidence about Armstrong that has leaked out over the years. I too agree that we can't take everything that Landis says as being unquestionably true. What does need to happen is a robust investigation of what he says. Given all the other evidence that has accumulated over the years, I think that there is little doubt what the outcome will be if this is done.

BikingBernie

IanLD wrote:

As it could have a negative impact on their earnings, I'm not surprised the riders are keeping quiet regardless of what they think. Teams will probably be thinking the same and will have advised everyone to keep their mouths and tweets shut.

Yes, it's called the 'omerta'....

RichN95.

BikingBernie wrote:

It's no so much that now Landis is saying things that match my 'views' . Rather what is is now saying matches all the other evidence about Armstrong that has leaked out over the years. I too agree that we can't take everything that Landis says as being unquestionably true. What does need to happen is a robust investigation of what he says. Given all the other evidence that has accumulated over the years, I think that there is little doubt what the outcome will be if this is done.

So you agree that no-one really knows what the real truth and a full investigation is required to find it. Yet you expect people who have nothing to go on other than their own suspicions and other people's allegations to pass judgement? This isn't the way reasonable people behave, I'm afraid.

top_bhoy

I believe any silence on the riders part will be down to:
1) not wanting to get embroiled in issues they were not party to and/or
2) they have been advised by their team not to comment on and refer all questions on the matter to the team communications spokesperson

There are matters in this case which are greater than the personal mutterings of an individual. It can't be hard to understand that these allegations go to the top and heart of the sport and there will be many teams/riders being careful simply to safeguard their future existence.

DaveyL

It may have passed you by, "Bernie", but recently we've also had the 2009 Tour's king of the mountains under investigation following passport anomalies, and the number one ranked cyclist, who has earned millions of Euros in the last few years, still riding when he should have been banned.

Any plans to break your own personal "omerta" on these issues?

BikingBernie

RichN95 wrote:

So you agree that no-one really knows what the real truth and a full investigation is required to find it.

The already available available evidence - such as those Epo positives from 1999 - shows the basic truth: that Armstrong was a doper. Of course a full investigation is needed if all the details are to be filled in and enough evidence amassed for a criminal action to be brought.

Doobz

I think everyone is too sh|t scared to say anything. I think the following quote says enough

Landis was a guest at the VIP tent paid for by sponsor and close friend Dr Brent Kay. He arrived late into the time trial and was protected by four security guards wearing bulletproof vests, who tried to block media taking photographs of Landis. He refused to speak to the media.

BikingBernie

DaveyL wrote:

It may have passed you by, "Bernie", but recently we've also had the 2009 Tour's king of the mountains under investigation following passport anomalies, and the number one ranked cyclist, who has earned millions of Euros in the last few years, still riding when he should have been banned.

Any plans to break your own personal "omerta" on these issues?

I would love to discuss such issues, but unfortunately my time is currently taken up with people intent on still arguing that Armstrong was clean.

EKIMIKE

Sorry but when did Twitter become so f**king important? I for one don't give a toss.

Proper media interviews with questions and answers hold a thousand times more weight than 140 characters mashed into an iPhone.

DaveyL

Really? That's a "no" then.

It's pretty clear to most people that your agenda is driven more by politics than doping.

Carry on, I hope you find some of these people who are arguing Lance was clean. From the poll on the other thread, it seems like there are about 50, out of the whole forum. Clearly a fitting and productive use of your time.

RichN95.

BikingBernie wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

So you agree that no-one really knows what the real truth and a full investigation is required to find it.

The already available available evidence - such as those Epo positives from 1999 - shows the basic truth: that Armstrong was a doper. Of course a full investigation is needed if all the details are to be filled in and enough evidence amassed for a criminal action to be brought.

They're riders, not WADA. It's not their job the investigate and judge.

I'll make it simple for you. Generally, in all spheres of life people tend to stay out of arguments that don't involve them.

samiam

EKIMIKE wrote:

Sorry but when did Twitter become so f**king important? I for one don't give a toss.

Proper media interviews with questions and answers hold a thousand times more weight than 140 characters mashed into an iPhone.

You need to catch up with the real world then because times change. Twitter, these days, is extremely important.

dougzz

samiam wrote:

EKIMIKE wrote:

Sorry but when did Twitter become so f**king important? I for one don't give a toss.

Proper media interviews with questions and answers hold a thousand times more weight than 140 characters mashed into an iPhone.

You need to catch up with the real world then because times change. Twitter, these days, is extremely important.

Not to me.............. +1 to Ekimike

BikingBernie

EKIMIKE wrote:

Sorry but when did Twitter become so f**king important? I for one don't give a toss. Proper media interviews with questions and answers hold a thousand times more weight than 140 characters mashed into an iPhone.

Which is why my first post said...

"Overall, the silence from the Pros is pretty deafening, so here is a thread to keep a record of who is passing comment and who isn't. (Not just on twitter)."

EKIMIKE

samiam wrote:

EKIMIKE wrote:

Sorry but when did Twitter become so f**king important? I for one don't give a toss.

Proper media interviews with questions and answers hold a thousand times more weight than 140 characters mashed into an iPhone.

You need to catch up with the real world then because times change. Twitter, these days, is extremely important.

Come on.... please tell me you're joking? For your sake.

Anyway, you're telling an 18 year old to catch up with change. Mate, i am part of the change that is happening in this world. Twitter has it's place as a social curiosity but it is in no way shape or form a replacement for journalism.