David Millar in today's 'Observer'

Comfort_Break

Must be book promotion time I guess....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... vid-millar

B3rnieMac

I'm happiest when I am at home in Gerona

he lives in the philippines??

Scrumple

B3rnieMac wrote:

I'm happiest when I am at home in Gerona

he lives in the philippines??

Stalker

nick hanson

B3rnieMac wrote:

I'm happiest when I am at home in Gerona

he lives in the philippines??

Get a map & look north of Barcellona :roll:

RichN95.

nick hanson wrote:

B3rnieMac wrote:

I'm happiest when I am at home in Gerona

he lives in the philippines??

Get a map & look north of Barcellona :roll:

While you're looking at it, check the spelling. (Of Girona, mostly, but while you're at it check Barcelona)

B3rnieMac

cheers rich

iainf72

Another Holy David piece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/ju ... -de-france

Wiggins, in contrast, is flayed. Why does Millar feel such anger towards his fellow Briton? "We [the Garmin team in 2009] made him. We basically rode him into that fourth place finish in the Tour de France. It was not a one-man show. Itwas a team effort. He wouldn't have hit the top 10 if he'd been on any other team so that's why I was so pissed off with him. He never once gave us the respect we deserved. Mark Cavendish understands the game – Brad doesn't. He's a natural-born leader, Cav, whereas Brad has no leadership skills. The way Cav is with his team-mates helps make him an incredible rider."

No_Ta_Doctor

iainf72 wrote:

Another Holy David piece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/ju ... -de-france

Wiggins, in contrast, is flayed. Why does Millar feel such anger towards his fellow Briton? "We [the Garmin team in 2009] made him. We basically rode him into that fourth place finish in the Tour de France. It was not a one-man show. Itwas a team effort. He wouldn't have hit the top 10 if he'd been on any other team so that's why I was so pissed off with him. He never once gave us the respect we deserved. Mark Cavendish understands the game – Brad doesn't. He's a natural-born leader, Cav, whereas Brad has no leadership skills. The way Cav is with his team-mates helps make him an incredible rider."

Well that one's got a bit more meat on it that the other fluff pieces.

I still can't decide whether I actually like either St D. or Wiggins though. Millar's candidness seems to come across as a little self-serving sometimes. I strongly doubt he thought

I can do it. I can confess. I can escape this lie.

More like "Bugger, got me bang to rights, how the f**** do I turn this around?". It's still refreshing to hear him saying stuff that isn't the bland media-trained sportsman rubbish though.

He's also very harsh on Landis. It's as if he thinks we should still be reinforcing omerta rather than trying to break it down...

Gazzaputt

I think St. David has a massive chip on his shoulder with Sky Procycling that he needs to drop.

iainf72

Gazzaputt wrote:

I think St. David has a massive chip on his shoulder with Sky Procycling that he needs to drop.

I think he was just stating fact. After all, his sister works for them, he's chummy with Brailsford.

DeadCalm

No tA Doctor wrote:

He's also very harsh on Landis. It's as if he thinks we should still be reinforcing omerta rather than trying to break it down...

"What Landis has done is quite irresponsible. I think any doper who is caught has a duty to assume responsibility for speaking out against it".

That doesn't seem to be the words of someone who thinks the omerta should be reinforced. I get the impression that he doesn't like trial by media or the internet but you don't write to the UCI expressing your concerns over what is going on in your current team (as Millar did when he was at Saunier Duval) if you're not seeking a solution to the doping problem.

rick_chasey

I don't think many people are surprised that Wiggins isn't as liked in the peloton as Cavendish, and that Cavendish is a better 'leader' than Wiggins.

It's more surprising (or not) that Millar's saying it so brazenly.

Then again, what's Millar got to lose? He's got enough capital in the team he's in and in the peloton.

iainf72

Rick Chasey wrote:

I don't think many people are surprised that Wiggins isn't as liked in the peloton as Cavendish, and that Cavendish is a better 'leader' than Wiggins.

I don't think he said Cavendish is "liked", just respected as a leader.

Kléber

You can smell the narcissism, this is a guy who loves to be loved. Also, it feels like he's always right (he'd fit in well here on the forum).

Interesting take on Sky given, as Iain says, he's got family and friends in the team. Cav doesn't get on that well with Wiggins either.

inkyfingers

iainf72 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I don't think many people are surprised that Wiggins isn't as liked in the peloton as Cavendish, and that Cavendish is a better 'leader' than Wiggins.

I don't think he said Cavendish is "liked", just respected as a leader.

Thats usually enough in a team. I've had bosses that I didn't like, but they were still good bosses. Cav has always made a big play of bigging up the team from the start, he's either a genuinely good captain or he just got some very good advice as a young rider. As a sprinter I think he know that he's always going to be more dependent on his team than other riders, where Wiggins comes from a background of individual pursuit and TTing, so for most of his career has either been riding solo or when riding on the road he's been a domestique. It does seem this year that he's learnt some lessons (maybe from the "rollicking" that Brailsford gave him) and is playing the team leader part much better.

I have the Millar book but haven't started it yet. The more sanctimonious guff I read from him though, the less I look forward to reading it. I like Millar as a rider, fantastic TTer and an aggressive racer, but have never understood why he gets more respect than other ex dopers. He only confessed when he realised that it was in his best interests.

LangerDan

I think what may really be annoying Millar about his exclusion from Sky is that, despite the "zero tolerance" policy, the only real difference between him and some of the Sky staff and riders is that he got caught.

iainf72

inkyfingers wrote:

I have the Millar book but haven't started it yet. The more sanctimonious guff I read from him though, the less I look forward to reading it. I like Millar as a rider, fantastic TTer and an aggressive racer, but have never understood why he gets more respect than other ex dopers. He only confessed when he realised that it was in his best interests.

No, I think you'll have a different opinion if you read the book. The whole story is quite fascinating.

rick_chasey

LangerDan wrote:

I think what may really be annoying Millar about his exclusion from Sky is that, despite the "zero tolerance" policy, the only real difference between him and some of the Sky staff and riders is that he got caught.

Why?

Garmin are a stronger team than sky are.

You also get the impression Garmin are happier with the slightly unusual personality types.

Millar needs a lot of attention in his own way.

He also has a stake in Garmin, which he took out long before Sky existed.

calvjones

iainf72 wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

I have the Millar book but haven't started it yet. The more sanctimonious guff I read from him though, the less I look forward to reading it. I like Millar as a rider, fantastic TTer and an aggressive racer, but have never understood why he gets more respect than other ex dopers. He only confessed when he realised that it was in his best interests.

No, I think you'll have a different opinion if you read the book. The whole story is quite fascinating.

It's worth a punt then?

St. Dave is like the rest of us. Bit of an arse some of the time, probably OK when there's not a mic in his face or he has somat to sell.

iainf72

The Millar book is good. A step up from most sporting autobiographies. The whole riding clean -> doping -> getting caught timeline is fascinating.

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

The Millar book is good. A step up from most sporting autobiographies. The whole riding clean -> doping -> getting caught timeline is fascinating.

The book's £18 isn't it?

iainf72

Rick Chasey wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

The Millar book is good. A step up from most sporting autobiographies. The whole riding clean -> doping -> getting caught timeline is fascinating.

The book's £18 isn't it?

That's what the article says. But if you can drive the internetz, it's much less

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Racing-Through- ... 588&sr=8-1

Bronzie

Rick Chasey wrote:

The book's £18 isn't it?

Picked up my hardback copy for just under a tenner at Amazon. Fascinating stuff so far and not even a third of the way in.

rick_chasey

Alright.

Which do I buy first, Slaying the Badger or this?

andyp

Slaying the Badger - there are two complex characters covered in that, both of whom rank amongst the all time greats of the sport.

LangerDan

Rick Chasey wrote:

LangerDan wrote:

I think what may really be annoying Millar about his exclusion from Sky is that, despite the "zero tolerance" policy, the only real difference between him and some of the Sky staff and riders is that he got caught.

Why?

Garmin are a stronger team than sky are.

You also get the impression Garmin are happier with the slightly unusual personality types.

Millar needs a lot of attention in his own way.

He also has a stake in Garmin, which he took out long before Sky existed.

Why?
Millar sees himself as the elder statesman of British cycling and a "leader of men" (in a way he reckons Wiggins isn't). Where better to end his career?
Plus they supposedly offer good money. I don't know if his stake in Garmin is worth a huge amount. Father Vaughters keeps coming up with bizzare estimates of the teams value based on TV exposure but I doubt that the squad's value is the tiniest fraction of that. Some time back, Magnus Backstedt commented on how pro team funding is just a higher cost version of an amateur club. Get some money at the start of the year, spend it all, end the year with nothing. I'd imagine the only asset that Garmin have is their Pro licence. (and few used sat-navs, covered in baguette crumbs and spittle)

In any case, I suspect that Millar would like to be asked to join Sky, even if it was only to refuse it.

RichN95.

LangerDan wrote:

In any case, I suspect that Millar would like to be asked to join Sky, even if it was only to refuse it.

He was. In his book, he says that he had decided to join Sky before they brought their no ex-dopers policy in.

pat1cp

iainf72 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

The Millar book is good. A step up from most sporting autobiographies. The whole riding clean -> doping -> getting caught timeline is fascinating.

The book's £18 isn't it?

That's what the article says. But if you can drive the internetz, it's much less

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Racing-Through- ... 588&sr=8-1

Can anyone tell me why the kindle version is 50p dearer ?? I don't get it !!!

iainf72

pat1cp wrote:

Can anyone tell me why the kindle version is 50p dearer ?? I don't get it !!!

You pay tax on kindle books, for a start.

pat1cp

iainf72 wrote:

pat1cp wrote:

Can anyone tell me why the kindle version is 50p dearer ?? I don't get it !!!

You pay tax on kindle books, for a start.

Apparently it's 5%, which accounts for the 50p difference, but what about producing the book ?

inkyfingers

iainf72 wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

I have the Millar book but haven't started it yet. The more sanctimonious guff I read from him though, the less I look forward to reading it. I like Millar as a rider, fantastic TTer and an aggressive racer, but have never understood why he gets more respect than other ex dopers. He only confessed when he realised that it was in his best interests.

No, I think you'll have a different opinion if you read the book. The whole story is quite fascinating.

Yes, I'm looking forward to reading it really. The only downside of the modern internet era is that you seem to get a massive overload of hype for these things...all the cycling press, twitter and many of the top UK newspaper have been full off him and even the most likeable people start to grate after a while.