Hamilton's autobiography *spoilers*

ocdupalais

Turfle wrote:

I would not let Ten Dam cook for me.

Hehe...
You'd be surprised: he's good. His drooling keeps the omlette pan lubricated...

No_Ta_Doctor

OCDuPalais wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

Here's to bread and water!

...and beer. That's allowed too, isn't it?

And some salty snacks - I was always partial to Jamon Jamon crisps in Spain.

I'll admit "paniaguacervezajamonjamon" is a bit of a mouthful, but who said the way forward would be easy?

paniaguaandanything@teamskychefcanthrowtogether is even more of a mouthful. Pretty much a three course meal, plus a smoothie.

Wily-Quixote

Interview on oz tv, not sure if you can view it from the UK.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-10/f ... ng/4253740

nic_77

So I've just finished the book (US version - I'm a Brit living in North Carolina).

It's candid, blunt and very detailed in terms of the how's, who's and when's - I would suggest it is a must read for any Armstrong era cycling fan. My enduring thoughts are these:

1. It all seems so obvious now - I knew there was doping, I just didn't grasp the scale or methods used
2. It clearly wasn't very difficult to cheat
3. The doping really worked (big time)
4. It wasn't just a few bad apples - almost everyone knew what was going on (even the wives and girlfriends were actively involved), yet there was no desire to speak out or to stop it... is this still the case?
5. Professional cycling is a small intense world where this sort of thing could spiral out of control without check
6. Morals (even those of the good guys) are very easily tested
7. The truth really can set you free - come on Lance let's hear your true story!

The questions I still need answers to are:
1. Were the UCI truly complicit in covering up the doping of certain riders? (This to me would be the biggest scandal, rather than the indiscretions of the riders themselves)
2. How did Tyler and Floyd both end up busted for something they claim they didn't do? I bet that eats them up too!

Enjoy the book people - it's a blast!
Nic

DeadCalm

nic_77 wrote:

2. How did Tyler and Floyd both end up busted for something they claim they didn't do? I bet that eats them up too!

Yeah, that jumped out at me too and I started theorising all sorts of conspiracies. Then I figured that it was so easy to beat the tests that a cock-up was the only way they would get caught and as a result them not understanding how the testosterone or stranger's blood got into their system would be much more likely.

Then again, it might be far more fun to believe that somebody somehow spiked their blood bags...

Richmond Racer

DeadCalm wrote:

nic_77 wrote:

2. How did Tyler and Floyd both end up busted for something they claim they didn't do? I bet that eats them up too!

Yeah, that jumped out at me too and I started theorising all sorts of conspiracies. Then I figured that it was so easy to beat the tests that a cock-up was the only way they would get caught and as a result them not understanding how the testosterone or stranger's blood got into their system would be much more likely.

Then again, it might be far more fun to believe that somebody somehow spiked their blood bags...

I read somewhere something along the lines of Ferrari being the 'best', and Tyler and Landis incorrectly assuming that their own-sourced alternative e.g. Fuentes, would be equally on top of what he was doing (i.e not mixing up the blood bags)

dennisn

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

Richmond Racer

dennisn wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

Do you know, funnily enough I'm really not arsed about whether you comment or not, given the rest of the stuff you post here. Hardly going to give me sleepless nights.

slim_boy_fat

dennisn wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

I wouldn't worry about it Dennis. You never comment on anything that is being discussed anyway, so being at a loss for words to comment is hardly a new experience for you. I'd just get back to being endlessly fascinated by us all if I were you

nic_77

dennisn - I'd be interested to hear what you thought of the book?

Spiny_Norman

nic_77 wrote:

dennisn - I'd be interested to hear what you thought of the book?

He hasn't ever chatted over a beer with Tyler, so he can't comment.

Lichtblick

This book has just arrived from Amazon. Brilliant service: ordered Saturday, arrived Monday morning.

I've had to force myself not to read much today - a quick look at the introduction alone is enough to make me want to drop everything and get stuck in.

Who is that on the front cover with LA? Either Hamilton himself or Simeoni would make sense. The logos on the guy's shirt seem to be CA - not the initials of any of Hamilton's teams AFAICS.

Yet if it is Simeoni, then at that point in the 2004 TdF LA was in the yellow jersey. That's IF it's the infamous 18th stage.

Does this cover photo make sense to anyone else? Thanks.

rick_chasey

Hamilton.

Lichtblick

Rick Chasey wrote:

Hamilton.

Really? Which team's that shirt?

(seems a minor shame though, not Simeoni, no?)

rick_chasey

Isn't it the young riders jersey in the Dauphine?

DeadCalm

dennisn wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

As it happens, RR's statement is indeed a fair summary of what Hamilton says in his book.

No_Ta_Doctor

DeadCalm wrote:

dennisn wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

As it happens, RR's statement is indeed a fair summary of what Hamilton says in his book.

Yep. Fuentes' assistant was later found to be going a bit senile. When they switched to freezing the bags that meant that guy who might be having to do quite a lot of processing the blood (mixing with some stuff, re-bagging etc.) might have just been getting mixed up.

Frightening.

nic_77

Lichtblick wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Hamilton.

Really? Which team's that shirt?

(seems a minor shame though, not Simeoni, no?)

Definitely Hamilton. Note also that he's riding the same Postal Trek as Lance, and has the same shorts on. Seems to be a classification leader's jersey of some description.

DeadCalm

Richmond Racer wrote:

I read somewhere something along the lines of Ferrari being the 'best', and Tyler and Landis incorrectly assuming that their own-sourced alternative e.g. Fuentes, would be equally on top of what he was doing (i.e not mixing up the blood bags)

Yep, Hamilton is pretty convinced Ferrari was the best. He also believes that Ferrari was giving LA special treatments that nobody else was receiving. Apparently, there were different circles within the team who got different doping regimes. For example, only Armstrong, Livingston and Hamilton were gven transfusions before the 2000 TDF with the rest of the team being kept in the dark about what was going on. Hamilton reckons that Armstrong was getting something from Ferrari that caused his form to improve dramatically in a matter of weeks before each TDF and that, whatever this treatment was, Armstrong had an exclusivity on it. I'd stress that Hamilton makes it clear that he doesn't know this but is making an assumption based on the levels of secrecy, the relationship between Ferrari and Armstrong and how they interacted and apparently otherwise inexplicable (even with the standard doping regime) improvements in Armstrong's form.

dennisn

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

dennisn wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

...I read somewhere something along the lines of ...

I'm at a complete loss of words to even try and comment on that statement(if you can call it a statement). :roll: :roll:

I wouldn't worry about it Dennis. You never comment on anything that is being discussed anyway, so being at a loss for words to comment is hardly a new experience for you. I'd just get back to being endlessly fascinated by us all if I were you

Sorry for butting in. I'll get back to my fascinaton now.

mfin

DeadCalm wrote:

Hamilton reckons that Armstrong was getting something from Ferrari that caused his form to improve dramatically in a matter of weeks before each TDF and that, whatever this treatment was, Armstrong had an exclusivity on it. I'd stress that Hamilton makes it clear that he doesn't know this but is making an assumption based on the levels of secrecy, the relationship between Ferrari and Armstrong and how they interacted and apparently otherwise inexplicable (even with the standard doping regime) improvements in Armstrong's form.

Probably Clenbuterol

andyrr

nic_77 wrote:

Lichtblick wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Hamilton.

Really? Which team's that shirt?

(seems a minor shame though, not Simeoni, no?)

Definitely Hamilton. Note also that he's riding the same Postal Trek as Lance, and has the same shorts on. Seems to be a classification leader's jersey of some description.

Dauphine leaders jersey I think - Hamilton won in 2000.

RichN95.

2000 Dauphine Stage 5, that's where it's from:

inkyfingers

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

rick_chasey

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

Too many words there, got bored Nah, I read the reviews, but not sure whether to buy it now or wait and get my Mrs to buy it for me for Christmas as I have a huge stack of books still to read, both cycling and non cycling. I'm going to have to cancel some mag subscriptions as just don't have enough hours in the day to read all this stuff, bloody family life.

rick_chasey

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

Too many words there, got bored Nah, I read the reviews, but not sure whether to buy it now or wait and get my Mrs to buy it for me for Christmas as I have a huge stack of books still to read, both cycling and non cycling. I'm going to have to cancel some mag subscriptions as just don't have enough hours in the day to read all this stuff, bloody family life.

Yeah.

Given it's 99% certain I'm not going to be in a job after tomorrow that's not an enormous concern for me.

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

Too many words there, got bored Nah, I read the reviews, but not sure whether to buy it now or wait and get my Mrs to buy it for me for Christmas as I have a huge stack of books still to read, both cycling and non cycling. I'm going to have to cancel some mag subscriptions as just don't have enough hours in the day to read all this stuff, bloody family life.

Yeah.

Given it's 99% certain I'm not going to be in a job after tomorrow that's not an enormous concern for me.

Sorry to hear that Rick, take it your being pushed rather than jumping?

At least it leaves you free to go after that ITV commentary role or the DS job with Lefevre.

rick_chasey

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

Too many words there, got bored Nah, I read the reviews, but not sure whether to buy it now or wait and get my Mrs to buy it for me for Christmas as I have a huge stack of books still to read, both cycling and non cycling. I'm going to have to cancel some mag subscriptions as just don't have enough hours in the day to read all this stuff, bloody family life.

Yeah.

Given it's 99% certain I'm not going to be in a job after tomorrow that's not an enormous concern for me.

Sorry to hear that Rick, take it your being pushed rather than jumping?

At least it leaves you free to go after that ITV commentary role or the DS job with Lefevre.

Yeah.

I've said it before - I spend a lot of time on here out of necessity to stop me from being bored rather than avoiding any work.

They're pleased with my work. It's just they're not getting anywhere near enough in to make my presence worthwhile.

Anyway, I'll stop moaning. :P

Buy the book when it's paperback.

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

So is this worth reading, or is it just something for the full on Lance hating brigade to read and feel smug about?

http://inrng.com/2012/09/book-review-secret-race/

review there.

Too many words there, got bored Nah, I read the reviews, but not sure whether to buy it now or wait and get my Mrs to buy it for me for Christmas as I have a huge stack of books still to read, both cycling and non cycling. I'm going to have to cancel some mag subscriptions as just don't have enough hours in the day to read all this stuff, bloody family life.

Yeah.

Given it's 99% certain I'm not going to be in a job after tomorrow that's not an enormous concern for me.

Sorry to hear that Rick, take it your being pushed rather than jumping?

At least it leaves you free to go after that ITV commentary role or the DS job with Lefevre.

Yeah.

I've said it before - I spend a lot of time on here out of necessity to stop me from being bored rather than avoiding any work.

They're pleased with my work. It's just they're not getting anywhere near enough in to make my presence worthwhile.

Anyway, I'll stop moaning. :P

Buy the book when it's paperback.

Cheers Rick, will do.

I had a cushy job like that once, think that's when I joined this forum actually. It was easy and the money was good, but with the economy going down the loo I knew what was coming so jumped before I was pushed. It was funny because I had the grandest job title (it started with the word "Global") but actually just pushed paper round the desk all day.

Annoying that I earn pretty much the same now as I was then but have a whole lot more hassle.