How come Sastre has got a 'good' reputation?

tailwindhome

As per the title really.

Why does this 'Spanish' rider who spent years riding with Riis' CSC team, racing against and alongside some of the biggest dopers in cycling have a good reputation as a clean rider?

rick_chasey

Nice bloke. Was never good enough to be the bride.

Always figured he was. Spanish. CSC. Riis. Go figure.

RichN95.

The main points in his defence are:

1. He's never personally been connected to any doping scandals or rumours.

2. His nickname in the Spanish peloton was 'Don Limpio' - Mr Clean

3. He has talked about how he believes doping caused the death of Jose Maria Jimenez - his brother in law and best friend.

Simmo72

Also Look at his career, slow, consistent rise, peak, then decline.
No sudden appearance out of nowhere

reverendmark

He won his tour by tactically outwitting the Schlecks...

shinyhelmut

Personally I struggle to believe any rider who started his career with ONCE is clean.

nweststeyn

Just look at his face. He looks like a wee baby boy. Surely he can't do anything bad!

timoid.

reverendmark wrote:

He won his tour by tactically outwitting the Schlecks...

If being smarter than the Schlecks is proof of not doping, than hooray we're close to clean cycling.

frenchfighter

Sastre is an admirable rider. Rich's points are bang on. He and his father have a school for kids to learn cycling or something like that.

Rick, CSC was not a team with institutional doping - Jullich, CVV,and McGee have said as much.

I loved the guy and always thought he lacked that little burst but now I know why - the others were on it and he was clean. He always was a little off the pace then eventually wound his way back to the group. Stylish rider.

rick_chasey

frenchfighter wrote:

Sastre is an admirable rider. Rich's points are bang on. He and his father have a school for kids to learn cycling or something like that.

Rick, CSC was not a team with institutional doping - Jullich, CVV,and McGee have said as much.

So you reckon Hamilton is talking bull re Riis?

I don't see why Riis would introduce Hamilton to Fuentes and not Sastre? Or the Schlecks?

dougzz

Rick Chasey wrote:

So you reckon Hamilton is talking bull re Riis?
I don't see why Riis would introduce Hamilton to Fuentes and not Sastre? Or the Schlecks?

Maybe introductions were offered but not accepted. Maybe Riis was it's there if you want, but without the no dope no job attitude, who knows. Maybe Riis is just a good judge of who can be introduced and who won't be interested. Didn't McGee say he was asked several times, and then the asking stopped (Not specifically by Riis).
In overcoming I got a sense that Riis was frustrated with Sastre, maybe this was why.

Edit: Forgot to add that one thing Armstrong was right about, these people (Landis, Hamilton etc.) are liars. Whilst I believe they did eventually largely tell the truth, I certainly wouldn't trust all they said. Maybe it was still an opportunity to settle a few scores with a titbit here and there. Not like Riis is clean, but trusting all Hamilton says is a big leap of faith.

Tom Butcher

I seem to remember Sastre was not always in agreement with Riis on how he should train - so I can believe it's possible he had the strength of will to resist the pressure to dope. Of course it'd be naive to assume just about any pro cyclist was definitely clean.

Tom Butcher

cross post with doug but basically I agree.

thomthom

Sastre clinched with Bjarne when Frank became a better rider.

dave_1

Sastre had some warm words for Saiz years after Saiz had been caught.

Tom Butcher

And he also said he and Saiz had different ideas.

dave_1

Tom Butcher wrote:

And he also said he and Saiz had different ideas.

yeah, but it was respectful comment he made re Saiz ..it surprised me a little. But as you say, perhaps he had different ideas

cougie

I love the way the OP describes him as 'Spanish'.....

frenchfighter

Great interview:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/car ... nce-winner

I like this part a lot:
Vroomen :
"I wouldn't put my signature to anyone being clean - how would I know? - but certainly that's what I heard from the peloton about Carlos, what his colleagues certainly seemed to say. And usually the peloton is pretty sure of what's going on. It sounds plausible, in line with his character as I've seen it, and his difficulties with certain people. I mean, he had a couple of team managers with questionable pasts and he seemed to frustrate them, which I see as a good thing..."

"I've had my problems with him as well but I see him as a good person, a unique individual in the peloton, I mean, he does a ton of work for charity that you never hear about, which shows that he's not interested in being in the spotlight. He's a special character."

iainf72

Dave_1 wrote:

Tom Butcher wrote:

And he also said he and Saiz had different ideas.

yeah, but it was respectful comment he made re Saiz ..it surprised me a little. But as you say, perhaps he had different ideas

Jorg Jakshe was the same - He had a lot of time for Saiz.

specialgueststar

RichN95 wrote:

3. He has talked about how he believes doping caused the death of Jose Maria Jimenez - his brother in law and best friend.

Always an excuse for my favourite cycling pic

EKIMIKE

Really enjoyed the piece in ProCycling about him. I consider him a bit of a hero. Possibly foolish to do so but he appears a class bloke as well as a class rider.