Sean Yates Quits

Richmond Racer

But it doesnt matter that you have this on good authority. It doesnt matter that a bunch of cycling commentators think DB's a lying dweeb. The only thing that matters for Sky is that steps are being taken to reassure their target audience - the general public taking this massive increased interest in cycling. This is drastic damage control stuff.

The USADA report has changed everything.

above_the_cows

Richmond Racer wrote:

But it doesnt matter that you have this on good authority. It doesnt matter that a bunch of cycling commentators think DB's a lying dweeb. The only thing that matters for Sky is that steps are being taken to reassure their target audience - the general public taking this massive increased interest in cycling. This is drastic damage control stuff.

The USADA report has changed everything.

Having given this copious amounts of thought this weekend I think that RR pretty much sums up where I am with all of this right now. Sky's policy isn't about 'us'? The people who comment on cycling boards and follow the season from beginning to end and the boring bit in between. It is typical News Corp populism. The policy is akin to the Sun or Fox News. Neither are media platforms for people who deeply care and spend a lot of time thinking about politics/economics/foreign affairs etc. they are populist foghorns designed in such a way as to get lot of people's attention. This policy is a populist foghorn designed to get lots of lots of people's attention and it seems to be working.

ocdupalais

Above The Cows wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

But it doesnt matter that you have this on good authority. It doesnt matter that a bunch of cycling commentators think DB's a lying dweeb. The only thing that matters for Sky is that steps are being taken to reassure their target audience - the general public taking this massive increased interest in cycling. This is drastic damage control stuff.

The USADA report has changed everything.

Having given this copious amounts of thought this weekend I think that RR pretty much sums up where I am with all of this right now.

For various reasons, I haven't given all of this the thought it deserves, but I'll go with whatever RR has said.

Sometimes it makes sense (and saves time) to go with an instinct...

No_Ta_Doctor

OCDuPalais wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

But it doesnt matter that you have this on good authority. It doesnt matter that a bunch of cycling commentators think DB's a lying dweeb. The only thing that matters for Sky is that steps are being taken to reassure their target audience - the general public taking this massive increased interest in cycling. This is drastic damage control stuff.

The USADA report has changed everything.

Having given this copious amounts of thought this weekend I think that RR pretty much sums up where I am with all of this right now.

For various reasons, I haven't given all of this the thought it deserves, but I'll go with whatever RR has said.

Sometimes it makes sense (and saves time) to go with an instinct...

Well RR is generally agreed with me, so you cant be far wrong ;-)

ddraver

The Sky Thread in Road General suggests that RR is spot on! Lots of praise for Sky for making the tough but necessary decisions!

Pross

Blazing Saddles wrote:

If he's got no past, he's got no worries.

If he's genuinely got no past maybe he is just fed up of having to defend himself against people who are always going to claim he does have a past. Proving innocence is impossible. If he stays out of cycling maybe it is a sign that he has just had enough of the innuendo?

frenchfighter

Look at those legs. Look at the height of those shorts.

Richmond Racer

Pross wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

If he's got no past, he's got no worries.

If he's genuinely got no past maybe he is just fed up of having to defend himself against people who are always going to claim he does have a past. Proving innocence is impossible. If he stays out of cycling maybe it is a sign that he has just had enough of the innuendo?

Talking of innuendo, I think he'd had enough of all the innuendo around Wiggo and the team's success in the run up to and during the Tour. After Wiggo had his outburst in the presser after stage 8, Yatesy immediately signed off Twatter, making it very clear with a 'no longer on Twitter' message on his profile.

mr_goo

Whilst the Sky policy is to be applauded, if this was rolled out to all teams then I am pretty sure that there would not be many staff left in coaching/management. Taking that even further, given that non riding staff of teams are generally constituted from ex professionals, then not even the current crop of senior riders would get a future appointment, due to ex dopers and association with dopers. It could take at least 1 to 2 generations before the sport is entirely clean.

Richmond Racer

frenchfighter wrote:

Look at those legs. Look at the height of those shorts.

L.E.G.E.N.D. Nothing less.

Ex-team mates tell stories of him having to cut his kit to stop it cutting into him cos he worked out so much

Frenchie, can you find any pics of him descending - or even better, vids?

frenchfighter

Descending 53x11 yes, but I thought you didn't like me posting pics.

Richmond Racer

frenchfighter wrote:

Descending 53x11 yes, but I thought you didn't like me posting pics.

Shurrup, Frenchie. Look back and you'll see that what I said was be careful cos I know Getty are pretty hot on usage of their stock.

I am both encouraging you and warning you...

frenchfighter

LOL, it all blends into one ; )



You should like this if you like Sean

Richmond Racer

Fab! You just wouldnt have wanted to mess with him on the bike, would you

frenchfighter

My favourite is this one from flickr. Cant link as owner doesnt want.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/geoff_waugh/4346286491/

esafosfina

Richmond Racer wrote:

Fab! You just wouldnt have wanted to mess with him on the bike, would you

Gentle giant... never saw him get pissed-off, but do recall riding a race in Germany with him and he was taking a kicking (ok, so was I...) and he was yelling at the top of his voice: " Effing climbers, slow down you c**ts"...

Think we both lost about 20mins that day... :oops:

Richmond Racer

esafosfina wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Fab! You just wouldnt have wanted to mess with him on the bike, would you

Gentle giant... never saw him get pissed-off, but do recall riding a race in Germany with him and he was taking a kicking (ok, so was I...) and he was yelling at the top of his voice: " Effing climbers, slow down you c**ts"...

Think we both lost about 20mins that day... :oops:

Love it.

TMR

Excellent images Frenchie!

I particularly liked the linked Flickr one. The vascularity on his legs in the top image on the forum is insane.

Jez mon

Pross wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

If he's got no past, he's got no worries.

If he's genuinely got no past maybe he is just fed up of having to defend himself against people who are always going to claim he does have a past. Proving innocence is impossible. If he stays out of cycling maybe it is a sign that he has just had enough of the innuendo?

There's a certain Texas cyclist who has fans which use this sort of defence.

It doesn't really cut it unfortunately. I don't particularly desire to see a tearful confession or anything. But I'm not going to believe the saw nuffink heard nuffink stuff.

Pross

Jez mon wrote:

Pross wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

If he's got no past, he's got no worries.

If he's genuinely got no past maybe he is just fed up of having to defend himself against people who are always going to claim he does have a past. Proving innocence is impossible. If he stays out of cycling maybe it is a sign that he has just had enough of the innuendo?

There's a certain Texas cyclist who has fans which use this sort of defence.

It doesn't really cut it unfortunately. I don't particularly desire to see a tearful confession or anything. But I'm not going to believe the saw nuffink heard nuffink stuff.

I don't disagree but it was just the 'no past no worries' comment. Anyone with that amount of talk surrounding them would have probably gone no matter whether there was anything ontoward in their past. This is the problem now - Sky go 'zero tolerance' and people say it will encourage omerta, when this appears to not be the case they get stuck in that a person has gone in a way that isn't to their liking. Fact is a rider that almost certainly doped in the past is no longer involved in cycling which is what these people wanted in the first place but now so many do seem to want the tearful confession you mention.

Richmond Racer

Pross wrote:

Jez mon wrote:

Pross wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

If he's got no past, he's got no worries.

If he's genuinely got no past maybe he is just fed up of having to defend himself against people who are always going to claim he does have a past. Proving innocence is impossible. If he stays out of cycling maybe it is a sign that he has just had enough of the innuendo?

There's a certain Texas cyclist who has fans which use this sort of defence.

It doesn't really cut it unfortunately. I don't particularly desire to see a tearful confession or anything. But I'm not going to believe the saw nuffink heard nuffink stuff.

I don't disagree but it was just the 'no past no worries' comment. Anyone with that amount of talk surrounding them would have probably gone no matter whether there was anything ontoward in their past. This is the problem now - Sky go 'zero tolerance' and people say it will encourage omerta, when this appears to not be the case they get stuck in that a person has gone in a way that isn't to their liking. Fact is a rider that almost certainly doped in the past is no longer involved in cycling which is what these people wanted in the first place but now so many do seem to want the tearful confession you mention.

Agree Pross. Its like a scene from the French Revolution with everyone around the guillotine, bitching and screaming when they feel they're being deprived of a show.

powerbookboy

Well, I hope if it is for health reasons he's ok- still pretty young to be having heart issues. And if it's for more "sporting" reasons I again hope his heart's ok - bearing in mind the popular drugs of his era and the well known link to cardiovascular disease.

Didn't see him racing that much due to a lack of Eurosport in the late 80s/ early 90s, but I do distinctly remember him looking very very proud to wear his Yellow Jersey, and spending an inordinate amount of time acting as a mobile aerodynamic device for the lucky sods hugging his wheels.

A horse would be proud of those legs...

Richmond Racer

powerbookboy wrote:

Well, I hope if it is for health reasons he's ok- still pretty young to be having heart issues. And if it's for more "sporting" reasons I again hope his heart's ok - bearing in mind the popular drugs of his era and the well known link to cardiovascular disease.

Didn't see him racing that much due to a lack of Eurosport in the late 80s/ early 90s, but I do distinctly remember him looking very very proud to wear his Yellow Jersey, and spending an inordinate amount of time acting as a mobile aerodynamic device for the lucky sods hugging his wheels.

A horse would be proud of those legs...

And Horse was actually one of his nicknames...

I think his heart condition is atrial fibrillation. Think I read that he has a pacemaker fitted.

powerbookboy

Richmond Racer wrote:

powerbookboy wrote:

Well, I hope if it is for health reasons he's ok- still pretty young to be having heart issues. And if it's for more "sporting" reasons I again hope his heart's ok - bearing in mind the popular drugs of his era and the well known link to cardiovascular disease.

Didn't see him racing that much due to a lack of Eurosport in the late 80s/ early 90s, but I do distinctly remember him looking very very proud to wear his Yellow Jersey, and spending an inordinate amount of time acting as a mobile aerodynamic device for the lucky sods hugging his wheels.

A horse would be proud of those legs...

And Horse was actually one of his nicknames...

I think his heart condition is atrial fibrillation. Think I read that he has a pacemaker fitted.

Which while not exactly conclusive, could make one jump to certain conclusions, if one was so inclined.

Either way, I hope he doesn't have any further problems with his health.

esafosfina

frenchfighter wrote:

My favourite is this one from flickr. Cant link as owner doesnt want.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/geoff_waugh/4346286491/

Respect! I admire him even more now seeing him descend with those f88king awful Delta brakes! :shock:

Avanti Roman

disquieting_museeuws wrote:

Nothing personal, but Sean was never the right man for the job on so many levels.

Why?

Richmond Racer

frenchfighter wrote:

My favourite is this one from flickr. Cant link as owner doesnt want.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/geoff_waugh/4346286491/

Thanks for posting this, Frenchie. Such a great photo.

Avanti Roman

giant man wrote:

Sean Yates was always a waste of time anyway imo, so good news ......

In what way was he a 'waste of time'?

stevelee101

Anyone think that, apart from stated 'health problems' (hope it's nothing too serious), he quit as he doesn't agree with the new 'zero-tolerance' policy that seems to be just a press-pleasing attempt at 'transparancy'? I'm guessing an autobiography (if there was no confidentiality clause in his contract) will eventually tell-all!

Richmond Racer

stevelee101 wrote:

Anyone think that, apart from stated 'health problems' (hope it's nothing too serious), he quit as he doesn't agree with the new 'zero-tolerance' policy that seems to be just a press-pleasing attempt at 'transparancy'? I'm guessing an autobiography (if there was no confidentiality clause in his contract) will eventually tell-all!

If you think Yatesy has an autobio lined up, then you know nothing about the man and his character. Whatever secrets he has about his own experiences and other peoples', he will take to the grave.