The Secret Pro

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  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Next installement is out:
    http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/05/the-s ... -and-more/

    It is not very good.
    In this day and age throwing around accusations without evidence is tough

    This episode written by noted mutant hunter, and friend of Digger, Shane Stokes. What a pr1ck. On motorized bikes, a clinician writes...
    I’ve seen stuff at races and it’s there on some YouTube videos if you dig about. We’ve even seen mechanics from certain teams behaving oddly at races in the past, standing at the side of the course with spare bikes when usually those bikes would just be placed on the car. And when those mechanics are left at the side of the road with bikes after they’ve changed, well, that’s the sort of odd stuff you wouldn’t usually see.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Depends on how you take it. An insider who knows Astana are up to no good including great hope Aru. Motorised bikes have been involved.

    On the plus side the fact that many have wanted to shake Greg's hand is great news.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Macaloon wrote:
    I’ve seen stuff at races and it’s there on some YouTube videos if you dig about. We’ve even seen mechanics from certain teams behaving oddly at races in the past, standing at the side of the course with spare bikes when usually those bikes would just be placed on the car. And when those mechanics are left at the side of the road with bikes after they’ve changed, well, that’s the sort of odd stuff you wouldn’t usually see.
    That bit in bold. The reason we don't usually see it is because the practice got banned pretty soon after it started. All spares have to be on or in the car now.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Joelsim wrote:
    Depends on how you take it. An insider who knows Astana are up to no good including great hope Aru. Motorised bikes have been involved.

    On the plus side the fact that many have wanted to shake Greg's hand is great news.

    Shane Stokes is the provisional wing of Digger Forum. Why would you believe anything he writes?
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Macaloon wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    Depends on how you take it. An insider who knows Astana are up to no good including great hope Aru. Motorised bikes have been involved.

    On the plus side the fact that many have wanted to shake Greg's hand is great news.

    Shane Stokes is the provisional wing of Digger Forum. Why would you believe anything he writes?

    Shane Stokes didn't write that paragraph, The Secret Pro did.

    I also happen to think there is enough circumstantial evidence for motors in bikes to be a given rather than pie in the sky. As noted in the article, and in several articles from big newspapers, if riders are happy to introduce the blood of sacrificial virgins to their body, all manner of PEDs despite their being 20+ deaths, then it is not beyond the realms of possibility that 100W of power for an hour when needed the most has been the done thing. You know my views on doping in cycling anyway, there is still a huge problem.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Joelsim wrote:
    Shane Stokes didn't write that paragraph, The Secret Pro did.

    Cheating is rife, except when it comes to Shane Stokes, a journalist of unimpeachable integrity who publicly called attention to Porte's 'mutant' performance in training. In this day and age throwing around accuations without evidence is tough, so The Secret Pro is a handy tool to bring new insight to the Aru and mechanical doping accusations.

    I see.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Macaloon wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    Shane Stokes didn't write that paragraph, The Secret Pro did.

    Cheating is rife, except when it comes to Shane Stokes, a journalist of unimpeachable integrity who publicly called attention to Porte's 'mutant' performance in training. In this day and age throwing around accuations without evidence is tough, so The Secret Pro is a handy tool to bring new insight to the Aru and mechanical doping accusations.

    I see.

    The Secret Pro talks about what is topical doesn't he? A view from inside the peloton.

    As opposed to being a mouthpiece for Shane Stokes.

    I don't see what you are getting at. Surely TSP has some integrity on what he writes.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    There's nothing in that latest column that any one of us couldn't have written ourselves, pretending to be a pro.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    RichN95 wrote:
    There's nothing in that latest column that any one of us couldn't have written ourselves, pretending to be a pro.

    True. But why would CT do that? It would be a PR disaster if that was ever found to be the case.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    No, it really wouldn't.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    So, you're saying that if 'our anonymous insider' was found out to be a freelance blogger mate of Shane Stokes that wouldn't be bad news for Cycling Tips?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Or maybe not even a friend of shane stokes. Bad news =/= PR disaster. It's likely to be a few people therefore it's impossible to pin it on one person as has been discussed earlier in this thread.

    TBH it could well be a mechanic or something who attends all the races and listens to all the hearsay.

    What if it was a real pro whose identity was found out and then found he had suddenly made a load of new enemies.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    coriordan wrote:
    Or maybe not even a friend of shane stokes. Bad news =/= PR disaster. It's likely to be a few people therefore it's impossible to pin it on one person as has been discussed earlier in this thread.

    TBH it could well be a mechanic or something who attends all the races and listens to all the hearsay.

    What if it was a real pro whose identity was found out and then found he had suddenly made a load of new enemies.

    The Secret Pro suggests it is a rider. But if a mechanic, fine. An outsider and CT would lose lots of face amongst the hard-core cycling-watching community.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Joelsim wrote:
    The Secret Pro suggests it is a rider. But if a mechanic, fine. An outsider and CT would lose lots of face amongst the hard-core cycling-watching community.

    Do a bit of research. CT have previously said that they edit the copy to protect TSP's identity. The absence of original insight, and unsubstantiated rumour, in the recent piece is Stokes' hallmark.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Macaloon wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    The Secret Pro suggests it is a rider. But if a mechanic, fine. An outsider and CT would lose lots of face amongst the hard-core cycling-watching community.

    Do a bit of research. CT have previously said that they edit the copy to protect TSP's identity. The absence of original insight, and unsubstantiated rumour, in the recent piece is Stokes' hallmark.

    TSP is not going to allow his pieces to be changed dramatically when he risks upsetting people or worse.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Joelsim wrote:
    TSP is not going to allow his pieces to be changed dramatically when he risks upsetting people or worse.

    They all cheat for a living, but there's no way a 'rider, riders, or mutant-hunter' would stoop to misleading readers for a few clicks? I believe your faith is misplaced.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Complaining (in a thinly veiled way) that the Giro was juiced an there wasn't enough time for chit-chat.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Complaining (in a thinly veiled way) that the Giro was juiced an there wasn't enough time for chit-chat.

    The more I read that column and it's complete lack of positivity about anything, the more I become convinced that it's just Stokes airing his prejudices in a manner that eliminates the threat of legal action or professional cyclists not talking to him anymore, with a few bits of detail thrown in to lend it credibility. It would also fit his MO of lazy journalism.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    edited June 2015
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Complaining (in a thinly veiled way) that the Giro was juiced an there wasn't enough time for chit-chat.

    The Secret Pro (at least lately) is Shane Stokes. 100%. People should start asking him on Twitter. He'll run away fast. I'm blocked, heroically.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Haha this guy is becoming more and more of a moaner. Here for the money not the love of the sport and wants an easy ride.

    http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/the-s ... t-despair/


    Not sure if all he says is true these days but:
    I’ll try and talk the team bosses into letting me aim for the Tour of California instead. It’d make sense too as it’s a perfect platform for our team’s title sponsor.
    If true, it narrows it down a bit (BMC, Giant or Cannondale)
    Plus I remember racing against [Wiggins] as a junior which, if you take those three teams rosters leaves basically no one apart from Bert De Backer?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_te ... d%27Italia
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Haha this guy is becoming more and more of a moaner. Here for the money not the love of the sport and wants an easy ride.

    http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/the-s ... t-despair/


    Not sure if all he says is true these days but:
    I’ll try and talk the team bosses into letting me aim for the Tour of California instead. It’d make sense too as it’s a perfect platform for our team’s title sponsor.
    If true, it narrows it down a bit (BMC, Giant or Cannondale)
    Plus I remember racing against [Wiggins] as a junior which, if you take those three teams rosters leaves basically no one apart from Bert De Backer?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_te ... d%27Italia

    Deft use of the natural misdirection Stokes longed to exploit on republican deployments. With talent like this on their trail it won't be long before the dopers surrender. I do admire Stokes' determination to maintain his cover, never being seen near a significant cycling story. The Secretion Pro.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    Moaner? Or just pissed off racing against the like of Astana.
    Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Macaloon wrote:

    Deft use of the natural misdirection Stokes longed to exploit on republican deployments. With talent like this on their trail it won't be long before the dopers surrender. I do admire Stokes' determination to maintain his cover, never being seen near a significant cycling story. The Secretion Pro.

    I refer you again to his Josh Edmonson interview which comprised about 5 minutes of chat with him and a DS from ANPost, ripping off a load of quotes from previous interviews with him (unaccredited) and then explaining his results in great detail for the last 3 years. I wanted to die by the end of it.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Macaloon wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Complaining (in a thinly veiled way) that the Giro was juiced an there wasn't enough time for chit-chat.

    The Secret Pro (at least lately) is Shane Stokes. 100%. People should start asking him on Twitter. He'll run away fast. I'm blocked, heroically.

    If it is Stokes, how come TSP is such a fan of Froome?
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    I still quite enjoy it.

    I don't really care whether its a real pro or a parody or an attempt to dupe. Its entertaining enough.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:

    Deft use of the natural misdirection Stokes longed to exploit on republican deployments. With talent like this on their trail it won't be long before the dopers surrender. I do admire Stokes' determination to maintain his cover, never being seen near a significant cycling story. The Secretion Pro.

    I refer you again to his Josh Edmonson interview which comprised about 5 minutes of chat with him and a DS from ANPost, ripping off a load of quotes from previous interviews with him (unaccredited) and then explaining his results in great detail for the last 3 years. I wanted to die by the end of it.

    The Edmonson article was appalling . He'd attempted to dress half an onion and a mushroom up as a Quattro Stagioni
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Crampeur wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Complaining (in a thinly veiled way) that the Giro was juiced an there wasn't enough time for chit-chat.

    The Secret Pro (at least lately) is Shane Stokes. 100%. People should start asking him on Twitter. He'll run away fast. I'm blocked, heroically.

    If it is Stokes, how come TSP is such a fan of Froome?

    It wasn't always Stokes. It may have been an individual pro at the start and all pros love Froomey. Now it's a repackage of Clinic whines sharpened for publication with Stokes' signature lack of insight.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    Regardless of whoever it is, and it's not important, it provides a vehicle for provocative points or politically sensitive issues to be raised to the wider audience. 51 weeks of blandness to allow the one good annual story to get through to the target audience with credibility. Trying to second guess the guy and catch him out is quite pointless really, enjoy the 51 stories and pin back your ears when number 52 springs out of an abnormal event.
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • DL1987
    DL1987 Posts: 204
    Strange how a former funny and insightful article has descended into unsubstantiated doping rumours since Stokes starting working for Cycling Tips.

    Edit - Never mind, I've seen this has been covered above. That'll learn me to read other posts before posting myself.
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    DL1987 wrote:
    Strange how a former funny and insightful article has descended into unsubstantiated doping rumours since Stokes starting working for Cycling Tips.

    Edit - Never mind, I've seen this has been covered above. That'll learn me to read other posts before posting myself.

    Maybe that was the message that needed to get over?
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP

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