Anti-doping agencies killed cycling

zest28
zest28 Posts: 403
edited June 2020 in Pro race
When I was a kid, cycling was huge. Everybody knew Lance Armstrong.

As a kid, even I knew everybody was jacked up on drugs. I did not need to see test results or confessions to know this as their performances were inhuman. But it was awesome to see.

Lance Armstrong never tested positive and he was bringing in huge amount of money to cycling. He was a celebrity. But then due to “ego” of agencies, they really felt the need to bring Armstrong down rather than leaving him in glory. Bringing down Armstrong also killed cycling.

The post-Armstrong era is quite weak as teams struggle with finances. Cycling is now also a niche sport. Only a few people know who Egan Bernal is for example, despite being the reigning TdF winner. I also have to explain to people who Chris Froome is and he is the currently biggest star in the sport.

So congrats. In the end, cycling only hurt themselves.

Let’s take sprinting for example. Sprinting was not as popular anymore until Usain Bolt arrived. He was an big international star and he made sprinting great again.

However he was definetly also on some shit, just like his other competitors. They run faster than known dopers. But he was good for the sport and killing Bolt would have killed sprinting. So they were smart not to bring down Bolt. Everybody makes a lot of money and sprinting has grown after Bolt quit.

Taking guys down like Ronaldo, Messi, .... , is also a suicide move for soccer. So you will not see it happen.

In the end, everybody in pro sport is on something as every marginal gains counts. You got be naive to think other wise.
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Comments

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    Welcome to 2020. What's it like in 2013 where you are?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,599
    Given up on the triathlete hero debate then?
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 836
    You should read the "Secret Race" and you'll have a different opinion of Mr Armstrong. I get that nearly all the riders were doping, they weren't all such grade A Cnuts though.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,133
    In a world where Christian Coleman is a big name because sprinting is more popular than ever.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,249
    Worse effort than the triathlon chat.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    zest28 said:

    When I was a kid, cycling was huge. Everybody knew Lance Armstrong.

    As a kid, even I knew everybody was jacked up on drugs.........
    ....In the end, everybody in pro sport is on something as every marginal gains counts. You got be naive to think other wise.

    Everybody knows Lance Armstrong now too, just not for cycling.

    You've got to be naive to think anybody on here didn't have a good old chuckle at your post.
    Thanks for that.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    In tomorrow's edition of Zest Talks Crap: The US police's biggest crime against Black America was ruining The Cosby Show
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,550
    1/10 for effort

    Go and troll somewhere else you child.
    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.
  • zest28
    zest28 Posts: 403
    pblakeney said:

    Given up on the triathlete hero debate then?

    Nope, I am still disappointed how weak some pro riders are. Tom DuMoulin was complaining the other day that everybody was cheating with their power meters as 250W on average is only what the best can do according to him?

    Yet, 250W is nothing. Even juniors can do this type of power.

    No wonder cyclocross riders like Mathieu van der Poel can beat grand Tour winners like Tom DuMoulin as he is able to deliver 400W on average instead of 250W.





  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    genuine question....what exactly did it kill about cycling?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 12,615
    ddraver said:

    genuine question....what exactly did it kill about cycling?

    Well there used to be these things called Spring Classics, then there were Grand Tours... oh no, hang on a minute...
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,599
    Troll trollin' cos that's how he rolls.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    pblakeney said:

    Troll trollin' cos that's how he rolls.

    To be honest he doesn't come across as clever enough to be a troll
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Love this thread.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,439
    orraloon said:

    ddraver said:

    genuine question....what exactly did it kill about cycling?

    Well there used to be these things called Spring Classics, then there were Grand Tours... oh no, hang on a minute...
    It's 2020. These things are dead because of the drug agencies... not getting a vaccine out quick enough.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,202
    This thread is ..... *chef's kiss*
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    You are Prendiville and I claim my £5
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,555
    zest28 said:

    When I was a kid, cycling was huge. Everybody knew Lance Armstrong.

    When I was a kid cycling was a minority sport and no-one really knew Brian Robinson or Shay Elliott. Lance Armstrong wasn't even born.
    Just saying

  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    I don't know where to start on this one
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137

    zest28 said:

    When I was a kid, cycling was huge. Everybody knew Lance Armstrong.

    When I was a kid cycling was a minority sport and no-one really knew Brian Robinson or Shay Elliott. Lance Armstrong wasn't even born.
    Just saying

    When I was a kid the Tour de France was one of Channel 4’s novelty foreign sports alongside NFL, Sumo and Kabbadi
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • joe2019
    joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    When I was a kid the Tour de France was in black and white.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,599
    edited June 2020
    When I was a kid cycle races weren't on the television. Ever.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    edited June 2020
    pblakeney said:

    When I was a kid cycle races weren't on the television. Ever.

    Television? We couldn’t imagine such a thing. We’d wait a week to read the results in a magazine

    A magazine? A luxury. If I wanted to know if Coppi had won I’d have to wait for the carrier pigeon.

    Pigeons? We dreamed of pigeons. We could only learn about Phillippe Thys by visiting the caves of Limoges to view the paintings
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,315
    RichN95. said:

    When I was a kid the Tour de France was one of Channel 4’s novelty foreign sports alongside Kabbadi

    Epic :D:D:D
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    zest28 said:

    pblakeney said:

    Given up on the triathlete hero debate then?

    Nope, I am still disappointed how weak some pro riders are. Tom DuMoulin was complaining the other day that everybody was cheating with their power meters as 250W on average is only what the best can do according to him?

    Yet, 250W is nothing. Even juniors can do this type of power.

    No wonder cyclocross riders like Mathieu van der Poel can beat grand Tour winners like Tom DuMoulin as he is able to deliver 400W on average instead of 250W.





    Do you have a source for this load of shite?

    This is some pretty great trolling tbf.

    Also when did his name gain a capital M?
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,133

    zest28 said:

    pblakeney said:

    Given up on the triathlete hero debate then?

    Nope, I am still disappointed how weak some pro riders are. Tom DuMoulin was complaining the other day that everybody was cheating with their power meters as 250W on average is only what the best can do according to him?

    Yet, 250W is nothing. Even juniors can do this type of power.

    No wonder cyclocross riders like Mathieu van der Poel can beat grand Tour winners like Tom DuMoulin as he is able to deliver 400W on average instead of 250W.





    Do you have a source for this load of shite?

    This is some pretty great trolling tbf.

    Also when did his name gain a capital M?
    Well...

    https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tom-dumoulin-virtual-race-results-say-nothing/

  • flite
    flite Posts: 219
    When I was a kid, we went to the library 4 miles away to read Cycling magazine. It covered British time-trialling....
  • When I was a kid you used to get time trial results in the national press every Monday morning.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196

    zest28 said:

    pblakeney said:

    Given up on the triathlete hero debate then?

    Nope, I am still disappointed how weak some pro riders are. Tom DuMoulin was complaining the other day that everybody was cheating with their power meters as 250W on average is only what the best can do according to him?

    Yet, 250W is nothing. Even juniors can do this type of power.

    No wonder cyclocross riders like Mathieu van der Poel can beat grand Tour winners like Tom DuMoulin as he is able to deliver 400W on average instead of 250W.





    Do you have a source for this load of shite?

    This is some pretty great trolling tbf.

    Also when did his name gain a capital M?
    Well...

    https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tom-dumoulin-virtual-race-results-say-nothing/

    Ah, so he just misrepresented it then.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,133
    I mean to be fair, he did break a sweat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW_Xx0eDlNY