Who is the Real Crook?

In a review of Hamilton's book on why he doped the NYTimes reviewer makes a key point:

Rightly, Mr. Hamilton notes in “The Secret Race” that punishment has focused far too much on cyclists while minimizing the role of team owners, sponsors, race organizers and cycling’s bureaucracy. Yet for someone who repeatedly preaches the value of speaking the truth, Mr. Hamilton lets himself off lightly.

Unfortunately this comes in the third to last paragraph. And the conclusion, Hamilton didn't either have to dope, undermines the argument that systemic doping in a profitable business owes more to the structures created by the sports owners then to the workers yet some how or another the workers are the guiltier party.

Lance Armstrong Redux

There is something odd about this from. Tygart of the USADA:

"[If Armstrong had of] come in and been truthful, then the evidence might have been that the statute [of limitations] should apply."

I am baffled as to how a suspect/defendants behavior changes the existence of a statute of limitations. Laws apply regardless of the horridness or perceived horridness of any specific perpetrator.

Clearly, Armstrong's refusal to continue to litigate the matter means that he is guilty of doping violations but there is something creepy about a regulatory agency flinging rules out the window because they don't like someone's attitude.

Lance Armstrong

His decision to not contest the USADA's case means that he has been or will shortly be found guilty of doping his way to victory, which is just sad. It was not a "witch hunt" because witches didn't exist and doping cyclists do. It may be an unfair process, as Judge Sparks put it "the deficiency of USADA's charging document is of serious constitutional concern." He, however, did not quash the process. Does the USADA have the power to strip Armstrong of his titles and ban him from racing? Not really. They need to prove to the UCI that they have the goods on Armstrong.

So what does it all mean? That some of the finest moments in international sport are now official tainted and that quite possibly the erstwhile greatest tour champion, Eddy is the greatest cyclist of all time, will lose all of his titles.

It is, all in all -- given that George Hincapie is rumored to be implicated in the doping, a very sad day for sport.

Wow

I am not a fan of the pure sprinter, live Cavendish, but that was an absolutely amazing sprint. He slowed, went across the road and then passed the leaders like they were standing still. Also, anybody here believe the Fraenk Schlecht "I was poisoned" theory? In addition, I am glad that Vino failed to win a stage.

Two People It Sucks to Be

Cadel Evans, who really has to be the least lucky man in this or any other Peloton; although, I doubt his stomach virus claims.

And Chris Froome who ought to be leading the Tour. And to those who claim that he will win one day, remember Joseba Beloki.

Don't watch if your a squeamish.

The Tour

I was watching the Stage today and when Evans went on the attack Paul and Phil immediately hailed it as a "brilliant" maneuver. I check the stage profile and decided that it was a desperate move by a leader and team that recognized they were over matched. It was nearly Vino attacks in its breathtaking optimism. Evans would have had to be strong enough to stay away for the majority of the remaining mountains, he wasn't. Wiggins would have had to panic and tried to cover a deranged move, he didn't. Evans decision was as nearly breath-takingly stupid as Volckler's decision to go with Contrador last year.

What the attack and the stage did, however, show was that the idea that, as Armstrong used to say, that the Tour was an old man's game is false. Both Wiggins and Evans could have and should have been beaten by their younger and stronger teammates.

What happens next is, I think, the reason this largely leaderless tour is going to be so interesting. Also, can anyone explain what Jens' previous two attacks mean in terms of Radio Shacks  "strategy" for the rest of the tour. I would have been glad to see him win but it made no sense.

And also too it look to me like Volckler could hardly walk after his stage victory. Bets on his withdrawal?

Dogs and Cats

living together:

Also Fraenk Schlecht wins, while Paul and Phil remain adorably wrong or boring. Paul just provided a reasoned argument for train travel and, to hedge, if not Fraenk then Tommy Vokler.

TDF

Tomorrow is the Tour's first day. I am all a twitter.

Wastes of Time and Money

Remember not that long ago when the Feds when after Lance Armstrong everyone predicted that he was curtains? Like every other inquiry into Armstrong's alleged use of PED the Feds found nothing. What's especially puzzling here is the question of why these guys and gals thought they could find a smoking gun when an insurance  company seeking to avoid paying out couldn't.

Two Reasons to Love Jens Voigt

He rides regardless:




He rarely wins:

Just So

This Robert Millar Tour recap is exactly right.

The Tour

Had Evans not ridden like a champion in the prior two stages, and really his performance all Tour was really impressive, I'd be ticked that he won in the race of truth. As it is, it's been a great Tour. I wish A. Schleck would have taken it all, but I think he erred in going with Contador on the Telegraph mistaking AC for his real threat when it was, pretty obviously, Cadel. Still, what Evans did was really amazing.

In any event, smarter people than me think so:

The Tour

Goodness me oh my. What drama and so forth. Thomas Volkler for battler of the century; nearly as exciting as Polidor.

The Tour

So I was wrong three times. When Andy Schleck got up and went, I thought: jesus, he's the second coming of Jan Ulrick; always attacking on the wrong mountain. When it became clear that Cadel was going to have to chase alone, I thought: Evans will lose another sixty seconds at least. When I watched A. Schleck stagger through the last km with that goofy, pain-stricken grin of his, I thought: Volkler is going to pop like a soap bubble and have to walk his bike in.

That was one cool stage.

UPDATE:
Thomas Volkler on his win:

“I was focused, that’s all,” he commented. “I had to be attentive to the wind and to the spectators who wanted to touch me. They hit my handlebars. I suffered but I followed the favourites. To keep the yellow jersey was beyond my expectations at Luz-Ardiden, then again at the Plateau de Beille, and now here at the Galibier. I’m not the kind of guy to congratulate myself. I do my job. I give everything. I can’t guarantee anything else to the fans other than the fact that I’m fighting. The suffering is enormous.”

The Immortal Eddy on Andy Schleck:

"It makes the history of cycling to see a rider like Andy Schleck take off from far away like that. It was risky, especially with the headwind, and what he did was the performance of a champion. He honours the grandeur of the Tour de France."

The Tour

Odd stage today. The Schlecks really couldn't follow, which -- given the terrain -- was odd. Evans looked strong, which -- given his history -- was odd. Contador couldn't finish his attack, which -- given his history -- was odd. And a  Frenchman remains in yellow, which -- given the Tour since 1985 -- is odd. While Thor continues to win,  over another Norwegian yet. Odd all the way round.

The Tour

So for the nearly the whole of the penultimate and final climbs Ligget was babbling on about how Leopard-Trek had accomplished nothing but destroying its own team. Even prior to Frank's final and successful attack, it was clear that 1) neither AC nor CE had any troops left and 2) AC was in dire straights. CE is used to having no one to help in the mountains, it's one of the reasons he never wins. AC, on the other hand, isn't used to being dropped. It could be his knee or it could be that his team is terrifically weak. The Brothers Schleck, on the other hand, have a very strong team and between them they represent the most likely  #1 and #2 in this years Tour.

The Tour

Tomorrow is a big deal:

Schleck or Volkler. The former is the best bet the latter the Bastille Day miracle.