Tour de France

[suisse]

Sounds like it won't be good.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-s ... 53922.html

LANCE Armstrong "did not come clean in the way I expected," talk show host Oprah Winfrey said on Tuesday, a day after recording a lengthy interview with the disgraced cyclist.

This is worrying.

She said she was "mesmerised and riveted" by some of his answers.

Winfrey thought the entire interview was difficult for the Texan and said he was "emotional" during it.

[jezzer]

On the other hand, the upcoming Roger Goodell (Commissioner of the NFL) interview - covering player concussions - will be far more contrite....


The Setting: Oprah's studio. The commissioner sits with his legs spread wide, doing small preparatory man-sniffs under his boyish mop of straw-colored hair. The crowd is restive, tense. Oprah is reverse-reverse-passive-aggressively wearing a Bears jersey.

The Apology: "I can't listen to the games anymore.

"I can watch. As rough as it is, the sight of it — all those collisions, all those head-first hits — isn't what turns my stomach. It's the sound of it, Oprah. It's the crunch and the crack and the kthunk that does me in. I hear that, and sure, I know we've got it miked up, we're raising those levels in the truck, giving the people what they want … but I can't help it, I think about how the damage being done to their bodies, the damage being done to their brains. And I just can't stand it. I want to escape.

"Because we knew. Sure we did. We knew all along. I mean, it's not rocket science. You drive a truck full-on into someone's head, their wires are gonna get crossed, and the only real difference between Joey Porter and a truck is that a truck won't insult your mom while you're lying there trying to get your breath back. Of course we knew. We made a pros-and-cons list. The 'cons' side read, 'Damaging the brains of potentially thousands of young men.' The 'pros' side was just a list of Pacific Islands we could buy with our annual revenue. Some of them had such beautiful names, Oprah. Olapu. Say it to yourself. O-la-pu. Two billion, maybe two-two. It's magical.

"There was one — I'll never forget this — called Monulahuaho. I've never been there, never even seen it. But it just sounds so tranquil. Stress is a problem for everybody these days, you know? I picture a narrow strip of sand, blue waves, jungle mountains, a peach-colored light over everything. You could forget a lot of things in that peach light, Oprah. A lot of mistakes might just disappear. The private plane I fly around in has seats made out of baby swans. Cygnet-skin seats! Can you imagine? It feels like sitting on a cloud, if you could kill and skin a cloud, Oprah. Which you can't; we've tried. That model of the jet never made it off the drawing board. It was a good effort. The boys in R&D earned their bonuses that year for sure. But it can't be done.

"Still, Oprah. When I think about all the harm this game has caused, and the fact that we still don't provide health care for players who've been retired for more than five years even though we barely understand the long-term consequences that playing football can have for your health … well, gosh. I feel such shame. I just want to apologize to all the fans and to everyone who's ever played the game. But more than anything, I want to crush the players' union so that I can finally buy Monulahuaho. Then I'll slip into one of those cygnet-skin seats, fly off into the sunset, and vanish into that peach light. I want to lie on the beach and evaporate, just go up in smoke. You can make anything disappear with money, Oprah, even the things you had to do to get it. I only did what America wanted. I deserve to be numb, Oprah. I have so much power. I deserve to feel so numb."

Oprah's Verdict: "Roger, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to call a personal foul on that one."

Six Months Later: Everything is the same, only perfect.

[Peg Leg]

On the other hand, the upcoming Roger Goodell (Commissioner of the NFL) interview - covering player concussions - will be far more contrite....


The Setting: Oprah's studio. The commissioner sits with his legs spread wide, doing small preparatory man-sniffs under his boyish mop of straw-colored hair. The crowd is restive, tense. Oprah is reverse-reverse-passive-aggressively wearing a Bears jersey.

The Apology: "I can't listen to the games anymore.

"I can watch. As rough as it is, the sight of it — all those collisions, all those head-first hits — isn't what turns my stomach. It's the sound of it, Oprah. It's the crunch and the crack and the kthunk that does me in. I hear that, and sure, I know we've got it miked up, we're raising those levels in the truck, giving the people what they want … but I can't help it, I think about how the damage being done to their bodies, the damage being done to their brains. And I just can't stand it. I want to escape.

"Because we knew. Sure we did. We knew all along. I mean, it's not rocket science. You drive a truck full-on into someone's head, their wires are gonna get crossed, and the only real difference between Joey Porter and a truck is that a truck won't insult your mom while you're lying there trying to get your breath back. Of course we knew. We made a pros-and-cons list. The 'cons' side read, 'Damaging the brains of potentially thousands of young men.' The 'pros' side was just a list of Pacific Islands we could buy with our annual revenue. Some of them had such beautiful names, Oprah. Olapu. Say it to yourself. O-la-pu. Two billion, maybe two-two. It's magical.

"There was one — I'll never forget this — called Monulahuaho. I've never been there, never even seen it. But it just sounds so tranquil. Stress is a problem for everybody these days, you know? I picture a narrow strip of sand, blue waves, jungle mountains, a peach-colored light over everything. You could forget a lot of things in that peach light, Oprah. A lot of mistakes might just disappear. The private plane I fly around in has seats made out of baby swans. Cygnet-skin seats! Can you imagine? It feels like sitting on a cloud, if you could kill and skin a cloud, Oprah. Which you can't; we've tried. That model of the jet never made it off the drawing board. It was a good effort. The boys in R&D earned their bonuses that year for sure. But it can't be done.

"Still, Oprah. When I think about all the harm this game has caused, and the fact that we still don't provide health care for players who've been retired for more than five years even though we barely understand the long-term consequences that playing football can have for your health … well, gosh. I feel such shame. I just want to apologize to all the fans and to everyone who's ever played the game. But more than anything, I want to crush the players' union so that I can finally buy Monulahuaho. Then I'll slip into one of those cygnet-skin seats, fly off into the sunset, and vanish into that peach light. I want to lie on the beach and evaporate, just go up in smoke. You can make anything disappear with money, Oprah, even the things you had to do to get it. I only did what America wanted. I deserve to be numb, Oprah. I have so much power. I deserve to feel so numb."

Oprah's Verdict: "Roger, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to call a personal foul on that one."

Six Months Later: Everything is the same, only perfect.

Ha ha, class feature piece.
Loved the description of Michael Jordan's Jeans

His jeans … it's better not to talk about his jeans. Jackson Pollock's forgotten blue sausages.

And Oprah's verdict to Ronaldo

"I think there's hope for you, Cristiano. But it's going to take more than words. It's going to take actions. Vague, undefined actions that you will perform for a long time."

[jezzer]

Grantland rocks!

[Peg Leg]

Linky

[fourthirtythree]

Lance Armstrong Admits To Using Performance-Enhancing Drugs To Show Remorse
http://www.theonion.com/articles/lance-armstrong-admits-to-using-performanceenhanci,30912/

[IanD]

Love this.

http://thescore.thejournal.ie/lance-arm ... 6-Jan2013/

[jezzer]

Watched it on Discovery over the weekend. What a crock of shit. That guy is an egomaniacal, sociopathic, pathological liar.

When he voluntarily give back all the millions he made while "evening up the playing field", I'll believe him.

[ribs]

What a performance from Dan Martin today - seriously gutsy climb

[Amz]

Yeah, super stage. Delighted things are going so well for him.

Poor Martyn Irvine broke his hip in Taiwan, puts a bit of a downer on his wonderful season so far.

[IanD]

I posted this back in 2008 so I have no idea where the titles should go to - also add to the list Andréas KLÖDEN

2000
2nd - Jan ULLRICH (TEAM DEUTSCHE TELEKOM) Caught on Drugs

Have no problem with the majority of what you say with the exception of the dates quoted for Ullrich. When he was 'caught on drugs' in June 2002 he admitted he had taken ecstasy in a nightclub the night before the test but,as he was out of competition with a knee injury, it was agreed that he was not using the drug for performance enhancement.

I believe that, having finished second to Armstrong on several occasions and being aware that Armstrong was cheating, Ullrich allowed himself to be convinced (most likely by Rudy Pevenage) that if he couldn't beat them he should join them. He was 'outed' in the Operación Puerto case in 2006, was cleared later the same year by the Spanish courts but the German court continued to investigate and in February this year he was found guilty and all his results from May 2005 forward were removed from the records. Ullrich did not contest the court findings and has since admitted his involvement with Fuentes which he says was a mistake that he regrets.

There has never been any evidence or, probably more importantly, any suggestion that Ullrich was involved in any type of doping prior to becoming involved with Dr. Fuentes in 2005.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23013133

No specific dates but Ulrich admits to doping. No mention of ecstasy just talks of doping.

Another sad day for the sport of cycling. Another Tour Champion bites the dust.

What makes it worse is that Cycling does not seem to take this seriously - Bjarne Riis admits doping - he now owns/runs team Team Saxo-Tinkoff who employs Alberto Contador who has been banned for doping. How this can be permitted is beyond me. It makes me respect Team Sky more and more they sacked anyone who had ever doped including backroom staff.

[Logorrhea]

Hardly surprising. You'd have to be seriously naïve to think he was clean.

[Lar]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23013133

No specific dates but Ulrich admits to doping. No mention of ecstasy just talks of doping.

Another sad day for the sport of cycling. Another Tour Champion bites the dust.

What makes it worse is that Cycling does not seem to take this seriously - Bjarne Riis admits doping - he now owns/runs team Team Saxo-Tinkoff who employs Alberto Contador who has been banned for doping. How this can be permitted is beyond me. It makes me respect Team Sky more and more they sacked anyone who had ever doped including backroom staff.

Lots of questions surrounding the Sky Team this year after a couple of weeks of this Tour and some remarkable rides by Froome, and to a lesser extent Porte. Mind you anyone who puts in any effort that looks spectacular will undoubtedly face doping questions for years to come in the light of what has gone before in this sport.

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23013133

No specific dates but Ulrich admits to doping. No mention of ecstasy just talks of doping.

Another sad day for the sport of cycling. Another Tour Champion bites the dust.

What makes it worse is that Cycling does not seem to take this seriously - Bjarne Riis admits doping - he now owns/runs team Team Saxo-Tinkoff who employs Alberto Contador who has been banned for doping. How this can be permitted is beyond me. It makes me respect Team Sky more and more they sacked anyone who had ever doped including backroom staff.

Lots of questions surrounding the Sky Team this year after a couple of weeks of this Tour and some remarkable rides by Froome, and to a lesser extent Porte. Mind you anyone who puts in any effort that looks spectacular will undoubtedly face doping questions for years to come in the light of what has gone before in this sport.

Most of the questions around Sky are from the French press who dont like anyone other than French winning the Tour. The main French papers are not making allegations it is some smaller ones.

David Walsh has been with Team Sky for 8 weeks since January and he has no questions or queries about the teams performance. This to me puts them in the clear.

I find it hilarious that no one is questioning Team Saxo-Tinkoff - Conatdor a doper and Team Manager Bjarne Riis also a doper or Team Astana - Alexandre Vinokourov caught doping now Manager or RadioShack Nissan who had Fränk Schleck banned in last years Tour. The are having a pop at a team that has stated a zero tolerance stance on doping and have sacked people over doping in the past.

[Schumi]

I find it hilarious that no one is questioning Team Saxo-Tinkoff - Conatdor a doper and Team Manager Bjarne Riis also a doper or Team Astana - Alexandre Vinokourov caught doping now Manager or RadioShack Nissan who had Fränk Schleck banned in last years Tour.

And yet Froome is blowing them all away at will?

[icebaby]

It would be nice to see a post about the actual race... Big day tomorrow, twice around the Alp d'huez

[IanD]

I find it hilarious that no one is questioning Team Saxo-Tinkoff - Conatdor a doper and Team Manager Bjarne Riis also a doper or Team Astana - Alexandre Vinokourov caught doping now Manager or RadioShack Nissan who had Fränk Schleck banned in last years Tour.

And yet Froome is blowing them all away at will?

Schumi I think you are being disingenuous. You miss my quote about David Walsh who lest we forget was one of the biggest detractors of the UCI and former doping cyclists who SKY have given unlimited access to the team. He has given them the all clear. Have any of the cheats given him access to their team? What would you like Sky to do to prove Froome is clean?

Today Froome won the stage because of the bike change he made for the last descent. Team Sky's kit seems so much better than the other teams and also Froome tucked his head in more than any other rider which made him more aerodynamic. This comes from advanced testing in wind tunnels and the fact Dave Brailsford is Team GB Cycling coach. Team GB spent a fortune on bikes - testing and production - to help win medals. This seems to have been brought across, I have no definitive proof but the Time Trails bikes Wiggins rode in both the Tour and the Olympics were the same even had the same oval crank.

Another reason Froome is doing so well is Dave Brailsford. He did an amazing job for British Cycling and took a lot of the people from track cycling to the road and stayed successful. He is a genius.

I have to be honest here and say I have hitched my wagon to the Team Sky train with their anti doping stance and if someone on the team is caught doping I have to say I think it will be the last straw for me as a fan of cycling.

[IanD]

It would be nice to see a post about the actual race... Big day tomorrow, twice around the Alp d'huez

I think you have the wrong end of the stick. It is up and down Alp d'Huez that is difficult

Todays stage is going to be great. With 2 min 24 sec separating second to fifth it is primed for attacks. People cant really band together to attack Froome because they are protecting their position and wanting to attack those around them.

Quintana has a big advantage with the fact his team seem very strong and the fact Valverde is now his domestique. With Rui Costa winning a stage he seems to be in good shape too. He was also born around 1000 meters higher than Alpe-d'Huez which should help.

I think that Mollema's position has been strengthened by his teammate Ten Dam losing positions today as now Belkin can concentrate solely on him. He has 35 sec advantage on Quintana and will need his team to help him to keep it.

Contador and KREUZIGER are not going to attack each other as they are on the same team but I expect them to work together to put pressure on those behind them to consolidate their podium positions (sponsors want podiums) rather than attack Froome. If Froome cracks that would be great for them but it is a risk to attack him for it to fail and they lose one if not both of their podium positions (sponsors want podiums).

From reports there are cyclists questioning the safety of the descent of Alpe-d'Huez. This usually is led by poor descenders but with Contador and Quintana being very good descenders I think this could have a big impact too. If these two can open a gap before they go back Alpe-d'Huez it could make for a very interesting day. Also ITV 4 mentioned a chance of rain tomorrow which make the descent really slippy.

My prediction is for lots of breakaways and I think some of the main teams will try and get someone into a break to help out team leaders later in the stage. I have a feeling one of the breakaways will win the stage because of the descent of the Col De Serenne being so tough. They can get some time in the bank and the leaders will be watching each other and not really care.

Either way should be a great day. ITV 4 are staring coverage at 1pm. Cant wait.

[Amz]

Unreal how aerodynamic Froome can be, for such a gangly bloke

Looking forward to the stage. Irish corner 10 should be a bit of fun too!

[mikerob]

Today Froome won the stage because of the bike change he made for the last descent.

Yeah, afterwards Contador admitted he had made a mistake by keeping to the road bike rather than switching to a time trial bike for the descent.

I have to be honest here and say I have hitched my wagon to the Team Sky train with their anti doping stance and if someone on the team is caught doping I have to say I think it will be the last straw for me as a fan of cycling.

I had very peripheral involvement with some of the Team Sky planning and preparation way back in 2009 (this was their communications systems... nothing interesting like bikes!) and everything I saw from them emphasised the "do it clean" point. Who know if under time and under pressure, this principle will get corrupted, but like you I'd be very disappointed if it happens.