Lance Armstrong... greatest doper there was or ever will be

One thing I'm sure of, that while Lance is a douche, he didn't create the toxic environment of the peloton. And while his bullying and general aggression is/was loathsome, he strikes me now as the tethered goat, someone made pariah while the others that did it with sidled quietly through a paltry six month ban and into administrative or coaching roles in the sport.

Indurain gets a stage in this year's Tour to honour him, no-one wants to take Pantani's Tour win away from him posthumously, Lance's accomplices get a rap over the knuckles. the book gets chucked at Lance. I do think some balance is needed, it's getting to the point I almost feel sorry for him.

Don't.

He was the instigator, just look at the USADA charge sheet. Others may have doped, like him, but he was the driving force behind a widespread conspiracy to facilitate team wide doping across a ten year period. That's why his sentence was harsher.