Tour de France 2009

Cancellara not happy about Cuntador's moto assistance..
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fabian-cancellara-speaks-out-at-preferential-treatment-for-alberto-contador

Don't think Cancellara would've actually say anything unless he felt a bit hard done by. The guy has always come over quite well in interviews and not the sort to shoot his mouth off.

** 1. Can you please respond to what Greg LeMond said in Le Monde about proving that you’re not doped?
**
It's unbelievable.
**

1. You were the fastest up Verbier, and now you’re the fastest in this time trial. Can you explain that ?
   
   

**It's unbelievable.
**

1. Can you please tell us what your VO2 Max is?
   
   

**It's unbelievable.

Whatever brad does now its still unbelievable, he is a contender next year, needs a stronger team. Few beers, regroup, bounce back!

** 1. Can you please respond to what Greg LeMond said in Le Monde about proving that you’re not doped?
**
It's unbelievable.
**

1. You were the fastest up Verbier, and now you’re the fastest in this time trial. Can you explain that ?
   
   

**It's unbelievable.
**

1. Can you please tell us what your VO2 Max is?
   
   

**It's unbelievable.

The thing is he really hasn't done much apart from Stage 1, Verbier , was it Stage 7 and Today. He just ridden in the pack or with the team.

They don't call him the accountant for nothing: like Plagiarist, he's a boring and calculating cunt.

Whatever brad does now its still unbelievable, he is a contender next year, needs a stronger team. Few beers, regroup, bounce back!

Shame he's not going to sky then!

^

Why is that then?

Sky are going to have a load of British Riders and the strongest riders we have are Cav, Wiggins, Millar and Frome (.... I think); all are in decent teams. The sky team seems to be trying to cash in on the Olympic success of cycling in the public eye .. which is a bit lame IMO ... thought I could be completely wrong, time will tell.

^

Why is that then?

Sky are going to have a load of British Riders and the strongest riders we have are Cav, Wiggins, Millar and Frome (.... I think); all are in decent teams. The sky team seems to be trying to cash in on the Olympic success of cycling in the public eye .. which is a bit lame IMO ... thought I could be completely wrong, time will tell.

I'm not too fussed if the side effect is that British cyclists become big news in the TdF

** 1. Can you please respond to what Greg LeMond said in Le Monde about proving that you’re not doped?
**
Greg Lemond is a bitter and twisted little cnut who can only get attention by making totally baseless doping allegations about riders he knows nothing about
**

1. You were the fastest up Verbier, and now you’re the fastest in this time trial. Can you explain that ?
   
   

**I'm widely regarded as the most naturally gifted climber in the peloton, and I've done so much work on my already impressive TT ability in order to be competitive in grand tours that I'm national TT champion in a strong cycling nation
**

1. Can you please tell us what your VO2 Max is?
   
   

**One of several measures useful in analysing the effectiveness of a training program, but not the be all and end all which some people with a material interest in that type of testing would like you to think.

Quick homespun translation of LeMond's article, probably not completely accurate, though, so don't quote me on it:

On Sunday 19th July, during the climb towards Verbier, Alberto Contador established a speed record: He climbed 8.5km, at an average gradient of 7.5%, in 20 minutes and 55 seconds. No rider in the Tour has ever climbed faster. How can you explain such a performance? According to the latest data oublished by the former Festina coach (?) Antoine Vayer, in Libération, the Spanish rider would have had to have a VO2 Max (maximum oxygen consumption) of 99.5ml/minute (?)/kg to produce this effort.

To my knowledge, this is a number that has never been reached by any athlete in any sport. It's a bit as if a nice Mercedes fresh out of a car showroom lined up on the starting grid of a Formula 1 race and won the race. There's something wrong here (?). It would be interesting to know what there is under the hood. Can a rider riding on pure water attain the climbing speed and the power produced at Verbier? Perhaps. If Antoine Vayer's findings are correct, Alberto Contador would be the first human being to attain such a level of performance.

If we accept the validity of physiological performance tests, of VO2 Max and the various mathematical equations that translate sporting valour without mental factors (? just guessing what «état d'âme» could mean in this context), the burden of proof is on Alberto Contador that he is physically capable of accomplishing such feats without recourse to performance-enhancing substances. Owing to the recent history of our sport, doubt is of the essence and must lead us to question ourselves about extraordinary performances. This is why the sceptic that I have become would like to challenge Alberto Contador to convince us.

Doubtful

I'd like to be given his real VO2 Max. If we knew it, we could explain this result that makes of him the fastest climber in the history of the Tour. The future of anti-doping controls is not only going to be by detection methods using blood and urine, but also by evaluation of each individual's physiological parameters. In order to establish a credible profile, it would be necessary to begin this evaluation right from the first pedals strokes by children.

Similarly to the blood passport, which makes it possible to follow over time the development of a rider's haematological parameters, such an evaluation would make it possible to track the development of their VO2 Max. In measuring the power developed by riders and their VO2 Max, we could succeed in establishing the equivalent of ADN files (?) as used for convicting criminals. I don't know Alberto Contador's true values, just like I don't know the environmental variables (particularly wind) during the stage to Verbier, and so I don't pass any judgement here without more information.

During the Festina case, in 2000, in Lille, witness statements indicated that riders with VO2 Max values in the 70s were able to increase them to around 90. This jump in performance was so great that no clean rider could rival it. Had a method of VO2 Max evaluation been used, it would have been possible to determine intensive usage of EPO and blood transfusions in the peloton well before these practices became widespread in our sport. This is why I remain doubtful faced with performances that seem too good to be true.

Cyclingnews has an article on the Lemond stuff.

Their take is that Lemond has a valid point in asking Contador to justify himself but that he's been given flawed data. They argue that there are too many variables or 'slop' for Contadors VO2max to be calculated accurately on the climb to Verbier.

Their expert estimates that his VO2max was nearer 80 for the climb to Verbier, which is still high but apparently within the realms of possiblity for a drugless athelete.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contadors-climbing-credibility-questioned

I'm not a great Lemond fan, and he may come across like a bit of a loon at times, but I think its more a problem of presentation rather than him talking rubbish.

I think it is fair to say that there is a good chance that Contador is the strongest athlete in the world, and we can't make any dubious doping allegations based on an assumption that he isn't.

so did anyone else see the short dave brailsford interview about the new sky team where he said an international rider of some standing was possibly going to join the team but after they had seen the details of his blood passport his responce was " i'm sorry it's just not going to happen"*

*or words something like that

Contador rode for Manolo Saiz, is named in the Puerto documentation and now rides for Bruyneel. Anyone who thinks he's clean needs their bumps feeling.

Contador is as clean as a whistle*

*only said so that andy feels me bumps

:-)

** 1. Can you please respond to what Greg LeMond said in Le Monde about proving that you’re not doped?
**
I don't care, man, I just wanna look at glossy pictures of hot chicks on two wheels, y'know.
**

1. You were the fastest up Verbier, and now you’re the fastest in this time trial. Can you explain that ?
   
   

**There aren't enough hours in the day, guy. I wanna get home quick and spread some man glue over my special edition of FHM.
**

1. Can you please tell us what your VO2 Max is?
   
   

**All I know is that it's super high, dude. Ladies love my performance over 5 to 20 minutes. I dance all over their booty like a fucking butterfly, y'know what I'm saying.

Lower the tone again, why don't you.

I saw Wiggins interviewed after the stage shown on ITV4 and he was saying that the last few riders were facing a headwind on the final few ks, and that he lost about 12s on Cancellara - would have put him up to 3rd yesterday?

He's got a 'mountain to climb' on Saturday. I can't see him jumping Lance by 11s, and definitaly not Contador or A Schleck at all. With Kloden and frere Frank loitering he's going to have to fight to hold onto fourth. I reckon he'll do that though.

so did anyone else see the short dave brailsford interview about the new sky team where he said an international rider of some standing was possibly going to join the team but after they had seen the details of his blood passport his responce was " i'm sorry it's just not going to happen"*

*or words something like that

I saw that. Its obviously someone who was previously regarded as clean as a whistle or Brailsford wouldn't have been sniffing round. If Brailsford and his team can spot a manipulated blood profile surely the UCI can see it. If that's the case why haven't the UCI brought a case against the rider?

Over to you Andyp ;)

le mond gets right on my tits.

I saw that. Its obviously someone who was previously regarded as clean as a whistle or Brailsford wouldn't have been sniffing round. If Brailsford and his team can spot a manipulated blood profile surely the UCI can see it. If that's the case why haven't the UCI brought a case against the rider?

Over to you Andyp ;)

The UCI are trying to build up detailed knowledge of all the blood values of every professional rider. I know for a fact that they are targeting a number of high profile riders whose values are suspicious. However, they can't act until they have enough evidence to make a case stick, especially in this litigous age where the restraint of trade is frowned upon.

There have been some high profile successes in recent years (Vinokourov, Ricco, Kohl, Dekker and most recently Di Luca) and I'd expect more to come.

The success of Bradley Wiggins in this Tour does show, in my view at least, that a clean rider can come close to winning the Tour these days.

le mond gets right on my tits.

I think Lemond is a hero. His statements might upset some, but it's mainly those who are trying to ensure that cycling's law of silence when it comes to doping is maintained. Those cunts, like Armstrong, Bruyneel and Riis, are a fucking cancer on this sport.

I have to say that I was getting a bit worried about Wiggins. If it was any other rider that had shown such a difference in performance I'd have been really suspicious, regardless of all the weight loss and new road focus arguments.

As a Brad fan its seems wrong to say but I was a bit relieved when he had a bad day on Wednesday.

I think it is fair to say that there is a good chance that Contador is the strongest athlete in the world, and we can't make any dubious doping allegations based on an assumption that he isn't.

He may well be the strongest athlete in the world, but I sure dont like his style, no sir!
I find his bouncy climbing style and cheesy shooting gun/wink salute enough to make me want to throw my tv out the window. I'm sure he's a lovely guy, but every time I see him smile at an interview I want to see all his teeth smashed into tiny pieces. Armstrong now seems quite agreeable in comparison.

What you're experiencing is "Underdog love".. go with it..