2012 Pro-cycling season thread

sweaty sock = jock = scotch man

Gotcha

Is Blythe a sweaty then? Thought he was from Yorkshire.

^poor punctuation on my part.

National trait.

from twitter:

Ned Boulting @nedboulting
Looks like they've thrown the book at Contador. Unofficial line is it's a two year ban.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has decided to sanction two years for positive Alberto Contador in the Tour de France in 2010 and at the same time has deprived him of the Tour he did in that edition. The Court recognizes that doping is not proven."

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.marca.com/ciclismo.html&ei=hLMvT67dE8n48QPn-NGNBg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmarca%2Bcontador%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DFSN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Dimvns

That mean Andy Shelk gets 2010 tour after all?

That's good news for this years Giro.

AP in Madrid have Spanish Cycling Federation confirming the 2 year ban

A farcical ban really, he's free to compete from the 5th of August 2012.

He'll miss the Tour and he's been stripped of the 2010 Tour. I'd hardly call that farcical.

and last year's Giro.

A farcical ban really, he's free to compete from the 5th of August 2012.

Tour of Spain victory, anyone?

He'll miss the Tour and he's been stripped of the 2010 Tour. I'd hardly call that farcical.

But he's raced for 18 months of his 2 year ban, and earnt his salary in that time (although the UCI have made a request to CAS to fine him nearly €3 million). Hardly a real two year ban, is it?

what's farcical is that he gets a ban accompanied by a statement that doping was not proven, zero tolerance yes but the case has to be clearer than for the judgement to be seen as fair doesn't it?

^ unlikely. Training != racing.

yes Bertie.. two years ban

also: does this mean Schleck Jnr. is no longer a nearly-man >>>>?<<<<

Getting the win by default is still 'nearly' in my book.

Getting the win by default is still 'nearly' in my book.

But if you were clean and the rider who beat you failed a drug test and was disqualified you wouldn't consider it 'by default' would you? You'd say justice had been done and you'd be angry that some cheat had deprived you of the top spot in Paris etc.
That Andy Schleck does not feel that way isn't very surprising.

I'd still feel like I want to be on that top step but more than anything else I'd be really pissed that 2 yea of enhanced earning potential (sponsors etc) have been bailed out of the window.

Hope C*ntador's fine is upheld and hefty.

But if you were clean and the rider who beat you failed a drug test and was disqualified you wouldn't consider it 'by default' would you? You'd say justice had been done and you'd be angry that some cheat had deprived you of the top spot in Paris etc.
That Andy Schleck does not feel that way isn't very surprising.

If the top prize in cycling defaulted to the first clean rider, some bloke in the 1/2/3 at Hog Hill is probably in line for a treat.

satire

But if you were clean and the rider who beat you failed a drug test and was disqualified you wouldn't consider it 'by default' would you? You'd say justice had been done and you'd be angry that some cheat had deprived you of the top spot in Paris etc.
That Andy Schleck does not feel that way isn't very surprising.

I totally agree with you, Will, except it still won't feel like much of a win for Schleck. He missed his moment on the podium, (yes he was there, but next to Bertie who got the glory) and all the fanfare that goes with winning the greatest race in the world. Yes, justice has been done, but it doesn't take the hollownesss out of that victory.

^That's just re-phrasing what I have said but without acknowledging that neither of the Schlecks want to be involved in any discussion of doping, for obvious reasoons.