Type 2 Diabetic. Cyclist Flâneur.   Coffeeneur.    Errandoneur
A bike / map geek with a gadget obsession and a high-viz fetish.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Is Lance Toast? The Rumored End of Days

Tues 5/17/11 #235
Wed 5/18/11 #238
Thur 5/19/11 #235
Fri 5/20/11 #232
Sat 5/21/11 #230
Frankie Andreu has testified that he heard Lance admit to doping and the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). Lance says that Andreu and his wife are shakedown artists.

Floyd Landis says he's seen Lance dope, that P-E-Ds are widespread, and that officials covered up an Armstrong positive drug test. Landis has changed his story several times. Lance says that Landis is trying to sell a book, and has attempted to blackmail Lance for a job.


Lance's U.S. Postal teammate Tyler Hamilton has told CBS's “60 Minutes” that he saw Lance Armstrong inject EPO and use other doping methods. Lance's response: Hamilton is trying to sell his new book.

CBS says George Hincapie told the Grand Jury that he and Armstrong supplied each other with EPO and testosterone. (Hincapie hasn't made a public statement, it's just CBS-said-George-said.)

Former Postal rider Scott Mercier says Hamilton’s charges ring true.

Often, Lance's public statements generally consists of three claims:(1) his adversary has a financial motivation and is not credible (an ad hominem response to a specific charge), (2) he has never failed a test (which is different from denying the accusation), and (3) he has done a lot of good for a lot of cancer patients.

The biggest story is CBS' claim about George Hincapie's testimony. Hincapie is very highly respected, he is known for his integrity, he has no charges pending against him, and he has no book to sell. He is a current rider, owns a cycling business, and was Lance's BFF; George does not profit from bad news for cycling.


Having said that, what's the effect on cycling? About the same as the effect that a Nascar grudge has on driving. Sure, the technology developed at Nascar and the Tour de France eventually trickles into the public domain, but that's about it.

If (IF) George has testified as CBS claims, then Lance is toast.
Of course, a lot of people predict the End of Days, and they're often wrong. I think Lance's only move is to dump the yellow rubber-band shtick and move up to a higher level — he should make a It Gets Better video. Click here or the demo below.



(I don't think them not wearing helmets is code or anything)

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