A quick note, one that’s too long to fit on Twitter but not a big deal either…
The team feels’ deeply harmed by the consequent media focus on what happened today, which we feel has damaged the team’s image and the image of cycling in general
The police today seized the Quick Step bus, driving it to a compound in La Roche sur Yon to search it for doping products. Nothing was found… except the event got maximum media coverage for a short moment, the media waiting to cover the race tomorrow rushed to get the story and apparently at one point a cameraman fell to the ground in the crush to get the scene on camera.
Look guys, we’re clean
But I can’t help feel Quick Step have played this wrong. By saying the search has damaged their image and the sport as whole they’re being a bit passive here. They could be shouting from the roof about co-operating with the police in full, hinting at an excessive procedure and above all, boasting that of course nothing was found… because the team is totally clean. A little bit of confidence can go a long way.
Because it’s French police who now look stupid, conducting such a high profile search… and finding nothing. There were other ways to do this. I said on Twitter earlier this could be theatre and it was just that… a moment of pantomime.
Still, let’s not be hard on the French police because it is they who, time after time, catch the dopers that many a laboratory or governing body struggle to reach. From Festina to Cofidis to Rumsas or Millar, the French judicial authorities are usually a force for good.
I can see where the harm comes but yeah, maybe they should be trying to squeeze these lemons into some lemonade.
Searching teams vehicles seems logic enough but must have the role as an preventive act by the French police. Remember the search in Monty Python´s “Life of Brian”? However it looks like even running for president, the week before TDF is the perfect time for some media self pro motioning so I say; speak up for 365 – or keep quiet. Luckily tomorrow will see some fast racing hopefully not seeing Frank Schleck in pain on the ground – hugging traffic furnitures. But what are the odds on that? Let the show begin!
..and for all you youngsters born after 1979 – here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVN7QJ8m88
For sure they could have handled it better.
Just popped over to your cycling news blog. It looks like there is no facility to comment on your post, is that correct?
Enjoy the first day tomorrow!
The French police don’t do good. They don’t really investigate either, at least they don’t initiate investigations. They do what they are told. I think they were tipped off during the Festina affair… Probably the same m.o. with BMC & Quick Step…. But let’s stop talking about that lest we all get sued…
To me this is very good news for cycling. A high profile raid finds nothing. Quick-Step should be spinning this as a positive story and welcome the police checks. Yes it probably is a hassle the day before the Tour starts but if cycling wants to get a clean image this is what needs to happen.
In this day and age. With all the sophistication of dopers and doping products. They expected a team to rock up to Le Tour with what, a fridge full of blood, 2 boxes of EPO vials, and a box of hypodermics in the bus?
Sounds like Tour security theatre à la backscatter scanners on the US border.