Two quick points I’ve been thinking about. Too long to put on Twitter, too short for a separate blog post. Here goes…
Electric Bikes
The Cancellara electric bike story was one of the most read items on here in the Spring, especially since I think the Inner Ring was first to break the story in English. The story was preposterous and if you still have your doubts, note Cancellara won in the Tour de France and the Worlds after his bike was scanned.
All rumours need a hook, something to hang the story on. In this case we had a strong performance, the technological possibility and a bike change. But above all we had a sport that ofen struggles to maintain its dignity. The idea of a hidden engine was able to take root because people thought “hey, this is cycling, anything’s possible“. Endless revelations of cheating means news of electric bikes is just seen as a new chapter in the dark history of the sport.
What’s amazing is that despite the never-ending scandal, even deaths, the sport is still standing.
Landis, Lance and the Tour of Switzerland
I read the Velocast blog today and want to pick up on the bit that says:
“When speaking about the allegations over whether Lance Armstrong tested positive during the Tour of Switzerland and paid to have it kept secret, Pat McQuaid said that it would be impossible to hide such as result. “
Impossible to hide such a result? Perhaps but let’s note we’re only talking about the Contador affair because it leaked out. Until a German journalist got a tip-off, the UCI was keeping this under wraps. Perhaps the news would have come out in time via official channels. But is it “impossible” to hide a result?
not really impossible !
Not at all impossible. The plasticizer thread tells us clearly that WADA is quietly following certain suspicious markers and not prosecuting everything it finds. IVs are banned but I've yet to hear any prosecutions for IV use.
Just a FWIW kinda thing: Pat McQuaid said it would be impossible to hide a positive result on the Irish radio programme News Talk on 20th May 2010 shortly after the Floyd Landis story broke. http://www.newstalk.ie/downloads/floyd-landis-accuses-lance-armstrong/
As I say in the post, he says it in relation to the allegation that Lance Armstrong paid to have a positive test covered up from the Tour Of Switzerland. It comes at around 14 minutes 50 seconds into the show.
However, do I think it's impossible? Absolutely not. Difficult, yes, but certainly not impossible. The UCI operates with very little in the way of transparency and I believe there exists a culture of "what goes on in Aigle, stays in Aigle"
Scott.