Well, unless you live under a rock (like I have been prone to do here and there) you are no doubt aware of the Lance situation. Before I go any further, a friend forwarded me this link to Lances statement and I think everybody should read it...here is the link:
lance-armstongs-statement-of-august-23-2012
Whether you think he did or didn't, I think the sad part is that he has been convicted by the USADA with no trial. His only option was whether to oppose that conviction and go to arbitration (which we all know is a rigged system where you have to somehow prove your innocence but don't have the legal means to do it as in a trial).
Where all this goes from here is beyond me....I just know that I sure don't see how this will make anything better. Just who will those 7 TDF titles be given to?
Also of note, I can't help but wonder how this will affect LIVESTRONG...their mission has nothing to do with any of this but I'm afraid they will take a serious beating.
There are so many out there who have long ago convicted Lance....I have NO IDEA if he is innocent or guilty...all I know is what I've heard like most everyone else....I'd sure like to see and hear the ACTUAL case against him (and that isn't the case the media have been using for years now...I mean the one with REAL EVIDENCE, not just a bunch of hearsay, he-said, she-said). Sadly, it is USADA's public position that as he declined going to arbitration, that is the same as an admission of guilt (which is exactly what all the media have jumped on and are saying).
All I know for sure is that it's a dark day in cycling. One of the darkest I can recall. I'll be waiting to see how any good comes out of all this. But in the meantime I'll continue to ride my bikes, fund-raise for LIVESTRONG, and enjoy watching whatever races I can.
It will be interesting to see tonight's stage of the US Pro Cycling Tour and see just what Phil and Paul have to say about this.
And so I retreat into my DVR with the Pro Cycling Challenge and the Vuelta. Nothing has changed dramatically in my life with today's announcement, but I still feel like I've been kicked in the gut somehow.
And life goes on.
Peace.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Cycling OVERLOAD!
Holy cats....TWO, count em, TWO BIG RACES and I'm WATCHING THEM BOTH for a change! How about them apples? Wow...The Vuelta is being shown daily on Universal, and for ONCE I've got it! It was one of the extra channels I got when I upgraded my Dish package for the TDF (and kept it for the Olympics, and now I"m keeping it all thru the Vuelta). And then the Pro Cycling Challenge is on the NBC Sports channel ...Woo-HOO!
It is very strange watching the Vuelta tho....I've never had any other feeds than the OLN/VS/NBC Sports for the Tour and the spring races, so it's always been Phil and Paul and Bobke (or some variation of them). Watching the first two stages of the Vuelta, I still can't get over NOT having Phil or Paul's voice...I even miss Liam! But THEN last night I turned to the Pro Tour Challenge (directly after finishing stage 2 of the Vuelta) and lo and behold, P & P! I was SAVED!
And let me add this...watching stage 2 of the Vuelta, I was actually ROOTING for El Pistolero! Gosh...it was wonderful seeing VICIOUS ATTACKS in a brutal climb! And I was sadly pondering how the Tour would have gone...surely Alberto would have lit up Bradly like a pinball machine in the mountains....Froome was even having a hard time staying with him...he'd let AC go and then slowly reel him in...however I don't think AC is at 100% just yet...if he was I think Froome's chances of reeling those attacks in would disappear over the top of the hill and that would be that. It will be VERY INTERESTING to see just how the race develops over the coming weeks...it's surely a climbers dream.
Sadly, I don't see Cadel doing very well with all these mountain-top finishes...but he could surprise me...he's done that before. And Valverde...he was looking pretty good, and he had said he was there to support his teammate (who dropped off on that final climb and pretty much showed he has no chance for the overall, unless he was having a VERY bad day and that is his last).
And then onto the Pro Challenge...WOW! Tommy D was on FIRE! I can't believe he was reeled in...by Healthnet no less! Good for them though...and in the end it probably turned out better for the team, with Tyler taking the win in a decisive way...maybe it will give him so confidence, of which he seems to have been lacking for a while now. Watching that stage on TV made me wish I was up in Colorado...if only I could arrange one of my Colo Springs trips during THIS race! But no luck...won't be going back there for a while...probably not this year. Oh well...but what a race that is!
OK...I"m off to dinner and then to try to somehow watch about 4 hours of two race coverage in the next hour or so...(which is impossible). Never before have I had this much cycling on after the tour...I'm quite jazzed! (I expected another dead end to the season like I usually have after the Tour...what a pleasant surprise for me!)
And so.....Viva le Vuelta AND le Pro Tour Challenge! (and sadly, it's Big George Hincapies final race...boo HOO!) Maybe he will win a stage and go out in style! GO GEORGE!!
Game ON!
It is very strange watching the Vuelta tho....I've never had any other feeds than the OLN/VS/NBC Sports for the Tour and the spring races, so it's always been Phil and Paul and Bobke (or some variation of them). Watching the first two stages of the Vuelta, I still can't get over NOT having Phil or Paul's voice...I even miss Liam! But THEN last night I turned to the Pro Tour Challenge (directly after finishing stage 2 of the Vuelta) and lo and behold, P & P! I was SAVED!
And let me add this...watching stage 2 of the Vuelta, I was actually ROOTING for El Pistolero! Gosh...it was wonderful seeing VICIOUS ATTACKS in a brutal climb! And I was sadly pondering how the Tour would have gone...surely Alberto would have lit up Bradly like a pinball machine in the mountains....Froome was even having a hard time staying with him...he'd let AC go and then slowly reel him in...however I don't think AC is at 100% just yet...if he was I think Froome's chances of reeling those attacks in would disappear over the top of the hill and that would be that. It will be VERY INTERESTING to see just how the race develops over the coming weeks...it's surely a climbers dream.
Sadly, I don't see Cadel doing very well with all these mountain-top finishes...but he could surprise me...he's done that before. And Valverde...he was looking pretty good, and he had said he was there to support his teammate (who dropped off on that final climb and pretty much showed he has no chance for the overall, unless he was having a VERY bad day and that is his last).
And then onto the Pro Challenge...WOW! Tommy D was on FIRE! I can't believe he was reeled in...by Healthnet no less! Good for them though...and in the end it probably turned out better for the team, with Tyler taking the win in a decisive way...maybe it will give him so confidence, of which he seems to have been lacking for a while now. Watching that stage on TV made me wish I was up in Colorado...if only I could arrange one of my Colo Springs trips during THIS race! But no luck...won't be going back there for a while...probably not this year. Oh well...but what a race that is!
OK...I"m off to dinner and then to try to somehow watch about 4 hours of two race coverage in the next hour or so...(which is impossible). Never before have I had this much cycling on after the tour...I'm quite jazzed! (I expected another dead end to the season like I usually have after the Tour...what a pleasant surprise for me!)
And so.....Viva le Vuelta AND le Pro Tour Challenge! (and sadly, it's Big George Hincapies final race...boo HOO!) Maybe he will win a stage and go out in style! GO GEORGE!!
Game ON!
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