While the talk of the week has been on the Fraud Landis Chronicles, whether he cheated (of course he did), whether or not he's telling the truth (he is, this time) and whether or not Pharmstrong is a doping, fraudulent COTHO (he always has been), my head has exploded trying to make sense of the naivety of those still duped by the belief that one man, and one man only, is the sole clean rider of the last twenty years. For the sport that we love is a dirty, corrupt one. And I really don't give a flying fuck. I've known for a long time that our heroes are flawed human beings, just like you and I, yet I still love it.
So I got to thinking back to the early days of my love affair with pro racing and Le Tour in particular, and the July evenings rushing home from work to catch the half-hour highlights package on SBS TV. How enthralled I was watching the classic battles in the heat of the French Alps, as these giants of the road repeatedly attacked each other, in huge gears at speeds that seemed superhuman. Because they were.
And while I was recalling these great memories, some names were dragged from the recesses of my mind, pushed back there by the fact that they weren't big names of the peloton, but nonetheless were elevated among those legends whom we still revere. For a fleeting moment, three weeks to be exact, these transients became superstars, transformed somehow magically from nobodies and elevated to the highest level in one of the toughest races in the world, then disappeared just as quickly. Miracles do not happen, no matter how much some shamen try to make you believe they do.
The 1993 Tour stands out in my mind for some of the best racing I've witnessed in the race to this day. I still have the VHS tapes of the race and love to revisit them occasionally, marvelling at the pure diesel power of Big Mig, the accelerations of Rominger, the Lazarus-esque rides of Chiappucci, the long, failed solo escape of Robert Millar over the Bonette. Classic stuff.
But it was the performances of some previously undistinguished riders that stood out. One Bjarne Riis, 107th two years earlier, suddenly 5th. One Johan Bruyneel, who finished 7th and set the fastest ever winning average speed in stage 6 (since bettered only twice, once in 1999 by coincidence). Two days later, one Lance Armstrong took his first Tour stage win, before abandoning while in 97th place. One Alvaro Mejia, a Colombian grimpeur who was ever-present in the mountains. And one Zenon Jaskula, a Pole who'd had some solid results, but never anything to match his remarkable 3rd place in the 93 Tour.
So who the hell was he? Apart from success as an amateur in Polish national time trials, and also in the Sun Tour in Australia, his biggest result was 2nd in Tirreno-Adriatico behind one Tony Rominger in 1992. He rode for Team MG-GB in 92 and 93, alongside the likes of Tchmil, Cipo, Ballerini and later-proven dopers like Rebellin and Museeuw. He was in good company, at the right time as EPO was flooding the peloton and the racing was becoming supercharged.
Every night as I watched, his name would be mentioned more and more by Phil and Paul. They had no idea who this guy was either, but were equally as impressed/surprised/baffled by his performance as I was. With Indurain and Rominger doing their best to annihilate each other over the big Cols, there'd always be the same faces hanging on to them like barnacles on a ships hull. Riis, Mejia, Jaskula. They were revelations. They were riding like men possessed. They were juiced to the gills.
Rather than just hanging on, defending his GC position of third, not making too many waves, Jaskula must've been thinking it was all too good to be true, and with the magic potion coursing through his veins probably making him feel like Superman, he took his chance for ultimate glory. Stage 16 to Saint-Loury-Soulon saw him outsprint Rominger and Mig after they decimated the field on the last climb. The speeds and ferocity of the attacks were incredible.
Jaskula looked somewhat sheepish on the podium in Paris, and Indurain and Rominger had a look of “who the hell is this guy?” as they shared the steps with the unheralded Pole. Perhaps he knew that he would never reach such heights again, that this performance couldn't possibly be repeated, and that he would rest on his laurels and fade into obscurity with a huge question mark over the validity of its credibility.
And then, he was gone. Other riders would emulate his ephemeral performance in years to come, products of the influx of doping programs masterminded by the new breed of team management and sports 'doctors'. And of course, the wonder drugs they administered. I didn't really know what was going on back then, but I knew the racing was enthralling, and in hindsight it's easy to see why.
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@brett Unfortunately, I agree with much. There's two things: Pharmstrong-style attacks on his credibility for the purpose of denying the charges, and my, and perhaps Geof's, attacks on Landis just and simply for annoying us and being a douchbag. The latter does not entail anything about my stance on the truth or falsity of what he now says. I.e., I'm not lashing out at him in order to cast doubt on his charges. And, I've never liked the "lawyer's argument": once having lied, never to be trusted again. It's too quick, too easy.
@Frank
I always jokingly refer to people as kids - young and old. Not to mock them, but for people with the same mindset - who still have passion for things - even in our "advancing" age. I'll be 49 in July, hard to believe 50 is around the corner.
I may remembering incorrectly, but I thought EPO really took off in the early '90s. I'm sure it's been around a little longer then the '90s though. I also remember reading about some young pros dying in their sleep, due to EPO thickened blood and fitness related low heart rates. Sleeping with heart rate monitors on and other crazy stuff.
@Souleur
Stick and ball, mainstream sports fan I'm not - but you are correct. Those sports do nothing to prevent drug use. It's like cycling was 20 years ago, basically a blind eye. My coworkers, most mainstream sports fans, not cycling fans, always mention to me when something like the latest Floyd episode hits the sports pages - knowing that I'm a cyclist. When I ask them what kind of testing exists in the NFL or MLB, they have no idea. I think most NFL fans could care less if players dope.
I think the difference between something like the NFL and pro cycling is the fact many cycling fans are cyclists themselves (especially in the US). We're more connected to the sport, we know what it's like to ride and even race. Sure at much lower level, but it still hard and hurts at times. To know someone cheats, just plain sucks.
How many adult NFL fans actually play football? Percent must be in the microscopic range. So, to many, pro football is purely entertainment - with huge, huge amounts of money involved. That will kill any interest in seeing who juices.
@Dan O
My sentiments exactly. I've had that same convo with friends/coworkers many times and couldn't have said it better myself.
@Dan O
Yeah, I'm with you - seems like the amphetamines etc of the 50's through 80's were pretty tame compared to the dope used these days. If someone in the bunch is truly clean, then I feel badly for them to compete against the dopers. But I always say, they're all on the same shit, so it's all still a level playing field.
But, to watch yesterday's stage, to see them go over several mountains and then finish on the Zoncolan, I love it. But can we really ask them to race like that and then act betrayed when they use drugs to do it?
I don't think so.
@Jarvis
What's interesting to me is to watch the average speeds in the mountains.
I'm going from memory here, but I seem to recall the first ride up to Luz Ardiden to be in 1985; at an average speed of about 25kph. LeMond placed well on the stage. I believe the next time they rode the stage, it was '86 or '87 (fairly sure it was '86), and again they rode in the 26kmph range.
Every year, the race follows a very similar and comparable route, usually over the Aspin and Tourmalet on their way to Luz Ardiden (the valley there precludes a lot of different routes).
LeMond rode to Luz Ardiden with Indurain at an average speed of 39kmph. That is a pretty substantial increase in speed, and one that cannot be whisked away merely by saying bikes were lighter and training was better.
The notion that LeMond was clean is bullshit; he was just as involved as everyone else, and until he comes clean himself and admits to whatever he did, I continue to have my reservations about his motives.
@frank
Speed never made you have more capacity it just gave the illusion to your brain that you could do more. EPO increases your abilities.
No to the last question but lets get it out in the open - that is the part I do not like, I want to know is this time up this hill, a time I could do if I trained as hard or do I have to do shit too?
@david (formerly, SGW)
It's interesting, this claim that he ruined a great week of bike racing with his claims. I agree, and I hate having drugs come to boiling to the top of the pot during a bike race, when athletes are flogging themselves and ripping up the roads.
But, if you wanted to get a story out and have people pay attention to what you're saying, wouldn't you choose the time when the most people are already watching? From that perspective, it makes lots of sense; it's not just self-promotion, it's capitalizing on attention in order to get the word out.
Or he's an unbalanced douchebag who needs a Rule 5 prescription.
@Rob
I totally know what you're saying; how do I compare to the pros? That question goes out the window; absolutely. But, I guess what I'm saying is, would I rather see great bike racing or compare my time to Basso riding the Zoncolan? Well, I can tell you I don't want them shorting the GT's or the stages, or doing less brutal rides in the mountains.
I guess I can give up the comparison if it means I get to watch some good bike racing.
@frank bollocks, Lemond was clean. Next thing you'll be saying is that Boardman was eating pills as fast as he could TT.
@formerly sgw
@frank
Unfortunately, I don't think the Giro was Flandis' intended target, it just goes down as collateral. Flandis isn't as flakey and mental as people make out. He took aim and probably got as good a result as he could have hoped for. It seems that the favour tide is finally turning away from Mr Armstrong.
Not convinced by the "Lemond doped" allegations that often come up.... Throughout 89-90 (and then clearly in 91 onwards) he still had the 1980's star quality, which is to say:
1 )imperfect
2) showed signs of weakness
3) looked like he suffered lots during efforts
roll in the 90's star quality which was:
1) flawless smooth riding
2) no sign of weakness (ever)
3) never looked like they were suffering
BEsides the science, just the way you see the guys ride changed a lot. And Lemond always seemed to be on the human, non-epo-fulled side of it.