First off, cycling needs a different term for what it would like to convene. To equate cycling’s past with South Africa’s and Liberia’s dark histories is just wrong. Maybe the “I was a lying dick” tribunal. When I hear riders I admire say the past is the past, let’s look forward, I now assume they cheated. Cipo, Bugno, Faboo. Do I care? That has become harder to answer over time but yes, I still do care. Should I be surprised? No, I should be surprised if they were clean, like Jens, from East Germany. That actually does surprise me. If I was a “clean” rider, like Jens or Stuart O’Grady, I’d be rather pissed off about the missed opportunities. I would be damn angry rather than mildly surprised. They wouldn’t be lying to me too, would they?
Gianni Bugno seemed to take little pleasure in some of his greatest victories. When he beat Museeuw in the 1994 Ronde van Vlaanderen he looked a little guilty to me. If there ever was call for some Italian chest thumping and end-zone dancing I would think that might have been the day. Yet he seemed to want some privacy and there was no blinding smile a top the podium. Even back in 1994 the thought flickered in my head that my man, Gianni Bugno, didn’t just beat Museeuw on cunning alone.
Professional cycling is a brutally hard sport. It’s hard enough that drugs have been associated with it since men have been racing each other over unholy distances. I’d rather have cycling known for that than have cycling known as The Liars Club. As cycling fans we have been lied to by most everyone involved with the sport. I’m sick of being lied to much more than I’m sick to know Cipo was doped to the gills during the best season of his career. Let’s get this over with. Let us get to the Truth. It might even be fun reading. You did what how many times? Are you that stupid? Wow, that really resets the perfect amount of dumb meter doesn’t it?
If cycling does completely air its dirty past it will be a first. I don’t see American football or baseball ever addressing their doping issues. If it wasn’t such a hard damn sport doping wouldn’t be such a temptation: bike racing, horse racing and syringes. If it was just money that corrupted sports every golfer would be doing something besides drinking alcohol at the 19th hole. And fat bastards named Fuzzy or Daly wouldn’t be stubbing out their cigarettes on their caddie’s hat before teeing off. Will it ever happen? Not if the present UCI has anything to say about it. A lot of people who are involved in cycling above the level of the riders don’t want the dirty laundry snapping in the breeze.
Reconciliation…let’s call it freedom from legal prosecution. The reconciliation is going to happen between riders and fans in the cafés not in court. I don’t believe it will be a big deal, we still love cycling, I still love Bugno and Cipo. Nothing will have changed except everyone will know the truth. What will the record books look like after the smoke clears? Maybe nothing different, maybe that’s part of all this. Yes, Cipo finally won Milan-San Remo sprinting against other racers who were not clean either. He was the best of them that day.
Cipo, you worry too much. The tifosi won’t turn on you. Has the pope been roughed up yet? No? You are good then.
All right, enough talk, let’s look at some Spring Classic action, 1994, the Ronde van Vlaanderen
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Still hangs proudly on my wall in a frame.
Reminds me: I need to respond to the letter I got from the FBI and tell them, no, I wasn't victim of a crime and don't want my money back from Floyd.
Waiting for my money back from COTHO though.
Nice work, Gianni! As more comes out I find myself not knowing how to feel, which is a bit odd since I knew there was a lot of doping going on. I guess maybe though I didn't quite realize it would be just about everyone. And you're right, it's getting old hearing them say they don't want to talk about the past.
I also don't know how I feel about the idea that the fans pushed them too it. Going faster than really fucking fast isn't necessarily that much more impressive than just going really fucking fast.
Add Ryder to that list. He got very, very quiet as teammates came out and the Chicken (with whom he trained) finally confessed. Compare the press and interviews he's given since the Giro with other GT champions over the past few years.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, as Gianni mentioned, too many riders stood atop podiums and looked nonplussed when they should have been crazy with happiness. Guilty conscience? I think so. Just read David Millar's book. Well worth a read. Honest, frank and doesn't spare himself. One wee bit of omerta creeps in with a ride referred to as L"Equipier, but he eloquently describes the metal anguish he went through. Alas, not so many riders have Millar's intellect and conscience and doped without hesitation - and will remain silent. You really get the impression that telling the truth has set him free. How many others will do the same?
Im still in two minds with regards to all of this, on one hand it appears that majority where pumped full to the gills and possibly still are, therefore its a level playing field, therefore the best still one, but on the other hand its cheating and if I were racing clean then I would be mightily pissed off and looking for heads to punch. So where does this leave the likes of Jens and Stewey O who have won and particularly Stewey who smashed an awesome Paris Roubaix , should I therefore question those efforts also, similarly big Jens powering on the front for hours on end ?
Is it because of Lances methods that he differs in peoples opinions rather than say Cipo or the pirate ??
Gianni it is refreshing to listen to people unload there mind, and yes lets get back to good old racing. In my opinion some where along the line, from the top to the bottom they were led off the path of restraint. Sports are just saturated with these types of programs and have been for years. It is bred in to us from a young age to do the best we can and never give anything less. I mean really from the drink the Kool-Aid people to eat my snicker bar.This is entertainment after all so lets give the people what they want. Now inject corporation and shareholders into the mix and the fun begins. Nice ending with the spring classic by the way. I love to see them battle day in and day out, loaded or unloaded. It's an adrenaline bootser to say the least.
@Barracuda
It is, in my mind, certainly the methods that make the difference. I'm not as mad that Lance doped, as I am that he is a giant douche, who bullied and threatened all who stood in his way.
@Barracuda
If anyone believes those two are/were clean then they've got rocks in their head. They are both using their 'Mr Nice Guy' personas to try and keep the fans hoodwinked. They make me sick, listening to their drivel.
@graham d.m.
Yes, this.
@Sauterelle Just checking, was getting confused