How depressing

[ACE2M]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6692779.stm

Watched every tour up until a few years ago, sadly it's now a joke.

The year he won my friends dad who is a fanatic, sat there with us in front of the telly as riis looked his opposition up down and then rode away from up one of the most severe climbs on that years tour. He was disgusted and walked out of the room saying 'well thats cycling ruined' and hes never watched the tour since. Anybody with a modicum of intelligence could figure out that this very average rider suddenly being able to destroy the worlds elite was just to suspicious.

Hope one day someone comes up with a full proof daily test so sport is true sport once more.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Sad, but this is one sport where nothing surprises me anymore.

Nowadays I just work on the assumption that everyone who rides it 'cheats' in one form or another.  Some are just better at not getting caught.

I used to love watching the tour in the late 80s/early 90s when at school.  The races involving Roche, Le Monde, Indurain, etc were great viewing and the coverage has never been the same since they changed from the funky theme music!

Drug using or not, it still takes a freakishly fit person to do what they do.  Recent events have shown it to be an impossible sport to keep drug-free, which is a shame.

[kinboshi]

Unfortunately, very standard.

We've been discussing this on another thread - and the money and pressure placed on winning at all costs means that drug-cheats are inevitable.  Of course, they'd be fantastic athletes without the drugs - but it's all about that half a percent difference. 

[Tonji]

Riis was a cheating rider....becomes a cheating Team Manager ....& he teaches the younger riders how to win by cheating....neverends!!

[KingPoker]

I studied egrogenic aids in uni and its such a fascinating thing to read up on, things like EPO. And let me tell you there are drugs out there that are COMPLETELY undetectable with even the most modern of technology so cheating is here to stay. As long as everyone is at it there would in theory be no problem as agzin it would be ineresting to see which methods of enhancement work the best but there will always be the moral and honest  who never would and its them i fell sorry for as they dont stand a hope of winning.

[boldie]

Cycling has been ruined ever since Indurain stopped riding. The days the tour was great to watch are long past...Zoetemelk, Lemond, Hinault, Fignon...those were top class riders and that's when team tactics weren't the way the tour was being done...those were top races to watch..ever since then I've given up on it.

[Sark79]

Yea,  I was really surprised to read this on ceefax this morning.  He didn't even seem all that ashamed by what he did.  Whatever anyone says about Armstrong he has never failed a drugs test.  I know there has been lots of speculation, but never an actual failed drugs test.

I have the view that as soon as a test is failed, there should be an inquiry.  If the rider admits he cheated or there is clear evidence he has cheated, then it should be an automatic lifetime ban.   Of course in circumstances such as Jan Ulrich who took a recreational drug at a nightclub perhaps the rules should be less strict. 

I hate cheaters .  David Miller should not have been allowed back into any race, I was never a fan and always thought he was an arrogant git,  but now I really have no respect for the guy.  All the magazines such as Cycle Sport , etc have forgiven him and he is the blue eyed boy again.  It is wrong