No Grand fondo for Lance

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Clearly, they can't do anything to Armstrong if he participates. But somebody else is going to be in trouble.

The event has a USAC permit. USAC only grants permits to licensed clubs and/or licensed race directors, so the organizer must be a USAC member. Since it is against the rules to allow banned athletes to participate in sanctioned events, the organizer would be subject to punishment if they allow Armstrong to participate. The organizer could themselves end up getting banned.

And the USAC expects the organizers to watch for him and do what when they find him? If it is on public roads, they really can't keep him from riding the route.

Originally Posted by mtechnica

Seems to me that USAC and USADA have done more to tarnish the reputation of American cycling than Armstrong himself. I think it's time to let it go.

It might get that way.

[pbarry]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

And the USAC expects the organizers to watch for him and do what when they find him? If it is on public roads, they really can't keep him from riding the route.



It might get that way.

^^ Fanboy who can't quite admit it.

[abalone]

Armstrong doesn't need any more publicity. He did enough terrible things to others for him to get much sympathy from me.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by pbarry

^^ Fanboy who can't quite admit it.

Negative. I grew up a fan of Jan.

I'm a lance fanboy because I stated he has the legal right to ride a bike on public roads? You are reading way too far into my posts. As far as lances reputation vs USAC? Lances rep has bottomed out, they can't make it worse. They can effect their own reputation.

I never said lance should do this ride and I never said I want him to. I only said there is really nothing they can do to prevent the guy from pedaling on a public road. If lance were to show up and slip into the crowd without permission, the USAC has nothing more they can do to him, and it would be hard for them to punish the organizers unless they can prove they supported it. An event official has no legal right to remove lance from his bike. They could ask him to go home, but that is about it.

I don't think I have ever questioned that lance got what he had coming. I think it is the other guys that got off easy.

[Vientomas]

If Lance had any semblance of character and grace he would simply not attempt to participate in any sanctioned cycling events.

However, he clearly lacks the humility to do so and thereby brings the negative attention upon himself and American cycling.

[don compton]

I hate the fact that his name keeps coming up. He helped create a great market in cycling, but it was like the Nazis in the '30's in Germany. It was fake and he destroyed anyone that could expose the myth. Cycling needs to rid itself of this asshole.

[Elefantino]

Who?

[harlond]

Originally Posted by Vientomas

If Lance had any semblance of character and grace he would simply not attempt to participate in any sanctioned cycling events.

However, he clearly lacks the humility to do so and thereby brings the negative attention upon himself and American cycling.

He was invited to participate by the organizer, who presumably invited LA to further the charitable goals of the event. And LA accepted because the organizer, Hincapie, is his friend and LA felt an obligation to him.

[Rada]

Originally Posted by don compton

I hate the fact that his name keeps coming up. He helped create a great market in cycling, but it was like the Nazis in the '30's in Germany. It was fake and he destroyed anyone that could expose the myth. Cycling needs to rid itself of this asshole.

Godwin's Law in just 5 pages.

[kramnnim]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Who?

I think the rest stops of this ride will be stocked with these crackers or something.

[Vientomas]

Originally Posted by harlond

He was invited to participate by the organizer, who presumably invited LA to further the charitable goals of the event. And LA accepted because the organizer, Hincapie, is his friend and LA felt an obligation to him.

Obviously Lance lacks the self awareness to realize that he is a polarizing figure that generates controversy wherever he goes. Had he the capacity to understand that, his response to the invitation would have been: "No thank you. Is there another way that I can assist your cause?"

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

I never said lance should do this ride and I never said I want him to. I only said there is really nothing they can do to prevent the guy from pedaling on a public road. If lance were to show up and slip into the crowd without permission, the USAC has nothing more they can do to him, and it would be hard for them to punish the organizers unless they can prove they supported it. An event official has no legal right to remove lance from his bike. They could ask him to go home, but that is about it.

You're right, the event officials can do little to keep Armstrong from riding on public roads, and about all they can do is ask him to leave if he tried to mix in. But according to USAC rules, the organizers (and any other participating USAC member) have an obligation to ask him to leave, and if they do not, they could face action against them for rules violations. Again, they can't physically expel Armstrong, but it could create some very uncomfortable situations.

(Similar situations happen all the time. For example, many events require riders to sign a waiver to participate in rides on public roads. What if a rider doesn't want to sign a waiver? All the organizers can do is ask the non-signing riders not to ride with the event. What would happen if the organizers don't ask a non-signing rider to not participate, and the non-signing rider causes an accident? Who is liable, and will the event insurance cover damages?)

[endosch2]

Betsy Andreau does seem to be a bit of a bunny boiler.

I would like to see Armstrong start banditing some races and rides, riding a old bike, cutoff jean shorts, flip flops, etc....

[peanutgallery]

It's not this at all, -7 doesn't care one bit if he rides - this was merely an opportunity to control the narrative...again. -7 is first and foremost a sociopath, I think we can all agree on that. This whole fondue thing has been nothing but a gambit to stir up positive sentiment, take a look at Facebook and you will see the Fanboi's are back and they are loud/angry/obnoxious/insulting. This was all just another PR gambit from his handlers. Now people are talking again, coming soon to a Michelob commercial near you. Dude has to pay the bills

Good on Betsy and others for calling him out. In the end, George his a dummy for letting his platform get hijacked. He'll be the one to pay in the long run

Originally Posted by Vientomas

Obviously Lance lacks the self awareness to realize that he is a polarizing figure that generates controversy wherever he goes. Had he the capacity to understand that, his response to the invitation would have been: "No thank you. Is there another way that I can assist your cause?"

[PQJ]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

It's not this at all, -7 doesn't care one bit if he rides - this was merely an opportunity to control the narrative...again. -7 is first and foremost a sociopath, I think we can all agree on that. This whole fondue thing has been nothing but a gambit to stir up positive sentiment, take a look at Facebook and you will see the Fanboi's are back and they are loud/angry/obnoxious/insulting. This was all just another PR gambit from his handlers. Now people are talking again, coming soon to a Michelob commercial near you. Dude has to pay the bills

Good on Betsy and others for calling him out. In the end, George his a dummy for letting his platform get hijacked. He'll be the one to pay in the long run

Well said. And George is a dummy. He always has been. At one point it was cute. But now he is just -7's pal.