L.A. To ride at this year's Tour for charity

[Hawker]

Disgusting and offensive in every way.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/cookson-armstrongs-charity-tour-de-france-ride-disrespectful_363662

[mg2ride]

If he rides I WILL contribute!

[Cicli]

And every he is still in the media. Making money.

Who cares?:fight:

[bcroslin]

please stop. enough with the LA threads.

[Hawker]

If he rides I WILL contribute!

Are you trolling or just......wrong?

[mg2ride]

Are you trolling or just......wrong?

I just don't have the hatred in my heart for him that many seem to have.

He provided me with years of wonderful entertainment. Never before or never sense have I enjoyed watching a sporting event as much as I did his last 5 or so wins.

Maybe I just have a thing for dopers. My favorite stage of all time is the Landis water bottle stage. Great Drama that was!

[rugbysecondrow]

Why should Lance stop trying to raise money?

He has a lifetime ban from racing, but now we want him banned from charity rides too? What next, school fundraisers and potlucks? Maybe knitting circles?

Here is what I know: The media loved Lance because he sold copy, and they still love Lance because he sells copy.

Let the man raise some money for charity and move on with his life.

[Hawker]

I just don't have the hatred in my heart for him that many seem to have.

He provided me with years of wonderful entertainment. Never before or never sense have I enjoyed watching a sporting event as much as I did his last 5 or so wins.

Maybe I just have a thing for dopers. My favorite stage of all time is the Landis water bottle stage. Great Drama that was!

I agree with you. Which is why when it all came out I was so very disappointed. Not just in the doping but in the way he was willing to treat people to keep the masquerade going. But of course...that is the natural outcome when you build a house of cards.

[Hawker]

Why should Lance stop trying to raise money?

He has a lifetime ban from racing, but now we want him banned from charity rides too? What next, school fundraisers and potlucks? Maybe knitting circles?

Here is what I know: The media loved Lance because he sold copy, and they still love Lance because he sells copy.

Let the man raise some money for charity and move on with his life.

But we're talking about a charity ride the day before the TDF and on the TDF course. It is rash, offensive and just low class. It will backfire because it will remind everyone not of his wins....but of his lying and deceitfulness. It is the same in your face move as the photo he tweeted of himself sitting on his couch under his seven framed jerseys. It was petulant and immature and later he apologized for it. Apparently he hasn't learned.

[mg2ride]

....It is rash, offensive and just low class.....

I honestly do not understand this position at all.

Even if he is doing it for other selfish reasons, if it helps raise money than I'm all for it. If it would diminish how much is raised then I would agree it's rash and low class.

Serious question
Who should be offended by it?

The TdF organizers? They knew he was doping all along. He drove up profits, so they turned a blind eye.

[Keith A]

...
Serious question
Who should be offended by it?I think many people who know the history of LA. I too enjoyed watching LA race back in the day...and would certainly be considered a "fan". Now that the truth has come out and especially the way he has handled the situation, trying to make any connection with him and the TdF just sits wrong with me. I wouldn't say that I am offended, but it comes across as more arrogance from him -- which we all know that he has plenty.

[rugbysecondrow]

But we're talking about a charity ride the day before the TDF and on the TDF course. It is rash, offensive and just low class. It will backfire because it will remind everyone not of his wins....but of his lying and deceitfulness. It is the same in your face move as the photo he tweeted of himself sitting on his couch under his seven framed jerseys. It was petulant and immature and later he apologized for it. Apparently he hasn't learned.

As the french say, cest la vie. If this bothers people, then I think they need to move on and not Lance. He is serving his sentence.

I suspect it isn't rash at all, and I don't find it offensive in the least. I also don't think it will backfire at all. He raced past my house during a triathlon and the number of average folks who came out to support and see him was incredible. He is an attraction, quite a few people separate the PED from the cancer fundraising, which makes sense.

I think Lance is a flawed person, like all of us. He has done some bad things, but he has done some good as well. The amount of money and awareness he brought to cancer and recovery was invaluable. If he is able to continue that path and continue to raise money and awareness, then good for him and good for the non-profits he supports. He may be serving a lifetime ban, but it is not a death sentence...

[mg2ride]

..... but it comes across as more arrogance from him -- which we all know that he has plenty.

+100 It is certainly reflective of the man's arrogance. While arrogance is a character flaw, it is one that is held by almost every single overachiever in the history of mankind.

... trying to make any connection with him and the TdF just sits wrong with me....

Indisputable fact:
Lance Armstrong was(past tense) officially declared the winner of 7 TdF's. That connection is and always will be there and he is under no obligation to pretend otherwise.

ATMO, I have less respect for the organizers of the Tour and the governing bodies of cycling. They knew what was happening then and they know what is happening now.

I hope Lance rides the event on a Postal Trek, wearing a yellow jersey and drinking out of a look alike vase.

[CunegoFan]

I think LA should ride the stages in full Sky kit to highlight the sport's hypocrisy.

Cookson is upset about it because he does not want an ex-doper to draw attention away from the current dopers.

[Shortsocks]

It is what it is. Hes a Douche, and Douche's will always be DoucheBags. It is what it is.

I hope he raises a lot of money for cancer, and It goes to the Cause of Cancer Prevention and the Cure. The Cancer Groups needs money. Let them get it any way they can.

[Chris]

It is what it is. Hes a Douche, and Douche's will always be DoucheBags. It is what it is.

I hope he raises a lot of money for cancer, and It goes to the Cause of Cancer Prevention and the Cure. The Cancer Groups needs money. Let them get it any way they can.

Please change your avatar. CunegoFan has had that one forever. He is a Lance apologist (no judgment here) and for you to be a Lance hater with the same avatar, throws the universe into a flux.

[Shortsocks]

Lol. I do need to change it. Not a Lance hater or Lover. Just recognize a douche. :rolleyes:

I couldn't care either way. People cheat, people lie, people kill each other. People do some nasty stuff. I've just recognized people for what they are.

Btw, I see you're in OKC, I used to ride a lot in OKC. Lots of good memories in that city. I used to really like riding up there at Lake Hefner and then stopping at "Louie's Grill and Bar" and get a sandwich and a beer on the summers. It would get scorching hot out there in the summers and that place was like an oasis in the middle of the day.
Man OKC is actually a pretty cool place.

I need to head up there again.

[Chris]

Lol. I do need to change it. Not a Lance hater or Lover. Just recognize a douche. :rolleyes:

I couldn't care either way. People cheat, people lie, people kill each other. People do some nasty stuff. I've just recognized people for what they are.

Btw, I see you're in OKC, I used to ride a lot in OKC. Lots of good memories in that city. I used to really like riding up there at Lake Hefner and then stopping at "Louie's Grill and Bar" and get a sandwich and a beer on the summers. It would get scorching hot out there in the summers and that place was like an oasis in the middle of the day.
Man OKC is actually a pretty cool place.

I need to head up there again.
Let me know when you're up and we'll get some miles in.

[rwsaunders]

If Cookson weren't such a hypocrite he'd ask at least three pro team DS and managers to stay home too...Riis, Vaughters and Vinokurov. Actually, would there be a DS or manager left standing if all were required to have a clean record when they raced?

[fa63]

if cookson weren't such a hypocrite he'd ask at least three pro team ds and managers to stay home too...riis, vaughters and vinokurov. Actually, would there be a ds or manager left standing if all were required to have a clean record when they raced?
+1.

Especially Vino, if douchebagginess is considered a factor.