Another on bites the dust....

[saab2000]

I just was reading a web page in my "other" home country of Switzerland and I noticed that Oscar Camenzind has tested positive for EPO. This is likely to be the end of his career and puts it to an end on a very sour note.

He was a big rider during my years in Switzerland and was world champion and won a couple of the "Monuments" of the sport - Luetich-Bastogne-Luetich (the German name) and the Giro di Lombardia.

Other than a sad (probable) ending to a strong career, this and other positive tests may have the effect on the sport of scaring people straight. In Switzerland Camenzind is a big star and is now likely to be in trouble at home.

Millar is likely done, Camenzind is finished and there are others as well whose careers have been ruined. Maybe the others out there will realise that since a positive test more or less means the end of a career they are not better off doping than being clean. Until that incentive exists, doping is likely to continue. But since they have a lot of money to lose by being positive, perhaps they will stay clean.

Just my $.02

[zap]

Gees, when will it stop :confused:

Lets see what happens after the mens Olympic road race this Saturday.

[Needs Help]

I would imagine most drug users believe Richard Virenque is the example of what can happen.

[saab2000]

.... but Richard Virenque is a bit of a special case: He is very talented. Also, he did his time and wanted to prove that he could come back and did so. I am not so sure that the others will be able to do that.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . or he’s just found something new to use. Sounds cynical, but after his previous antics, what else can I think?

BBdave

[bostondrunk]

RV is as big a doper as they get. Its pathetic that he is allowed to race while they ban other riders for being caught. Just my opinion of course.

[bostondrunk]

But I'm sure Virenque is clean NOW. Now that he only has the ability to attack on every single mountain stage. He needed drugs to do it before, but NOW that he is several years older, he just has the natural strength, right?!
Whateva ' :banana: :crap: :bike: g!

[J.M. White]

Speaking of our good friend ****y, am I the only person who believes his racing tactics cheapen the KOM jersey?? I mean, the guy won a single mountain stage and is KOM? Sure,he's merely taken advantage of the rules, but come on, why doesn't the TdF simply calculate overall placement at the end of each of the "mountain stages" instead of merely the intermediate
sprints that every allows ****y to take? What a waste.

[Andreu]

Mr White....I agree...but isn´t this the same for all the other jerseys (points etc) in the Tdf ?
I think in Lance´s case, his strength and the strength of his team has meant that the "style" of racing has had to change in order for any one else to win anything. This has resulted in quite frankly a boring tour where the other guys are trying to feast off crumbs.
Jalabert (a pseudo sprinter) won the KOM a few years ago based on a similar tactic of opportunisitic attacking and wheel sucking.
A :beer:

[saab2000]

....wins the KOM jersey because he tries to. He is probably not the best climber in the race. That probably goes to Lance. But the fact is that Virenque is an amazing climber. He is disliked in the US by a lot of people who dislike the fact that he is French, popular in France, and is good at what he does. I have seen him vilified on US internet sites as if he were some kind of child murderer or rapist. Same for Pantani. Lighten up people. He cheated, got caught and paid a penalty. Now he has come back. Deal with it. The world is full of people given second chances.

He did not make the rules of the KOM competition. He just enforces them. Changing the rules for the KOM competition just because he wins it would mean that they should change the rules for the Tour GC just because LA is so dominant.

Anyway, we are a bit off topic here.....

[shinomaster]

other super stars is thet he got caught. No one knows who was doping at that time other than the racers. I admire Virenque for making a comback. Oscar just gave up.

[J.M. White]

Mr White....I agree...but isn´t this the same for all the other jerseys (points etc) in the Tdf ?
I think in Lance´s case, his strength and the strength of his team has meant that the "style" of racing has had to change in order for any one else to win anything. This has resulted in quite frankly a boring tour where the other guys are trying to feast off crumbs.
Jalabert (a pseudo sprinter) won the KOM a few years ago based on a similar tactic of opportunisitic attacking and wheel sucking.
A :beer:

My complaint is not with RV, it's the idea of a "King" being crowned who is not even one of the top two or three climbers in the Tour. I think the sprinter's contest differs, in that the rider who places best on the intermediate and final sprints will have earned the sprinter's jersey. Look at the results the past few years--those who finished with the highest place in the sprint finales (and not merely the intermediates) worn green. The Tour should overhaul its scoring system even beyond what it did this year.

[Dekonick]

Ill agree that there are many better climbers who deserve KOM more than V. I am certain that the TDF keeps things the way they are simply so the sponsors have more 'air' time - They could even add more categories -

Best looking bike

Neatest high tech gadget

best looking team kit

fastest mechanic

fastest descender jersey (road rash scheme...)

Heh...

Richard V. still climbs better than I ever will. Heck, I bonked badly yesterday after only 30 miles! (in my defense, it was all hill repeats...Boy, I never really thought about it until yesterday but being a fat arse (185) sure makes one really slow on steep climbs. I looked at my computer while climbing my bane - Illchester (for those who know it 18% and about a mile or so long) - and noticed how slow I was going. 6mph! Think I can ever get that polka dot jersey? Wait a minute... I can just go to letour.fr and buy it! No EPO needed!

:D :rolleyes: :no: :beer: :banana: