Betsema is back...so conflicted.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Mee too..I dislike those dopers who were also pri@ks, like LA7..I also don't like those that were part of a doping 'machine', and now profit off their 'racer' heritage, even tho tainted(like Hincapie)...

Can't disagree with you. This probably won't give you too much enjoyment...

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/it-...ng-for-a-week/

Greg

[rain dogs]

Originally Posted by chiasticon

he other thing is I believe that the world cup winner gets automatic entry to World Championships, and doesn't count against your nation's "allowance" of riders (or whatever).

Hey, I didn't know that it worked this way. You learn something new. Unless Ceylin and Worst take each other out in some bizarro happening I can't see anyone but one of them winning.

Somehow*, it just sits a little better with me if Betsema isn't there, maybe that's not fair.... but if she misses the important races of the season plus with all the races lost thus far, if feels like an actual 6 month ban.

I guess the saving grace if not is that she's basically have to start in last. I dunno. If she's not there I won't miss her. If she is, I'll try my best to ignore her.

* I'm not the type who usually wishes ill to an athlete, so maybe this is me doing that. I just think if it's a 6 month ban, you should actually miss 6 months of races you want to race.

[BdaGhisallo]

Originally Posted by rain dogs

Hey, I didn't know that it worked this way. You learn something new. Unless Ceylin and Worst take each other out in some bizarro happening I can't see anyone but one of them winning.

Somehow*, it just sits a little better with me if Betsema isn't there, maybe that's not fair.... but if she misses the important races of the season plus with all the races lost thus far, if feels like an actual 6 month ban.

I guess the saving grace if not is that she's basically have to start in last. I dunno. If she's not there I won't miss her. If she is, I'll try my best to ignore her.

* I'm not the type who usually wishes ill to an athlete, so maybe this is me doing that. I just think if it's a 6 month ban, you should actually miss 6 months of races you want to race.

I am sure that CX races are not the only races that Betsema would ride over the course of a season. She came from the MTB side and I would imagine that she might do a few of those and a few road races to maintain her fitness for CX season. Her six month ban covered the times when those races would be happening. Remember, it is a ban from UCI sanctioned competition and not a ban from CX races.


We can't have a situation where the UCI or WADA gets into the business of determining when and where a ban might come into force to increase the impact of a ban from competition. The fairest outcome is that the ban starts from the time of the infraction when the athlete is first removed from competition.

[rain dogs]

Originally Posted by BdaGhisallo

I am sure that CX races are not the only races that Betsema would ride over the course of a season. She came from the MTB side and I would imagine that she might do a few of those and a few road races to maintain her fitness for CX season. Her six month ban covered the times when those races would be happening. Remember, it is a ban from UCI sanctioned competition and not a ban from CX races.


We can't have a situation where the UCI or WADA gets into the business of determining when and where a ban might come into force to increase the impact of a ban from competition. The fairest outcome is that the ban starts from the time of the infraction when the athlete is first removed from competition.

Oh I realize that entirely. I'm talking my personal preference. I would prefer that if strict liability is the concept they are enforcing that perhaps no suspension should be less than 1 year... then you don't have this "offseason" confusion.

Katie Compton and Katerina Nash said basically the same. I think some people are frustrated at the massive reduction. Bans now are to be 4 years... from that to 6 months (half of which are in the 'off-season) seems like quite the massive reduction.

Anyway. again. Just IMHO

[SpaceOdyssey]

2nd today at the C2......

[72gmc]

Good on her for turning months of training, more rest than her competitors, and anabolic steroids into a podium finish.

[SpaceOdyssey]

To be clear - NOT a supporter

I believe she should have been gone for a much longer time

I am suspicious of any results from now on

[rain dogs]

Let's see how/if she does when there are the star girls racing. With all due respect to the girls that were out today, I think there were only 9 of 37? 38? who are on actual pro teams. Betsema being one of those 9. I don't think there was a single one of the top 15 girls racing, likely cause of the world cup tomorrow, but I could be wrong.... didn't see all the names.

[SpaceOdyssey]

Many of the women took today off but the pros who did show are not chopped liver either

[Ruimteaapje]

Betsema did not come out of the blue. She already was an accomplished mountainbiker (which is far more competitive intenationally)

MTB:

2017:
1e NL CUP Kivada Berlicum (elite dames)
4e Coupe de France Marseille eliminator (elite dames)
2e Ssangyong Beneluxcup MTB Eupen (elite dames)
1e Eindklassement Ssangyong Beneluxcup MTB (u23/elite dames)

2016:
2e Pearl Izumi Beneluxcup Sittard-Geleen (elite dames)
Wereldkampioene wielrennen (amateurs/masters)
2e Pearl Izumi Benelux Cup Landgraaf (elite dames)
1e MTB Cup Heeswijk-Dinther (elite dames)
1e Zwiep Trek MTB Cup (elite dames)
3e MPL Stappenbelt Trophy Apeldoorn (elite dames)

2015:
1e eindklassement MTB Rabotop NH dames (dames)

2011:
2e Noordelijke MTB Trophy Norg (junior vrouwen)

2010:
2e Stappenbelt MTB Trophy Apeldoorn (junior vrouwen)
2e Van Paas Bike van Tuyl Nieuwkuijk (junior vrouwen

2009:
1e eindklassement MTB Rabotop NH dames (dames)
2e Kampioenschap van Hoorn (nieuweling meisjes)

2008:
1e eindklassement MTB Rabotop competitie dames (dames)

2006:
Nederlands Kampioene Mountainbiken (categorie 6)

http://www.deniesoverseas.com/uitsla...er/palmares-2/

She then started to do some CX races. Given how easy it is for newcomers, teenagers as well as 40-year olds to compete at the top it seems evident that it is relatively easy to enter the sport at a high level and that all in all the top in women CX is not very broad. She won a couple of smaller races - away from the big names and the cameras - started to train specifically for CX, lost almost 10 kilos and - hey presto - turns out that she could compete against the top of the field. I honestly see nothing weird or suspicious in her rise to the top.

[Ruimteaapje]

BTW, not selected for the WC

https://sporza.be/nl/2020/01/26/deni...WmTPjjMLfcv3YY

[BdaGhisallo]

Originally Posted by Ruimteaapje

BTW, not selected for the WC

https://sporza.be/nl/2020/01/26/deni...WmTPjjMLfcv3YY

It's likely due to the height of her headset stack! Holy Spacers, Batman!


Probably for the better. The KNWU will surely be happy to not induce any more controversy. Leaving her at home allows things to simmer down for a bit.

[Ruimteaapje]

That, or more likely the fact that she isn't a serious contender at the moment. Her second place yesterday behind Majerus was nice but none of the top riders was there (Majerus was far behind in the field today in Hoogerheide) and in the interview after the race she said she had a hard time riding at race pace again after all those months.

[rain dogs]

Originally Posted by Ruimteaapje

Betsema did not come out of the blue.

She then started to do some CX races. Given how easy it is for newcomers, teenagers as well as 40-year olds to compete at the top it seems evident that it is relatively easy to enter the sport at a high level and that all in all the top in women CX is not very broad. She won a couple of smaller races - away from the big names and the cameras - started to train specifically for CX, lost almost 10 kilos and - hey presto - turns out that she could compete against the top of the field. I honestly see nothing weird or suspicious in her rise to the top.

Good that she's not there. That's the prudent decision and fair to the other girls. Shows some class that Betsema recognizes as much.

I think the above statement is a little disrespectful to the girls that are competing in womens elite CX. Marianne Vos (33 yrs old, and arguably the greatest female cyclist of all time) is one of those girls and she doesn't win unchallenged, in fact she often gets beaten.

You may "see nothing weird or suspicious in her rise" but that fact is, whether intentional or not, she HAD steroids in her system. She didn't get a reduced suspension because she didn't take 'roids, it was reduced because they were 100% there, but there "accidentally".

So, she competed on steroids. Maybe that's not weird. Nor suspicious (unfortunately in cycling).... but it sure ain't right. So, fine, she's been 'punished' (some like Compton would say lightly) and we'll see how she does now, next season.

Good race today. A little bummed for Ceylin, who I was rooting for to close the deal, but she's still so young she'll have lots of wins ahead.

[Ruimteaapje]

I don't think stating that the top is not very broad is disrespectful at all. It is merely a statement of fact.