Two days ago Bicycling carried a long interview here with Jonathan Vaughters, team boss of Garmin. Vaughters talks in details of his doping, the pressures to dope, why he quit and the continued need for doping reform and vigilance.
This insightful piece is particularly important in the light of Lance Armstrong's decision not to submit to arbitration over the accusations of doping over many years, despite having his legal complaint that the process was unfair being thrown out by a Texas court, albeit with some reservations.
If the USO (organisers of the Tour de France) and the UCI do follow USADA's example and strip Armstrong of his seven Tour wins, it will as many have already acknowledged be hard to award his victories to anyone else given that blood doping now appears to have been widespread at that time with Armstrong being the only most successful. Perhaps the simplest solution would be to award the Tour 1999-2005 to EPO.
Yes, Jim, I agree that passing down the yellow jersey is pointless and meaningless.
ReplyDeleteIf Armstrong gets stripped bare, Merckx would be reinstated as the greatest of the Tour having won 5 times and more other jerseys and win stages that the others, right?
George's. Have always considered Eddy the greater Tour rider.
ReplyDelete