FALLEN STAR

My comment elsewhere says ALL i need to say about Robin Williams :

  "   The World has LOST a STAR ! Not only a Prolific Performer , he was also a Keen CYCLIST ! As Tommo , SBS , & others will tell you , Robin was to be found at " Le Tour " on countless occasions ! Here is my comment elsewhere:

The Greatest Pleasure of 2004 Le Tour was on the final Saturday in the warmUp Paddock . Robin was front & Centre on the " Discovery Team Pullman Area " signing Autographs for all & sundry . Lance made the intro and i had a rambling convo as Robin continued to deal with the demands. Robin made the request for me to assist his San Diego Fdn in the near future but even with stopping on the way through to Sydney , i would still have incurred significant expenses which with No Income would have depleted the Piggy Bank ! Robin has a Hugee Collection of Bikes that will now be orphaned , hopefully someone will step in and see that they go to a Museum/Foundation where they will perpetuate his Memory ! RIP , this great STAR and Avid Cyclist ! Such a prolific performer that was ALWAYS a JOY to watch ! "

The world has LOST a Great and Generous Human being!

Such a tragedy that the " Dark Side " of his personality won and the World will be diminished with his absense ?

With ALL the Major New Networks competing with each other to report the HUMAN Tragedioes in Syria , Iraq , West Africa and Gaza , don't we ALL need light relief ?

BTW   This may be something my readers are aware of :  

During the past few days thousands of the Iraqi Population have been forced to flee for their lives !  In many cases they have left their Homes and previous lives without thought for the future !  Yes PANIC Stricken they have started down a difficult road without even Food & Water . News Media report Countless thousands on Mountains dying of the LACK of Food , Water & Shelter .

Whilst the USA have commenced relief operations since this past weekend , we are now seeing the Major News Networks JOY RIDING on these Relief helicopters !

YES JOY RIDING ! There has been a Chopper downed through misadventure capable of carrying about 20 people .

On board this Flying Machine were 20 or so people , 3 of them were NOT NEEDED on the trip , they were there for the Photo Op ! 2 journos & a politician . What possible benefit to those seeking RESCUE , were these 3 ?  On the outward journey they would have weighed approx. 240Kg , Food & Water left behind , so urgently needed by the DYING !  On the return trip they would have meant perhaps as many as 5 children left on the ground through weight restrictions !

Fortunately for some children , they were not separated from their Parents and as the Helicopter crashed , they did not find themselves in a Hospital .  The 3 extra " deadweight passengers " will be screaming at the misfortune , that left the pilot DEAD !  HOW DARE he risk THEIR LIVES !

Each day i rotate through @CNN , @Skyteam , @BBCWorld , @Aljazeera and when they start a " Selfie ( Self promo ad ) i switch to another !  CLICK ! GONE !  Who wants to watch  an @Amanpour each 20 minutes , even during HER Program?  Sky TV has taken to showing Personality Ads , the same Commentator in Sydney Bush fires , US Snow Storms , Bangkok Riots , etc ad nauseum . 

BBC World have now followed suit , claiming to be the FIRST WITH BREAKING NEWS , as does CNN & SKY ! 

SO !  WHO CARES ?

If @France24 TV was more than a 30 minute revolving item , i would be watching it 24/7 , they actually have a few minutes of PAID Ads !   What a relief to get through 30 minutes without " WE ARE THE BEST " drivel !

Robin Williams is currently Breaking NEWS , so Syria has slipped below the horizon , Ebola only got a passing mention due to the SAD DEATH of the Spanish Missionary Priest , RIP , hopefully Pope Francis will Beatify him in the very near Future ?  Even Gaza has taken a back seat , since there is still a day of the latest Cease Fire left !

OPEN SEASON ON CYCLISTS ?

Season  of Peace and Goodwill to ALL ? Are YOU kidding ?
The only good thing about the Festive season is that it is nearly over ! Unseasonably warm weather here in Austria , has seen me out on the bike most days , instead of on Touring Skis . Despite dental and stomach problems , i have been able to get 3+hrs daily , on the bike , on the dry roads in sunny weather , even dressed as if out on a Summer's Day at the Giro or TDF.

Whilst the normal expectation for the Tirol is good snow , this season it arrived in the East Tirol , particularly around Lienz , where i spent the weekend watching the Women's Ski races . The mothers of two local families were able to see their Daughters race in the World Tour . In previous posts , i have mentioned riding with Eva Marie Brem's mother , there are photos of them both elsewhere . Alexandra Daum's  family , whom i have also ridden with over the years , were also happily watching their Daughter come in at 17th in her race .

Elsewhere , the Internet has  reported any number of Outrageous behaviours towards Cyclists in a variety of countries . I have had my share of " Mutants " that decide that Cyclists have NO RIGHTS on the roads , even recently on an empty , quiet country road , where a " local " decided to express their displeasure with klaxon/horn as they passed " tapping " their " empty? head "! This incident escalated and left the local Polizei telling mr that drivers EXPECT Cyclists to use the " Cycle Paths ( cluttered with snow , ice & stones )"?

Here are a FEW of the links to World Wide Cycling Stories that i have seen in recent days :

http://www.victorharbortimes.com.au/story/1994036/cyclist-killed-in-alleged-hit-and-run-at-lower-inman-valley/?cs=1537

http://road.cc/content/news/104036-lorry-driver-jailed-death-careless-driving-kent-cyclist

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/felix-baur-killed-while-training-in-spain

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9555204/Cyclist-hit-by-egg

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-78481974/

http://t.co/jXhw8ppgag

http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/cyclist-killed-crash-crusaded-bike-lanes-15105.shtml

http://globalvisionremixed.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/what-is-a-cyclists-life-worth-in-australia/

http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/melbourne-man-killed-in-los-angeles-riding-bike-20131224-2zvw4.html

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cyclists-allegedly-assaulted-on-beach-road-20131228-300kp.html

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/1995867/cyclist-killed-on-west-tamar-highway/?cs=95

http://www.watoday.com.au/rugby-union/wales-rugby/woman-crashes-with-cyclist-in-byford-20131229-301ex.html

Many MORE stories are out there , but as a lone voice , i have few options to try to assist in creating the breakthrough needed to help bridge the divide between Cyclists ( Vulnerable Road Users ) and Motorists (Careless, Aggressive or MINDLESS ) .

World Wide , there are numerous " Cycling safety Org.s " in many Countries , each have their NEEDS  , Ideas & Initiatives that could be used by OTHERS , to meet the same target : SAFE USE of the ROADS BY CYCLISTS ! 

 Politicians in most English speaking Countries are BUSY promoting Cycling for many reasons . They see the opportunity to reduce " Infrastructure Costs " , reduce Health services and WIN votes . SElf serving Media Op.s have been created by Boris Johnson , Mayor of London with his Blue Paint Super Highways ? David Cameron , Prime Minister of U.K., hopping on his down market mountain bike with a Helmet hanging off his handlebars ? Tony Abbott on the Sunday of his Election to Prime Minister of Oz , riding his Up market street bike , properly kitted out , with his mates . Years ago we were seeing George Bush , out on his MTB with a guy he possibly no longer wishes to talk with , i know the former Premier of Sth Oz , no longer wishes to be reminded of that person .

Knowing that Politicians and EVEN Police Forces are ONLY Interested in their OWN backyard , i thought that Creating an opportunity for ALL the International Safety Groups to come together would be appropriate. Seems that this idea has fallen short of my expectations :

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ioc-chairman-thomas-bach-create-an-international-umbrella-cycling-safety-organisation

Are there any of my readers that are NOT Interested in Sport ? How many Athletes , grew up without aspiring to succeed to High Level Competition , perhaps even the Olympics ?  Most High level Athletes use Cycling as Cross Training , even " Jo public ",  uses Spinning at the Gym as a form of exercise . Fact is some form of Cycling Exercise is used by most that aspire to Fitness or Competition .

This petition , could have been aimed at the UCI as the manager of the " Umbrella Org. " , but since Skiers , Rowers and other Athletes using Leg Muscles , take to the ROADS for Cross Training , i thought to make the agenda more inclusive . Thinking Social media would assist i have posted links in " Twitter , Facebook & LinkedIn " , virtually to no avail !

Currently i have been advised by " @change " , that i could be addressing the Petition to the wrong person ? WHO runs IOC ?  Thomas Bach having recerntly taken over from Jacques Rogge , no doubt delegates responsibilities to OTHERS , but WHEN did you contact the low man on the totem pole to get the BOSS to take action ? So far @change has not seen fit to reply to my request that they assist in promoting to the "Social Media World "! " LinkedIN " tell me that i have numerous contacts :

Your LinkedIn Network

955 Connections link you to 9,852,113+ professionals

14,320 New people in your Network since December 23

Oh yeah ? ALL ASLEEP during the Festive Season ?

Facebook show 4000+ friends ! I know of a couple that are awake !

Twitter show 217 followers at present , my blogs used to be posted automatically after " publishing " , not any more it seems ?

IN summing up SOCIAL MEDIA appears to be a DEAD LOSS !

Once again i wsould like to remind People that December 2013 has been UNKIND to Cyclists , certainly in those English Speaking areas that i see reported .

I use my bike to " Advocate Para Sport " at the Grand Tours , i have NO WISH to join their Community !

Each Cyclist is alone on their bike , yet the following is what they can expect as an Individual .

  

Any doubts about the DANGERS on a bike , visit this Hospital workers feed :

https://twitter.com/jessica_r_lane

Those that are adverse to wearing Helmets , may have been  reminded of the NEED , with the recent terrible news of Michael Schumacker ? Every Ski story about him shows him wearing a Helmet ! 

Addendum :

Earlier there was a link to THOSE Mutants that chose to attack Melbourne Cyclists , weighing in on this Story is the FAMOUS FOOT IN MOUTH , Melbourne Radio/Media "star"( legend in his own mind ) Darren Hinch :

http://www.humanheadline.com.au/hinch-says/no-love-lost

Must have read my Facebook comment to the article on Saturday :

 "  With the rego plate visible in the photo , it is likely that the Police will take MORE Severe action AGAINST any Cyclist retaliating against these Mutants , thaese Mutants , were NOT aware of the damage they were creating should seek counselling ? That they were not locked up IMMEDIATELY demonstrates thast the Police are condoning the CONTINUAL BULLYING of Cyclists, let alone unable to HONOUR their Responsibilities to the Community they " Serve & Protect "!

DOPING IN SPORT ! French Senate Report .

Doping Violations are not a Criminal offence in France , BUT , possession of Doping Products is ! A Doped Athlete is considered a " Victim "  , but i guess possessing the products means that you may choose to distribute rather than use ?  French Law , currently allows the Police , to launch an investigation when they uncover " Product ". Italy & Sweden , both approach this matter as Criminal activity , however no studies are currently at hand , to determine the effectiveness of this approach ?

By now , many are aware that the French Senate Enquiry has published it's Report , since many well known Cycling Athletes ( Previously thought of as Heroes ) have been pilliored by the Media . Laurent Jalabert was the first to dissappear , days before he would have taken up his customery duties as a " Cycling Pundit " at the 100th Edition of the " Le Tour "! Missing were numerous red cars , with his Face plastered on the side , as they roared around the route of the Annual Festivities . Other French Athletes were also named , Jackie Durand , amongst others , but interestingly they were able to make their excuses and then were left alone .

The French Senate originally planned to reveal their report during early July , but because of the " sensational content " , decided to wait until the Journalists had returned to Paris , at the end of " Le Tour ". Jolly decent of them , but then we couldn't have the " Le Tour " pushed out of the headlines , by Events that were already 15 years in the past ? Speculation was rife however as to the contents and thus leaks were in some cases overblown .

Case in point was Stuey O'Grady , he and his Team ,Orica GreenEdge , knew that he would be mentioned . Having started the TDF with an announcement to continue racing into 2014 , the " leaks " must have caused a rapid rethinking , since on Monday in Paris , Stuey announced his Immediate Retirement . Even the Team had put together a press announcement praising his contribution to the Team and Aussie Sport . Of course by Wednesday Evening there was a new spin on the facts and Thursday saw the " AOC " demanding he resign from the " Athletes Commission "that he had been invited to join in 2012 . Fortunately for him , he had not signed the Documents that he had been required to sign as part of the AOC Procedures .

Recent days has seen Eric Zabel step down from many of the activities that have kept him busy since his retirement from Racing . The Germans in the past have been highly critical of their Athletes who chose to dope , so it would appear that he will be treated with a Heavy Hand in their media ?

With the relevations concerning the 1998 Tour de France , Media Pundits that were fully supportive of him in his PAST Endeavours , went ballistic with their condemnations . For some reason most of these people took it personally , thinking they were entitled to be aware of matters , that i doubt he even shared with his familly , let alone his Current Team ?  I guess is that Matt White and David Millar were well aware of the situation but in conformity to the OMERTA Code , stayed Stumm ! Not sure where that word comes to the English language from , but i lived in that village in the Zillertal , some years ago .

THE FRENCH SENATE REPORT , sets out evidence about 14 Sports , having Interviewed many People over a period of Months . In September 2013 , a week has been set aside for Parliament Debate , then in November 2013 there will be Parliamentary Meetings , which will no doubt inspect some of the " Laws on Doping Matters " that may have been constructed in the interim ?

It would appear that the Senate may be in position to introduce New Laws in Early 2014 , in respect of " Regulation of Doping in Sport "? Could it be that the French Government will be framing Laws that will see them at the forefront of the " Fight against Doping in Sport "? The " Rapporteur ( Principal Instigator ) of the Inquiry is a M.Jean-Jacques Lozach and is quoted as saying :

"  Lozach said, “There is the prevention and punishment which are inseparable aspects, it is essential to fight it. This, it seems to me, the heart of the next framework law. And then there’s the wish for France to be the leader of the anti-doping fight in Europe.”

Could it be that before WADA reveals their New Code commencing in 2015 , that the French Government will have enacted Legislation that will cause a rethink of their " ANTI DOPING CHARTER "? Currently it seems to me that WADA , is a " Toothless Tiger " . They mean to do a Good Job , but their Charter prevents them doing WHAT IS NECESSARY , to deter the Criminal elements that seem to have turned ALL SPORTING ACTIVITIES into a Farce! Over the years i continually hark back to the " Donatti Report" which details activities until 2006 . WHAT has taken place since then , is an expotential escalation of the problems highlighted by that report .

So far the French Senate has told us WHAT TOOK PLACE in the past  ! Revealed in their report is information that caused a certain Forum contributor , " Dimspace " to put together this CHART :

 Sorry this came out smaller than i thought .

What the Public need to know is , WHAT DO THEY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT , so as to take the fight AGAINST DOPING into the FUTURE !

Meanwhil i would remind ALL and Sundry that my Petition  to the Governor General is worth consideration , since there are COUNTLESS Aussies out there that failed to survive the pressures placed on them whilst in competition ! They Doped , then they regretted that failing ? Time they were given a chance to clear the slate?
              http://t.co/iA5i79KUNY

Will add more Asap .




Some of the Internet reports :

http://stevetilford.com/2013/07/25/stuart-ogrady-exposed/comment-page-1/#comment-32839

http://gerard.cc/2013/07/27/2682/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-5

http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2008/04/13/cycling-drugs.html

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/mike-tomalaris/blog/128176/don-t-forget-stuey-s-brilliant-career

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/road/news/50494/french-epo-report-no-shock-to-armstrong

http://roadcycling.com/news-results/lifes-not-fair/page/0/2#.UfdVQ9L0GSo

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/07/news/must-read-ogrady-nearly-signed-anti-doping-pledge_297059



AS A RESULT OF THE IOC Vice President declaration today i sent this comment to :

http://gerard.cc/2013/07/31/8-random-thoughts-on-doping/#comment-4774

IOC Vice President hitting the Media with " Doping will NEVER be beaten "! Bit diff. to nein fordruggen with " Lance NEVER, Never , never Doped "!

When the Top of IOC give up , what do the Drug Cheats think ? Carte Blanche ? Has anyone noticed we have had no " Positives " from the TDF as yet ? Could it be that they are waiting until all the brown paper bags have surfaced ?

Looks like there will be Peace in the Mid east before WADA gets a New Charter allowing them to SUCCEED in the Anti doping Fight ?

Wondering when @Mike Rann , @KevinRuddMP & her Excellency G.G. of Oz will get to read :http://t.co/iA5i79KUNY

This will suffice until SOME Organisation works up a sweat as they decide to do SOMETHING Constructive !

LETTERS to HEADS of GOVERNMENTS

YOUR EXCELLENCIES , LADIES and GENTLEMEN .


Those of you that are unaware of the IOC and WADA , would be few ! Doubtless that your minions have kept you informed of the ongoing saga of USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong , the cyclist .

Can we the Public , ask that you take time to study the " overview " of this report , and take time to visit with your Nation's observer/s , at the recent WADA Conference in Stockholm . That Conference had a theme that related to " Doping's influence in the Community "! Sporting Fraud is a criminal offence in many Nations and in recent times " Doping in Sport " has been added to the National Statutes of Criminal Activity in many Countries ?

In recent days the Australian Sports Minister , Senator Lundy has advertised an interest in receiving citizens' reports on the " Doping Quandary "! The email address , telephone nos and street  address has been made widely available to allow unlimited access for information . Example mailto:Senator.Lundy@aph.gov.au

Could ALL World Governments follow this example ? Each of you i an sure are aware of the " Famous Olympic Doping Controversies " such as Ben Johnson and Marion Jones in the past ! There have been notable names in other sports also across the WHOLE Spectrum of Olympic Sport !

WADA can only play " Catchup " in it's efforts to control " Doping in Sport "! Fact is the Drug Companies produce their products ith the intention of benefiting " Mankind " BUT the Criminal Element then take some of these products and utilise them to their advantage . GREED is the motivating factor for the criminal conspiracies that turn Athletes into CHEATS and in many cases Criminals !

Even in " shamateur sport " there are those who seek " bragging rights " and thus resort to the use of any and all those products on the " WADA Prohibited List " , updated yearly , so that ALL Athletes know the products they SHOULD NOT INGEST ! WADA sets out to stem the tide and the weak minded then seeing the product listed , set out to discover how they can utilise it for their benefit .

So many PAST and Present Athletes have used Doping to enhance their achievements that it has reached the point that ALL Athletic/Sports achievements since 1990 are suspect . Olympic Games since 1936 have been overshadowed with Political and Doping Controversies due to the fact that it has a World Wide Audience that seeks entertainment . That the Olympic Games is in the most part no longer peopled by Amateur Athletes comes as no surprise to anyone nor that it has become a GIGANTIC MONEY SPINNER for those that Sponsor the event . Little wonder that the IOC Committee try to downplay the " Doping " aspect if we are kind to them OR conceal where they can the scale of those bent on seeking unwarranted GLORY !

My letter is from a 67yo cycle rider with an interest in seeking a clear future for those entering sport , being allowed to find Coaches , that have been shown to have a " Doping Free History " ! So many of those that are Coaching these days came through the ranks of the " DOPING INFESTED ERA " ! Many of the Future Coaches will have been tainted by the Current Era !

USADA has published the testimony of people caught up in the 1990s and early 2000s Cycling Industry but it is symptomatic of ALL SPORT ! Resources to combat " Doping " are limited since NO ONE wants to understand the scale of the problem .

As Heads of Government , you have a clear responsibility to your citizens to ACT ,  NOW !

SET up the means for Citizens to report the knowledge they have on those " DOPING " , even if those reported are from other Countries ! Combine with your Neighbouring Countries and Allies in DEMANDING that IOC and WADA inaugurate a panel to control an "AMNESTY for ALL SPORTS "!

Only Athletes , past and present , will be allowed to seek the Amnesty , since those who acted in Supply and Distribution of PEDs are Criminally liable .

During the AMNESTY Period set aside the National Laws on Doping , so that the Athletes , both past and present , will not suffer " Double Jeopardy " , this is why , so many are making their past transgressions known , when the Statute of Limitations period has passed !

Make the " AMNESTY for ALL SPORT " a one time ONLY Affair by introducing International Legislation that demands Worldwide Draconian Penalties for Athletes and their associates that do not step forward . It would be good to see that " Household arrest with ankle chips " introduced for those that decide to practice " Sporting Fraud " in the future !

Personally i believe that those that represent their Country in Sport should be judged by an Independent panel of WADA rather than their National Federations and they should be subject to FOUR year sanctions on the First Offence and LIFE TIME BANS for further transgressions ! All Athletes know they are responsible for what they ingest so excuses are not acceptable . Any Athletes at risk of Sanction should be dealt with in a Timely manner , not allowed the disgraceful " Contador treatment "!

Time to ACT is NOW ! The public want truth and justice , they need to believe that they are worthy of respect . With Austerity governing their lives they deserve to be able to believe in their Sporting Stars !


Those reading this blog letter , feel free to copy it to your Governments ! It is my version SO use it to create your OWN Letter !

Many of my readers will be aware that i supported Lance in the past ! Regrettably i chose to think that his team members doped and as he had to undergo daily testing it was not an option for him . Further  i suggested that Emma O'Reilly could not differentiate between equipment needed for his Cancer treatment and that others were using for Doping purposes !

Emma O'Reilly deserves an apology from me for doubting her Fortitude and veracity .

Frank Andreu is aware of my doubting his and Betty's word on Lance , certainly in 2011 , at the Tour de France Grand Depart in Britanny , i expressed a tainted point of view ! Frank  has been generous towards  me , over the years at many " Le Tour " and other events , that he chose to be friendly considering my behaviour towards him and his wife shows great generosity of character ! No doubt there will be those who will continue to treat him with less than the respect he is due .

I am still waiting to see what Cycling Australia will do about those Cycle Racers who worked with Festina and Saiz amongst many questionable associations . Not ALL that worked with these people will have been corrupted /tainted so there will have to be extensive enquiries to sort the material facts .

Riding with Moser

Apologies to all for the lack of posts in recent times . Fact is with the " Le Tour " , Olympics and now the WCF Masters , i have been far too busy to get all that has been happening onto the internet / paper .

Topping off lack of time , was the arrival yesterday of Francesco Moser demanding i get organised to ride  within minutes . Normally he turns up on Wednesdays in St Johann , but with his lifestyle and the demands for his presence at a variety of events he has to juggle all the commitments  coming his way . Vic Haines ( google ) , a British Cycling Legend was there also  , seems he will be adding to Francesco's network of Wine Distribution by releasing the Wines in the UK in the near future .

When riding with Moser , you can ride to his shoulder , but passing him , particularly on a hill will provoke a response . Had warned Vic of this , so the first climb was  tempo but as we were on the actual WCF racecourse we had a couple of racers pass us . This caused Francesco to pick up the pace and so we were tootling along leading out these Guys , paceline style . Several kilometres passed in this way with a variety of surges along the way through rolling hills and shaded forest areas . On the second climb Moser led the way but close to the top i had to ask him to cool it since Vic was off the back conserving energy for his Time Trial effort on the next day . Reluctantly we had to let the others go and drifted along for a while so as to allow Vic to come up at his own pace .

After passing over another bump on the course we stopped so that Moser's rear wheel could be topped up with air , since he had developed a slow puncture . As we headed through the back part of the course several race groups passed and it was up to me to sprint so that we could latch on for a few kilometres whilst Francesco had a chat with some of the Racers . Arriving in the finish area we played a little cat and mouse but Moser decided that a sprint wasn't on today .

After attending the refreshment tent we watched some of the racers finish their race . Spotted a couple of Aussies at the barriers so asked one of them if they knew of Moser and was met with a blank look . Took Francesco over to introduce them but all that was said " we saw him introduced earlier "! Francesco , according to Vic Haines arrives in a restaurant and ALL are on their feet applauding , and yet for aussie cycling fans it's a yawn , too hard to get the autograph ! Puts me in mind of the occasion i was going to introduce Charlie Gaul to a group of Aussie Journos , their reply was they only wanted to meet 5 time winners ! Wonder if they recall meeting Lance ?

At some point i will air more of my views on the " kangaroo Court " treatment of Lance . Suffice to say that in stepping back from looking after his legacy , the public have been showing their support by increasingly reaching into the back pocket to support LiveSTRONG ! Says it ALL , does it not ?

Tonight the Paralympics start in London , i won't be there , i spent 15 seasons riding , Advocating more support for these Amazing Athletes . Best place to see their efforts is on the TV , so many more Countries have finally woken up to how entertaining these people can be and are looking to increase their ratings by showing their efforts !

TO ALL THE PARALYMPIANS !

You are already WINNERS by being selected for your country ! BE THE BEST YOU CAN , any madals will be icing on the Cake but a few NEW WORLD RECORDS along the way will demonstrate your courage and alert the SPONSORS to new opportunities !

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU !

Addition on Friday 14th Dec 2012 !

Congratulations to YORKSHIRE !

Today it was announced that Yorkshire had won their BID !

6th July 2014 , those that are in Leeds will be able to PARTICIPATE in the GRAND DEPART ! ENJOY !













Meanwhile , here in Snowy Austria , i am riding the Tacx wearing the Shirt seen above and the Bib Shorts you saw on Francesco in the photo above :

Letter to Jonathon Vaughters

Jonathon
Read your article with a little understanding of the situation you found yourself in , when you were aspiring to be a Pro Cyclist ! Those of you reading this post can refer to the article direct :

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/how-to-get-doping-out-of-sports.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Whilst it is a " Mea Culpa " it does not show how to solve the situation ! I have for some time been writiung to John Fahey of WADA and Jacques Rogge of IOC asking them to impose an " Amnesty " , so as to get ALL the Skeletons out into the open !

You with your exposure and " high Profile " could if you wished see this necessary step imposed ! No matter how many " Mea Culpa's " we see on the road to Rio , the next Olympic Games WILL BE  " THE CHEMICAL OLYMPIC GAMES " ! So many see that there are exploitable loopholes and decide that if " Joe Athlete " is able to escape detection , then it is worth the effort !

Usain Bolt comes from a country where " Random OOC testing seems to be the exception rather than the rule . His success is being unfairly questioned as a result . How many of the Brits find the finger of suspicion levelled at them ? Dave Millar was at the Olympic BECAUSE there are " Lawyers " making a substantial income from defending the undefensible , " Sporting Fraud " ! Not read Dave's book but " Rhino " as he knows i now call him , is tarred by his 2003 mistakes . I was thrilled to see his victorious Etappe at the 2012TDF , the only Breakaway that succeeded as far as i am aware . Dave inspired his companions to work together to stay away until 5km from the finish line . It would appear that those riding with him trust his judgement and thus cooperated where on other days the racers treated each other with suspicion .

CALL FOR THE AMNESTY ! You can and should demand of the " Hierachy of Sport " to ACT NOW and bring into the open ALL that transgressed in their careers . Why talk about what you did when you have the opportunity to lead from the front !

In imposing an " Amnesty " , IOC & WADA can give until , say , 1 October 2012 to disclose as an Athlete OR coach , DS , Team Owner their episodes of stepping over the line ! After that date they risk being found out by " Whistle Blowers " and LIFE TIME BANS WILL APPLY !

If 1 October 2012 , is imposed then during October / November a website will publish ALL names that stepped forward and NO PENALTY will apply ! Those disregarding this deadline risk the following possibilities !

On 1st December 2012 any Trainer/Coach , DS , Team Owner , Mechanic or Soigneur that worked with an Undisclosed Athlete will risk Life Time Bans , Also , should they not disclose what they know about those , that choose to take the risk of discovery ! There will be many who think they can escape detection and ONLY by imposing on their associates the same HARSH PENALTIES will we the public be rid of the menace of " Sporting Fraud " !

What i have proposed to those with the ability to act , is not simple , but HARSH METHODS need to be applied to rid the coming Generations of Athletes from the CRAP imposed on you in your youth , and continues to be applied to other " LESS RESOLUTE YOUNGSTERS " these days  .

You know me as a " pain in the Ass ", but do you think i needed " PEDs to ride the routes of the Grand Tours ? I didn't but then , firstly i was under no " peer Presure " , and secondly i could get off my bike to enjoy a break as and when i chose ! 15 visits to the " Le Tour " and 14 rides of the route of the Giro d'Italia as well as various other Tours toughened me up to the reality the racers have to endure . It dismays me to hear of even " shamateurs " using PEDs to gain " bragging rights " with their Buddies .

On 1st January of 2013 , i should like to think that families can deliver their offspring to Coaches / Trainers whose background has been revealed ! There will be some Coaches that will lose " prestige and clients ", but overall there will be an " Informed Public " who can choose those that will best train their charges without resorting to Underhand methods to achieve results !

Can we trust YOU to ensure the Authorities will sit up and LISTEN ?

Can we trust you to start the ball rolling to ensure that SPORT IS CLEAN ?

Have you the willpower to ensure " SPORTING FRAUD IN ALL SPORT " has had it's day ?

ACTION TODAY !

Brad Wiggins is competing with Lance for the headlines at present ! Fact is the journos are ONLY there , with  “ le Tour “ for controversy . So many of the journos could care less about Cycling and those racing their bikes , but are foaming at the mouth , as they lap up the  offerings provided by Brad’s outburst and Lance’s current legal efforts . Rest day , yesterday , must have seen more than the usual media circus activity surrounding the Racers at their Hotels .

That 5 TDF Racers were named in relation to the USADA affair in the past week , has no doubt had an effect on  their performance and their teams . For the principal teams contending for the Podium in Paris this must be an unwelcome distraction and it is no surprise then that Brad aired his views and these remarks  were echoed by others on twitter .

Reading the “ Clinic “ in the Cyclingnews Forum for several years , I have seen far too much vilification of ALL Racers when they display above average performance  . That there are “ gutless wonders “ hiding behind fictitious IP addresses is a certainty . Call on them to voice support for a cleanup of the sport and they will go into hiding ! Fact is it would spoil their continual amusement if ALL Suspicion of Sporting Fraud was removed from the Peloton .

Cycle Racers are Professional Sports  People and are required by their Teams and Sponsors to put on a Public Face regardless of their personal views . Di Gregario being sent home has added fuel to the raging controversy that is Sporting Fraud ! He says that he acted alone yet he shared a room and was supervised by Team Medical Staff , so WHO believes him ?

Professionalism requires that the Racers in a Team act in the best interests of their Principals NOT Principles ! Many Racers are disgusted with what they have seen over the years . So many would like to break ranks and tell the TRUTH about what they know for fact !

Only by the Racers canvassing the IOC and WADA either individually or collectively will there be a way out of this Morass !

Drug Companies are working on the next wave of chemical interference in an Athletes Abilities . Do you want to be the guinea pigs for the Chemical Olympic Games ? Stick around in the current circumstances , and you will !

Courage comes in many forms and some have it and others are looking for the opportunity .

NOT FOR ME TO TELL ATHLETES HOW TO RUN THEIR LIVES but the following items will give some perspective of the populaces point of view !



Open Letter to the Peloton : a thread on the “ Clinic “ published in CNF !

 “  Gutsy move by Adrian to publicize his feelings about the current state of the Road Racing scene !

Found this thread in the “ Clinic “ last night and this was the opening comment ! “

 “  Originally Posted by Cavalier

Because it's become abundantly clear that the pro-peloton are aware of us;

More accurately, dear people applauding Bradley Wiggins for his foul-mouthed tirade today:

I'd like to outline why I think you're all massive hypocrites, and why you get the reaction from people that you do.

We've sat by for years - for some of you, your entire professional careers - and watched the sport.
We've sat through almost 30 years of doped riders, of positive tests, of confiscated victories weeks, months and sometimes years after they were awarded.
But most importantly, we sat by whilst all of this was going on, and you did nothing.
You didn't speak out then.
You didn't speak up against people you knew were doping.
You didn't speak up against your teammates when you knew they were doping.
All you ex-T-mobile riders didn't say anything about the visits to Freiberg.
You didn't say anything when riders gave evidence about what they'd seen, and were harassed because of it.
Some of you, through your inaction, did nothing about that harassment. Those of you who raced with Lance Armstrong said nothing back then.
Those of you who raced in 1998 complained about your rights and your dignity.

You didn't complain about those people who stripped them from you by cheating.
You didn't applaud those people who tried to out the real cheats within the ranks.
You didn't chastise those people taking trips to Spain and Italy to see doctors. In fact, some of you did it yourself.

You complained about early morning drug tests.
You complained about out of competition drug tests, and you complained about whereabouts forms and not having a private life, and media intrusion.
And some of you still ride today, still having said nothing about doping.

I'll say this: I've sat up until 3 in the morning every July for countless years now. I've watched, I've supported, even some of you who turned out to be cheats. I've dreamed of being in the position you're in, of having a tenth of the talent you're blessed enough to have, because no amount of hard work will make up for the gap. So when I'm at work at 7am, busting my rear end to make ends meet for the next ten hours for a tiny bit of what you get, remember this, every one of you who applaud Wiggins abusing those of us who ask questions:

We ask the questions because you refused to.
We get suspicious because we're tired of seeing more than half of the last 13 TdF titles get stripped and re-awarded.
We're tired of you guys continually saying "We're clean" and then seeing someone test positive.
We're tired of seeing you complain about us, because we got tired of seeing you cheat us as fans, by not taking matters into your own hands, getting rid of - and speaking out against - those who are doping, and have doped.
You give your blood values and power numbers happily to the ASO, and treat us with contempt, like we're just supposed to watch, buy your sponsor's products, and cheer on demand.

You do nothing to dispel doping suspicions, to out cheats, and to clean up the sport. You are the blight on the sport, not us.

Footnote: I'd include a list of riders DS's and who have publicly announced their support for Wiggins and his remarks, but I find them abhorrent now.

e: I realise the irony of me posting this under a pseudonym. To all those cyclists and staff members on twitter who echo his thought, my personal details are available to you on request. All you have to do is ask.

Further edit: Now you no longer need to ask.  http://twitter.com/cavalierfc

Of course you can visit and read the thread , for yourselves from this link :

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=17734

My comment was #141 and came after quite a few others who had identified themselves :

On 8th July 2012 i addressed a letter to Jacque Rogge of the IOC on my blog skippyblogging.blogspot wherein i called upon him to institute a " Sporting Moratorium " !
Not finding the " Contact point " on the IOC Website , i posted the blog link on the IOC Twitter account . No doubt , some minion has decided not to read or pass on the info relayed !

Olympic Games are big business , good for the IOC Profits , but bad for the residents pockets of the Host Cities and Countries ! Athens will never recover from the fun and enjoyment , we the visitors , enjoyed in 2004 ! Part of the Euro Bailout funds are needed to rectify the financial hole created by that extravagance . Athens of course is not the only Host that struggled after their Olympic Experience , Sydney did not do as well as was anticipated .

ONLY WHEN the past is dragged screaming and shouting into the LIMELIGHT OF PUBLIC SCRUTINY , will it be possible to START on the road to solving the SPORTING FRAUDS that currently exist ! When i proposed this " sports Moratorium " in another thread , it was met with derision , several of the comments were deleted by " Mods" .
When you consider my efforts for Physically Challenged sport has brought me into contact with the Principal Cycle Racers as well as VIPs and celebrities at World Tour Events as well as Olympic and Paralympic , Summer and Winter Games Events you will understand my belief that a line will have to be drawn by IOC and WADA !

When Jacques Rogge sees what the " clinic " says about some of his associates at the IOC , he must shudder ! Will he ask himself if the assertions made , are true ? Fact is the IOC is an exclusive club of those with vested interests and rocking the boat will cause ALL to be put in danger !

The OP , Adrian , http://twitter.com/sportnstuff has opened this thread and heavyweights such as Texpat have revealed themselves BUT the likes of C VDV and Mick Rogers are naive if they think that BRAD W. can continue in the manner he adopted on Monday ! SKY Corp will not allow this behaviour !

Do the Current crop of Cycle Racers at this edition of the " Le Tour " dope ? WHO GIVES A FLYing Whatever ! ASO don't care ! If they did those named in the media last week would already be on their way home ! Which day did C VDV lose 10 mins ? Was it due to being distressed by the impending breaking news ? Where was Big George when Cadel needed him on Saturday & Sunday , was he distracted ?

Back on my Soapbox , ONLY A " NO CONSEQUENCES SOLUTION " WILL ALLOW THE OUTING OF THE " DIRTY SECRETS "!

Only the IOC and WADA are capable of handling this undertaking which is long overdue ! Since before the Iron Curtain , Sport has been tainted , perhaps Berlin of 1936 was the starting point , BUT , do we want to watch the Chemical Olympics at Rio in 2016 ?

As i pointed out in previous posts " THE CLINIC " could be a force for change , question is , " IS THERE THE DESIRE "?

Adding to this thread is not enough ! Something positive needs to be done BY ALL !


It seems strange to me that no one has chosen to respond to this challenge ! Obviously denigrating others is great sport but being part of the move for change is JUST TOO HARD !

TO THE RACERS !

How many more unexplained deaths must there be , before you as a Combined Community , act to stop the “ SPORTING FRAUD “ that is imposed on you ! We , the fans , know that you are at risk as individuals !

Sport is now Entertainment for the masses and risking your health in the future will not help your families . Making Profit for the Drug Companies and the Event Organisers will not help you as an individual in your retirement , your departing the sporting scene in good health is the only viable option open for your future .

STAND UP TODAY and make a difference !

M.Le President of the French Republique

For the Personal Attention of :

M.Le President of the Republique of France ,Francois Hollande

Your Excellency ,

I should  like  to  congratulate  you  on  your  Election  to  this  office . As the leader of an important Nation such as France your voice will be heard  and be heeded by other Nations in the World  Forum !

During this past week i have been in various locations in the South East of France and seen the efforts to make the roads safer for Cyclists !  Indeed since my last visit to  the 2011 Tour de France i see evidence that there is a desire on the part of the French Authorities to tackle the growing problem of Cyclist Safety . In so many parts of the world , the cyclist is viewed as  `` Road Kill `‘ , an unfortunate set of statistics , that the  Motoring Lobby  would prefer overlooked  !

The TOUR DE FRANCE is a world renowned event  that is enjoyed BY ALL each year and would be the ideal venue to remind ALL ROAD USERS that there is a place on the roads for ALL USERS !

At the Arrivee in Rumilly last night , i had occasion to speak with Chris Prudhomme , Director of  the " TDF " and the " Face and Voice of the TDF " for some years now after the retirement of Jean Marie Leblanc . I first met Chris whilst he was working with France TV and i know that he listened then to my views on Cycling  and my efforts to assist „ " " Handisport " !

My suggestion to him last night , was that "  The LeTour " publicise the Campaign started by the " Times Newspaper of london " which appears to be gaining Worldwide notice and endorsement  " Cities fit for Cycling " !

This campaign was ignored at the „ Giro dÌtalia,  since it is being promoted in Italy , by a rival Newspaper Group . Can you imagine that an errant motorist stricking a Cyclist , cares which  " newspaper " the  Cyclist chooses to read ?

Over the years i have seen too many people become victims of the " ME FIRST " generation ! In these harsh economic times so many French People and other Nationals are having to consider the Cycle as a means of transport , so as to balance their familly budget ! So many people are too frightened to get on a bike because of their fear of the traffic . Indeed during the Giro i met many who have given up Cycling because it has now  become too hazardous , and their families rely on their income .

Victims of Cycling Tragedies come from all walks of life , The Surgeon Father of Cyclist , Tyler Farrar , the Founder of the Willier Cycles  Company , Paul Crake an Australian Cycle Racer , Amy Gillett  , an Olympic Rower turned Cycle Racer , not to forget Wouter Weylandt , who died in the 2011 Giro dÌtalia  . So many day to day Commuters are struck down but do not get a mention since they are part of life`s everyday fabric .

BY YOUR INTERCESSION  ´, The Organisation oft he Tour de France , COULD bring the WORLD MEDIA’s  attention to the plight of the everyday Cyclist , and ensure that the Governments of the World follow France’s efforts to ensure ALL Cyclists arrive home SAFE ,to their family each night !

Many Politicians mean well when they voice their concerns to their Constituents BUT it takes a World Leader to motivate them to act in Concert !

As a humble cyclist , i enjoy the hospitality that the French people of ALL persuasions offer me . I am known to trample on the feet of those who think that my few efforts on behalf of the " Sportive Adaptees " are not worthy of  consideration . I know i would not succeed as a Politician but will continue to turn the pedals at the next " Le Tour " , which is my 15th Tour de France , riding each etappe in full day by day !

WHEN A COP SAYS STOP !

Spent the last three days reading a “ Bicycling Magazine ( http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/when-cop-says-stop ) ” article about an Ohio case where two cyclists were stopped and one was “ Tased “ ! Over 11 pages this article went into some detail as to the happenings on that occasion . Suffice to say that the L aw E nforcement O fficer started off by acting incorrectly and now this matter will be finally settled in a Civil Court Action which will cost the Ohio State a LOT of money !

Some interesting points were raised about the way that Ohio Law operates and the behaviour of the people involved in this case but I am sure that the story could have been told more concisely . What is clear is that a L E O can order you to stop and the best result is that YOU STOP ! The grounds they have to Order you to stop may be a “ figment of their imagination ” but you won’t know this until after the interview has concluded . Whether there was a justification for the order does not matter since they are in the uniform and as citizens we are obliged to respect the uniform and the Laws of the Land . In reading the article it is clear that this particular L E O had not ordered a stop but he thought he had and thus an unfortunate incident occurred .

Considering my own behaviour as to the Police I have always found that complying with their requirements and going along with their assessment of a situation has resulted in minimising the incident . Confronting the L E O only digs them into their corner and thus they can become self righteous and seek to add justification for their behaviour and the outcome then becomes more abrasive for all concerned . Copping a ticket/citation is never a pleasure but then there is the opportunity to contact the authorities to have the matter resolved in a straight forward way rather than having to adjourn elsewhere either voluntarily or otherwise .

When on occasion I have been injured riding the bike I have had to refuse “ Hospitalisation “ because there was no provision for transporting the bike . How can you leave your property on the side of the road somewhere and expect to recover it later ? No way Jose ! Whatever is not “ Nailed down “ will get up and walk away since there are so many charming people out there only so willing to offer a new home to ANYTHING they chance upon of value ! In the article the two bikes were abandoned by the L E O ‘s and only chance saved the day ! So there is another reason to avoid creating a situation where you could lose control of your property .

Over the years of riding the various Cycle Tour routes I have come across so many different attitudes of the L E O ‘s involved in Policing these events . Generally they behave respectfully towards those who are out to ride the route but there have been cases where Juniors have been rigidly officious and I can think of several cases where when stopped I have been told the bike will be impounded if I try to leave the point where stopped . In most cases when stopped I will walk on till out of sight but when confronted with a “ Stand Here ” order it is hard to overcome . Usually I then look to enjoy the hospitality of those on the scene since they have seen the unreasonable behaviour . One occasion on the Tour de France I was given a sumptuous lunch with wine and when the Gendarme involved approached for water ( hoping for better) he was sent away to the local shop . One of the hosts chortled about his getting one back for me but as it turned out we were delayed beyond the “ 15 min prohibition period after the passing of the “ Broom Wagon “ regulation ! A bit of “ tit for Tat threre I think .

Reading the comments attached to the article it was easy to see that this was not there first time the article had been run and there was a series of exchanges in 2010 which could well have been left out since the two parties were too busy slanging each other to contribute value to the debate . From the initial comment by “ NoMoreSlowFiveO ” on 3/09/2010 to 14/09/2010 he responded repeatedly to comments by “ BadBadLeroyBrown ” . Hopefully when this article next appears these nonsenses will have been removed .

Tour de France does the Gendarmerie no favours by having these L E O standing in the same spot for most of the day , rarely in the shade on hot days and exposed to the elements in inclement weather . As to turning Public roads into “ Private Roads ” for the passing of “ Le tour ” one wonders why they cannot follow the example of the “ Tour de Suisse ” and thus not create the problems for the community that result at present . Whilst the Policing forces are busily occupied the criminal elements are having a field day not only badgering people and enterprises to “ BUY ” their nougat and plastic Drapue but perhaps other crimes such as burgularising empty homes and stealing bikes and bike parts and breaking into unattended cars . Of course these activities take place elsewhere but then the response is so much quicker and positive investigation and not a “ incident no ” that will be the outcome when you report to the Insurance Co. your loss in an area where the “ Le Tour ” has visited .

POSTED by Posterous as Blogger continues to give problems !