UPCOMING WEEK's EVENTS !

Today , Sunday , i look at the " Steephill Website " and see that there is a huge amount of articles relating to the " USADA reasoned decision "! Well Monday we have the UCI answering that report and then on Wednesday there is the Presentation of the 100th edition of " Le Tour "!

 Media is going to go BERSERK , trying to outdo each other in trumpeting their take on whart comes out of these events ! Having been outside of the Media Centre in Brittany in 2011 as Contador arrived for a Press Conference with Bjarne Riis i can tell you that these people get hysterical and push and shove each other . As several tripped over each other , falling to the ground with their equipment , i was able to walk up to Alberto , shake hands , wish him luck , and walk away , before they had sorted themselves !

Will those attending on Monday show any more restraint ? Will heinous attend to answer any questions related to the windfall that he is reported to have received ? You know , that US$1/2Million , that the mechanic told Katy LeMond , which she reported whilst under Oath ? Will any of the "prats of Aigle " discuss their action on 12th Dec , in the Aigle Court , relating to Paul kimmage ?

Last week in My blog :  tourdafrance , i wrote Chris Prudhomme , asking him to consider some action relating to the results from 1990 through to present day . Seems he has been too busy to reply . hopefully we will see more than the Armstrong Era , adjusted !

My Blog Post containing the Letter to Chris follows :


  "  Paris 24th October is the setting of the Presentation of the 100th Edition of Le Tour and reports are rife as to the contents of Chris Prudhomme's speech .

Here isthe letter i am sending him on the basis of the speculation on setting aside "Le Tour" results !

"  Greetings

As you prepare to present the 100th Edition of “ Le Tour “on 24th October 2012 , it may be as well to reflect on the effects that Doping has had on the validity of the results over the years !

Media are speculating that you will announce that the results from 1999  through 2005 will be set aside as a result of the USADA report , recently released . This  comprehensive report would justify your actions . This will be just the latest of many occasions when the “ Le Tour “ results had to be set aside ,  my information is that this will be the fourth time , with an occasion in the 1930(?)’s , 2006 , 2010 , being the other occasions !

EPO is significantly different to other forms of Doping and reports are that it came to be used in the late 1980s and then in the early 1990s became rife . Who is to know that the result of the 1990 “ Le Tour “ was influenced by “ EPO use “?  Certainly there are questionable personalities included in the top 10 of each year from 1990 .

Miguel Indurain is a monument of Cycling , yet there are some who claim that he has blots on his Sporting record and others have pointed the finger at Greg Lemond . Both of these Sportsmen may be totally blameless , but the environment they were competing in was definitely suspect ! Doubtful that it would be a popular decision , to question their reputation in 2012 ?

With the support staff that surround you , it would be surprising if you were not aware of ALL the rumours in the Cycling World ? Can you afford to wait until the presentation of the 2014 “Edition of Le Tour “ to act on those doubtful years filled with Marco Pantani , Jan Ulrich and Bjarne Riis ?

Can “ ASO “ act in a forthright manner , and determine a “ DOPE FREE FUTURE “ , by asserting it’s right , to only invite those RACERS who have PUBLICLY stated they are “ untainted by Doping “ , with prosecution for Perjury and a LIFE TIME BAN as the penalty ?

There is no “ level playing field “ in Sport BUT “ ASO “ can set a benchmark for those that wish to compete in the “100th Edition of “Le Tour “!

Sincerely 

Skippy Mc Carthy


Some other peoples’ thoughts on who should replace Lance Armstrong in the years 1999 to 2005 :

http://scotslawthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/if-not-armstrong-who-won-the-tour-de-france-or-tour-dutopia-from-1999-to-2005/

http://150wattsofawesome.blogspot.co.at/2012/09/lance-armstrong-aftermath.html

The following source of current events is worth a visit :

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/usada-lance-armstrong-doping-case/


No doubt the " UCI " will wish to make their views known !

NB There were other letters in the past that you did not choose to answer , so i expect nothing this time ! Speaking to you face to face , is not an option at this time , but as an " advocate for Paralympic Sport " i was delighted with the result of the " 2012 Paralympic Games " , which demonstrated that the Public , want to see more from Para Athletes , even at " Able Bodied Events .

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 .

NOVITZSKY is at Work !

TEXAS Monthly's Micheal Hall is pushing the boat out trying to link Lance to a lot of " hearsay, supposition and innuendo " according to "Cyclechic of CNF " ! The article she is espousing is from November 2010 saying that there would be action in January 2011 ! So far i see little of Hall's predictions becoming reality although the " mushroom farm " continues to work itself into a frenzy .

Links to the article :

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-11-01/michaelhall.php

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-11-01/michaelhall-2.php


During the past days we have seen the demise of one of the most successful road race cycle teams , HTC ,through lack of interest in " Sponsoring " Cycling Sport . Novitzsky can hardly be credited with this event BUT he has created uncertainty where there should be none ! Just about any Stage race that the " HTC team " enters a member of that squad will visit the podium perhaps each day in some cases .

Whilst there is this uncertainty created by those delving in the past Cycle Racers will now be scrambling to secure their future in 2012 if not for additional seasons . UCI & WADA are content to let the " Contador " matter drag but other racers are being dealt with in a timely way and this must weigh on the minds of those deciding where to invest to maximise their returns from " Sponsorship " of sport .

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Consistent snow is the outlook this weekend which gives me a chance whilst watching the Alpine Ski Racing to review some of the news from the past week.

Jon Vaughters wrote an interesting article about Sponsorship and Team rankings mid week and then this morning I read that Pegasus( new Aussie team) are not only missing out on the Pro Tour Status but possibly the Pro Continental ranking also. Racers of the calibre of Robbie Mc Ewen could well be side lined by this decision and this will defeat the Sponsors prime objective for setting up the team , which was apparently to contest the Grand Tours in 2011. There is something to be said about BMC Team‘s approach to the Pro Tour in that they started out as Continental and worked their way up through Pro Continental to Pro Tour Status. Sponsors are all interested in “Return on Investment” no matter what else they say and gravitating to teams that are constantly in the news and presented on TV is the main objective of any commercial decision. Since 2000 when I visited John Morris in Sydney and told him that “Australian Tourism” should sponsor a team, I have been waiting to see an Aussie team at the Grand Tours, but it is looking bleak for 2011 at this time.

Contador continues to be in the news as Spanish Sport in general is having a successful period, but with the latest Police Raids and confiscations the tide of sympathy even in Spain must be turning against him. An article about an Italian Cyclist caught my eye because the Italian Authorities are going after the whole family. Lampre are unlucky to have had several Cyclists over the years become casualties of their desire to take short cuts. Gerolsteiner was a team that collapsed because of lack of sponsors due to several of their roster who were either thought they were too smart to get caught or too greedy, and each of these individuals blame all but themselves.

This week I commented on Contador and suggested that either UCI boss Pat Mc Quaid bite the bullet and bring his desire for 4 yr suspensions to reality or resign and allow a stronger personality to get the job done. Seeing that CONI the Italian Organisation taking a firmer stand about doping came as a surprise but I hope that they will continue to prosecute families and supporters in the future instead of their previous wishy washy defence of their “Sporting Fraudsters” ! High Profile Athletes are the idols of the young and impressionable and thus when they behave badly we have a new generation of “copycat behaviour” which is detrimental to all regardless of the sport. Having been somewhat of an oddity since 1998 I have had access to some of the Prime Movers In Cycling and have advocated more Drug Testing and Longer Suspension periods since I first visited UCI offices in Lausanne during 1999. What effect I have had on their thinking is obvious in that nothing appears to have changed since then except the names being suspended and the drugs and methods they use.

Sporting Fraud is a Criminal Activity whether by individual or by team it deserves being treated by draconian measures, the athletes involved and their “handlers” are petty thieves and just as you would lock up a burglar or drink driver these miscreants deserve a spell behind bars. Fact is the prisons are full so being locked in the house with an Ankle Tag Electronic Device for 4 years causing the family grief would save the community money and serve as a warning to any athlete contemplating similar activities. Andy Schleck was 2nd at the TDF but I know that IF “pistolero” is suspended he will not wish to wear No 1 at the Start of the TDF in July 2011. Most of the prestige in winning the TDF is being able to make that triumphant Lap of Honour on the Champs Elysee on the final day, being deprived of that by the likes of flandis must have been hugely disappointing to the eventual winner.

Over the years I have written to various Heads of State to ask them to call for a Moratorium from prosecution on the Drugs Question, “Drip, Drip, Drip “ seems to be the order of the day , pass the 10 year cut off period and then put your hand up to usage when there is no longer risk of prosecution. Continually hearing of these criminal activities does not encourage the public to believe that the fight against drugs is being waged let alone won. Several countries have put penalties for “Sporting Fraud” into their legislative powers in recent years but there are too many out there still awaiting the end of their 10 years to get their transgressions out in the open. Proclaiming a World Wide Moratorium for all SPORT with a time limit and then the removal of the current cut off point will cause many a head line but should put an end to this blight with which Clean Athletes have to contend . Those with the skeleton in the cupboard will face a bleak future with Draconian sentences when found out if they refuse the “Olive Branch”.

Cycle Safety is another area that needs far more attention, too many cyclists are being bullied by those who most likely also rode a bike whilst growing old enough to earn the PRIVELEGE of a driving license. What is it with these people who fail to leave their starting point with time enough to arrive safely at their destination. Life isn’t about how much aggravation you cause as you spend your day and it certainly doesn’t require causing others harm. The Cycling Silk Blog recently has come to be a series of items about a thug who the authorities refuse to investigate let alone censure.

English authorities handle formal complaints from the public with an eye to how much time and resources they will use in resolving the matter. Being presented with Video evidence by a prominent member of the legal profession and treating this material with disdain sends the wrong message to the rest of the cycling community. When you or I get on our bike we wish to be treated equally and fairly by road users and deserve to be penalised for transgressions but when the authorities treat cyclists as a lower form of life then all the encouragement by politicians for us to get on the bike are frustrated.

Martin Porter QC is not only a cycle commuter but cycle racer and with his knowledge of the law deserves more respect from the authorities he is attempting to involve in prosecuting the miscreant who not only abused him but threatened to kill him., currently he is looking for action by the head of the English Criminal Prosecution Service with the support of a variety of cycling organisations.

Found this in the Irish press!

Seems like i am not the only rider frustrated by events!

Nicolas Roche is fast becoming a force to be watched at Major Tours.



"If John Gadret is found dead in his hotel room in the morning, I will probably be the primary suspect. The 31-year-old French climber has been a team-mate of mine at Ag2r for the past two years.

Although we never had more than what you could call a workmanlike relationship, we never had any reason to fall out or take a dislike to each other over the past two years. But after today's stage, as he sat beside me on the team bus I had great difficulty in not putting his head through the nearest window.

Today was yet another really tough mountain stage, with the summit of a massive mountain coming just 20kms from the finish.

At 25km long, the ascent of the Port de Bales is one of those climbs that is too hard to rank and is classed as an Hors Category climb. If anyone was going to attack the leaders today, this is where it would be.

As usual, the Saxo Bank team of yellow jersey Andy Schleck set a fast tempo on the climb and the peloton began to lose riders out the back door.

I knew that if I could hang on going over the top, I could take a lot of time out of some of the guys in front of me on the overall classification and move up a few places from my overnight position of 14th overall.

Halfway up the climb, I was riding pretty comfortably in the Contador and Schleck group and some of the guys ahead of me like Basso and Kloden were beginning to struggle. As most of the other team leaders were left on their own, I was looking to move into the top 10 overall and still had Gadret with me for support. Or so I thought.

Six kilometres from the top of the climb, just as the pace began to increase at the front, I punctured a front wheel. I pulled over to the side of the road and as Gadret was riding behind me, I asked him for his wheel as he rode alongside.

This is a perfectly normal request if the team car is not around. To save time, a team-mate will often give his team leader a wheel or even his bike if necessary. I have done it plenty of times over the years, as have most cyclists, amateur or professional, at some stage in their careers.

As our team car was No 11 in the cavalcade and it would take a lot of time for them to get to me through the streams of dropped riders, I asked Gadret -- who was there to help me -- for his wheel. I couldn't believe what happened next. He just shook his head and said 'Non'. At first I thought he was joking, but soon realised he wasn't when he kept riding past me.

As my team manager, Vincent Lavenu, in the car behind shouted into Gadret's earpiece to wait, I took my wheel out and waited for a new one. All the time the group -- including Gadret -- was riding up the mountain, away from me.

After what seemed like an eternity, I eventually got a front wheel off the yellow Mavic neutral service car. Because the Mavic cars have to service any rider that needs a wheel or is in mechanical difficulty when their team car can't get to them, they don't have their wheels set up to fit everybody's frames instantly.

My wheel change took way longer than normal as the mechanic unscrewed the wheel's skewer to fit my front fork. At this stage, I was like a bull. I hopped back on my bike only to discover that my new wheel had been put in at an angle and was rubbing off the brake blocks. I leaned down and opened my front brake and, fuelled by rage, started passing groups on the climb.

All I could think of was getting to the finish as quickly as possible. Rage alone though, wasn't going to get me back up to the front of the race. Unbelievably, Gadret had attacked Schleck and Contador near the top, even though there was a group five minutes up the road and he had absolutely no chance of winning the stage.

Vincent was still screaming in our earpieces, calling Gadret every name under the sun and telling him to wait for me on the descent and help me claw back some time on the long run in to the finish. Gadret, though, just ignored him and kept riding.

Encouragement

There were loads of Irish flags on the climb and the encouragement from the fans, some of whom were wearing GAA jerseys, spurred me on even more. I flew up the last kilometre and having passed lots of riders on the way up, I found myself on my own on the descent. I nearly killed myself on the first two corners because in my state of rage and frustration I had forgotten that my front brake was still open.

I had to tighten it as I was descending, which slowed me down again. I spent the rest of the stage on my own, chasing like a madman. I didn't know who I had passed or who was in front of me. I could see world champion Cadel Evans up the road and was fixated on catching him next but the line came too quickly.

I had finished almost eight minutes behind stage winner Thomas Voeckler but more importantly, I lost between three and five minutes to some of the guys that I should have put time into and dropped three places to 17th.

My team-mate Lloyd Mondory had also been in the early break and did a fantastic job to get fourth on the stage. Lloyd is a sprinter and this wasn't his type of stage at all, so to get fourth was a tremendous ride and even though I was angry at Gadret, I was really happy for Lloyd.

After the stage, I reminded Vincent that Gadret was on the team for another two years, and that I hoped he never asked me for anything again, because I would not forget today for a long time. Gadret finished three minutes ahead of me and now lies just two places and two minutes behind me. He is the first French rider overall. Maybe he wants to be the first Ag2r rider too.

By the time I got onto the team bus, Vincent was already in the middle of a blazing row with Gadret.

Although I wanted to smash his head in, and had visions of a baldy French climber exiting through the windscreen, I let Vincent do his job as team manager and said nothing. I got off the bus as quickly as possible and travelled to the hotel in the team car. I couldn't stand to be near him. I will have to keep my hands in my pockets at the dinner table.

Although I am too angry to have thought about it properly yet, I will possibly have to go on the attack now to gain back the time I lost today. If I want to finish in the top 15, I have two options.

I can hang in there on the climbs and hope some of the guys in front of me blow up like they did today, or I can get in an early move and try to stay away to the finish, taking back a bit of time.

I know a move like this can be suicidal and can cost you a lot of time, but I want to finish in the top 15. I'm 17th, so I have nothing to lose.

Looking forward to seeing a strong result that will make your Old Man proud!