Lance Armstrong

The truth is, the whole sport knew right from the top, and they accepted it, that all changed because Armstrong, wrongly, believed he was untouchable, and pissed the wrong people off, too many times, it really is as simple as that.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Just watched the two-part ESPN documentary on iPlayer.

Must confess, overall, I quite like him. Did not enter into watching this with any particular preconceptions btw. Remember backing him at one point when he stood accused tbh, but subsequently realised that view was based on ignorance- he’s was clearly a cheat, but otherwise didn’t have a strong view about him.

He came across (somewhat ironically) as pretty honest; and has a decent sense of humour. He looks a pretty good dad too. His son, in particular, is a credit to him. There is much to like and admire about Lance Armstrong, but clearly some pretty dark stuff too, to counter that. He’s a complicated character, but then, aren’t all interesting people?

The whole sport is bent as fuck and it’s not right to make Armstrong the scapegoat for that. He’s the symptom, not the cause.
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You'd think Stalin was a decent bloke if all you'd ever read was his obit in Pravda. The ESPN episodes (and the "interview" with Oprah) were fluff, tightly scripted, twee bollocks to show Armstrong in the best possible light. His faux woe-is-me contrition doesn't cut it. He fought tooth and nail to keep the victories he got through industrial scale cheating (read Tyler Hamilton's book for the ultimate insight into what they were doing). He and his team took it to new levels. Besmirching the names of all who came in his way.
He treated some people in an especially despicable manner - Lemond, O'Reilly, the Andreus.
Cycle of Lies
Wheelmen
7 Deadly Sins
All essential reading to get the full picture of Armstrong.
A Clean Break, tells you how non-doping cyclists were shafted by dopers and the especially vile things Armstrong did to ensure they never won.
He is many things. Honest isn't one of them.
 
johnnytapia said:
You'd think Stalin was a decent bloke if all you'd ever read was his obit in Pravda. The ESPN episodes (and the "interview" with Oprah) were fluff, tightly scripted, twee bollocks to show Armstrong in the best possible light. His faux woe-is-me contrition doesn't cut it. He fought tooth and nail to keep the victories he got through industrial scale cheating (read Tyler Hamilton's book for the ultimate insight into what they were doing). He and his team took it to new levels. Besmirching the names of all who came in his way.
He treated some people in an especially despicable manner - Lemond, O'Reilly, the Andreus.
Cycle of Lies
Wheelmen
7 Deadly Sins
All essential reading to get the full picture of Armstrong.
A Clean Break, tells you how non-doping cyclists were shafted by dopers and the especially vile things Armstrong did to ensure they never won.
He is many things. Honest isn't one of them.
Click to expand...
I was simply saying how he came over in the documentary, having had no particular preconceptions. I like to think I’m a decent judge of character (don’t we all) but I’ll readily admit there’s been plenty of times I’ve been wrong about folk. The odds on this occasion being one of them are pretty short, I’ll happily accept.
 
Putting aside the issues of honesty etc, one of the main reasons he won 7 tours was his sheer dedication to training, fitness, weight. Ullrich had the innate talent, he was a beast but he'd pile it on before and after the tour, boozing, eating himself silly. Asked what he'd be doing on Christmas day, Armstrong didn't blink, "Six hours. In the Alps."
He was also the consummate bike handler. An essential to remaining upright that wasn't seen by all the top pros he raced against.
Placing him in the pantheon of all-time greats is easy - he's distinctly second tier behind Merckx, Hinault, Coppi, Fignon and a couple of others, all multiple tour and Monument Winners.
 
johnnytapia said:
Putting aside the issues of honesty etc, one of the main reasons he won 7 tours was his sheer dedication to training, fitness, weight. Ullrich had the innate talent, he was a beast but he'd pile it on before and after the tour, boozing, eating himself silly. Asked what he'd be doing on Christmas day, Armstrong didn't blink, "Six hours. In the Alps."
He was also the consummate bike handler. An essential to remaining upright that wasn't seen by all the top pros he raced against.
Placing him in the pantheon of all-time greats is easy - he's distinctly second tier behind Merckx, Hinault, Coppi, Fignon and a couple of others, all multiple tour and Monument Winners.
Click to expand...
Bollocks second tier... he’s behind all us greats to, who've fell off because we forgot we had cleats on at red lights.... only great riders do that.
 
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