Andy Schleck retires
Andy Schleck retires
Shame really, enjoyed his battles with Contador.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... al-cycling
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... al-cycling
- petemarshall
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- Real Name: Pete Marshall
- Location: Stourbridge
- petemarshall
- Posts: 663
- Joined: 17 Jan 2014 16:40
- Real Name: Pete Marshall
- Location: Stourbridge
You wouldn't be the only one to make this point.Tim wrote:Am I the only one that thinks he was on drugs when he was decent?
He's done nothing since 2010 when he flew up the Tourmallet with Contador the day after the dodgy steak was consumed. Bruyneel was his DS. His brother failed a test too. All points to drugs for me.
If his drop in form is purely down to no longer using EPO or other blood doping, then it would imply all the other GC riders still are (and I would say, on the balance of probabilities, this remains the case ).
As far as steroid use goes, his team is not a member of MCC so he can continue the steroids just with TUE's which are easy enough to get.
I don't think his performance drop of can purely be down to no longer doping as he seems to have psychological problems coping with competition, something that was there from the start.
But no doubt he will eventually write a book and tell all (missing out the doping and blaming everyone else)
- Philip Whiteman
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Schleck
Team sky won't sign up to mpcc either they haven't really performed this yr. I think if we want to keep the sport clean we have to assume that some people don't dope. The sport needs to move forward and away from doping.
Pain is temporary!
- petemarshall
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Re: Schleck
Sky don't sign because they make regular use of steroids and would have to suspend riders for 8 days if they were signed up. It may be legal but it's still doping.carl wrote:Team sky won't sign up to mpcc either they haven't really performed this yr. I think if we want to keep the sport clean we have to assume that some people don't dope. The sport needs to move forward and away from doping.
Only when the win at all costs culture is changed will doping be seriously addressed. In the meantime my assumption, that I have made since following the pro sport, that most pros will do whatever ittakes to be cocompetitive remains. Blaming the individual is pretty pointless. Punish the team, end the use of TUE'S in competition and you may start to really address the issue.
On the positive side, cyclists can win clean, unlike many other sports.
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This should helpLes Ladbury wrote:Philip can you explain this please. Not at all sure what you mean.Philip Whiteman wrote:It is quite simple. Andy Schleck originates from Luxembourg. It is more than a coincidence that Luxembourg is also an enthusiastic member of the EU.
http://www.ukip.org/splash2?splash=1
Like Tim and others, I have always felt that his associations with known dopers and the downturn in his form just when many of his associates were getting their collars felt by WADA looked a little too coincidental.
And like Pete, I always found his moaning and generally sour public demeanour unendearing.
He's by no means the first natural climber to be somewhat lacking in TTs. But what always amazed me was what appeared to be a steadfast refusal to do anything about it. There's only so much that specialist training can achieve if you don't have a tester's physiology, but time and again we would be treated to pictures of him in TTs sitting up like a commuter on a Brompton. Riding like that, he would have had to be putting out 10% MORE watts than his rivals just to match their time. It's inconceivable to me that no one was telling a top pro like Schleck that his position was crap. So what explanations does that leave us for his crap position? I can only think of two: either he had some usual physical difficulty getting into a TT tcu, or he was a twat.
And like Pete, I always found his moaning and generally sour public demeanour unendearing.
He's by no means the first natural climber to be somewhat lacking in TTs. But what always amazed me was what appeared to be a steadfast refusal to do anything about it. There's only so much that specialist training can achieve if you don't have a tester's physiology, but time and again we would be treated to pictures of him in TTs sitting up like a commuter on a Brompton. Riding like that, he would have had to be putting out 10% MORE watts than his rivals just to match their time. It's inconceivable to me that no one was telling a top pro like Schleck that his position was crap. So what explanations does that leave us for his crap position? I can only think of two: either he had some usual physical difficulty getting into a TT tcu, or he was a twat.
- Philip Whiteman
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Quite!Tim wrote:
Just the Vino/Astana shadow looming large now
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... uci-139200
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Ed Moss wrote:This should helpLes Ladbury wrote:Philip can you explain this please. Not at all sure what you mean.Philip Whiteman wrote:It is quite simple. Andy Schleck originates from Luxembourg. It is more than a coincidence that Luxembourg is also an enthusiastic member of the EU.
http://www.ukip.org/splash2?splash=1[/qu
I'm not sure what the rantings of Nigel Frarage aka Nigel the Clown, have got to do with AS.
Do please enlighten me.
BTW at the moment I am sat in a bar in another EU member country, the sun is shining. What's the weather doing in Blighty ?
On another tack.
Why is there no interest in the Tour of Spain, World Road Champs, Tour of Lombardy with a great win by Dan Martin and the Paris/Tours but as soon as there is mention of drugs so many become experts. I'm once again puzzled.
Les