+0
10-04-2025 15:15
10-04-2025 15:06
+2
10-04-2025 01:49
10-04-2025 01:36
+5
28-03-2025 18:02
+6
28-03-2025 13:48
+1
26-03-2025 17:05
21-03-2025 15:10
19-03-2025 15:35
13-03-2025 16:14
+0
Barney
Someone like David Walsh, who was the point person in the Sky Team coverup? When there was money and fame in bringing down Armstrong, he went for that. Then he sold that crusader image to Sky. And then renounced them. The guy has made more money from athletes and doping without ever once competing himself, having to take drugs, or even stand for a single principle. He is no different than Novitzsky, who was pivotal in the Armstrong investigations, and helped put Marion Jones in jail. Now he is full-time in the coverup business for the UFC.10-04-2025 15:15
+0
Barney
Do you think that making results provisional for 10 years makes for good sport? Or in any way remotely fairer, or safer?10-04-2025 15:06
+2
Barney
It's kinda crazy that people who make a living in professional sport don't understand how competition works. You have the sport. You have pharmaceuticals which may improve performance. You test for as many as you can. If you pass the tests, you keep your result. It's only in cycling that a substantial minority think that all results should be provisional for 15 years. In nearly every other sport, people watch and enjoy what they see, or if they don't like what goes into producing what they see, they don't watch.10-04-2025 01:49
+0
Barney
It is pretty cool that a Grand Tour rider is even riding Paris-Roubaix, much less in the discussion for a podium. This is a throwback across many generations of cyclists to the pillars of Hinault and Merckx. Enjoy it while it lasts.10-04-2025 01:36
+5
Barney
I loved De Vlaeminck back in the day, but I have to agree with him: he probably is a little burned out. I don't see him winning much this year.28-03-2025 18:02
+6
Barney
I think Hinault is right: Pogacar is the first rider since he and Merckx who can win such a wide variety of races with such audacity and verve. I hope by the time he is done, Pog is widely acknowledged at the greatest of all time. Unlike Merckx and Hinault who were (probably necessarily in their era) pretty unpleasant characters, Pog is a cool, refreshingly humble guy who routinely thanks his teammates after they've taken their last bleedout pull for the day, gives bottles to little kids in the middle of a solo breakaway, walks around and congratulates his competitors at the finish, win or lose. There will always be those within the peloton and fanbase who resent his success, but he seems genuinely well-liked. He seems like the antidote to past other dominant champions who still inspire bitterness or disappointment. That said, Paris-Roubaix is a race that is both dangerous and requires a lot of specialized experience. I hope he stays upright.28-03-2025 13:48
+1
Barney
I hope Wout can come back. He has had 3 terrible crashes--not on par with Froome or Bernal, but at his level just a fraction of a percent is all that separates the grand champions of this new generation. Even if he is back all the way physically, those abrupt confrontations with pavement and mortality take a psychic toll, especially for a father of young kids.26-03-2025 17:05
+1
Barney
I understand that MSR is a monument, a beautiful race with rich tradition. But it's just too easy for the modern peloton, who can handle the distance while still reserving enough firepower to essentially sprint up the Cipressa and Poggio. These two climbs that would challenge most fit cyclists when fresh are just bumps to top riders now. As a result, the tactics are super-predictable: stay out of trouble and avoid road furniture for hours, ride off the tired guys on the Cipressa, then rip the Poggio. This means that tricky descent is raced full gas, whether someone has a gap or is in a small group. I get that pro cycling is super-dangerous, but having the finale come down to someone like Mahoric putting his season (and possibly career) on the line is too much.21-03-2025 15:10
+6
Barney
It's hard to believe this guy ran a successful team with his penchant for airing private discussions in public, and not just adding to existing conflicts, but creating entirely new ones. I am curious if that ever served to improve individual performance, or team cohesion.19-03-2025 15:35
+1
Barney
Yep. But if you hit something stationary at 40 mph, your life is changed. And even just sliding ... the fastest I ever crashed was 35 mph in a race, and it was almost 2 months before the last scabs disappeared. These guys heal much faster, but the pain is the same. I am hoping P is more careful so that he has a long career that ends when he decides. But he doesn't seem built that way.13-03-2025 16:14