Pro Cycling - what does the future hold?

[roadking]

I have a view on this, but wondered what RBers thoughts are given the Lance Armstrong scandal - the scandal unravels further: it's been running for ages.

Together with Rabobank pulling out of sponsoring the sport; it is only a matter of time before other sponsors pull their funding.

Remember, it's all about the money.

Thoughts?

Roadking.

 

[NeilM]

I think it's all pretty interesting stuff.

It's really shaking the sport to it's core, which desperately needs to happen. The fly in the ointment is the UIC, who keep issuing statements to the effect of "I have my fingers in my ears and my eyes tight shut, la la la la la , I CAN'T HEAR YOU"

Can you imagine the IOC acting the same way in 2012?

 

[Deax]

Sorry NeilM - struggling to read the tone of the IOC comment.

Was it supposed to be sarcastic? Why? Because of Hein Verbruggen who is entrenched in both organisations.

If you've not yet encountered the Velocast and are interested in the governance of the sport, it's a great place to stop by:

http://velocastcc.squarespace.com/

In the post `post peloton' podcast, Scott discusses the issues.

Strap in, it's going to be a rocky couple of weeks with the UCI responding to the USADA report on Monday (about midday, I believe) and the result of Padua investigation that will take the problems way beyond US Postal and LA (due around the end of the month - but Gazzetta dello Sport is previewing the findings at the moment).

 

[NeilM]

I wasn't being sarcastic, but then I didn't realise that Verbruggen is involved in IOC... so in hindsight maybe inadvertent sarcasm.

 

[dutchie]

Don't worry. ofcours Rabobank did a a very good job for Dutch Cycling, not only professional but in all kinds of the sport during the past 17 years.
However, it is not the first time in Holland sponsors do stop sponsoring. In the early '70 both pro-teams of that time did stop, Caballero as well as Willem II-Gazelle. And the year after all went on. There always will be sponsors waiting to dive into the gap which others create. As I understood Giant is already ancious to do so in the Rabo case. It will not be so that the Rabo team will ride in white tricots next year. So, dont make Rabobank more important than it is.

 

[Rich34]

Here in France the point that seems to have been missed in the coverage I've seen is that this is now in the past. It might be coming to light now but relates to doping that was missed a few years ago. It seems to be widely acknowledged that cycle racing is now cleaner than ever.

I think the UCI are in for as "difficult" a time as Lance Armstrong. Reports I've seen suggest that Armstrong was given more warning of imminent tests than other riders, and that the UCI had wind of this some time ago.

As for cycle racing, it's bigger than one man, and even several sponsors. The grass roots cycling scene seems to be as healthy as ever and TV viewers who aren't cycling fans have no idea of the sort of year-round activity that goes on, when they're only aware of three weeks in July. Sponsors can leave, and have done in the past, but their places will be taken by others.

 

[Robbied196]

The same question was being raised 45 years ago after the death of Tom Simpson.

Here we are 45 years later...same shit, different day

 

[john]

It's a mess that's for sure. Cycling does seem fairly unique in it's ability to shoot itself in the foot over doping. The sport has probably never been cleaner yet what happened 10, 15, 20 years ago is dominating the headlines.

There certainly needs to be a change at the UCI. Although surely such a change has been needed for years but has not been forthcoming. That said the UCI and FIFA seem to have a lot in common, veering from scandal to scandal and back again yet both sports seem to be doing OK. Football in particular...

it is only a matter of time before other sponsors pull their funding

Let's hope not. You have wonder if Rabobank pulled the plug because of a 10 year old scandal or because it was a good excuse. I expect the latter.


As an aside wonder why nobody goes after Indurain?

 

[hamster]

I think Indurain has some form of sainthood because the guy was always so quiet and modest.
It's weird, while I suspect that he probably had some form of chemical encouragement, I wouldn't want to see his name dragged through the dirt. Odd. :?

As a contrary view, possibly cycling would be better off without so much money. The incentives to cheat would certainly be smaller... :?

Ah, jerseys for goalposts....etc. Dons rose-tinted spectacles...

 

[Anthony]

It's a mess that's for sure. Cycling does seem fairly unique in it's ability to shoot itself in the foot over doping. The sport has probably never been cleaner yet what happened 10, 15, 20 years ago is dominating the headlines.

There certainly needs to be a change at the UCI. Although surely such a change has been needed for years but has not been forthcoming. That said the UCI and FIFA seem to have a lot in common, veering from scandal to scandal and back again yet both sports seem to be doing OK. Football in particular...

it is only a matter of time before other sponsors pull their funding

Let's hope not. You have wonder if Rabobank pulled the plug because of a 10 year old scandal or because it was a good excuse. I expect the latter.

As an aside wonder why nobody goes after Indurain?

I agree. I hate hypocrisy. Everybody knew they all took drugs, nobody did much to stop it. I have always believed that Armstrong took drugs, but no more or less than anybody else in the top twenty. That was the sport. He was still a great champion. Now he will be villified and disgraced and who will all his titles be given to? Somebody who took just as much drugs as he did.

It's always the same. The authorities mess up, but when they're found out they don't blame themselves, instead they lash out at those who played the game by the rules they imposed at the time. I believe the authorities are the ones to blame, more than the riders and teams.