ryder hesjedal (merged)

Sheppard is a great guy and I was really sad when he got caught doping. He confessed and apologized. But he was caught. There haven't been many that have admitted all without being caught first.

I've been thinking about this the last few days and wondering why I can be so pissed off at Armstrong and not Hesjedal. I think the difference for me is that Armstrong was pretty much sociopathic in his pursuit of ruining the lives of anybody "against him". I don't like that all of these guys are/were cheating, but I'm much more likely to forgive them if they admit it and apologize.

How many clean riders have they destroyed by cheating? Now those guys are living in nice houses and have big bank accounts. How about all the athletes that played by the rules, sacrificed everything knowing damn well what was happening but refused to go there. They are thieves that's all. If they feel really that sorry about it, how about giving back all that money that they don't deserve and give it to those who do.

Mountain biking isn't immune to drug use, it just sounds like they go more recreational vs performance enhancing. I have some friends that work at Washington who were witness to certain high profile freeriders "powdering their noses" at the Bearclaw afterparty. Pretty sad when there aren't many true idols left for our kids to look up to anymore.

I wonder how many clean riders get screwed by these ass holes in every sport not just cycling.

cheat yes. It is against the rules. But I long since gave up on the idea that there are many in the peleton riding clean

I don't feel sorry for him at all. As far as I'm concerned he's not only a cheat but a thief as well. I wonder how many clean riders get screwed by these ass holes in every sport not just cycling.

how many doping scandals are there in pro soccer …too much money at stake

Cool. I can upgrade some mountain bike results from the past…. It will not do me much good now.:dizzy:

Sorry…. Reminds of guys I played ice hockey against. I can accept sorry, we all make mistakes in life. But when the same guy high sticks you in the face over 20 :dizzy:times.Is he really sorry….

how many doping scandals are there in pro soccer …too much money at stake

There's' no way Lionel Messi could be that good without drugs! No way at all.

Mountain biking isn't immune to drug use, it just sounds like they go more recreational vs performance enhancing.

Hesjedal has admitted to doping while he was a mountain biker (XC) before the 2004 Olympics - the timeframe of Rasmussen's (also a montain biker at the time) revelations. (BTW Rassmussen never claimed the Canadians used drugs - just that he showed them how to dope but I think everyone knows the point is moot). He hasn't said anything about his days as a roadie. I am shocked that pro ridres in the FR/Slopestye scene would be using recreational drugs. It seems so out-of-character .. . :( [esarc]

I've got friends that eat and train like its a science for the test of metal and ironman etc. They're crippled for days afterwards. Isn't it obvious that cyclists in the tour are on shit? Doing it day in and out is not possible with chicken and salad.

yeah but you cannot compare local cyclists to the top top echelon of the sport. That is all the pros do is train and rest train and rest. In any sport you will get the genetic freaks at the top. It is a similar head space though. Do all one can do to win or place. I'll stick to buying fancy bikes and parts though. A lot healthier than doping and I don't starve myself or eat awful shit.

Except gutsy would have been to fess up and tell all instead of reinforcing guys like Armstrong's and Rasmussen's faith in Omertà…

My recollection is that Sheppard claimed he only doped to help come back from the accident. Perhaps that was a small part of the story.

My recollection is that Sheppard claimed he only doped to help come back from the accident. Perhaps that was a small part of the story.

Nobody ever dopes to beat other riders and win … there are always extenuating circumstances. :rolleyes:

… that continues to hurt the circus.

fixed your post.

pro-cycling is not a sport, it's a money-making marketing machine. the same can be said for pretty much any high level sport that has big media contracts.

while i appreciate and understand the amount of work these people put in, these competitions are not deserving of the word sport and all that it embodies.

I only watch the TdF because of the beautiful country-side. It's cheaper than vacationing there.

yeah but you cannot compare local cyclists to the top top echelon of the sport. That is all the pros do is train and rest train and rest. In any sport you will get the genetic freaks at the top.

That's what Lemond said. Everyone else dopes, but he was blessed with amazing physical strengths.

Interesting post on Ryder from the always opinionated Steve Tilford, especially the part about JV taking him to task in the summer for saying that Ryder doped in the past. Especially interesting given JV's stance about being honest and coming clean with his team's past activities.

http://stevetilford.com/2013/10/31/remorseful-ryder-hesjedal/