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Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand

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Bruce E Hildenbrand

Say What?

Posted by Bruce E Hildenbrand on Jul 10, 2007 8:10:00 PM

I made a resolution not to talk about doping anymore during the Tour, but I just couldn't let this one pass.

 

Several weeks ago Tour organizers asked Bjarne Riis to return his 1996 TdF yellow jersey since he admitted to doping to win the race. Several days ago Lance Armstrong wondered why the same Tour organizers didn't ask French riders Bernard Thevenet and Richard Virenque to return their jerseys. Thevenet admitted that he used steriods to defeat Eddy Mercxk and win the Tour in 1975 and 1977. Virenque, who holds the record for winning the most polka-dot mountains jerseys, admitted to using EPO when he was with the Festina team. Very good question, Lance!

 

Well today, Thevenet fired back. In an Associated Press interview, Thevenet, who is now an official with Tour said, "It was thought that just like riders take vitamins, for example, they should take cortisone and anabolic steroids...It wasn't to get a boost, but...to recuperate."

 

Exsqueeze me?!?! The Tour organizers are crucifying Floyd Landis for testing positive at the 2006 edition of the race. Anybody want to take a guess at the substance Floyd is accused to have taken? Last time I checked, testosterone is a steroid and its main purpose is to aid in recovery. So, is Thevenet saying that if Floyd had won the 1976 Tour instead of 2006, it would have been OK? Is Floyd's only crime, if you believe he is guilty, that he was born 30 years too late?

 

The situation is so bizarre, it is almost laughable unless, of course, you are Floyd Landis. Whether you believe Floyd is guilty or not, you just have to wonder how anyone can get a fair shake when so much duplicity exists out there.

 

OK, back to your regularly scheduled programming. What a great win by Cancellara on Stage 3! Yes, he was protecting his yellow jersey by being near the front and closing the gap on the breakaway, but it would have been very easy for him to sit up once the four riders were in sight and rest up for the podium ceremony. Rocketing past the indecisive breakaway and holding the best sprinters in the world at bay was simply incredible! If, somehow, you didn't think that Fabian earned the yellow jersey by destroying the field in the prologue, there can be no disagreement that, at this point in the race, he is the man who should wear the golden fleece! Bravo!

 

Ever Upward,

 

Bruce

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Comments (5)
Jul 10, 2007 11:26 PM Guest Dave K.  says:

Great observation, Bruce.  It all makes me sick, especially in light of the expected "death sentence" that will probably be handed to Floyd. 

Keep up the good work!
Jul 11, 2007 6:18 AM Rittah Rittah    says:

And I agree completely on Cancellara.  What a great ride and a very deserving couple of days in yellow.  He seems like a likeable guy...I hope he can hang on and continue to make some noise this year.
Jul 11, 2007 6:52 AM Guest Luc  says:

The hypocricy of the tour organisers and the UCI is unbelievable. It will not produce a cure for the supposed ills of cycling by going back in time because what will happen is that the french will be treated one way (like Thevenet and Virenque) and the rest of the world will be treated differently (like Riis and Landis, although i don't believe FL doped).   The way to go ahead is not by looking back.  Get some foolproof, reproducible testing procedures and test everyone with basic rights given to the athletes.  I agree that it was nice to see Cancellera pull another stage win off and then give credit to his boss Bjarne Riis.  Class.
Jul 11, 2007 2:29 PM Guest martha sumner  says:

Interesting comments. I actually disagree with your comments on Floyd. What happened in the seventies has little relevance to the race today....what may have been considered OK in those days has certainly changed today... you cannot compare otherwise you would be making the same comment about most things in life...IE: it was OK to smoke in restaurants in the seventies and there was no such thing as second hand smoke disease...now it is illegal to smoke in restaurants and you can be thrown in jail or fined for such illegal practices

Or...it was OK to smack your children in the early seventies...today you would be thrown in jail....times have changed

Sorry Bruce...your argument has way too many holes in it.
Jul 13, 2007 10:28 AM Bruce E Hildenbrand Bruce E Hildenbrand    says:

Martha,

 

Steroids were illegal back 30 years ago when Thevenet was taking them.  It was interesting to see his revisionist rationalization on why it was OK.  One other point I was trying to make was that the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and some members of the public are trying to link Floyd's positive test for testosterone with his incredible performance on Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour.  Floyd and his defense team have maintained from the beginning that testosterone does not make you go fast.  It was interesting to see Thevent's comments that he used steroids (of which testosterone is one) for recovery, basically supporting the claim by Landis.

 

Bruce

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