As a newbie to cycling, I decided to follow the sport in more detail. I was going to watch the Santos Tour Down under but couldn't find it on TV or even free streaming online. Not to worry, there are more races to follow and the big one the Tour De France. Actually, one tour i watched last year was the Vuelta De Espana where I got great enjoyment watching fellow Irish man Nicolas Roche put in a good performance. It's way easier to get more enthusiastic about the sport if you are rooting for someone.
I'm not a book reader, in fact the current number of books I completed to this day could be counted on one hand with one finger (Famous Five), but new year, new me. My first book for 2011 is Lance Armstrong's 'Every Seconds Count'. I selected this book for many reasons. Nearly everyone knows him.. Battle with Cancer.. 7 time winner of Tour De France and allegations with doping allegations. I have nearly a 100 pages read so far and deeply finding it a great read, then i come online to find more allegations against Lance Armstrong made by Sports Illustrated. Latest claim about an unidentified drug that worked better than EPO. Yes, 12 years since his first tour and they come up with this. Why now? sure the drug was created by and abolished by Baxter in 1998. Test were done on this experimental drug 'HemAssist' and showed no improvement for any cyclist but when your Lance Armstrong and 7 time world champion. You must be a cheat.
There has being a major crackdown on drugs in the cycling sport and it is brilliant to get rid of the cheats. I suppose it is becoming one of the cleanest professional sports and can hold its head up high. When it comes to solving accusations it can dip that head again. Latest major case has to be the latest Tour De France winner, Contador. Traces of clenbuterol found in system. Used for asthma's suffers to help them to breathe. For the amount that was found in him, lets just say if i get an asthma attack and that's all that is left in the inhaler, PLEASE CALL A DOCTOR.
The fact of the matter is not that he was 400 times under a dosage that would give him any benefit but further investigation is going on forever which could result in him missing the next tour De France. Next month there is meant to be a decision but that might not be a final decision. Sure why not drag it over till the 2012 tour
I guess when people asks rider what does it mean to be a Tour De France winner? they will reply: 'accused cheater'. Unless he is French.
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