Le Tour de France

[PaulTheSoave]

Euro 2008?

I´ve always been good on predictions, haha

[Kathrin]

yes, and in general

[PaulTheSoave]

Der Jan is an icon, whatever happened.

[berolina]

Sorry my friend, but you are talking cr@p here. Sorry for the expression. Normally when someone recovers from the brink of death, one can come out stronger than ever before, because he has created more immunity in his body.

Oh, well, I have to second attilahun here. I think Armstrong cheated, but legally. I suppose he got like dozens of pharmaceuticals prescribed a healthy cycler wouldn't get legally.

I am talking from my own experience as my daylights nearly went out in 2000, recovered and having a better sport condition nowadays than before 2000.
[...]

So what kind of top-level sport do you do, besides snooker?

[Kathrin]

Der Jan is an icon, whatever happened.

Der Jan is a freaking idiot. Not confessing it is like Kindergarten. He rather lives with all the rumours but he could easily stop it by saying the truth and then live happily ever after.

[berolina]

Der Jan is a freaking idiot. Not confessing it is like Kindergarten. He rather lives with all the rumours but he could easily stop it by saying the truth and then live happily ever after.

I think he's also utterly stupid.

[PaulTheSoave]

Well, Jan is loved here in Holland, so I stick with Jan whatever he did. Think he was set up! . I hope he will make a come back.

He could be a contender, best ever cyclist never to win the tour IMO!!!! haha!

[berolina]

He could be a contender, best ever cyclist never to win the tour IMO!!!! haha!

never to win the tour twice, that is

[Kathrin]

Jan is loved here in Holland

The dutch have always been a bit...different

[Wim]

The whole Tour is so ridiculous. I wait for tomorrow´s news who is the next one that is caught. Any suggestions?

Ridiculous??? On the contrary ! Do you prefer that they are riding and cheating without being caught ? At least the Tour are fighting dope so this is not ridiculous and it is a fantastic attempt to clean the sport.
During WC football in Germany no a single control on dope was done. Is this how sport is to be practised ?

[Kathrin]

it´s good that they´re caught, no doubts. I just think it´s ridiculous that the whole Tour is still there, you know. There´s no year without news of doping, I have the impression that everyone (press/reporters) is waiting for new cheaters day by day. It´s truly not a good sign that people are talking about doping and how big it will be even before the tour starts. That shows that no one is trusting those "sportsmen".

[Wim]

With that kind of thinking then it is ridiculous that even the olympic games are still there and let' s stop all sport events.
The tour and the O games are above the sportsmen and let s give honest sportmen the chance to achieve the dreams they have by eliminating the cheaters. Someone practicing sport himself can only agree with this.

[Monique]

The main problem this is all bringing forward in my opinion is the excessive level of pressure and expectations (plus the big money behind) this is putting on the sportsmen so that they take those risks for their own health in the first place. And the total absence of conscience of some who are supposed to be around them to support and help them in their carreer.

Some who are old enough () may remember that the whole "dope" affair around the Tour de France goes back as far as the death of Tom Simpson while climbing the Mont Ventoux on July 13, 1967 .

[Wim]

The main problem this is all bringing forward in my opinion is the excessive level of pressure and expectations (plus the big money behind) this is putting on the sportsmen so that they take those risks for their own health in the first place. And the total absence of conscience of some who are supposed to be around them to support and help them in their carreer.

Some who are old enough () may remember that the whole "dope" affair around the Tour de France goes back as far as the death of Tom Simpson while climbing the Mont Ventoux on July 13, 1967 .

Indeed Mon but this is not linked to the Tour only. My respect goes to the organisation of the Tour trying to fight this and protecting the riders at the same time . But don't underestimate the changes and the progress a lot of teams have made recently to restore the sport ( Rabo bank firing Rasmussen for example while he was favorite for the tour and he was not caught on dope) There is more effort worldwide than you think and I can only support this.

Old enough Monique ? Come on you still seem a young rabbit when I read your messages (way of speaking of course )

[Monique]

I agree Wim and I'm very well aware this is not the Tour de France only ... actually it is paradoxal that those who really try hard to restore their sport find themselves in the spotlight and get criticism, while they should be praised.

Young rabbit? ...