USADA hands Lance Armstrong associates lifetime bans

Precisely, which is why it's wrong that he doped - I was simply providing some context around my opinion to Matty, ie. that I don't simply hate Lance.

Yep, then when it suited him, Lance simply rode away from him, with THAT look into his eyes. Awesome racing, now tainted by the idea that it was a bunch of near-cyborgs taking part...

I could not agree more notfastenough; I have got a copy of, "It is not about the bike". I liked Lance already before reading it, after in awe; but it did tell me why I was an also ran in the bunch. I remember when Ullrich attacked Lance in the mountains and he did not react...immediately. He realed Ullrich in, caught him, when Ullrich realised it was Lance beside him Ullrich's head dropped, defeated. He must have wondered what he had to do to beat Lance? And then Ullrich was busted for drug abuse.

Sorry Matty, but if you look around this site and the forums, you will find that most of us are certainly not Lance-haters (there are a couple, but hey). I rooted for him all through his 7 tour victories, heck I liked him in his world champs jersey in the mid-90s, for some reason I took to him more easily than to his predecessor Greg Lemond. I read his books, I admired his recovery from cancer, and also figured that someone with his medical history wouldn't touch the stuff, but in the end, I think my admiration may have been misplaced.

Don't get me wrong, he was clearly still a superb rider - if everyone's doping, then it's the same as no-one doping, I guess - and only the man himself knows for sure. I would be real happy if he proved that his performances were just down to hard work, and will be interested to see how the case progresses, but I feel the net is finally closing.

White Line Highway? American Drugster? Big Trouble in Little France? Catch me if you can II? Atonement II?

I can assure you that nobody (except Lance) would be happier than me if Lance is found to be 100% clean. Matty.I have loved this sport for decades and was out in the snow and rain dreaming of profesional stardom before many contributors were even born. To find that many that I have respected and looked up to are just drugies is a bitter pill (excuse the pun) for me. I can cope with a few bad apples (Ricardo Ricco) but a carefully planned and executed conspiracy going to the top? This did he or didn't he is not good for the sport. Perhaps the worst part of this is that others would almost certainly have felt obliged to join in or give up (Ullrich?, Miller?). This has got to be done; I want to know...

Cancer shields DEPLOY

If any of you selfish idiots have had cancer, especially as bad as his,, you will know that lance would have never, after being so close to death risk his body and harm it like that. Some of you really have a lot of hate for someone just because they are the best cyclist in the world. and you really think he would risk Coming out of retirement to do the tour again twice? No a drugged up idiot would not risk an inch just to do the tour again. Sort yourselves out and start seeing sense instead of just jumping to a conclusion because you dislike someone.

Extremely Proud & Incredibly Doped?

I feel a film coming on TheBigMong; the title of that film would be???? I lanced Lance? A Tour too far? His chemical romance?

Fair point. I wouldn't like to thought of as being "in on the act" either.

One of the most distasteful aspects of this whole affair is Armstrong's line of defence in his original submission to the court i.e. that the USADA are simply grandstanding and looking to justify their existence. How about defending his own conduct and association with known drugs cheats rather than firing insults at the authorities? It's pathetic and demeans the sport even further.

I genuinely believe that the Tour is a different place these days and like any sport, there will always be those looking to cheat but at least it isn't widespread. Allez Wiggo!

Could I just post my appreciation here at how road.cc is managing to be calm and balanced about all this?

Reading Cycling News' pompous article about "lets hope he has the maturity and quite frankly the respect for the yellow jersey" was almost an iPad-throwing moment for me (and frankly, I don't think any site with the blatant non-cycling linkbait that CN runs at the bottom of each article should really be preaching about "maturity").

road.cc is managing to strike exactly the right note with the doping coverage. Well done chaps.

Boom. The net is closing. The USDA must have some strong s**t. Chapeau boys. If LA didn't dope the Pope isn't a Catholic.

this is good, been coming an awfully long time. But if Ferrari received a life ban in 2002, how is he able to carry on pedalling his filth?

I think Wiggo got it spot on the other day regards these cheats.

Talented rider, Track champ and now diplomat. Whats next... Wiggo for PM

"all these B*******s have ruined the sport of cycling" +1 from me, kie7077

That is what I meant by 'tainted' notfastenough. Leipheimer took a hayfever steak sorry I meant hayfever pill that gave him a positive reading. When you Google these names; other names pop up as if they are all linked to Ferrari or Fuentes or Lance in some way; ie Azavedo left US Postal and the sport for 'personal reasons'. Because he would not take the 'medication' I wonder? Or because he did?? It stinks. But innocent until proven guilty.

Beloki was implicated in op puerto wasn't he? Removed from investigation by Spanish authorities according to Wikipedia, although I don't know why.

notfastenough; I make it 1999; Escartin, 3rd. 2000; Beloki, 3rd. 2001; Beloki, 3rd. 2002; Beloki,2nd. 2003; Sastre, 9th!!!! 2004; Azevedo, 5th. 2005; Leipheimer, 5th. Shocking stuff; and some of these names are tainted

meehaja; my thoughts entirely!! But; get it wrong and you could die of a stroke, heart attack or lose a limb (blood clots). The angel on my othet shoulder is telling me it is better to be s**t than inject s**t.

What would those tour wins look like if you go down far enough to find riders not admitted/banned?

I really hope they find nothing on Armstrong. I don't particuarly like the guy, but he's a big name, he pretty much "IS" cycling to non cyclists, something this big would do so much damage to the sport, turning off sponsors, potential athletes and reduce public support.

On the other hand, this EPO, would it improve my times on my evening run out?

So, if my timeline is not mistaken, Pepe Marti went from Discovery to Astana. You'd have thought Lance and Contador wouldn't have wanted such a naughty man following them when they went from Discovery to Astana - must have been an oversight.

1999; Zulle, 2000; Ullrich, 2001; Ullrich, 2002; Belloki, 2003; Ullrich, 2004; Kloden, 2005; Basso...Come on down? Ullrich only lost his 2005 second place?? Am I right? All five have admittted/been associated with doping