What We Can Learn from Cycling

Whoa. Cycling with honour has meant very little for decades of the sport and this statement would be greeted with sniggering from anyone who follows it. Cycling has been one of the most scandal and drug-ridden sports in recent years, with much criticism levelled at the sport’s governing bodies’ willingness to utterly ignore same, especially, unitl recently, in the Tour de France. Few followers — and I might add, several cyclists I know who nearly went professional — believe many in the pro peletons are not doping at some point, whether in training or surreptitiously in competition. Note: I am a devoted cyclist and love watching cyclists but I’ll believe it’s an honourable sport when every single pro cyclist willingly accepts drug testing on a regular, not random, basis.

If I wanted to give an example of sporting with honour, I’d suggest the incredibly courageous athletes of the Special Olympics, whom I recently had the humbling experience of watching compete at the World Games in Ireland. There, athletes competed with bravery, dedication, and love of their sport. And have to overcome sometimes utterly astonishing personal challenges against their ever being able to do so. And never whine about contracts, pay, managers, television rights, product endorsements or any of the modern day afflictions of so many of our pampered pro sportspeople.

Karlin, you apparently haven’t followed the news about cycling during the past several years.

Cycling HAD lots of athletes who were doping. But during the past several years drug testing has been forced upon every pro cyclist in the Tour. The results have been that the dopers were kicked out. Indeed for that reason, many renown professional cyclist are no longer racing in the Tour de France.

All the top placers in every daily stage of this Tour de France are required to undergo drug tests, as are all the top cyclists in the daily standings. Plus, all the cycles who didn’t place are required to undergo the random test you mention.

So, when Tour leader Lance Armstrong was accidentaly knocked over by a spectator during a race stage earlier this week and the leader of that stage and his main challenger, Jan Ullrich, stopped racing until Armstrong could remount his bike, that’s cycling with honor and without drugs, which is what Dan’s posting was about.

I stand by my comments. I live in Europe and follow the Tour de France every year. Indeed, I took great pleasure in watching it here in Ireland within those ‘past several years — when that particular Tour ultimately became a farcical event in which raids on teams would be followed by a day of cycling and then more raids on teams, the amassing of evidence that the Tour was riddled with drugs, and charges being brought against several cyclists.

Because the competition times have not altered since the supposed crackdown on drug-taking, I find it very, very hard to believe that this Tour, or the sport as a whole, is much cleaner than it has been in the past. There are many, many ways to test negative, as any doctor familiar with doping problems will tell you. And as many Olympic athletes could also explain. The sport is willing to look in the other direction, and always has been.

I don’t know any European cycling enthusiasts who believe this is a clean sport, or that tests as they are currently done mean much. And in respoinding to Dan’s comments I’m addressing the larger reputation of the sport, not a single incident within one competition.

I stand by my comments. I live in Europe and follow the Tour de France every year. Indeed, I took great pleasure in watching it here in Ireland within those ‘past several years — when that particular Tour ultimately became a farcical event in which raids on teams would be followed by a day of cycling and then more raids on teams, the amassing of evidence that the Tour was riddled with drugs, and charges being brought against several cyclists.

Because the competition times have not altered since the supposed crackdown on drug-taking, I find it very, very hard to believe that this Tour, or the sport as a whole, is much cleaner than it has been in the past. There are many, many ways to test negative, as any doctor familiar with doping problems will tell you. And as many Olympic athletes could also explain. The sport is willing to look in the other direction, and always has been.

I don’t know any European cycling enthusiasts who believe this is a clean sport, or that tests as they are currently done mean much. And in responding to Dan’s comments I’m addressing the larger reputation of the sport, not a single incident within one competition.

I think a big issue that involves information design and useability is that these charts are often dual purpose. They are used in a live presentation and then passed on in hardcopy and electronically as a standalone package. It is hard to get the two uses to coexist effectively. Does anyone have any suggestions?

reply first before i can comment.

My name is Roger and I live and operate a bed and breakfast here in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I am searching for forums that discuss accomodations to see whats new and different in the hospitality industry as there may be something this Halifax Bed and Breakfast owner may learn to enhance his quaint relaxing feel at home haven for people who enjoy a bed and breakfast atmosphere. Your comments have been very enjoyable reading.

Take care and God Bless
Yours truly
Roger B. , of aHalifax Bed and Breakfast