So who won the tour from 1999 to 2005

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Velociraptor Oct 2012 12:36pm, 12 Oct 2012 21,879 posts	0 Velociraptor I agree with The Teaboy. I want to hear lots of current high-profile cyclists - male and female - saying, "Doping is wrong." And Mr Tygart getting a Nobel prize.
The Teaboy Oct 2012 12:45pm, 12 Oct 2012 1,940 posts	0 The Teaboy Any opinion would be better than the PR bullshit we get now. At least then we can move the debate onwards. Simple question. Would you want any of your kids to take part in a sport where they had to cheat or take drugs in order to compete and win? If you can sanction that type of behaviour... The whole role model thing gets trotted out a lot. But it is true. They are role models and heroes. These people inspire the next generation. And I have grown up and seen performances that have proven to be nothing more than hollow crap. Everyone has to fail sometimes, that I can live with - you have to be prepared to fail in order to win. It is the pedalling of lies that destroys sport and the dreams of those who will follow.
Chrisull Oct 2012 12:48pm, 12 Oct 2012 5,105 posts	0 Chrisull Well let's start with an admittance from LA that he doped. It should start there.
Velociraptor Oct 2012 1:01pm, 12 Oct 2012 21,880 posts	0 Velociraptor I am interested to see what account Mr Armstrong gives of the situation, and expect he'll keep quiet and out of sight and weigh up his options while the publicity is at its most frenetic.
fitzer Oct 2012 1:07pm, 12 Oct 2012 2,959 posts	0 fitzer It's like nothing has happened. twitter.com
hammerite Oct 2012 1:25pm, 12 Oct 2012 17,647 posts	0 hammerite The answer to that question is no Teaboy. But I don't see what impact getting all pro cyclists to give a "complete and utter unequivocal damning of anything drug related and anybody or anyone who is proved to be involved with anything drug related" will have. Surely if all pros just trot out that line it's worse than PR bullshit, it just becomes "ah I know what to say to keep the fans happy". Maybe they should all just renounce satan and all his works, regardless of their beliefs. I'll turn up tomorrow morning to coach the kids at my bike club, they'll just want to ride and race their bikes like they always do. Most of them won't know who Alex Dowsett, Jens Voigt and Taylor Phinney are, let alone care what their opinion is. Lance Armstrong will just be that old bloke who used to race bikes who has been on the news this week. What I think we can be sure of now this is out (regardless of what riders think of LA or drug taking) is that if any of those kids do have the talent and want to make it, that they will have the opportunity to race on an even playing field without being pressured or forced to resort to such measures.
The Teaboy Oct 2012 1:46pm, 12 Oct 2012 1,943 posts	0 The Teaboy That is all true Hammerite. But with some qualifications. Firstly, it would be nice to actually hear some of them come out and say things. And secondly when almost none of them do, the principle of Omerta is still alive and well. This is an opportunity to wipe the historical slate clean and really create that opportunity for the next generation. But while the wall of silence exists, there is always the chance that things will inexorably slide back to where they were. This is actually the responsibility of the UCI. How they choose to deal with all of this will reflect the future shape of the sport.
hammerite Oct 2012 1:50pm, 12 Oct 2012 17,650 posts	0 hammerite I'm just not sure there would've been a "wall of silence" had this have happened when all riders were on training camps or toing and froing between races. The vast majority are probably on holiday or taking a short break from cycling.
Stander Oct 2012 1:50pm, 12 Oct 2012 10,624 posts	0 Stander I think that's been part of the prblem Teaboy. The UCI haven't dealt with the problem.
The Teaboy Oct 2012 1:53pm, 12 Oct 2012 1,946 posts	0 The Teaboy And in this age of smartphones and worldwide connectivity, there is no way they don't know what is going on and how big it is.