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Some days ago I blogged about Lance Armstrong and his
“apology”, for winning 7 Tours de France while using one of the most
sophisticated doping regimes ever seen.
In particular I was incensed to read of his desire for a
“Truth and Reconciliation commission”. This is where a commission hears
everybody confess their misdeeds, for which they then receive immunity. In
South Africa where the criminals of the Apartheid years received immunity,
little changed as a result. In the case of cycling, this would save Lance from
prosecution, protect his assets and open up a new career in Triathlon and
extreme sports.
I was even more riled to read that the International Cycling
Union supports this! This is the organisation that accepted two large donations
from Armstrong, at about the times he posted peculiar test results.
Such a commission would let everybody off the hook.
I was reading my luxurious “Official Tour de France 1903
-2004” celebration of 100 years of the race, with its forward by Lance
Armstrong.
The key year seems to be 1993, I quote;
“A quick look at Armstrong’s career gives a clear picture of
this young man from Austin, Texas…Lance returned to Europe in 1992 as one of
the favourites for the Barcelona Olympics. He was never in the running, but
consoled himself with the fact that he had already signed a contract with
Motorola. A week later, he rode in his first professional race, the San
Sebastian classic, and came last. Two weeks later he came second in the
Championship of Zurich and then went on to Italy where he won a race
before beating some of the best Italians in the sprint.
If I had to guess when Lance decided to start doping, it
would be here, after being booed and whistled at as he fell off the back of the
race at San Sebastian.
Of course, it wasn’t just him, many were at it. Most of them
have already been exposed. None of them made the money that he did. None were
so brazen.
I think there are probably enough angry US sponsors and a few
DA’s who feel even more angry about it all than I do.
Allez! Allez! Vites!
Pour Le Tour.
Pour Le Maillot Jaune.
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
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