That Level Playing Field

Last week the so called do gooders in world sport WADA ( World Anti Doping Agency )  held there global conference in of all places, South Africa.

At a time when the spotlight appears to be on the worldwide spreading of doping across many sports I feel like chipping in with my two cents worth on this matter.

Evolution of sport technically, scientifically and spiritually is something we all need to try to get our heads around. It is no longer, and I dont think it ever has been, about one lame cyclist from America who took his opportunity to fraud the world into believing in miracles.

For me there are many other factors in play. I believe it even goes right down to the equipment athletes use across all sports.

For example, golfers these days hit that little white ball into the stratosphere and with incredible accuracy often landing the ball on a saucer. The technology behind golf clubs and golf balls, simply to that used in Formula One,  has made the game of golf almost unreal.

Then there is tennis, tennis players serve faster than the bullet train moves between Tokyo and Osaka. These guys play nearly 48 weeks a year running for hours upon hours day after day, super human efforts, or?

Then we have the man monsters, Rugby Players, nowadays we have players in the back lines who are stronger, faster and taller than most previous forwards ever were.

This is all called evolution. And unless the governing bodies regulate further the standards and equipment that can be used in any one sport, we will never ever see a level playing field.

The question is, do we want to see a level playing field?

Take Motor Racing as another example. Formula One has battled for years to try to create a more level playing field. A playing field where the drivers ability was the thing that made the so called difference between standing on the podium or not.

But Formula One is such a complex beast that the technical ramifications can and are often interrupted in so many different ways. Even when they play tyre wars it doesn't result in a more level playing field for all of the drivers. Just ask those poor guys who are fighting for there careers every weekend in those Caterhams or Marrusia cars at the tail of the pack.

The human body is the most obvious place for us to limit the boundaries of possibility. But over the years this has been a goal way beyond the sports administrators capabilities.

Whoever believes for one second that the professional cyclists of today are morally any better, or different than those of previous decades needs to take a valium. Come on, the situation still hasn't changed.

Why would it?

The races are still as tough, the prizes are still the same, and the rewards, and therefore pressure on the teams hasn't changed.

All that's happened is a few high profile cyclists have died by the sword, many of the instigators of that so called by gone era are still well entrenched in the professional teams running around today.

The facts are, there will always be doping in the world sport as there will be fraudsters, cheaters and liars.

Because some human beings don't have the moralistic capability to live in harmony with reality. That reality is not all men or women are born equal.

Therefore short cuts will continue to be taken. New substances will continue to be manufactured by those same pharmaceutical companies who never want to see a cure for HIV or Cancer because of the money involved.

And while our dear friends and guardian angels at WADA try to survive on an annual budget which is less than that of just ONE Formula One team, yes, less than ONE Formula One team, to try and police the entire worlds ethical playing fields we must look for new solutions to this already global catastrophe.

Recently someone made, what I thought was a somewhat intelligent suggestion to take a small percentage of all of the already massive television revenues and put this toward the funding of the policing of drugs in sport.

As WADA has demonstrated in recent times, it is not just about catching the guy or girl with the needle in their arm, but also being resourced sufficiently to follow the money trail and the logistics operation around the supply of prohibited substances.

The needle in the arm is often the last step in the supply chain, and one must always focus on cutting of the head of the fish first.

I remain optimistic as the next guy that we can in fact improve the current level of administration and policing of sport worldwide. But like a poor relationship, its often what goes on behind closed doors that needs to be addressed not what we see on our HD 3D High tech Television screens.

As we start to countdown to all of those upcoming significant global sporting events being held in South America in the coming years let's see what can be done to improve the current unlevel playing field, starting with what comes out of WADAs very own excursion to South Africa this month.


The World Spins.

Mark.
 

The Three Musketeers - Death to Pro Cyclings Creditability

Here they are, from left, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Spains Prime Minister, Pat Mc Quaid the UCI President and El Torpedo himself, Alberto Contador. One of the worst sporting decisions in history, was made in Spain yesterday, Tuesday February 15th 2011.

Note this day in your diaries, as this was the day that professional cycling lost all of its remaining creditability, the little it had left.

Alberto Contador has been cleared by the Spanish Federation of any doping offences. This despite the fact that he tested positive when clenbuterol was found to be in his body during the Tour de France in 2010. But over the past weekend, we had the extraordinary situation occur where the Spanish Prime Minister "Tweeted" , that Contador had no legal case to answer.

What the hell is going on here?

Does this mean we will soon see Barrack Obama fire up his Facebook page and come to the aid of Tiger Woods to have his fine over turned for his profound "spittinggate" over the weekend at the Dubai Desert Classic?

Politics in sport - again. Just when the world needed cycling to do the "right thing", they hit one right out of the ball park by coming up with the most ridiculous ruling ever.

Now the UCI can appeal the decision of the Spanish authorities and send the case to arbitration with CAS to make a final ruling. but will they?

Meanwhile El Contador gets back on his bicycle and pedals his way around another race, grinning from ear to ear, starting today.

Why the heck can a national federation even get involved in such a decision process anyway?

If I am the pride and joy of Spain and I am making the most of all of the worlds publicity after winning for the third time, the worlds greatest cycle race, why would I ever dream that my own federation is going to dob me in?

On top of that, if I am the UCI's biggest draw card and the world is waiting for another Andy Schleck/ Alberto Contador show down in the French Alps in July at a time when the world is considering giving up on cycling, why would I be worried?, of course the UCI will do the right thing by me.......after all, they have done it before with other high profile riders, haven't they?

There aren't enough oily smelly rags in my cupboard to do this story justice. If Contador is acquitted because nobody can prove how the substance founds its way into his body, then the door is now open for all drug cheats to say, "I didn't put it there", it must have been contaminated from somewhere.

I just wish the US Federal investigation into the US Postal team arrives sooner rather than later. I see this investigation as cycling's equivalent to D Day, whether the allies win this time around who knows, all I know is that it could well be the very last straw for a sport that continues to dive over the abyss.

Maybe the IOC could do the right thing and kick cycling out of the Olympics until such time that riders, teams, sponsors and doctors, all get their act together to really make a fresh start.

How many more cases, near deaths and deaths does cycling need to endure before somebody who has the power says "enough".

As a well known Spanish cyclist said yesterday after the news of Contadors case, "I don't know who to believe any more in the world of cycling"

Pedal man

The Weekend Rap

Alvaro Quiros, Manchester United and Rubens Barrichello steal the headlines from this past weekend of sport.

Let's start with golf, Alvaro who?, be sure to get his name right, your going to be hearing a lot more about this guy in the world of golf over the next few years. Originating from Spain he appears to be nearly only one of their sportsmen men or women who aren't involved in performance enhancing drugs. And man, can he hit the golf ball. Quiros's win in the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday, put paid to the much heralded show down between Westwood, Kaymer and Woods. Each of them self destructing at the appropriate time, it still leaves us pondering, who is going to be the "man" in 2011. Now the boys head to India for the European Tour event this week, while Tiger goes home to try and sort out that swing.

If nothing else Manchester United are boring. After all, how many times do they leave it until the death before insulting their opponents with something that's a little dramatic?. Takes Rooneys goal on Sunday. Impersonating Pele and his fellow Brazilian maestros the over head reverse kick with a extra pike and double somersault, is not usually pulled off with much success on the football grounds around the United Kingdom. But Rooney produced something special as United put away City. I am sure the goal will continue to be replayed for hours on end, or at least until one day when England wins the World cup again, so therefore forever.

The "old" man of the paddock stunned all before him as the F1 circus wound up its testing in Jerez, Spain this past weekend. Trying to determine what the true results of these pre season tests are, is a bit like trying to guess who would win the Tour De France if all of the cyclist were clean, impossible. But good on Rubens Barrichello, at least he has found a team that suits his style and experience, after all, in Patrick Head, Frank Williams and Rubens, the team has over 800 years of F1 experience. It wont be until we get to Bahrain and race one that we will really know whose on the pace, but my pick is the Red Bullies and Scuderia Scarlets are going to be at the very pointy end of the action.

Thats a rap for this weekend, much more to come with Six Nations reviews, World Cricket Cup starting in India, more on Formula One and much much more....

Keep sporty,

MP

Pro Cycling - Lies Lies and More Lies

When will the sport of cycling get its act together?

The picture you see in this post is of Alberto Contador. A Spanish cyclist, who along with Messieurs Armstrong and Co are dragging cycling into to the gutter, a gutter so deep it may not be able to claw its way out.

News out this morning is that Messier Contador may be about to dodge the doping bullet by, yet another legal technicality, this all makes me cringe in pain. How many times will these guys get away with it?

Does nobody care enough about the sport of cycling and its marvelously exciting spectacle of human achievement, competition and valor, enough to stand up and clean it up once and for good?

If a Corporation constantly produces poor results for shareholders, then heads ultimately roll, and fast. Well, as a vested shareholder in the great sport of cycling, I demand that heads start to roll.

The clean up can start first by doing a full investigation of the UCI (the sports governing body) over the past 15 years, investigate all of its financial transactions as well as its employees moralistic and behavioural actions over the same time period. Lets see what that shows for stage one.

Then for stage two, as a shareholder in the global sport of cycling I also demand a full investigation of all Pro Team Director Sportif's , their staff and investors, back dated for as long as they have been associated with the sport.

It is terrific that Messier Armstrong is finally being investigated by the American authorities, but I am saddened to say that the entire sport of cycling at the very top levels and beyond to all of the top teams, requires the same amount of intense scrutiny.

Then after that, once the findings are made public, maybe then and only then, will millions of people around the world who love the sport so much, who are all hoping for the highest of hopes, that one day the blue skies will once appear over a sport that has been sitting under hurricane forces winds and stormy clouds in recent years, will once again start to believe in the product.

In the mean time we will be asking sponsors why do they continue to invest in a risky, lowly moralistic sport like cycling is today at the elite level, that continues to demonstrate its inability to regulate its biggest issues.

Why does it take nearly one year for the results and outcomes of Alberto Contadors case to be resolved?. Is it because time will heal all wounds, then maybe he can be reinstated without as much fan fare and debate, to join the other snipers who pedal in the elite peleton.

Its time to seriously walk the talk, for all of those who officiate the sport at the highest of levels your clock is ticking - fast. You are all now on your own individual time trial.

Chappo

Signed,

Pedal Man

One Wrong Turn - Robert Kubica

In recent days one young guys dream has been taken away from him for now. Another reminder how our lives can change in a split second. Polish Formula One racing driver, Robert Kubica almost lost his life, nearly his hand. For a F1 pilot, the need to have two very healthy fit hands is a must, you aren't going to do anything without them.

As he now lays in his hospital bed in Italy, where the accident happened I am sure Kubica is emotional distraught about 'what could have been'. 2011 looked like a season when Renault Lotus, whatever their name is, were once again showing some potential to fight at the shape end of the F1 circus. that still may be the case. Without Kubica in the cockpit, which is a little bit like taking Messi out of the Barcelona team and expecting to win the Champions league, Renault will struggle.

Lets hope for Kubica's sake that a fast, successful recovery, both physically and emotionally sees him back in the seat that he well deserves in Mr Eccelstones continuing saga that is Pirates of the F1 tracks.

Mark

The Rise and Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods

As I write this post Tiger Woods is about to tee off for his second round in the Omega Dubai Classic in Dubai. In the first two rounds Tiger comes head to head with his chasing disciples, Messers Westwood and Kaymer.

After the year that was, Tiger is now, once again, rebuilding his game, as well as his life. But take nothing away from this guy. For anyone who saw the magical end to yesterdays round produced by the master himself, would agree, the cap is about to come off the bottle once again.

I am a huge Tiger Woods fan, purely and fanatically a huge supporter. What that guy has done for the game of golf over the past 15 years has been, arguably, more than the great Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, due mainly to the media saturation in different forms that we can access these days.

The incredible shots at those pivotal moments of rounds, there are simply to many to list here. Time after time, the master worked his magic as his lesser technicians looked on in utter amazement.

Some of his new found rivals herald from the class of 2009 and after, many watched Tiger on TV as they saw him wear jacket, after cheque, after jacket. Now they all aim to knock him off his perch.

Oh yes, the matter of the perch, the real No 1 will step up in 2011 and show all before him that he hasn't lost his strength or touch where it matters most, down the stretch on Sunday afternoon,

Go roar Tiger,

Mark

Pedaling Philanthropy- The Lance Armstrong Phenomonen

If I mention the names Les Alp's Du Huez, the Col De Madeleine, the Tourmalet many readers would probably have no idea what I was talking about. If I however mention the name Lance Armstrong, all of you will know whom I am talking about.

Ironically the cycling star made his name by tackling and conquering the above-mentioned peaks in the French Alps. But maybe in 2011 Lance Armstrong will be faced with his toughest climb yet, this time the mythical peak is called the Mont Du Justice.

Over the past fifteen years the worlds hardcore cycling community along with many hardened new recruits to the world of velo racing have watched in amazement as Lance Armstrong along with his comrades have performed seemingly heroic feats over the alpine passes of Europe. But little did we all know how sinister the world of cycling; sponsorship and sports administration really is until the lid came off the world of cycling.

This story is about a falling hero who tries desperately to maintain his evangelistic values through his Livestrong brand while day-by-day the evidence against him reaches the glacial heights of those peaks he once used to ride in the peloton.

A few years ago when I was living in Europe at a time when my body was in a far better shape as it is today, I could claim to being pretty fit. Back in those days I used to do long distance triathlons, a sport for the mentally insane, a purely sadist way of self-indulgence at every level.

During this period I to was enthralled by the great sport of cycling. The heroic feats achieved by spindly little men on bicycles as they went up and down the Alps and Pyrenees seemingly without even breaking into a sweat.

It was during this period I became fascinated by one Messer Armstrong. As his juggernaut of a team decisively blew away all of the opposition on his way to standing atop the podium step on the Champs Elyse’s at the end of each July, I wondered how hard it really was to ride the Tour De France course.

So it was in the summer of 2001, just a month or two before the Grand Depart of the great race I set out with my own goal of completing two thirds of the intended route for the 2001 version of the great race on my own bicycle. By the way, that same year, 200,1 would see Messer Armstrong and Co successful once again in gaining first prize.

I intended to do the course on my own bicycle, with no mechanical advantage or support, no millions of screaming fans waving and yelling at me as I rode past, no television cameras watching me as I stood up on my pedals and danced to the top of the Alps, and finally, yes finally, with no assistance from any performance enhancing substances, in other words, no drugs. I had made the commitment to myself that I would remain clean and honest to the soul; there would be no blood transfusions for me on my lap around France.

As I commenced my journey full of confidence and feeling as fit as I had ever been, I imagined what I could possibly feel like when I had completed the 2'715 kms I intended to ride. I didn’t have a masseuse to rub me down each night, nor a chef to prepare me calorific bowls of pasta bursting energy.

I will save you all the details of pain I went through on that ride, also my uttering’s about French drivers, the miserable weather, the endless switchbacks on the climbs that wound their way up to the sky like a stairway to heaven, or should I say, my stairway to hell. Or about the blisters on my backside, the flat tires and failing brakes, it was all an absolute nightmare.

I started to think, how do the pros do it, day after day, up and up into those mountains, all at a speed that I could only reach on the steepest of the downhill sections.

Then I thought, there is more to this race than I was thinking, there was more to cycling than I was imagining, much more than people see on their high definition television screens, that is for sure.

Doping in sport has been around for years, centuries in fact. In 1807 Abraham Wood admitted to using opium to assist his performance in a walking race in London. It isn’t a secret, nor is it a new phenomenon. We, as general members of society have become more and more skeptical when records are broken, medals are won, times are surpassed than at any other time before, and all for good reason.

But where should we draw the line?

Messer Armstrong has created a brand of the magnitude of that of Oprah Winfrey, Obama Barrack and Bill Clinton. He is ‘the man’ behind the disease called cancer; living proof that so called miracles of hope and destiny can mix together to fight off evil.

Or are the facts something completely different?

What Lance Armstrong brought to cycling was something the UCI, the sports governing body, could never have manufactured. A story book tale of how a young man on the brink of death, rose from his hospital bed, to find fame and fortune from riding his bicycle (very fast), while at the same time becoming the prince on the white horse, or shall we say white Trek bicycle, for so many people around the world.

We, yes you and me, we love heroes, we love those amongst the nearly seven billion of us, who from time to time, rise above adversity to do things that are seemingly miracles, beyond the grasp of the average human being. People who inspire us, motivate us and generally make us feel good about human beings. Names like Nelson Mandela, Aung San Su Kyi, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer, Andrea Bocelli to name but a few. But as fickle as the human species is, we also love to see scandal around our heroes as well as their ultimate demise. Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant a couple of names of current contenders who are struggling with their once iconic status.

In Messer Armstrong and Co we have another type of phenomenon happening, a phenomenon, like that of the story behind Facebook, (see the movie The Social Network), its creation and suspect beginnings, that I am 100% positive, will also see the life story of Messer Armstrong making its scripted way on to the Hollywood screens in the not to distant future.

I have come to learn that the professional sport of cycling is infested with various diseases beyond belief. Try as some people may to reinvent the sport from the bottom up, but as in politics you have to cut out the viruses that administer the sport at the top first. Remember a fish always stinks from the head.

Imagine this, your eighteen year old son, who loves cycling and has spent years being nurtured up through the junior ranks, supported by you, his devoted parents, comes home one day and announces that he has the chance to join a professional cycling team. You are ecstatic you can’t believe, it your son is going to be a professional cyclist, maybe he will even one day ride in the Tour de France.

It would probably be the proudest moment of your life. Then I ask you to visit this website,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling. Now tell me how you feel, about your eighteen old son, getting involved in the sport of professional cycling?

Why don’t we look back at the Tour de France top ten place getters from 1999 to 2008 and study the impact positive dope tests and doping scandals have had on the credibility of the event.

The 1999 Tour was supposed to be the Tour of Renewal after the disaster of 1998, when the French Festina team was kicked out of the race after a team car was stopped, searched and contained to found a large consignment of illegal drugs.

It wasn’t much of a fresh start because three members of that 1998 Festina team finished in the top ten. 

Looking back over the past ten editions of the Tour, I have crossed through the names of all riders who have tested positive, served a suspension or were significantly linked to an anti-doping investigation at any time in their career.

Riders with question marks hanging over them are marked with asterisks. Each rider’s offence or alleged offence is clearly explained the first time they appear in this article. To be absolutely clear, striking through a riders name does not equal an allegation that their result in that particular race was achieved while doping.

What it means is that the rider in question tested positive or was sanctioned or sacked at some point in their career, either prior or subsequently.

But woe and behold Messer Armstrong remains the ‘winner’ through all of those years 1999-2005, while all those around him faltered and were ultimately deemed cheats.

1999

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

In August 2005, L’Equipe alleged six of Armstrong’s urine samples, taken during the 1999 Tour de France, contained EPO. There was no ratified EPO test in 1999, but the samples were tested as part of a study in 2004 and 2005. There was no counter-analysis (B-sample tests) and no proceedings can be taken against Armstrong in any case because the alleged offence is more than seven years old. Also tested positive for a corticosteroid during the 1999 Tour, for which he retrospectively produced a medical certificate

2 ALEX ZULLE (Switzerland)

Admitted to using EPO in the wake of the 1998 Festina Affair and was banned for seven months

3 FERNANDO ESCARTIN (Spain)

4 LAURENT DUFAUX (Switzerland)

Admitted to using EPO in the wake of the 1998 Festina Affair and was banned for seventh months

5 ANGEL CASERO (Spain)

Named in Operacion Puerto documents in 2006, after he had retired

6 ABRAHAM OLANO (Spain)

7 DANIELE NARDELLO (Italy)

8 RICHARD VIRENQUE (France)

Part of the Festina team in 1998. Initially denied doping, but eventually admitted it in court and was banned for nine months in December 2000

9 WLADIMIR BELLI (Italy)

10 ANDREA PERON (Italy)

2000

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

2 JAN ULLRICH (Germany)

In 2006 he was named in the Operacion Puerto documents as a client of Dr Eufamiano Fuentes. Sacked by T-Mobile because he had signed a document stating he was not involved in the OP investigation. Retired. Served a suspension in 2002-03 after testing positive for amphetamines out of competition

3 JOSEBA BELOKI (Spain)

Named in Operacion Puerto documents. Denied any involvement with Dr Fuentes. Case dropped by Spanish court. Retired

4 CHRISTOPHE MOREAU (France)

Tested positive for anabolic steroids at Criterium International in 1998 but was not suspended because he claimed he was given the substance by a member of his team’s support staff and did not realize it was banned. Part of the Festina team kicked out of the 1998 Tour. Admitted using EPO. Served a six-month ban.

5 ROBERTO HERAS (Spain)

Tested positive for EPO at the 2006 Vuelta a Espana, which he had won. Stripped of that race win and banned for two years

6 RICHARD VIRENQUE (France)

7 SANTIAGO BOTERO (Colombia)

Named in the Operacion Puerto documents. Sacked by Phonak. Colombian Cycling Federation did not open proceedings. Resurfaced riding for Orbitel team, then joined Rock Racing

8 FERNANDO ESCARTIN (Spain)

9 FRANCISCO MANCEBO (Spain)

Named in Operacion Puerto documents. Sacked by Ag2r. Retired

10 DANIELE NARDELLO (Italy)

2001

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

2 JAN ULLRICH (Germany)

3 JOSEBA BELOKI (Spain)

4 Andrei Kivilev (Kazakhstan)

5 IGOR GONZALEZ DE GALDEANO (Spain)

French anti-doping authorities declared his level of salbutamol – permitted by a Therapeutic Use Exemption from the UCI – was too high during 2002 Tour de France. Prevented from riding the Tour in 2003

6 FRANCOIS SIMON (France)

7 OSCAR SEVILLA (Spain)

Named in the Operacion Puerto documents. Sacked by T-Mobile. Sevilla initially retired but is now riding for Rock Racing

8 SANTIAGO BOTERO (Colombia)

9 MARCOS SERRANO (Spain)

Named in Operacion Puerto documents in 2006

10 MICHAEL BOOGERD (Netherlands)

2002

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

2 JOSEBA BELOKI (Spain)

3 RAIMONDAS RUMSAS (Lithuania)

His wife Edita was stopped in her car as she tried to drive from France to Italy after the Tour. Performance-enhancing drugs were found in the car, which she said were for her mother-in-law. Rumsas failed a doped test for EPO at the 2003 Giro d’Italia, where he was sixth overall. He was banned for a year

4 SANTIAGO BOTERO (Colombia)

5 IGOR GONZALEZ DE GALDEANO (Spain)

6 JOSE AZEVEDO (Portugal)

7 FRANCISCO MANCEBO (Spain)

8 LEVI LEIPHEIMER (USA)

9 ROBERTO HERAS (Spain)

10 CARLOS SASTRE (Spain)

2003

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG *

2 JAN ULLRICH (Germany)

3 ALEXANDRE VINOKOUROV (Kazakhstan)

Tested positive for a banned blood transfusion at the 2007 Tour de France. Banned for one year by the Kazakh Cycling Federation, despite the mandatory ban being two years.

4 TYLER HAMILTON (USA)

Tested positive for a banned blood transfusion at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he won the time trial, and again at the Vuelta a Espana a month later. Kept his gold medal because he successfully argued that the sample had been damaged in frozen storage. Banned for the Vuelta offence but fought a long defence. Also named in Operacion Puerto documents but has not been investigated for that. Now racing for Rock Racing

5 HAIMAR ZUBELDIA (Spain)

6 IBAN MAYO (Spain)

Tested positive for EPO at the 2007 Tour de France. Initially the B Test was negative. However, later in the year, a French laboratory confirmed the positive test. The case, though, is still in limbo

7 IVAN BASSO (Italy)

Named in the Operacion Puerto documents as a client of Dr Fuentes. Sent home before the start of the 2006 Tour, then left CSC ‘by mutual consent’. Signed for Discovery Channel but raced only a couple of times before being banned. Didn’t admit doping but did admit thinking about doing so. Signed for Liquigas and will return to racing in October 2008

8 CHRISTOPHE MOREAU (France)

9 Carlos Sastre (Spain)

10 FRANCISCO MANCEBO (Spain)

2004

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

2 ANDREAS KLODEN (Germany)

3 IVAN BASSO (Italy)

4 JAN ULLRICH (Germany)

5 JOSE AZEVEDO (Portugal)

6 FRANCISCO MANCEBO (Spain)

7 GEORG TOTSCHNIG (Austria)

8 CARLOS SASTRE (Spain)

9 LEVI LEIPHEIMER (USA)

10 OSCAR PEREIRO (Spain)

2005

1 LANCE ARMSTRONG (USA) *

2 IVAN BASSO (Italy)

3 JAN ULLRICH (Germany)

4 FRANCISCO MANCEBO (Spain)

5 ALEXANDRE VINOKOUROV (Kazakhstan)

6 LEVI LEIPHEIMER (USA)

7 MICHAEL RASMUSSEN (Denmark)

Expelled from the 2007 Tour de France while wearing the yellow jersey after it emerged he had given false information to the anti-doping authorities concerning his whereabouts in May and June of that year. There were also allegations he had asked a friend to import banned drugs to Italy for him, hidden in a shoe box. Rabobank sacked him for breaking the team’s internal code by lying about his whereabouts. Banned for two years, a suspension which ends in July 2009

8 CADEL EVANS (Australia)

9 FLOYD LANDIS (USA)

Tested positive for testosterone after stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Banned for two years. Mounted a lengthy legal challenge, which was unsuccessful. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the initial verdict. Rumored to be set for a comeback next season when his ban expires

10 OSCAR PEREIRO (Spain)

2006

1 OSCAR PEREIRO (Spain)

2 ANDREAS KLODEN (Germany)

3 CARLOS SASTRE (Spain)

4 CADEL EVANS (Australia)

5 DENIS MENCHOV (Russia)

6 CYRIL DESSEL (France)

7 CHRISTOPHE MOREAU (France)

8 HAIMAR ZUBELDIA

9 MICHAEL ROGERS

10 FRANK SCHLECK

Note Floyd Landis reached Paris in the lead and took home the final yellow jersey of the race but it was revealed two days later he had tested positive for testosterone. He was stripped of his win and it was handed to Pereiro.

2007

1 ALBERTO CONTADOR (Spain) *

Alleged to be the rider referred to as AC in the Operacion Puerto documents. Vehemently denies he was involved and is allowed to race on

2 CADEL EVANS (Australia)

3 LEVI LEIPHEIMER (USA)

4 CARLOS SASTRE (Spain)

5 HAIMAR ZUBELDIA (Spain)

6 ALEJANDRO VALVERDE (Spain) *

Alleged to be the rider referred to as Valv.Piti in the Operacion Puerto documents. Vehemently denies he was involved and is allowed to race on

7 KIM KIRCHEN (Luxembourg)

8 YAROSLAV POPOVYCH (Ukraine)

9 MIKEL ASTARLOZA (Spain)

10 OSCAR PEREIRO (Spain)

Notes Denmark’s Michael Rasmussen won two stages and was comfortably in the lead at the end of stage 16. Later that day he was removed from the race by his Rabobank team after it emerged he had lied about his whereabouts – alleged to be an attempt to evade out-of-competition testing in the run-up to the Tour de France.

Alexandre Vinokourov had won two stages when he tested positive for a banned blood transfusion. Andrey Kashechkin was in the top ten overall when the Astana team was asked to leave the race. Kashechkin later failed a targeted out-of-competition test while on holiday after the Tour.

2007

1 CARLOS SASTRE (Spain)

2 CADEL EVANS (Australia)

3 BERNHARD KOHL (Austria)

Tested positive for CERA after the Tour de France

4 DENIS MENCHOV (Russia)

5 CHRISTIAN VANDE VELDE (USA)

6 FRANK SCHLECK (Luxembourg)

7 SAMUEL SANCHEZ (Spain)

8 KIM KIRCHEN (Luxembourg)

9 ALEJANDRO VALVERDE (Spain) *

10 TADEJ VALJAVEC (Ag2r)

As I finish writing this piece hot off the wire is the news that the 2010 winner of the Tour de France, Alberto Contador from Spain, is about to receive a one-year suspension for doping. As with Floyd Landis, the initial winner of the 2006 Tour de France, Contador will also have his Tour De France title stripped away.

Cycling is simply not making any headway in re inventing itself. I believe it wont until, first the top of the sports governing administration is cleaned out, then secondly, the phenomenon that is Messer Armstrong is resolved once and for all. We may very well find out that the two have more in common as far as secrets than you could ever had imagined.

Let’s all hope that the current US lead investigation into practices surrounding the US Postal Team during Messer Armstrong’s winning years will uncover the truth behind the pedaling philanthropist.

U2 Rock Band star Bono recently tweeted to Messer Armstrong,

“Sometimes my friend, the lie is ugly, but the truth is unbearable”, I say touché.

Mark Philpott

Philanthropist and Cyclist