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Comments - The Chewbacca Defense
June 25, 2011
1. The memories and emotions from that era are forever and the medications they used were most likely spread evenly throughout the top echelon. Some may have had access to cutting edge stuff, and they probably still do. LA won those Tours b/c he was incredibly well prepared, got incredibly lucky (no flats/crashes etc) and most likely the whole team was doped. Get over it.
2. The LA thing is a little like religion. If you believe, there's no evidence that can convince you otherwise.
- steve, miami
June 24, 2011
That 2003 Video shouldn't look/feel as old as it does right there :( TIme is flying by.
For goodness sakes, they are allowed to take off their helmets! I miss those days. Oh, and the Oakley M-Frames.... <3 I'm such a nerd.
- WV Cycling, Buckhannon, WV
June 24, 2011
"Without question, Lance Armstrong is innocent." OJ Simpson
Despite the verdict Armstrong has given me over 20 years of entertainment and motivation. Not happy about the doping. My biggest concern for me is the next generation of riders. I'm at peace with the outcome. Lance doesn't realize that if he comes clean we may like him more. This is the land of 2nd chances. I know I would have doped to race the Tour, let alone win. Just being honest here.
- Bill, Nor Cal
June 24, 2011
Lance's seven TDF wins coinsided with my first seven years of recovery from cancer (brain tumor surgery.) Great inspiration! To date, all "evidence " has been he said, she said. No substantiating hard evidence or failed tests.
- Russ, Franklin, MA
June 23, 2011
So when are you guys gonna use the Wookie defense for a Canyon frame not being attached to my wheels?
- Wheelz, Indy
June 23, 2011
OMG, that fuckin' music is totally Euro!
Yes negro, I can add 5+7!
- Dope Head, TX
June 23, 2011
Holy F@$#. Those guys were hauling up that hill....
- Anon, Anon
June 23, 2011
Doesn't ANYONE have a problem with a machine shifting gears on a bike? How about a motor-assisted bottom bracket? A well-worn set of Campy 10-speed shifters is part of the joy of riding for me.
- erich, bethesda
June 23, 2011
Guess it's sorta like the sailor have'n sex with a person he later finds out is a male in a wig...sure, it was sex alright but not comparable to the real thing -- ie., a doped rider win'n amongst other doped riders has NO relevance to me.
- JoeBobTex, Tyler, TX
June 23, 2011
CIA lying expert calls Lance a liar: http://liespotting.com/2011/06/liespotting-lance-armstrong-part-2-expert-analysis/
- David, Falls Church
June 23, 2011
As a clean rider my entire cycling life, it's frustrating to know that there are dopers in the field. I look back on what might have been had everyone been clean. On the other hand, pro cycling is entertainment, so it may be time to set aside the righteous indignation for a little perspective.
Are steroids any different than an actress getting plastic surgery that helps her land a role and win an Oscar? Is elective surgery, botox, or filling your chest with plastic any less dangerous than shooting hormones? What about linemen in football? Even without drugs, weighing 300+ pounds isn't healthy. Really, who are we trying to protect?
Maybe it's time to use sport to drive medical innovation the same way motor racing resulted in safety advances. EPO is useful for chemo patients, but how much better a drug might we get if development were driven by the spectacle of sport and marketing, instead of just sick people?
- Sean, California
June 23, 2011
Glad folks are finally turning around: Lance doped. Let the real story begin. In re. to the "tainted era": if you are saying that things are better in re. doping today in pro-cycling than they were when Lance was running the show -- your are either disingenuous or delusional. Either way, just like when those who said that Lance very likely doped were called "haters" on this page, it serves the interests of this business and others to foster as positive as possible (good luck!) spin on the pro-cycling scene... Reader Remember: it may come in different colours, vintages or flavors: it's still kool-aid!
- Fred, Macon
June 23, 2011
A'la Barry bonds before and after shot. Let's take a look at Indurain blowing by LA in a TT as if he was a cat 4 brought up from the minor leagues the night before. Then fast forward to LA blowing by Ullrich. Nope, no drugs there. My father went through chemo and went from a 6'3", 210 Lb working man, too hardly able to get up on his own. LA gets destroyed by Indurain, goes through chemo, then wins the tour 7 times. sorry, can't find the math proof that makes that work...
- JAM, Angier
June 22, 2011
recently, while trying to explain the whole LA/doping in pro cycling thing to a mr know-it-all non-cycling fan... i noted that while i wasn't exactly a fan of the yellow wristed one, some of my finest moments of yelling at the TV involved him...
>the look
>the musette
>cyclocross into Gap
>passing Ullrich in the stage 1 TT
>Ullie goes off road, LA waits
>Ullie doesn't quite make the round about
>pas de cadeaux
>Riis attacks shortened stage & parlays that into '96 tour win (man, i thought that was just a *brilliant* tactic)
>four months earlier, mapei goes 1, 2, 3 in roubaix none of these are really obscure... but maybe what i more hang on to is how snake-bit ullie was.
- al b, madison
June 22, 2011
Do u think Campy electric will be priced for OEM?
- Michael McNutt, Edina
June 22, 2011
Turning on LA is fashionable these days but recommending twitter "all doping all the time" personas? Lame.
- Dean, San Francisco
June 22, 2011
Who knew Edgar Allen Poe could make you forget about broken bones. Regardless, the accelerations on that climb were insane.
- Mcshane, Sewickley
June 22, 2011
Tainted Era? Cyclist have doped in some form for the past 100 years. To call that period tainted is to fall for the media bull crap. Show a little more class and stick to good and vastly popular side of cycling..... stick to seeing the beauty in a guy and his bike. Doped or not... Lance is a badass on a bike.
- Paul, Greenville SC
June 22, 2011
Active's board of directors are all from Ticketmaster. Its not by coincidence that they are so similar. A little research and you'll see how much more similar they are than you might realize. See also: MoneyTree (yes...the cash lenders).
- Joe G, San Diego
June 22, 2011
Best "Tainted Era" memory..have a seat,this is gonna take a while.The 97 tour with Festina gang raping Ullrich and Rous winning the stage.VDB blowing off pure climbers in the mountains while the commentators are holding back laughter during the Vuelta and pure climbers blowing off specialist TT riders in the TT.Oh,before i forget,Zulle's first week in the 98 giro then the soigneur screws up his prep.and the race.
- l.enrique, california
June 22, 2011
The music - make it stop. Yea, that 2003 stage was crazy and didn't even LA himself say it was too fast? Beloki - man, that guy has got to be depressed. The most amazing thing, Hamilton staying in there with a broken collar bone - that dude is tough
http://brumblebikesnews.com/index.php/tyler-hamilton-one-of-favorite-riders-ever-heres-why
- Tom, DC
June 22, 2011
What " Tainted Era"? Every year, we hear the same pathetic cries...." the days of doping are behind us, this year we hope for clean racing..." Wake up people, it only gets better. Better masking techniques, new products, new doctors, more science. OK so the days of Top Fuel, balls-to-the -wall racing are over. Now it's more subtle micro dosing.
Gentlemen, start you engines......!
- PoopooNoizettes, Alphaville
June 22, 2011
If Chewbaca lives on Endor, you must acquit! Thank you for refreshing this hilarity! Well done.
- Sam, Cincinnati OH
June 22, 2011
Forget tainted victories. Can we not mourn the loss of all-bets-off helmetless climbing?
- John, Wilmore
June 22, 2011
I'll wait for Campy's Electric Paris-Roubaix outfit.
50-34 is an annoying combo, how about 48/34 or 50/36 ??
Will any attempt to change chain rings result in a Schleck ?
- Lucien Juy, Cincinnati
June 22, 2011
That clip of stage 8 the 2003 TdF is a simply awesome showcase of the power of pharmaceuticals. Top fuel racing at its high octane best.
- Nof Landrien, Westfield
June 22, 2011
One of my favorite Tainted Era memories is watching VDB big ring the steepest climbs at LBL. With his bars cocked ever so slightly at 3 degrees..
- Jim, Troy NY
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