So, after training for a month and half, losing some much needed pounds, and the weather being nice, instead of broiling hot, I decided to head back to my old stomping grounds, and race the Carolina Cup in Greensboro, NC, which if you check their website the winners of the race from many years ago, and even as of late, reads like a pretty good list of some of the best domestic cyclists that have pounded the pavement in the US over the years. Plus, it’s a race put on by the team/shop that I used to ride for. So really, it was more about hanging out with some old friends, meeting new ones, and figuring out that lining up against 60 some odd guys who have been racing all year isn’t the smartest thing.
About 5 laps, and done, soft pedaled, and then hopped on the back of the train when it came around again to get some training in. Man, no top end. This guy needs some work on the road this winter if I want to race the bike again in the near future (which I do). Also, got the ‘cross build going on right now, and will be lining up for some cross races in the Mid Atlantic, to once again, have my ass handed to me, and you know what? Fuck it, I’m OK with that. I hope and or plan to have some sort of fitness by the time Spring rolls around. We’ll see, and if I don’t? Well, as I said above, fuck it. I am NOT even going to come close to racing back up as a 1 like I used to be, no fucking way. Too much time needed for that I think. And time, I don’t have.
Anyway, like everyone else, been following this Joe Papp stuff as it evolves, and have been following the US Postal investigation as well. Man, I can’t wait until the shit drops for good on this one. Heading back down to NC last weekend, I heard some rumors, well, not rumors, but at the Crossroads Cycling Classic series of races in NC (I will add, that if you have a chance to go and race this series, it is well run, and well worth the time, and there is a ton of good racing) apparently USADA made an appearance. Not for the Pro 1/2 category though, no sir, it was for the Master’s categories. A few former teammates of mine got pee tested, as did a lot of other guys racing in the Master’s categories out there.
Here’s the thing. For years on end, before I really got into racing (around 2000), and long after I got out of racing a lot (2007), the rumor around the bunch has always been that certain older aged riders in NC, and the Southeast in general had been racing dirty for years. There were trips to Old Mexico in the winter for “training” (even though they live in NC where it doesn’t really snow that much, and you can train all year long). The trips would last, well, months sometimes. And, those guys would return being harder than fucking barn nails. And normally right before the season would start, they’d disappear again for another few weeks, to “hone” their form before the season would start, and then they’d come out swinging.
You can still regularly see these guys riding at the front, or off the front of most 1-2 races in the SE on any given sunny summer weekend. I’ve heard there were some nervous guys that weekend that USADA showed up, because, who would think that USADA would show up to a small race series, in North Carolina to test the Master’s racers, IF they didn’t have some good information (the DoD would call it, actionable intelligence) of who was, and was not taking PEDs to enhance their riding? They ain’t gonna waste their time going down there without coming back with something. I can’t wait to see what they found.
Then there is the Papp list itself. It is said that there are what? 187 some odd names on there? Lots of cyclists, and some other athletes. I can’t wait until that thing drops.
Shit is getting real out there, and I’m loving it.
Oh, and when Lance finally does get busted, all you Lance-o-philes can kiss my ass after defending him all of this time.
…hey giantcu92…
…here’s a thought (or a conspiracy theory, as the case may be)…
…a gift from u.s.cycling through usada that the ‘pap schmear’ list of dopers comes out at a nicely convenient time for a certain well known tour winner & financial contributor of cycling ???…
…“well, marge, i see the feds are tryin’ ta bust that lance fella for drugs but it looks like he’s just been doing what every other cyclist has been doing…can’t say i blame him for that…hell, look at mcgwire & bonds in baseball”…
…hey, just sayin’…
You mean to tell me that guys that I am riding with/against at the Saturday morning BOS ride or local AZ in the 40+ masters races (which effectively amount to to the equivalent of the local men’s softball, or bowling league)are doping?
I mean at least one can see how guys at the highest levels of the sport that are making a livelihood out of it are willing to take the risks. Some local recreational guy doing it is just flat out pathetic and an even higher level of cheating because it is being done at a level that is basically supposed to be for fun.
Then again, I guess if you were willing to take out a second mortgage or use plastic to pay for a $10,000 bike in hopes that it would enhance your unfortunately oh so average talent, using drugs is doable.
One of the aforementioned Masters guys showed up, kitted up, warmed up, then found out the USADA was there, and blew out of town with all due haste. He evidently left his kid there for the junior race, and sent someone else back to pick him up. Headscratcher…
When you say “domestic”, do you mean “domestique”?
Bear with me. I’m new at this.
domestic = riders mostly from here and racing here in the US
domestique = the rider on the team that has to schlep back to the team car and grab water bottles and mussettes.
How could guys like that afford to go to Mexico for several months, plus afford the PEDs? Is there that much money in bike racing for guys not on the big international teams?
Masters guys usually are pretty successful in their careers…
Some of them are former pros…like the one who bolted…
BGW…
Time will tell but I think you might be on to something with your “conspiracy theory”
…triple j…
…i looked over the list of officers @ usa cycling & i don’t see any names jumping out but i know part of the ‘brain trust’ recently involved jim ochowitz & thom weisel…
…those two names are well known lance-ster associates & they both know where the bodies are buried…
…& one hand does wash the other, even down the line…