Ugh, Too Much Vino. I Have A Terrible Hangover...
Wow, I woke up this morning feeling sick to the pit of my stomach, dear reader. My head hurts and I don't really know what day it is.
All I can remember is flirting outrageously with someone who, in the cold light of day, was clearly taking advantage of my good nature and advanced state of inebriation.
I am, of course, talking metaphorically about my worship of the false god who is Vinokourov. The man who was single-handedly building a Tour legend at this year's event has failed (or should it be passed, if you are positive?) a blood test.
The test revealed that he had "old and new red blood cells" in his system on Saturday, the day of his monumental time trial success. This means he must have had a transfusion that day. If he rode like he had the power of two men, that's because he did.
Blood doping, for those who don't know, enables the body to take on extra red blood cells. These are the ones that carry oxygen round the body and sustain a rider's stamina.
Vino is no sporting idol. He is just another cheat in a sport riddled with them. As I suggested in my preview, perhaps cycling was the fairest sport of all because they were all cheating. I had also intimated that that perspective was outmoded and that the sport was entering a cleaner era.
It seems this is not the case. Vino's blatant flouting of the rules, allied to Sinkewitz (the T Mobile rider) already being sent home for testing positive for testosterone, and the growing raincloud of doubt over the head of Tour leader Michael Rasmussen, and the ongoing case against last year's winner, Floyd Landis, make this arguably the darkest of many dark days for recent Tour history.
Indeed, for Rasmussen it has emerged that he did not just receive two warnings, but four, for failing to notify the drug authorities of his whereabouts. Three warnings is supposed to count as a positive drug test and a ban should ensue.
The authorities now have the extremely embarrassing situation where this year's and last year's Tour winners may be thrown out retrospectively.
I don't know what to write, or to make of the current situation. I still love the sport, like I still love a drink. But sometimes when I wake up with a terrible hangover, I just feel I never want to drink again.
Even when there is a party that day, such as the sporting fiesta that is Stage 16 of the Tour today. 218.5km of fearsome climbs and descents: the toughest stage of the Tour. And the question everyone will be asking is, "Who's clean?".
TdF: R.I.P.
Sombre Matt
All I can remember is flirting outrageously with someone who, in the cold light of day, was clearly taking advantage of my good nature and advanced state of inebriation.
I am, of course, talking metaphorically about my worship of the false god who is Vinokourov. The man who was single-handedly building a Tour legend at this year's event has failed (or should it be passed, if you are positive?) a blood test.
The test revealed that he had "old and new red blood cells" in his system on Saturday, the day of his monumental time trial success. This means he must have had a transfusion that day. If he rode like he had the power of two men, that's because he did.
Blood doping, for those who don't know, enables the body to take on extra red blood cells. These are the ones that carry oxygen round the body and sustain a rider's stamina.
Vino is no sporting idol. He is just another cheat in a sport riddled with them. As I suggested in my preview, perhaps cycling was the fairest sport of all because they were all cheating. I had also intimated that that perspective was outmoded and that the sport was entering a cleaner era.
It seems this is not the case. Vino's blatant flouting of the rules, allied to Sinkewitz (the T Mobile rider) already being sent home for testing positive for testosterone, and the growing raincloud of doubt over the head of Tour leader Michael Rasmussen, and the ongoing case against last year's winner, Floyd Landis, make this arguably the darkest of many dark days for recent Tour history.
Indeed, for Rasmussen it has emerged that he did not just receive two warnings, but four, for failing to notify the drug authorities of his whereabouts. Three warnings is supposed to count as a positive drug test and a ban should ensue.
The authorities now have the extremely embarrassing situation where this year's and last year's Tour winners may be thrown out retrospectively.
I don't know what to write, or to make of the current situation. I still love the sport, like I still love a drink. But sometimes when I wake up with a terrible hangover, I just feel I never want to drink again.
Even when there is a party that day, such as the sporting fiesta that is Stage 16 of the Tour today. 218.5km of fearsome climbs and descents: the toughest stage of the Tour. And the question everyone will be asking is, "Who's clean?".
TdF: R.I.P.
Sombre Matt
Labels: Tour De France
posted by Matt at
07:50
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