Armstrong's decision to race the Tour of Ireland at the end of August puts a big nail in the coffin of his participation at ToM. Still possible, I suppose.

Stop it!

By most accounts, this year's Tour of CA was a great success. Four years have passed and the race continues to grow. More days of racing. More top riders. There is talk of moving the race to later in the season and expanding to two weeks. Everything looks rosy for the future. However, someone needs to take a stand.

I hereby call for the cancellation of the 2010 Tour of California. Don't even start planning for next year. The race is on the edge of a metaphorical cliff and I feel it is necessary to take drastic action in order to secure a brighter future.

This year, the Tour organizers pleaded with fans to not paint the roads and use chalk instead. From what I could see on TV, or couldn't see through the chalk cloud at the Stage 4 finish, the fans heeded the organizer's requests and shied away from using paint. I applaude the fans for their restraint. Unfortunately, this limitation on fan behavior seemed to reveal an even uglier side to the fans. Then running nutcase.

Yes, there is something of a tradition by some fans in Europe to run with the peloton as they climb a mountain. You always see a few of them on a stage and, occasionally, you find yourself yelling at the TV screen for them to get out of the way. For the most part, though, they seem relatively unobtrusive. Maybe its the gendarmes that are placed periodically along the route.

The fans in California seemed to be trying WAY to hard to show how that they are good fans. Either that or they are in a desperate, futile attempt to be the next Didi Senfft. Every 10 seconds I was wanting to hurl a rock at the TV as some loony bin ran up the mountain. I have a special message Mr Texas Longhorn Guy, "Get the f' out the middle of the road you mental giant." Apparently, the size of your horns is in inverse proportion to the size of your brain.

There was one annoying character after another clogging up the screen. Mr Giant Antler Guy. Mr Big Hair Superfan Guy. Mr Hold My Baby in front of the Peloton Guy. The Mr Giant Sumo Outfit Guys. Like thats not an accident waiting to happen. And what is the deal with Californians penchant for running in their Speedos. It seemed like two-thirds of the egomaniacal camera hogs were showing much too much doughy, soft skin For the love of God, we don't want watch you jiggling and wiggling up the mountain.

This behavior seems far more rampant than the road painting was in the past. I think a year layoff may be needed for the fans to just calm down a little decorum. See you in 2011, Tour of CA.

Addendum: No, I'm not against folks having fun, cheering or being a little rowdy. Yes, I was running around with a bunch of Giant Sharks at Cross Nats but we were always behind the course tape and never interfering with the race.

Is that the Marlboro Man?

Is it my imagination or was there a big chalk cloud at the finish of Stage 4? Seems like it would have been annoying to ride through.

Francisco Mancebo's win a couple days ago, elicited a micro-rant from me.  The Man of Bugs replied yesterday with a defense of Mancebo.  Rather than paraphrasing, here is his comment

 

"I thought it was a rather gutsy performance - especially getting the jump on the two guys that caught him. If it turns out he was on dope, then I hate him. But for now it was really quite an amazing performance.

Yes, he retired rather than deal with Puerta. And Basso was suspended. And so was Tyler. And Landis. And Lance probably doped - at least at some point. What are you gonna do - root against everyone and be inspired by nobody?"

 

Ted's points are good.  But, because my posting the other day was so brief, I will delve deeper into my philosophy in regards to doping, suspensions, redemption and what stirs my dislike for Mancebo.  And along the way, reply to Ted in a longer format than I cared to put in a comment

 

In a perfect world I want to see the doping eliminated.  Most people do.  Nothing needs much explaination on that front.

 

My critical comments about Mancebo had nothing to do with his performance.  I, too, thought the ride was quite impressive and I would not have expected to outsprint Nibali and Van de Walle.  Mancebo was physically strong and tactically savvy.

 

As much as I dislike dopers, I am a forgiving person provided the rider has paid for their crimes.  The old saying "Trick me once, fool me.  Trick me twice, fool you" is not a perfect explanation of my feelings but it is as close as I can think of right now.  I am usually willing to give a second chance, just don't make a fool of me a second time.  I hold no ill will toward Basso, Hamilton, Landis.  Often I root for riders like them to return successfully from a doping suspension in the hope that they are racing clean.  This is where Mancebo runs afoul with me.  He never paid for his actions.

 

When Operation Puerto became news, multiple riders were excluded from the Tour de France because they were rumored to be implicated in the scandal.  Among those excluded was Mancebo.  When his team, Ag2r, agreed to remove Mancebo from the Tour squad, Mancebo promptly 'retired'.  That was Mancebo's first strke in my book.

 

Admittedly, Mancebo's retirement is a bit of an assumption of guilt on my part.  There was no proven guilt or conviction.  However, what 29yr old would give up a successful and lucrative career that he has spent his entire adult life and much of his childhood pursuing at the mere rumor of involvement in Puerto?  I can only assume guilt at that point.  That was strike one.  Fool me.

 

Spain then completely fumbled the entire Puerto investigation and has allowed most of the involved parties to go free.  Other implicated riders from Italy and Germany were ultimately shown to be involved in Puerto.  The fact that Spain played Keystone Kops with Puerto does not give Mancebo a free pass in my book.  After realizing that he could skate free on the doping charges, he decided to un-retire and went back to racing in 2007 and escaped ANY penalties for what was, in my book, an tacit admission of guilt when he 'retired'.  Strike Two.  Fool you, Francisco.

 

Even if Mancebo had been unable to find work for 2007, I could cut him some slack for having missed a significant period of racing.  However, I dont consider 'retiring' for three months any kind of penalty and until he pays his dues or is proven innocent, Mancebo will forever be in my doghouse.

 

 

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A tip to Victor Hugo Pena

No, you're not. And if you were, you wouldn't be needing to convince anyone.

Leipheimer made the move of the day in CA but Peterson did really well for such a young kid. When I saw him sticking with Leipheimer at the top of Bonny Doon I remembered the tweet that Vaughters wrote at the beginning of Tour of Qatar

22 year old Tom Peterson spit out the best lactate test at camp. Better than CVV and DZ. Interesting.

Not bad guys to outperform. Looks like the kid might have a future.

Congratulations to Francisco "I'm so frickin' guilty I'm going to retire than deal with the Puerto mess" Mancebo for winning in CA today. Now, go retire again. Please.

Lie of the Day:  Marc Madiot - DS of Francaise des Jeux
 
"I do not think that the departure of Gilbert has weakened us," Madiot told Sporza.be.

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