Brace yourselves folks....

[Crackle]

Phonak were Swiss registered weren't they? But yes, if anything happens it's going to be in the US, unless the UCI/Verbruggen angle turns up stuff that can be actioned.

See, that really does strike me as, 'today children we're going to look through the square window', stuff. I just can't see someone like Verbruggen doing something like that and pulling it off. L'Equipe would've uncovered it years ago. I think it discredits Landis's confession somewhat.

 

[Chuffy]

If the allegations are false where is the libel suit?

Good question and I'm not sure what the answer is.

1. The libelled parties simply can't be arsed
2. The 'libelled' parties are scared of what might come out in a court case
3. No-one has been libelled

Could easily be a mixture of all three. My money says that Tex, Bruyneel et al are banking on being able to shrug it all off on the basis that Landis has spent the last four years making a fool of himself. If he'd come out with this stuff back in 2006 then they would have lawyered up quicker than you can say 'hush money'. It's interesting to ponder what the forthcoming federal investigation will turn up.

 

[Chuffy]

See, that really does strike me as, 'today children we're going to look through the square window', stuff. I just can't see someone like Verbruggen doing something like that and pulling it off. L'Equipe would've uncovered it years ago. I think it discredits Landis's confession somewhat.

Would they though? That they haven't doesn't prove that it didn't happen.

It sounds somewhat far-fetched and I'm wondering how Verbruggen could make positive tests 'disappear' like that. However, the former Tour organiser Jacques Goddet said that "the controls we developed after Simpson's death were a lie, covered up by the highest scientific and medical authorities and I condemn them." Sure, he was talking about a testing regime from a previous era (post 1967) but you get the picture. The authorities in charge of cycling are not averse to covering up stuff that suits them.

 

[andrew_s]

However the timing of the articles just before the start of the TdF proves to me that the welfare of the sport of cycling is the last thing on the minds of Landis and his supposed supporter LeMond

I'd put the timing of the article down to the WSJ looking for maximum impact. The interviews the article is based on could have taken place any time in the last month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raindog]

I'd put the timing of the article down to the WSJ looking for maximum impact. The interviews the article is based on could have taken place any time in the last month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+1
That article would've been written weeks ago and I doubt LeMond has any say concerning WSJ publishing dates.

 

[Chuffy]

+1
That article would've been written weeks ago and I doubt LeMond has any say concerning WSJ publishing dates.

Yup. Newspapers don't time their articles to suit the interviewee. Not that Lemond has anything to do with this article anyway.

 

[Ian H]

It's just part of pro-cycling, and always has been. I fail miserably at getting worked up about it.

 

[Chuffy]

Pevenage has finally 'fessed up to Op Puerto. I just wish that Fat Jan would have an attack of conscience some time soon.