Giro d'italia riders?

[Turbo]

Just watched a bit today and quickly scanned through it after recording it on sky+ and i was really disappointed with the amount of well known riders.

I mean i haven't looked into who was riding but where is Contador, Armstrong, Cavendish or Schleck?

People have dropped out to 'concentrate on the tour' but i didn't think that many.

Cheers

 

[Noodley]

Armstrong's team was not invited.
Contador is concentrating on the Tour.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'well known' but IMO the Giro has loads of well known cyclists...

 

[redddraggon]

They're probably only "not-well-known" if you're only a fan of Pro Cycling in July.

 

[Sysagent]

Mmm...

Wiggins, Evans, Vino, Millar, Sastre, Vande Velde, Basso, Nabali, Greipel, Mcewen, the list goes on of quality Pro seasoned cyclists.

There is more to the world than the Pharmstrongs & Contadopers of this World, infact I honestly think the races are better without them sometimes.

:-)

 

[Will1985]

Some have jumped ship to the Tour of California which has moved to directly compete with the Giro in the calendar.

The rest of the big names will probably do the Dauphiné, Tour de Suisse closer to the TdF.

 

[TijnUK]

There is more to the world than the Pharmstrongs & Contadopers of this World??????

Vino, Millar, Basso indeed nice and seasoned

 

[Dayvo]

There is more to the world than the Pharmstrongs & Contadopers of this World??????

Vino, Millar, Basso indeed nice and seasoned

Good reply, TijnUK!

 

[TijnUK]

Thanks Dayvo,

Sorry but I just cannnot like them anymore.

Hopefully Wiggans can be my next hero.

 

[montage]

Wiggins is certainly looking good!

 

[Sysagent]

There is more to the world than the Pharmstrongs & Contadopers of this World??????

Vino, Millar, Basso indeed nice and seasoned

They have all served their time, they will now be the bastions of clean cycling!

;-)

 

[Kablinsky]

But it's even more exciting when all the big names aren't there as judging by yesterday the rest can't cycle in a straight line without falling off.

 

[lukesdad]

They have all served their time, they will now be the bastions of clean cycling!

;-)

Shouldn t have had the chance.They all should of been banned for life. Then the sport would be clean. Make an example of them!

 

[Sysagent]

Shouldn t have had the chance.They all should of been banned for life. Then the sport would be clean. Make an example of them!

I agree!

 

[yello]

Shouldn t have had the chance.They all should of been banned for life. Then the sport would be clean. Make an example of them!

Whilst I agree with the sentiments, and am no defender of doping, the issue is just a tad more complex than who dopes and who doesn't. ALL riders take something, be it for recovery or 'performance assistance'. They simply wouldn't be able to turn up day-after-day if they didn't. The issue is what constitutes legal or 'performance enhancing'.

Yes, there are clear examples of doping but things do get more and more grey and blurred when you start venturing into the world of sports medicine. Sportsmen/docs are always looking for new products or ways to get an edge; quite legally and understandably. Sometimes ahead of the legislation. Innocent, over-the-counter meds contain banned substances.

But I'd agree that we have riders that knowingly dope. I have no time for them.

 

[lukesdad]

There is no "grey area" IMO the rules are written in black and white. They re all big boys if they tansgress they should expect to be punnished.If they can t turn up day after day without using such substances then dont.

I think the issue is, how many days racing are expected of them. To a certain extent everybody in cycling is to blame including us the fans. We expect now to see racing every week with the top riders in attendance. This has been going on for decades and will continue to do so untill radical action is taken, and as I see it lifetime bans is the only way forward. Sure we may lose some of the stars,but there will be others to take their place and the sport would would be seen a different light by alot of people including major sponsors.