As USADA Travis Tygart ties the noose and the Anti-LA and Anti- Johann crowds grab their pitch forks, a few things might have been missed. I keep hearing phrases like "The truth is needed" and "We need to know", but keep in mind, the "Truth" that is found might not just impact Lance and Johan. If a blanket is thrown over everyone that rode for Johan some "good guy" fan favs will also be pulled in - below is a list of riders (not including Astana, Shack and Lance's LIVESTRONG developmental team). If you want to see Lance go down that bad, is it worth seeing Christian, Dave Z, Ryder, Levi, George, Tom Boonen get pulled in as well? Don't forget Jonathan Vaughters, did he "learn from the master" how to put up a good PR front and have a program? Chris Carmichael would have been in the know as well, so that means all his athletes need to be looked at. No way you say, many a TV evangelst has been proven to be living separate lives.
Say whatever you want about Johan, but no can argue his eye for talent. From Tom Boonen to Alberto Contador the guy knew who was gifted. He found them and groomed them on his team.
It sounds like the USADA is trying to prove Bruyneel has a high tech, systematic program going on his team since 98. If that was the case, it means the "good guy" types that everyone likes knew and did it, too.
Love or hate the way MLB, the NFL and FIFA try to handle their business, but they try to avoid digging up bones and dredging up history. Why? Pretty simple - it's bad for business! If the intention of the USADA is to have US cycling fans deeply question every win from 98 until the present, it might happen. Is that good for the industry...?
Some will say it is for the purity of the sport etc. but, lets not forget these are humans and they make mistakes. In cycling they have been making mistakes since the turn of the century and will continue to do so. The goal should be to lessen the chances of the current riders to make bad decisions.
* Before anyone asks if I am okay with doping and "cheating" let me say, I would like a clean sport as much as anyone. I am just realistic about the history of the sport and the "GREATS" that did dope like Merckx, Coppi, and Anquetil. The playing fields have always been equal and those that won did win on the road. Let he who can prove he never took the needle be the first one to contest a result!
Bonus Quiz:
Take a rider and fill in the blanks...did they ride for ______ (Saiz, Riis, Johan, Lelangue) did they work with _______ (Ferrari, Fuentez, etc) _______ Do they train with or were they friends with______ (fill in any rider that has been suspended). Did their results jump up drastically in one season in a discipline_____ (TT, climbing etc) or as a GC contender?
Former members of U.S. Postal
Former members of Discovery Channel
| Name | Nationality | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Armstrong |  United States | 2005 |
| José Azevedo |  Portugal | 2005–2006 |
| Michael Barry |  Canada | 2005–2006 |
| Ivan Basso |  Italy | 2007 |
| Manuel Beltrán |  Spain | 2005–2006 |
| Michael Creed | United States | 2005 |
| Antonio Cruz | United States | 2005 |
| Viatcheslav Ekimov |  Russia | 2005–2006 |
| Roger Hammond |  United Kingdom | 2005–2006 |
| Ryder Hesjedal | Canada | 2005 |
| George Hincapie | United States | 2005–2007 |
| Leif Hoste |  Belgium | 2005–2006 |
| Benoît Joachim |  Luxembourg | 2005–2006 |
| Jonathan Patrick McCarty | United States | 2005 |
| Gennady Mikhaylov | Russia | 2005–2006 |
| Hayden Roulston |  New Zealand | 2005 |
| Paolo Savoldelli | Italy | 2005–2006 |
| Jurgen Van Den Broeck | Belgium | 2005–2006 |
| Max Van Heeswijk |  Netherlands | 2005–2006 |
