Friday, May 25, 2007

Fortune's Wheel

Zabel about to win a sprint, second from left.
"Mr. 60%"
I'm Having trouble processing the doping news coming out of the European peloton today. The sad news is that Erick Zabel, an all-arounder who was one of the few German cyclists I generally like, admitted to doping. The good news, kind of, is that Bjarne Riis, the cocky Dutch guy I hated when he rode finally admitted to being doped up when he beat Indurain in 1996. Even that is a little sad, though, because I have really enjoyed the way Riis has run Team CSC in the past few years, getting great production out of some riders who people thought were past their prime. He knows his stuff. I think his doping was an open secret, really. I know people who referred to him as "Mr. 60%" because his hematocrit allegedly hit that absurd number once or twice back in the day.

It's just sad all around, though, really. It's such a great sport to follow, but I don't know whom to support anymore. I still believe Lance was clean, though. I hope I can always believe that.

2 comments:

wes gaines said...

Landis has really come out looking like an ass hasn't he?

Mr. Hill said...

Yeah, finally. Most people always used to think Armstrong was the jerk and Landis the nice guy, but I think it's the opposite. There was a long profile on him in the New Yorker a year ago or so that just confirmed. He came across in it as spiteful toward Lance, homophobic, and just plain immature.