Clouds Over Rotterdam

All eyes within the professional cycling world weren’t directed upon Rotterdam this morning for the Grand Depart of the Tour De France, but on New York, or its Wall Street Journal newspaper to be exact.

The next chapter in the Floyd Landis V’s Lance Armstrong (the media seem to be ignoring all others implicated in Landis’ accusations) was hyped up on various websites this week and finally released today. It was billed to ‘rewrite professional cycling history’. Depending on your opinion of the elongating controversy, it can be viewed from several angles. The accusations are either more empty ramblings of a bitter drug cheat, a former doper seeking financial gain for a sensational story or a former doper coming clean to expose the full truth with nothing left to lose.

The Wall Street Journal article presents some new information, but there is no solid evidence to back up his claims as yet. According to the Wall Street Journal piece Landis recounts that in 2002, blood transfusions had taken place at a US Postal training camp held in St Moritz by Dr Michele Ferrari. Ferrari would follow Armstrong and Landis on training rides to monitor the riders’ performance prior to the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré which Armstrong went on to win.

According to the Journal, St. Moritz was again the venue for the team’s training camps prior to the 2004 Tour de France, where once again under the supervision of Dr Michele Ferrari blood was removed from riders within the US Postal team. Landis alleges further information of return transfusions, replacing the rider’s blood during the event in a hotel in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat on July 12, the first rest day of that year’s race.

Perhaps the most damning revelation from Landis are his claims that US Postal Trek team bikes were sold to raise funds for the teams’ doping program. It is claimed that around 60 of the teams race bikes were set aside for sale. The WSJ article states that federal investigators telephoned TREK bicycles, who indeed revealed that bikes went missing and would be seen for sale on the internet.

The timing of the article is not surprising and unfortunate. As all eyes turn to our sports greatest event, the doping scandal will have maximum effect and maximum damage. At 4am this morning, it was the lead article on the BBC world service and the perception from some media sources was that not only Armstrong was doping but also every other cyclist! The mainstream media love to blindly associate every pro cyclist with drugs. It is a lazy response, but the bed in which our sport is now lying, thanks to the cheats who have continued to darken it’s reputation. This blanket media coverage means the allegations must be addressed through a proper and just investigation. Whether such an investigation involves the biggest name in the world of cycling or not, truth and justice must prevail at all costs.

Landis may be a proven liar, for years he cried innocence and stole money from trusting fans to plead his false case. He is no role model, I wouldn’t play cards with him but what cycling needs is the truth. Due to his previous actions, he lacks credability. If what he says is true, or false, we need to know the real truth either way. The ‘fresh start’ that is referred to after every scandal is becoming an empty war cry. Until we have a solid foundation of certainty to build and defend our sport, we can construct nothing but a façade.

Today the Tour begins, an amazing event, the eyes of the world are watching. As newcomers to the sport, viewing the great race on television helped develop our love for the sport. This years edition will fight for column inches with the scandal that could well bring down one of the greatest athletes the sporting world has seen. If the accusations are proven to be correct, it would be the most monumental fraud committed in the sporting arena. Leading the investigation into Landis’ allegations is Jeff Novitsky, and his findings will determine if it is to be brought before a grand jury.

This year cycling has a significant chance to crackdown the past and begin to rebuild its reputation. Each cyclist starting today in Rotterdam, must race pure, not only to uphold their own honor and conscience, but the honor and reputation of each cyclist and supporter around the world.  Once the past is dealt with then the future can be rewritten. Our sport must exact more severe penalties and distance itself from cheats, making a riders’ decision to dope, a decision that could ultimately end his career.

Photos courtesy © jxpphotography.com.au