I was watching Amstel yesterday and the announcers for Eurosport were talking about the history of the the trifecta of the Ardennes Classics of Amstel, Fleche Wallone and Liege and that Davide Rebellin did it back in 2004, but implied that he was super charged for that. I guess they doubted these results since he tested positive in the Olympics in 2008 and had to sit out two years.

On Universal Sports, a couple weeks ago during Vuelta al Pais Vasco, commentators Steve Schlanger and Todd Gogulski got into a discussion about whether the winner, Nairo Quintana, a young guy from Columbia, was doping because, according to them, he rode beyond he capabilities at this race.

I’m just wondering where stepping over the line is when throwing questions out there about doping in the sport. I have to agree about Rebellin. In my book, all his results are bullshit once he got popped for EPO in China. But, they were talking about the impossibility of winning all three of the Ardennes classics.

So, since Philip Gilbert won those three races just two years ago, does that imply that he must be doping since it is such an impossibility? It seems to.

But, I’m not big on the 2nd issue at Basque Country. As the sport get cleaner, there will be many more exciting finishes and unexpected winners. I don’t think that Steve and Todd did their due diligence because this young guy, Quintana, has some pretty stellar results already. I would never publicly accuse someone, that I no virtually nothing about, of doping with no evidence at all other than winning a race.

When Lance was smearing everyone at the Tour and the French media was using the “you say you are clean, but everyone else you’re beating are doping, so you must be doping” rational, all the American media seemed to think this was completely unfair. I personally thought it was pretty logical thinking, but to publish it worldwide, that is another thing.

The Lance deal is logical. So if that is so logical, then now, since most of his team mates, US at least, plus a ton of the Rabobank guys and lots of others have said that they doped, if you use the same logic, then anyone that won a major race from the late 90’s until very recently must have been doping.

I get comments all the time, and lots of emails about if it’s so easy to spot who’s doping, they why don’t you call them out. I don’t call them out publicly, because it is only my opinion. My opinion isn’t evidence. It’s good enough for me, but not good enough for me to “out them” publicly. Of course I talk to my friends about unnatural bike racing that I personally witness, but I’m not going to be posting it here most likely.

A great example of the Rebellin deal is when Alexander Vinokourov won the Olympics last year. Vino had tested positive for a few things and had to sit out two years. Then he came back and made a weird statement, wearing a jersey with his own imagine on it. He never really made any remorseful statement, he just came back to his team.

The belief of a lot of people I talked to, Alexander Vinokourov tested positive, so all his results are suspect. This is my belief. All past and future results are bullshit in my opinion. Him winning a race like the Olympic Road Race was a disaster for the sport. I don’t care if he didn’t test positive at the race, I give him no credibility the least. I wish he wasn’t allowed to race and hated it that he won. But, those are “our” rules and he served his time. And I have no problem stating that here. It’s my blog and a lot of what is stated here is just my opinions.

But, I can’t really say that if the announcers of the Olympic Road Race would have implied that he was doping still, I could support that. I might agree with it, but don’t think announcers have the right to state their own opinions in situations such as these. It really isn’t fair.

Anyway, all these things are intellectually bothersome. When Phil Ligget is going overboard on defending Lance last year, he makes statements like, USADA which is really a nefarious locals drugs agency in the United States.. I don’t know which is worse, all these announcers claiming how clean the sport is now or the ones implying that the riders are doping? Both are very extreme and neither is accurate.

Some of the Universal Sport’s after race coverage of The Tour of Basque Country.

Vino seems so much nicer in real life than his sublimated imagine on his cycling jersey.

I’ve been sleeping better the last couple nights. But, that being said, it ain’t anywhere near what I need to be doing to train and race bikes properly. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. The most common suggestion is still to go out and get a reclining chair. I’m not going to do it. For one, I don’t want to own a recliner. Two, I can’t imagine a place in my house to put the recliner and sleep in it. Where are you supposed to place it exactly? Are you supposed to place it next to your bed and then just sleep there?

I’ve been taking a big handful of Motrin before going to sleep, along with 1/2 a Valium. I’m going to hold back on taking Ambien for a last resort. This lack of REM sleep plays havoc on daylight hours. It’s been a chore. The PT I’ve been doing over at Rebound Therapy has been an eye opener. Before this, I would have told you that I could rehabilitate just about any injury I had by myself. That isn’t the case here. I would be weeks behind without doing the small, seeming meaningless, movements that I’ve been doing there. It is one good part of this whole ordeal.

I see that Johan Bruyneel is back and posting on his blog once more. He didn’t have much to say other than it is a joy acting like a father for once in his life. He hasn’t removed the 9X Winning Tour de France Sports Director from the heading of the blog. I guess he missed the memo that Lance has officially won none as of now. That puts a big dent into the number 9. The other two were from Alberto Contador. You can take those as you see fit. When is this arbitration hearing going on where Johan can prove that he can come back and win more Tours? I thought it was supposed to start and finish in 2012? Guess not.

I heard a deal on NPR about the failure to pass any legislation on gun control. I don’t know where any of you stand on this, but some of it just makes common sense. We don’t seem to complain when we have to register our cars. I’m not sure why anyone would be against this. It seems like law abiding people wouldn’t care the least. So it would only address criminals in theory. The best quote I heard this morning on the radio was from some senator or legislator (I would love to put his name here) and he said “the fact is that no amount of government interaction (it might of been legislation) can stop irrational people from doing terrible things.”

I know it is hard to sound credible when someone is recording everything you say, but that statement is regoddamndiculous. He must of taken an Ambien after he woke this morning. If you use his logic, then there is absolutely no reason to have Homeland Security. For that matter, even having any police around.

It seems like spring is non existent here. Dennis said it is supposed to snow another 1/2 foot or so up in Cable. They need to hold the Birkie in April since this weather pattern has shifted.

Trudi ordered a truckload of mulch that was delivered yesterday in the rain. I was mildly horrified. She is taking off this afternoon for a month, so I assumed that it was going to be up to me to spread it around. I went to PT, came back and Dennis and Trudi had spread the majority of it. I only had to move 10-15 wheelbarrows full and it was done. It looks good.

The is a stage race in Lawrence this weekend. But, none of my guys can race it. For some really unexplained reason, the guys at Velotek Gran Prix, and their races in general, don’t allow Cat. 1’s to race. I’ve received a few emails from friends wanting to come and are super surprised that there is no race for them. It is a long story, that probably doesn’t really have a conclusion, but it is jacked up to say the least. Our sport is much too small to start excluding certain people from racing. It’s that simple.

Catherine is racing over there this weekend. There is Cat. 1 racing for the women. I think Bill and Brian should just race the Master’s races and smear everyone. Maybe they would put the Cat. 1 men back. I’ll probably ride over and watch some. It’s an easy way to get some miles.

Okay, I need to ride before heading over to the airport in Kansas City to drop Trudi off. It is 38, wet and blustery. Perfect April weather.

It doesn’t look like much, but it is way over 50 wheelbarrows full. Maybe closer to 100.

It is easy to spread it in the front, but around back took more effort.

The kittens, all siblings, are super interested in anything going on outside.

Bill and I just heading out to ride to Lawrence on gravel. Bromont was up for it, but Hawkeye was done from walking. I found out my shoulder isn’t up for gravel riding yet.