Thursday Morning Commute - Civil War

Good morning

• The Post profiles Ita Lapina, the victim in this week's Four Mile Run Trail crash, "Lapina was born in 1931 in Southern Russia and as a child evacuated to Siberia to escape the Nazis. She spent years with her family in Siberia, living in miserable conditions in a small basement, Fridlis said. She had many family members in Ukraine who were killed."
• There will be a meeting on Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m. at the Boonsboro Volunteer Fire Co., 6 St. Paul St. in Boonsboro to discuss the Civil War Rail Trail. Because it connects to the C&O Canal, it means one would be able to bike from DC to Hagerstown on trails. 
• Armstrong denies he doped. "I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence. Any fair consideration of these allegations has and will continue to vindicate me." Nonetheless, "As a result of the charges, the World Triathlon Corporation has suspended Armstrong, who recently resumed his career as a triathlete, pending resolution of the case. He is currently able to compete in non-WTC events."

Comments

[oboe]

I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance...

My favorite article on this subject:

Armstrong, who - while capable of winning a stage in 1993 during his first crack at the Tour - was anonymous as a GC hopeful. Armstrong's own teammate, Phil Anderson (himself no slouch as a pro - 5th in the '82 Tour at age 24 and 5th again in '85), is on record saying, "He was a one-day rider. I thought he could never, ever, win the Tour de France. Even he wouldn't have thought he could have won the Tour. He couldn't climb and he couldn't time trial, two things you have to do to win the Tour."

In an EPO/blood-transfusion-free-world, you're born capable of winning the Tour, or you're not. L.A. was not. But he was born to be a great pro. Just not a GT contender.

http://joepapp.blogspot.com/2010/04/lemond-was-clean-maybe-ullrich-could.html

[Crickey7]

He was a young, raw rider then, and heavier than he needed to be. Great riders takes several seasons to develop.

Prove or disprove he doped, and do it by the prevailing standards of the sport itself. But the attitude that he had to have doped, well, because, doesn't cut it with me.

[Michael Roy]

Despite what Joe Papp says Phil Anderson said, Anderson now says Lance is innocent:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/lance-armstrongs-pursuers-rake-barren-ground/story-e6frg7t6-1226395922400

[Dave]

@oboe - see Thor Hushovd. From a pure sprinter to a guy capable of winning mid-mountain stages of the Tour. Cyclists do evolve in their careers.

[washcycle]

For me the biggest question is if he was dirty, why come back? By the time he came back for his last two Tours he was already heavily suspected and with little chance of winning.

If cheating was the only thing that put him in contention, then you have to believe he cheated in his first comeback season when he came in third. And why do that? He had to know he'd be tested like crazy with newer technology. Why put his legacy at risk? If so, that guy has got some massive balls (I know, I know).

[oboe]

I think you've answered your own question there, WC. :)

The interesting thing about most experienced dopers is that they're usually caught because of some stupid slip-up. Something that, if you've been getting away with it for years, you never imagine you'll make such a stupid mistake.

For those on the outside, the risks seem outsized because they assume the doping controls are effective, and so there's a good likelihood of being caught. In fact, if you have expert guidance, getting caught is very unlikely.

Which is why a Dr Ferrari gets paid the big bucks.

More good stuff here:
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/search/label/Doping

[Kolohe]

"it means one would be able to bike from DC to Hagerstown on trails."

That is a long, rough ride, though

[oboe]

Specifically:

Part I
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-cycling-pros-defeat-anti-doping.html

Part II
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-cycling-pros-defeat-anti-doping.html

[antibozo]

Opinions are like...

:^)