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The Fall of the Tour of France
Methinks Alberto Contador protests too much
This morning in Madrid, cycling champion Alberto Contador held a press conference that may have offered final evidence that the professional version of his sport has jumped the shark. Cycling has devolved to the point where its signature race calls to mind performance-enhancing drugs more than it does pedaling across European vistas.
"I've never committed a doping offense. I've never been involved in any act of doping," the Tour de France winner said Friday, flanked by Spanish Sports Minister Jaime Lissavetzky and Discovery Channel team head Johann Bruyneel. Rumors are that Bruyneel will retire now that the Discovery Channel team will dissolve as a cycling organization at the season's end, due to sponsorship pull-outs. "I find it impossible to understand the personal attacks against me, putting in doubt my honor as a sportsman, from people who don't know me."
Maybe Contador is being genuine. But the attacks seem anything but personal. German authorities reported last week that they had information from doping expert Werner Franke — documents from the 2006 Spanish Operation Puerto probe — that indicate Contador had taken a testosterone booster and an asthma drug. Franke also turned over the documents to the World Anti-Doping Agency. There was probable cause for an investigation.
Contador has claimed he was mistakenly named in Spanish Operation Puerto.
Today, Contador insisted, "We have to make an effort to move forward in believing in cycling and in me."
Really? We do? The circumstances surrounding the Spaniard's victory suggest something like the opposite. Contador beat Australia's Cadel Evans by 23 seconds to win after race leader Michael Rasmussen was kicked off his team. It seemed Rasmussen fudged his whereabouts during training to escape drug testing.
"I've never committed a doping offense. I've never been involved in any act of doping," the Tour de France winner said Friday, flanked by Spanish Sports Minister Jaime Lissavetzky and Discovery Channel team head Johann Bruyneel. Rumors are that Bruyneel will retire now that the Discovery Channel team will dissolve as a cycling organization at the season's end, due to sponsorship pull-outs. "I find it impossible to understand the personal attacks against me, putting in doubt my honor as a sportsman, from people who don't know me."
Maybe Contador is being genuine. But the attacks seem anything but personal. German authorities reported last week that they had information from doping expert Werner Franke — documents from the 2006 Spanish Operation Puerto probe — that indicate Contador had taken a testosterone booster and an asthma drug. Franke also turned over the documents to the World Anti-Doping Agency. There was probable cause for an investigation.
Contador has claimed he was mistakenly named in Spanish Operation Puerto.
Today, Contador insisted, "We have to make an effort to move forward in believing in cycling and in me."
Really? We do? The circumstances surrounding the Spaniard's victory suggest something like the opposite. Contador beat Australia's Cadel Evans by 23 seconds to win after race leader Michael Rasmussen was kicked off his team. It seemed Rasmussen fudged his whereabouts during training to escape drug testing.
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