Greg strikes back? LeMond questions Armstrong's honesty. TDF update.

[HuckleB]

LeMond questions Armstrong's honesty

http://www.velonews.com/tour2004/news/articles/6571.0.html

"Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond has raised questions whether five-time winner Lance Armstrong is as clean as he claims.

LeMond, the first American to win the Tour, says just because Armstrong has never tested positive for banned substances does not necessarily prove he is not using drugs.

"Everybody says that. But neither had David Millar tested positive and he now admits he took EPO," LeMond told Le Monde daily."

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Not sure what this is really all about, though these two have never been "close." Armstrong criticized LeMond for his bizarre forays into motor racing in the mid-'90s. And one must wonder if LeMond isn't just pushing his way back into the spotlight here. He doesn't go into any details, just making general statements, which are rather meaningless, IMHO.

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David Moncoutie wins stage 11, after going on a serious break. Voeckler sticks with Armstrong for another day, making this Tour more and more interesting, as time goes on. Tomorrow's stage ends on top of La Mongie. If Voeckler sticks to Armstrong there, it's going to get real interesting, real fast.

[Maestro]

1. You know

I can't stand all the inuendo and finger pointing in sports whether it be cycling, track or baseball. No doubt that there are roids in these sports but if you do not know for sure why question someone's integrity. Just keep your mouth shut until you know for sure.

[wtmusic]

2. Greg, shut your mouth please

how can he raise questions if he doesn't know?

He can't. :eyes:

[HuckleB]

3. Armstrong says French TV crew attempted to break into his room.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040715.wlance/BNStory/Sports

"Lance Armstrong accused French reporters of trying to rummage through his hotel room in hopes of find evidence of doping.

The five-time champion said a French television crew attempted to get access to his room after he left to race in the 102-mile ride from Saint-Flour to Figeac in central France.

"Just this morning, after we left, a TV crew from France 3 was going to the hotel, the reception, to the owner, asking for our room, trying to get in our room," Armstrong said.

He called such behavior "scandalous" and said he was scared that products could be planted to make him look guilty."

[Maestro]

4. Lance may be arrogant and all

but he has too much to risk if he is caught doping. My God! I hope the French authorities that broke into his room are punished. And Greg needs to go back to making bikes and shut his pie-hole! If Lance is using I would be the first to decry him. This guy is a cancer survivor like me and I don't think he would risk his health again with roids. I know I am much more vigilant. Hell, I feel badly if a drink to much caffeine.

[HuckleB]

5. Tyler Hamilton Foundation Shows Tour On The Big Screen This Saturday!

http://www.tylerhamiltonfoundation.org/tdf25.html

It's a fundraiser for the Foundation, which supports MS organizations and junior league cycling for the underprivileged.

I can't wait. What a wonderful stage to see on the big screen!

[HuckleB]

15. Repeat: Tyler Hamilton Foundation Event: Tour On Big Screen This Saturday!

Tyler Hamilton Foundation Shows Tour On The Big Screen This Saturday!

http://www.tylerhamiltonfoundation.org/tdf25.html

It's a fundraiser for the Foundation, which supports MS organizations and junior league cycling for the underprivileged.

I can't wait. What a wonderful stage to see on the big screen!

[joeybee12]

6. Greg sounds simply like a small-minded, bitter rival...

...face it, he was the premier American cyclist of all time until lance came around.

[HuckleB]

7. Exactly.

One wonders if he's not trying to push his business interests, selling bikes by getting his name in the paper, or even thinking ahead, to a time when Trek puts out a line of Armstrong bikes that will compete with LeMond.

Who knows, but these statements sure don't have context as they are.

[joeybee12]

8. Yeah, it always comes down to money....

...he and Lance have been at odds before, and I think it's due to ego.

As for Lance, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt--I mean, it's not like they can even make a case that he was associated with known dopers, like certain baseball players and track and field people who have contacts with Balco. It's all just hearsay and innuendo and jealousy at this point.

[HuckleB]

9. Here's an EXPANDED ARTICLE with more of the LeMond-Lance feud history.

LeMond Blasts Armstrong

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/experts/columns/0,3489,s1-9410,00.html

"LeMond has publicly questioned Armstrong before. In 2001, when London Times writer David Walsh revealed that Armstrong was consulting with Dr. Michele Ferrari, who is currently on trial in Italy for allegedly helping cyclists dope, LeMond was characteristically blunt. "If it's true, then are the greatest fraud in cycling," he said at the time.

Armstrong, reportedly non-plussed by LeMond's comments, had a phone conversation with Greg that is recounted in Walsh's new book, "LA Confidential: The Secrets of Lance Armstrong" currently on newsstands in France. In the book, LeMond's wife Kathy tells Walsh of the conversation, in which Armstrong pressures LeMond to admit to taking EPO himself; Greg denies ever having used the drug.

...

LeMond dismissed criticisms that he is jealous of Armstrong, who has won two more Tours than him and stands to become the first-ever to win six.

"Because of all that has occurred in the past 10 years," he said, referencing doping, "that does not have the same value as the five Tours of Hinault, for example."

As of press time, Armstrong had not yet responded to the comments."

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This last comment makes it fairly clear that LeMond is a small, jealous man. Hinault would not agree, as his comments regarding the claims against Armstrong attest. His use of Hinault is his surrogate way of trying to prop himself up onto a pedestal.

What a punk.

[BiggJawn]

12. There's "bad blood" between Hinault and LeMond, too..

The D.S. told Greg to hold back in '85 so Hinault could take the win, and ordered him to do the same in '86, only Greg told the Directeur to "Cheney" and took the '86 win.

Why he's coming out now trying to smear Lance, I can't imagine. Maybe not selling as many bikes as Trek?

[HuckleB]

13. Yeah, supposedly.

There are so many stories about those two years, and no one really knows what's what. I suspect a lot of it was for show, as Hinault publicly said he would ride for LeMond in '86, and did so, in the end.

[HuckleB]

10. Clip-in for another spin, er kick.

[Commendatori]

11. Greg, get some proof or STFU.

I always thought LeMond was an asshole. I consider this to be proof.

[HuckleB]

14. Armstrong could lose Czech teammate to Italian doping investigation.

Italian court slates doping trial; 2 Tour cyclists involved

http://www.velonews.com/tour2004/news/articles/6576.0.html

"The San Remo court had set an October 27 start date for the trial, Italian news agency ANSA said late on Wednesday. The 12 include Italian rider Stefano Zanini (Quick Step) and Czech Pavel Padrnos (U.S. Postal Service-Berry Floor), both taking part in the Tour de France.

...

Tour de France officials last week wrote to Italian investigating magistrates seeking information on the alleged doping cases involving Zanini and Padrnos.

La Gazzetta dello Sport said on Thursday the two riders could now face being excluded from the Tour."

[HuckleB]

16. Was LeMond the DU "Lance is on drugs" troll?

Hmmmmmm.

[HuckleB]

17. I'm trying to answer the question asked in another thread.

How many times will you kick your own post?

I just don't yet.

I guess we'll find out.

[HuckleB]

18. Still counting.

[HuckleB]

19. Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Yeah@

[HuckleB]

20. I need a girlfriend! How do I get one?

Actually, I don't. I'm very happily married.

Just checking to see if someone would actually respond to this thread if I went lowbrow.