Ever heard the old saying; If it looks too good to be true, it probably is? Well turns out brash young Ricardo Ricco and his two stage wins after an impressive Giro de Italia three weeks earlier were exactly that. Following the script he laid out prior to the tour and holding up his end of a one sided verbal attack on the rest of the "vegtables" in the pro tour peloton, Ricco attacked in the Pyrenees and won two impressive stage wins riding away from the other riders with ease. That kind of effort so few weeks after the Giro is..well its unbelievable! And it turns out it was. Ricardo Ricco or "The cobra" as he has been named in the media for his savage attacks in the mountains, has been struck with a positive test for the blood boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin) as well as what is being called a 'new' drug, CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator). Also a blood booster. The positive test just before yesterdays stage prompted the entire team of Saunier Duval to withdraw from the tour after the cobra was led from the team trailer in handcuffs. In an ironic twist of life imitating life, Ricco has repeatedly compared himself to his idol and tour legend; Marco Pantani, also an alpine climber that ended his won life after a struggle with doping controls, dope, being bald, and having the nickname Pirate. You might expect another rant about drugs and cycling and how jackasses like this let down the sport, but lets focus on whats really important instead. I had this bastard on my Velogames fantasy team! I laughed when Buckets liquigas climber Beltran got ejected for drugs last week and that misfortune has come full circle as the star of my team whom i was counting to climb through the alps and move my team into first place, is now himself gone. Stupid goddam cobra.
I cant even bring myself to look at a picture of his stupid face long enough to draw a handlebar moustache and cheap goattee like i did the last sorry sack of cycling shit. If he wanted to gamble with his career and reputation thats one thing, but messing with my fantasy Tour team? Youve gone too far my small friend. Youve gone too far. The only good news is that Bucket and the Bucket brigade also had
Ricco (sp) and
Piepoli (sp) from Saunier Duval so he now has NO climbers for the Alps. Ive still got Cunego who up to this point appears to have forgotten that there is a bike race going on in France. Every team from the StreetKings has now lost at least one rider to failed drug testing. Too bad they cant test for brains prior to the start of the race.
10 comments:
Yet another victim struck by the Cobra it appears. Contador is smiling somewhere.
vince
Basso will be back this fall. Looks like Saunier D will be in need of climbers and GC riders and they have no problem with Italians. Problem solved.
How sad it is to see something good going bad so quickly. I read the last update called "Say it aint so" and I am amazed. It's arrogance, poor taste and cheap vulgarity way exceed the value of it's contents, which at this point are basically nill. Yes vulgarity. Calling athletes "bastards", "stupid goddam", "jackass" mostly in the name of a game, a stupid game called Velogame? Who the hell do you think you are? Do you know any of these people? The pressure on these athletes is enormous. Sponsors want results and podiums, and without sponsors there are no teams. It is very easy to look at some team GM talking full of morals in front of the TV but do you know what actually goes on behind the scenes? Some can get there clean some fall in the web of doping. It is senseless and wrong, I am the first to condemn it, but we do not know what went though these athletes mind to take such chance and possibly jeopardize all they worked so hard for.
Who are you to comment on "The Pirate" soul? Do you know his struggles in life, his personal battles, what really happened to him, why he was the one that ended up paying the most for a world that during his time was overflowing with EPO at any level? Who are you to throw people you have no idea who they even are in the trash like you do? You do not even know how to spell their name correctly, how can you actually judge them?
I hope all of you "StreetKings" boys enjoy your games, your cheap humor, pathetic comments and can find some sort of amusement here. I definitely do not anymore.
I understand pressure. i understand a boss and sponsors that want results. That's because I have a job. And you cant tell me for one second riding a bike for a living is any more pressure than making rent by filing TPS reports. The difference is I get up every morning and make an honest living, i dont cheat my co-workers, or my friends or family or anyone that counts on me. And I do it all without the benefit and privledge of celebrity and fame or without having a safety net of wealth to fall back on. When the day comes that the police haul me out of here in handcuffs for embezzling from, and attempting to ruin a hundred year institution for nothing more than sport, then I will subject myself to the court of public opinion like any professional athlete does. You will never find me disparaging any rider for any reason other than doping regardless of nationality, performance, or team affiliation. Making excuses for or finding pity in those that would ruin the sport for nothing more important than personal glory dont need your pity them. They had a once in a lifetime chance and blew it.
Instead of feeling sorry for the dopers you should consider the rest of the team and support staff who is w/o a pay check and possibly a job. Just b/c they had internal pressure to dope doesn't make them the victims. Fans and clean riders are the victims. And Ricco and Piepoli are shit.
Brick
WOW "Brick", you sure are a genius !!
Well, despite the avid debate here, in my humble opinion everybody has a valid point. I also found all the dirty riders guilty of stupidity and malice, but I am not totally convinced the we, the rest of the cyclists, are "victims". The sport has gotten tarnished by this cloud, some will loose some interest, but all and all let's look at the amount of spectators the Giro, the Tour and so many other races do attract, let's focus on to the clean riders. Those are the one the deserve the attention.
In my days of car racing, we all cheated !! I did too with some internal component that made the engine more powerful. Then somebody with a similar car just walked away from me. When I asked him, he told me he wasn't cheating. So my question was: how can you say you are not cheating when you are faster than me, and I am cheating????
"Anonymous" honestly only has a beef with SK for his harsh words. Perhaps the message would have been just as clear without them, but SK is entitled of his opinion. The way he publish it, is his deal.
Last, having spend 13 years of my life in a pro sport environment I know the feeling of pressure. I never took anything to enhance my performances, that was my choice, but I have to admit that if there was something easy and available like it is today, I probably would have given that a few thoughts. The pressure to succeed is real, and can really effect your life. Your family in an understanding way expects you to do well, your friends, your coach, sponsors if you have any do quite vividly. Now I have zero tolerance for that, but I see how can be of heavy effect on somebody.
They are wrong, they know it, they know the risks. In the end you and me will still ride, enjoy cycling, buy new bikes and will watch the next edition of the Tour focusing on the new up-comer.
Yesterday dopers will be still paying for their mistakes, harshly too.
Simo
WOW "anonymous", you sure are sarcastic !!
"Brick"
"I also found all the dirty riders guilty of stupidity and malice, but I am not totally convinced the we, the rest of the cyclists, are "victims"."
I said the CLEAN riders are victims. They are the ones who lose winnings and sponsorships. I've paid to race and have lost to riders who are busted for doping. It really makes me sick that my hard earned $$ goes to someone who dopes. Did they give the money back after being caught? No! After getting my ass kicked I've never thought doping was an option. They decided to cheat. In my eyes it's black and white. I don't understand how that can be justified.
"Brick"
OK OK, I get the message loud and clear. From now on I will keep my mouth shut.
Simo
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