Carl Spackler wrote:
Yes, I read all the comments. Tejay is doing fine on his own and doesn't need any pr help. He has the stones to speak what he believes, not say one thing and do another to placate fans who believe otherwise. A whole generation of riders already did that. You think his comments make him an apologist, I think it's an expression of him understanding that era and accepting it. Not saying it was ok. In some fashion all of the current generation is acknowledging the former generation's indiscretions by attending. And I find it curious that they're basically trying to move on from it and as a result, get labeled in such a manner.
Serious question- whenever a younger cyclist talks about 'that generation' or '10 years ago' or any other reference to past dopers, please tell me when did cycling clean up? Doping positives are still fast and furious in the sport and have been for decades. There is no clean generation and there will never be a clean generation in sports with lots of potential money to be made.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling
Tejay may have stones to speak what he believes- and his stones say he's a proud card carrying member of the omerta with his comments. You either support dopers or you don't. In or out. It really can be black and white. Those riders are the ones with *stones*. Too bad that list is woefully short.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-garderen-questioned-on-armstrong-legacy-ahead-of-tour-de-france
Tejay's comments below are full of Omerta and support of dopers. There probably were some clean cyclists in the Tour during Armstrong's years... shouldn't those be the winners, Tejay? Those clean cyclists did the training, they competed, they did the miles. Shouldn't they be the winner, Tejay... I guess not. That is sad.
The young American confessed he was "disappointed" when he heard Armstrong admit to doping to win all of his seven Tour titles, but added: "In my mind, he still won those Tours. Yes, there's an asterisk next to that era, but if you look at [Jan] Ullrich, who just admitted [blood doping], back then it was different and he still had to weather the conditions and the elements and the roads and he did all of the training.
"I still think he won those races, but it was certainly disappointing for me as a cycling fan to have all that stuff come out and learn the ugly truth of what was really going on then."