Like many other cycling fans (and when I say "cycling fans", I mean those interested in following the cycling racing scene - it ins't the same as saying "I'm a fan of cycling" (i.e.. I like to ride my bike occasionally)). I am being pushed and pulled both ways on the doping debate.  on one hand, I feel like the sport needs to keep itself clean, and make sure that people are racing and achieving glory on their own merit - not the juice.  And on the other hand, I feel like there is this really nasty witch hunt going on.

There are certainly cheats, and they need to be punished.  And there are those who you would swear on your grandmothers panty drawer that would never touch the stuff.

Today, it's the organizations that try to set up the "big bust".  Here we have the TdF organizer Amaury Sport Organization giving each team containers to dispose of medical type waste (dirty road rash bandages, insulin syringes, and the French riders tampons).  Makes sense.  I have never seen a truck stop bathroom without one of these type of "sharps containers" for biohazard crap that the cleaning staff doesn't want to have to touch.  It only makes sense that the multi-million euro production that is the TdF, should have something for Pierre's feminine hygiene product.

Low and behold, they don't throw the junk out after the stinkin' race.  They keep it.  FOR OVER TWO MONTHS, and start sifting through it looking for "suspect" items.  Where has this container been for the past two months?  The whole issue with doping controls, is what the name implies.  CONTROL.  Remember that whole "Showergate" issue with Lance.  When he wanted to take a shower when the doper control dude, from where… FRANCE, shows up?  20 Min.  Twenty frickin' minutes Lance goes and scrubs his junk.  The French have a fit, and start calling for him to be banned from the tour.  The issue is he was out of sight of the control geek, and that gave him questionable time to "fix" himself just right before the test.  That is 20 min.  What could someone do, let's say, who had it out for someone - and wanted to wreck a certain bike race for that certain someone, or group.  Do you think that maybe this evil person or group (ASO) could manipulate a container of items that might throw a shadow of doubt on their achievements?  You wonder how long it would take this evil empire to do this.  Do I hear you whispering "two months"?

Now again, I am not condoning the doper group, the suspicion of dopers, or bashing the attempts to find those dopers.  But, come on people.  This is worse than schmucks rummaging through trash looking for dirty little secrets of politicians or celebrities.  Oh, wait… The ASO was going through the trash.  If they do find something in the trash to implicate some Astana guy of cheating, my first response is going to be, "Any chance the container has been messed with for the past 70 days, and evidence planted?"  Exactly.

Ok.  Enough of that.  Did you hear that NIBU is holding an Alleycat on Friday, Oct. 30th?  Lorados, be there at 8:00pm.