-the Bad and the Ugly

Which is the greater evil committed against cycling:  Ricco's unabashed doping or Contador getting cleared of all wrongdoing?  What Ricco did is downright stupid, the choice he made -he is now having to deal with the physical consequences.  There is finally word coming out that he is in serious condition and has infections in his heart and lungs.  I wish him best of luck and a speedy recovery, don't forget that he is human and for the most part we are just big dumb animals.  Some more than others. -But, he is a person who has family and people who care about him.  Wishing him harm is stooping to a level well below the one he currently resides.

Col du Tourmalet
Photo Credit: ???

Cycling is a sport I love, and unfortunately Doping is a part of cycling.  Yes, when you have someone like Ricco, Landis and tons of other blemishes on the face of cycling that is all the general public will see.  We as a society will always focus on the negative.  This is the most beautiful sport in the world, and every sport has it's good-bad-and-ugly.  News is made by scandal, the non-cycling public will never know of the momentous battles fought on Ventoux, Huez, or the Tourmalet.  This lifestyle/sport will always have Riccos, it is a fact that we cannot change.  Make rules and someone will try and break them.  There is no solution.  You can control doping, but it will never be stopped.  It is a Speed Limit -65mph is posted, and everyone drives 70mph.

I don't even know where to start with Contador?  Dude pops positive for doping -says it is tainted beef, gets slapped by the Spanish Cycling Federation for one year.  Contador presents his case and now it looks like the SCF is going to overturn their original suspension.  Everyone Wins?  Contador gets to race, the Spanish save face, and some people that we will never know make a great deal of money.  Contador is a cash cow (no pun intended) to his team, country, and sponsors; so by clearing him of doping charges he is vindicated and everyone can continue to cash the checks.  Now if he gets to race the TDF he will have the eyes of the whole world watching to see el pistolero carry the flag of redemption up the Alps.  That will sell some papers.

Not so fast -this makes cycling look worse than a two time looser like Ricco.  We expect Ricco to be bad.  Now the crown prince of cycling has a ? an * and a lot of speculation following him.  Is he?  Did he?  This is what will be in the non-cycling news from now until the truth is never known.  That's right, we will never know the truth, that is how "the ugly" of this sport works.  Crucify the sinners and forgive the saints and sweep everything else under the rug, because like everything in life the almighty dollar/euro has the last say.

-Ricco, I don't like what you did to our sport, and I don't think you knew what you were doing to yourself.  I hope you fully recover.  Get well soon.

-Contador, I am not a fan.  Now when I see you flying up 16% grades with super-human ability...I will wonder is that you or is it the drugs?  One question: Who won le Tour in 2010?