As referenced in the 2012 V-Moment of the year article and ensuing discussion, it was a most Vawesome year for cycling. It’s been hypothesized here and on cycling sites with more integrity that the fantastic racing of 2012 may be, at least in part, attributed to a cleaner peloton. Unless you watched the Tour de France you’d think the days of foregone conclusions and three week coronations are quickly becoming a thing of the past. It is in this vein we bring to you the Anti-V Moment of 2012: Lance Armstrong’s ceasing to fight the charges against him.
Now usually, we try our best not to delve into the seedy side of cycling. There is just way too much cool about our sport to focus our collective energy and attention on asshats. Besides, we’ve got bikes to ride. But the COTHO’s public announcement that he would no longer fight, er, defend himself against allegations of systematic doping, money laundering, blackmail, intimidation, and international douchebaggery has to be the biggest Anti-V moment of the year, if not in the history of pro cycling.
The COTHO could have feasibly taken one of three tacks as the winds of pressure, evidence, and public opinion continued to blow against his house of cards. Tack one would have been to continue lying, bribing, and digging an ever deepening hole as he steadfastly proclaimed his innocence. This obviously hadn’t been working for the past 10-odd years but at least it allowed him to maintain his base of supporters. Even as it became more difficult for him to maintain the façade he still had a sizable group of survivors, apologists, journalists, and mis-guided cycling fans who believed.
Tack two would have been to come clean (pardon the pun) and admit to the whole sordid mess he created but he didn’t have the ball to do this either. Who knows what his reasons are for not being honest? Best guesses are he’s rationalizing a set of excuses ranging from mitigating his financial liability, evading criminal implications, and blaming the corruptness of the sport. Maybe he’s trying to save face in some twisted way. But for as cliché as Tyler Hamilton even admitted in his tell-all; the truth will set you free. The COTHO could have stood in front of those microphones and cameras and said “Hey, you know what, I doped. I made some poor choices and lied to everybody and for that I’m deeply sorry.” Had he done so his detractors would probably still be his detractors and he would have given his supporters a legitimate reason to continue supporting him but at least everybody could say he fessed up and there is some integrity in doing that.
Alas, he took the Anti-V tack. He stopped defending himself, er, lying without admitting to anything and seems to be hoping to just fade into the background. In essence, he’s taking his toys and going home. What’s striking about this is that it is contrary to what we’ve come to understand about the guy. If anything, we’ve come to know him as a fighter, both in life and on the road. But this latest, and hopefully last maneuver was just plain weak. (Notice I’ve added the categories of “Evanescent Riders” and “In Memoriam” to this article in addition to “Awards”. The first two are much more fitting.)
Perhaps it belies the true nature of the man. A nature that involves intimidation, serial emotional and physical aggression and even violence. A nature that includes socially isolating his victims, arguing them into submission, and propagating rumors, gossip, and lies about them to sway public opinion in his favor. A nature that involves amplifying the mistakes of others in order to strengthen his own self-image. A nature whereby there are many innocent bystanders who are too fearful of repercussions to come forward themselves. The nature of a man who may be trying to compensate for his own insecurities and feed his own narcissism and megalomania. The nature of a simple bully who ultimately shows himself to be a big pussy.
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@G'rilla
"Bob Ross"...LMAO!! That was hilarious!
@CanuckChuck
@brett
They're all still racing. Livelihood and all. Until the UCI changes their stance, they have no choice but to keep toeing the line. I can't hold it against them - I hold the UCI responsible for giving them no other choice.
Fuck the UCI. Once McQuaid is in a dark hole and the system is changed, THEN I'll be pissed off at the Omerta twats.
@Marko
That is the case in point; I've never felt bad about the dopers doping against eachother - I feel bad for the clean guy trying to make it and getting fucked.
@brett
Wiggins and Sky look especially bad circumstantially at this point, I'd say.
I think we've learned to recognize the smell of fish at this point.
@snoov
But dont you think fanny would be the better word, being Scottish and all. Then you could call him a complete fanny or a total fanny or a big effin fanny. Sounds so much better in a Scottish accent
@frank Absofuckinglutely!
@eightzero
Well said, friend. I too am finished with holding a license, promoting and supporting anything sanctioned... I'll still be ready to fucking throw-down on any given day, but I'll never sellout to a national sanctioning body again. Next time some douche asks me what CAT I am, I'll likely tell him to wait until the next hill and he'll have his answer. Fuck 'em!
@JFT
See, that's the problem. I race with OBRA. We're an OUT-FUCKING-STANDING organization. All about the 'grassroots'. We've added Pros to the domestic and Euro ranks too. Currently our race organization is the only one in the US to stand up to USAC. And they're leaning on Oregon really hard. The USAC announced (mostly out of the blue) that we could no longer have dual sanctioned events starting in 2013, which affects Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, Cascade Cycling Classic (the oldest, longest running (and incidentally the last race COTHO can claim as a win) stage race in the US, and the USGP of cyclocross among others.
Our licenses are $20/ year, no added charge for MTB/ track etc (instead of $60 +added $$ for other specialties). We also have the fastest growing and highest per capita racer days in the US. Instead of embracing what we are doing right, USAC is trying to shut us down. They don't accept our Cat's but we accept theirs.It won't work.
So, to add emphasis: Fuck the UCI and double fuck the USAC.
@scaler911
Scaler911, I feel your frustration... I'm in Washington, used to live in Beverton back in the early 90's, and a fan of the OBRA system. I do support their model though it doesn't do me much good living in Eastern Washington. I failed to make a clear distinction in my post, but meant national sanctioning body. I heard about USAC's back door attack on dual-sanctioning and honestly hope the Pro's rally their sponsors as lobbyists and ultimately call USAC's bluff (e.g. tell 'em to fuck off). I see OBRA having the upper hand in this... for now anyway.