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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@the Engine
you'll shoot your eye out
@itburns
+1
@Ron
wrt Sean Avery, for once I agree with Don Cherry when he said "I've known this kid since he was about 16 years old; Once a jerk, always a jerk"
But I dont think he quite plumbs the same depths as COTHO there, he's just a douchebag.
Surely this must rate.
Excellent article Marko, LA deserves a good kicking on his way down.
It has been said that sport's greatest problems come when people take it too seriously. The LA story surely proves that to be correct.
In contrast to LA, Mark Cavendish has been quoted as saying - "I never wanted all of this (fame and fortune), I just wanted to go out and ride my bike". Sheer class.
@Harminator
Exactly ..... absolute joke ...... bordering on race fixing ........ liar, liar, pants on fire
@Marko
Gee I wonder what would have happened if Tom Boonen had launched an attack to get away and then taken a wrong turn up some suburban street... that could have been the V and anti-V moment in one.
But nobody would be that stupid would they? Not with signposts and arrows on every friggin corner of the main fucking road.
Of course if they were then the bitterness of being beaten to the finish would probably eat away at them for months, like rust corroding a shiny steel frame from the inside... I guess, I mean I can't really comment. It's so hypothetical.
@ChrisO
Jesus, you mean I am not the only person who took a wrong turn? I missed the turn in the town of Hem after finishing the pave' section and added abefore three k before I realized my mistake. Talk about hitting the wall and dying. I did not even realize that I had left the route until all of a sudden I was all alone and there were no markers. Painful!
@strathlubnaig
Yup
@Buck Rogers
Ha, yeah - classic - basically what Brett and I did.
The big dispute of the day was Bretto and I broke away and then took a wrong turn some time after Hem. We rode into Roubaix after @ChrisO and @roadslave525. But then they never finished the full 1.5 laps of the track which means they never finished - so I wound up being the first to complete the entire route, with Bretto rolling in a bit later after I lost him by cutting traffic and risking my life.
Brett and I claimed we were the rightful victors as Chris never actually crossed the finish, and Chris claimed he was. It was all in good fun, and in reality, we were just arguing over who was less idiotic in their failure.
The debate raged on until @ChrisO left, at which @Brett and I won, obviously.
But seriously, @ChrisO - the sidewalk? You missed possibly the best cobbles of the whole ride!