The recent headlines being made in the cycling world have honestly not garnered a whole lot of attention at V-HQ, at least where a certain COTHO is concerned. Yes, The Keepers have added to the usual discussions on the topic here, read the news, and given it some thought. But we really don’t feel the need to take any sort of official position, recap the whole sordid mess, or offer up any ideas on how to move forward. Just as you all contribute positively to this place in ways we couldn’t possibly have envisioned when we started, the cycling community as a whole will contribute positively to our sport as we grow through this. COTHOS, governing bodies, PED’s, and corruption be damned. We’re here to live La Vie Velominatus.
That being said, we feel the need to retract LeMelvis from the Lexicon as a result of this whole mess. Perhaps the COTHO’s reach into public opinion went far enough to cloud our judgement of the greatest American cyclist and only American winner of the Tour. It went far enough that we thought it was okay, if not funny, to besmirch his more recent public image. We were wrong and for that we are sorry. Where has LeMond been in the recent tumult? Quiet, letting things speak for themselves. That’s class. The same class he showed when he turned up in Europe as a neo-pro to race with the best as a virtually solitary American. The same class he showed winning three Tours. The same class he showed in the above picture. Vive La Vie, Greg. You’re the man.
As point of clarification, Greg LeMan has maintained its honorary place in the Lexi. We might even put it in bold now.
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Greg has written a letter to Pat:
http://bikepure.org/2012/10/open-letter-from-greg-lemond-to-ucis-pat-mcquaid/
Oops should have read up a few posts.
@Mikael Liddy
Eloquent or not, at least he has the balls to say what 90% of the cycling world feels but does not dare say. Great to see LeMan on the attack again!
@Daccordi Rider
That's awesome! Great read.
@Buck Rogers
absolutely, between he & the chairman of Skins in the last few days it's great to see some people with what you might call a little more weight within the cycling world (as opposed to Wiggo's faves in the twitterverse) calling for the end of McQuaid & Verbruggen's reign. It's one of the thing's I'm loving about Millar (D) at the moment is that he's happy to literally bite the hand that feeds him and question them at every turn.
I'm in two minds about that Lemond piece.
I only started following pro-cycling in the Indurain era when I moved to the UK so I don't have the same history with Lemond, which may influence my view.
I don't disagree with the sentiment, but it strikes me as odd and slightly silly, even pathetic, that someone of his stature is basically just having a rant on Facebook. It doesn't exactly add to the the many posts of a similar theme on messageboards around the world from average cycling fans.
The difference is that Lemond has the status and connections - especially now that he can play the I Told You So card - to do something more about it than the average cycling fan. If McQuaid and his cronies are going to be forced out then it has to come from the heads of the cycling federations who vote for the UCI Executive.
I imagine he can pick up the phone to quite a few people who have influence with them, or he could head up a campaign to reform the structure and give more power to clubs and cyclists, not bureaucrats in blazers. It would be more effective if he came out with a plan, or supported one, like the sort of things that the AIGCP and the Pure Cycling Movement have put forward.
It just all seems a bit beneath him, and to go back to the Lexicon Retraction, that's how he seems to have lost the respect of people in the first place. I don't see this as enhancing his reputation.
Here's a slightly lighter take on the UCI's position from the Australian political satirists, Clarke & Dawe
I was in the LBS yesterday, and I thought it interesting that someone had dug up a huge "Lemond Cycles" banner and hung it up in a prominent place over the weekend.
http://youtu.be/_udFWNqymfY
Nice little piece here on McQueef, Pharmy, and NoHan.
Best comment ever. Without LeMond I wouldn't have discovered the sport. And now he is practically daring the UCI to sue him. I. Love. It.
Fuck off, Pat. Fuck the fuck off.