Watching Mikela Shiffrin smash records on snow , her dominance unquestioned,then reading your article made me think no one asks Shiffrin if she’s doping.
It’s so embedded in the sport of cycling that whether it be technological or physical , cheating is always a topic.
The space between fan and its root of fanatic is small.
Maybe I’ll just follow Lachlan Morton or Lael Wilcox for cycling inspiration …
Kate, you're terrific! But just a tiny bit delusional. First, to set the record straight, the Boston Celtics were unarguably the greatest sports dynasty of all time. And as much as I really and truly HATE (as in despise) to admit it, Wilt Chamberlain is the GOAT of all pro athletes. Next, doping needs to be defined. Today's riders are science experiments, organic machinery with inner workings precisely monitored and tweaked. Riding within the rules reeks of fairness but performance enhancement is a the most slippery of all slopes at a time when the best of all possible kids turn the white jersey into a white flag for the over 25 crowd.
Your friend's comments about Slovenian cycling reminded me of how I felt when Bradley Wiggins won the Tour. I was conscious of how much this would help UK cycling, but remember my overall feeling being, I hope this sticks. My friend's dad watched the last stage with us and turned to us as he crossed the line and said, "I hope he's clean."
I'm 64, I had a job in a bicycle shop when I was a teenager in like 1974 75 76 so I've been a fan for a long long LONG time. What I've come to accept is this too shall pass. I had high hopes after the Armstrong debacle that doping is finally and forever in the past. I guess every generation has to relearn everything though.
Excellent points. I took a minute to evaluate myself as a “fan” having watched/followed since LeMond. Even knowing as much about how the sausage was made as you can from the multiple books written post-Armstrong, I think it boils down to: I believe because I choose to believe. Your friend’s analogy of movie/special effects resonated. Yeah, it might be fake, but i bought my ticket & I’ll enjoy the show until proven so by the post-production documentary.
Watching Mikela Shiffrin smash records on snow , her dominance unquestioned,then reading your article made me think no one asks Shiffrin if she’s doping.
It’s so embedded in the sport of cycling that whether it be technological or physical , cheating is always a topic.
The space between fan and its root of fanatic is small.
Maybe I’ll just follow Lachlan Morton or Lael Wilcox for cycling inspiration …
Kate, you're terrific! But just a tiny bit delusional. First, to set the record straight, the Boston Celtics were unarguably the greatest sports dynasty of all time. And as much as I really and truly HATE (as in despise) to admit it, Wilt Chamberlain is the GOAT of all pro athletes. Next, doping needs to be defined. Today's riders are science experiments, organic machinery with inner workings precisely monitored and tweaked. Riding within the rules reeks of fairness but performance enhancement is a the most slippery of all slopes at a time when the best of all possible kids turn the white jersey into a white flag for the over 25 crowd.
I really enjoyed this.
Your friend's comments about Slovenian cycling reminded me of how I felt when Bradley Wiggins won the Tour. I was conscious of how much this would help UK cycling, but remember my overall feeling being, I hope this sticks. My friend's dad watched the last stage with us and turned to us as he crossed the line and said, "I hope he's clean."
I'm 64, I had a job in a bicycle shop when I was a teenager in like 1974 75 76 so I've been a fan for a long long LONG time. What I've come to accept is this too shall pass. I had high hopes after the Armstrong debacle that doping is finally and forever in the past. I guess every generation has to relearn everything though.
Excellent points. I took a minute to evaluate myself as a “fan” having watched/followed since LeMond. Even knowing as much about how the sausage was made as you can from the multiple books written post-Armstrong, I think it boils down to: I believe because I choose to believe. Your friend’s analogy of movie/special effects resonated. Yeah, it might be fake, but i bought my ticket & I’ll enjoy the show until proven so by the post-production documentary.
Great article! I didn't know you grew up in North Carolina. I'm in Virginia Beach!