Floyd undergoing hip surgery today

[Cassandra_Cain]

Sorry but to me, I find it obvious that Floyd cheated, no doubt about that.

From a practical perspective....so, he gets clobbered by his rivals on the previous stage, and then less than 24 hours later is absolutely demolishing the entire peloton????? I'm supposed to accept that with a straight face.

Phonak I might add has a long history of doping....Oscar Camenzind? check. Tyler Hamilton? check. Sascha Urweider? check

Let's not forget, Landis failed the drug test, there is nothing abstract about that. It wasn't even close, 4x the limit~

Naturally his attorneys are flinging mud and questioning protocol, etc - which is exactly what got Tyler Hamilton off and let him keep his olympic medal back in the '04 olympics - he got off on a technicality. Then was busted for good in the Vuelta.

As for the idea of well, why would he dope knowing there is a drug test? Let me point this out....how many drug tests did David Millar fail? how many drug tests did the entire Festina team of '98 fail during the TDF scandal?

Answer? zero!

The operation puerto thing has revealed a bunch, like a lot of the things Tyler Hamilton was doing thanks to a diary....blood transfusions, HgH, EPO, and to top it off, preganancy drugs to mask it all. It is obvious that doping practices are not exactly a one-time thing, but rather are consistent and very well-hidden.

In closing...

a - yes I think it is obvious Floyd cheated and was caught, but I dont think he is the only one cheating. C'mon Carlos Sastre, riding 3 GT's and finishing top 5 in two of them? Many, many others. Nor do I think doping is a modern phenomenom in pro cycling either and it is rampant in other sports too, Track and Field, american football, baseball, etc.

b - I don't wish FL bad luck or whatever, hope his surgery went well, as I would hope for any decent person.

[Bike Goddess]

cASSANDRA- MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT LANDIS HAS DONE IN THE PAST BEFORE YOU ARE SO QUICK TO PASS JUDGMENT. Read the Lance Wars book- whole chapter on Landis and his accomplishments published in 2004 long before this happened.

I'm waiting to hear the case in an "open to the public" hearing before I say anything.

[RoadRaven]

Cassandra, there was a lot of discussion here about Floyd - I can't remember if you were here, or if you joined in.

I think you will find that most women here are reserving judgement and hoping he is acquitted, rather than assuming either guilt or innocence.

Personally, I find it hard to believe he was doping at this point with this "drug".

Was he taking testosterone? - probably - I think you would find that many riders at this level would use testosterone patches in their training to the legal limit. BUT taking testosterone in the middle of the Tour at such a huge hit - well, it would do little in terms of helping him either perform or recover.

Another reason that I have faith is because Lance Armstrong immmediately dove into the public arena... his silence was deafening when charges were brought against Tyler Hamilton.

So I keep the faith, trust the dubious history of the lab and that the possibility high readings of testosterone can be caused by dehydration/exhaustion/rehydration will be taken into account.

Floyd had been tested in every stage he was placed in - and was clean... why would he/his trainer/his coach do this in a stage Floyd intended to win - and knew if he did, he would be tested.

The whole thing is illogical... so I keep the faith and reserve judgement.

I respect your right to your opinion... but to me he is a GEM regardless.