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This Tour will be dope-free. No really, it will
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Enlarge textMike Tomalaris has made some big calls in the past when it comes to the Tour de France. But this could be the biggest one yet, as he contemplates the wreckage from another round of pre-race drug outings.
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The 2008 Tour de France will probably be the cleanest sporting event on record.
It's a big call, but I say that unreservedly.
I'd be suprised if any rider was kicked out for returning a positive dope test in July.
Why I am so confident?
These days the risks are too high and riders would be shamed for life - just as Alexandre Vinokourov was last year.
His career is over - so too his reputation. It's just not worth it.
Such are the doping controls that are in place, many riders are afraid to take an aspirin to clear a headache, for fear of traces of illegal substances which may unknowingly be in their system.
It's a sad indictment, but a necessary evil, if cycling is to keep the faith and restore respect.
There'll be no Tom Boonen at the Tour de France - that's a shame in itself.
Does that mean the race will be devoid of the world's best sprinter?
Probably.
"Big Tom's" suspension emphasises cycling's hardline to seriously clean up the sport once and for all.
There's no indication Boonen is a cheat who has resorted to using performance-enhancing substances.
He's obviously hooked on cocaine, not a banned substance, but certainly illegal.
Had he been allowed to start the Tour, it would have sent out a wrong message to the millions who adore the popular Belgian.
Boonen was very, very stupid to be caught when he did.
Sure, it was out of competition, but here is a multi-millionaire whose fans and sponsors live by his every move in every race in which he appears.
Remember how imoprtant his victory in this year's Paris-Roubaix was for him?
One got the impression the sky would have fallen in had he failed to raise his arms in triumph at the Roubaix Velodrome.
He carried the hopes of an entire nation and thank God he won, otherwise he would've been under more scrutiny and pressure to perform in the lead-up to the Tour had he failed.
The Tour needs Boonen as much as Boonen needs the Tour.
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Comments (19)
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27 Jul 2008 17:00 AEST
From: WENDOUREE
SECOND RATE TEAM BUT SBS FIRST CLASS, THANK YOU
THANK GOD SBS IS ABLE TO COVER THE WORLDS GREATEST EVENT, CONGRATULTIONS TO MIKE AND THE TEAM ,FANTASTIC. AS FAR AS CADEL GOES I WONDERED IF HIS TEAM WOULD EVER GIVE HIM COVER WHEN HE NEGOITIATED THE HARD MILES ? -- AND OF COURSE THEY DID NOT! "ROBBIE", YOU NEED A REASONABLE TEAM AS WELL. I FEEL CADEL WAS DUDDED, EVEN POPOVICH SEEMED TO BE OUT FOR HIMSELF. I WONDER HOW ARMSTRONG WOULD HAVE GONE WITH NO SUPPORT LONG TERM? S.B.S. " THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER GREAT TOUR"
25 Jul 2008 23:51 AEST
From: Alexandria
Genetic tagging
If what was reported is correct ,and the E.P.O. Ricardo Ricco had taken ,was "tagged" by the laboratory it was created in,and this is becoming a widespread practice in labs. Then i pity the cheats.
20 Jul 2008 22:54 AEST
From: geelong
cadels team
Hi all can anyone explain to me why cadel has such a weak team , i realy don't understand this .
17 Jul 2008 21:43 AEST
From: canberra
14 Jul 2008 12:52 AEST
From: Melbourne
One Giant Omelette - Coming Right Up!
So Michael, Now that Beltrane has been busted for EPO at this year's Tour and Ricardo Ricco looks like heading in the same direction, one senses a one way ticket giant omelette is heading straight to your face. Fancy saying this year would be a .Drugs free Tour. What a joke
04 Jul 2008 12:59 AEST
From: Canberra
The mind of a Champion
In '88-90 I was a student the the Uni of Canberra - Sports Studies (Coaching). In a Psych class we had to design and give a questionaire to a group of athletes. One classmate chose the AIS endurance athletes and asked - with the topic on steroids - "What would you risk to get a gold Olympic medal?" The scale went from 1) Mild hair loss to 9) permanent cardiac damage and 10) Death. The AVERAGE of the answers was 9! The study was never published. They are not like we mortals - they MUST win!
04 Jul 2008 11:35 AEST
From: Asquith
It's all entertainment... BUT!!
The temptation will always be there to dope. Just one stage win can set you up for life, how many young men wouldn't fall for that? I believe the ASO and the UCI are making serious dents in the problem and doing much better than many other sports administrators. Some big names will be missing this year but it will be a real competition, probably more real than all previous.
02 Jul 2008 21:06 AEST
From: sydney
Get real
Mike your dreaming buddy. Purely clean sport will never exist. Where is life fair? Trying to impose a wishful moral structure upon a modern day Roman forum where to the winner go the spoils is just plan naive.
29 Jun 2008 18:53 AEST
From: Perth
Pull the other one. It's got bells on.
Ah, so the main change for the circus this year is a ringmaster with a bigger whip (ASO). I don't buy drug-free in any pro sport this century; the money will not let it happen. And what rich pro sportsman could turn down the drugs that go with the off-season games of someone whose only occupation is their sport? Boonen is no dumber than most. I follow the tour for the circus, and thanks very much SBS et al for the scenic coverage. Here's hopes for injuries no worse than gravel rash.
26 Jun 2008 23:24 AEST
From: avalon beach
Dining at the riders table
I think Mike's been listening to his co-commentator gas bagging about his dinner dates with this years tour riders. I wonder how many told him they were clean. Yep there's a lot to lose but in this race it's easy for the poor rider to be manipulated by greed driven supporters. I can't believe the training these riders do let alone the events they compete in! I hope the last two years of drama filled drug busts are not repeated.
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About this Blog
Stay in touch with the ProTour road cycling season with SBS's cycling blog, featuring race reports, video highlights and blog coverage of every race of 2008, as well as details of SBS's racing coverage
Mike Tomalaris is SBS's cycling presenter, who has covered the Tour de France for 12 years. Mike is a keen cyclist himself, and covers a few hundred kilometres a week in a social weekend bunch ride. For cycling fans around Australia, Mike Tomalaris is cycling.
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