Tour De France Prez: Armstrong has embarrassed the race

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Adam Blade

WWKC
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PARIS (AP)—Lance Armstrong says the Tour de France organizer’s new president is being pretentious by claiming that the seven-time champion has “embarrassed” cycling’s premier race.

Jean-Etienne Amaury told French sports newspaper L’Equipe on Saturday, “We can’t say that he has not embarrassed the Tour de France, as he has had a quite a complicated history with it.”

The comment astounded Armstrong.

“I’ve stated clearly, my main objective in 2009 is to bring about global awareness of a disease that kills 8 million people annually worldwide. Nobody ever said that I need the Tour de France in order to try and achieve this,” he said in a statement.

“It comes down to an issue of distraction—while I love the event and France’s people, I cannot accept this sort of grandstanding which distracts from the Livestrong message that is urgently needed, and being sought out, in many other places around the world.”

The 32-year-old Amaury was became president of the Amaury Sport Organization this week, replacing Patrice Clerc, who was known for his hard line against doping. Some observers interpreted the change as a sign that the ASO intended to soften its position.

Amaury, however, insisted the fight against doping remains a top priority.

“The Tour de France’s position has always been very strict and that will not change in the years to come,” he said. “(ASO) is quite conscious of the fact that doping undermines cycling’s credibility.”

Asked whether a comeback by the 37-year-old Armstrong, who retired in 2005 after winning his seventh consecutive title, would throw suspicion on the race, Amaury said that “today’s tools in the fight against doping are different.”

Armstrong announced last month he was coming out of retirement.

“The last time I checked I won the tour seven straight years and was never once found to be guilty of doping despite seven years of intense scrutiny,” Armstrong said. “Not to mention that my team of 25 riders over those seven years was also never found to be positive. We won clean and fair.

“Also, according to industry standards, TV ratings, worldwide media impressions, spectators along the route, and global sponsorships were at an all time high. Where’s the embarrassment in that?”
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:lol
 
He probably will not win this time around, but I do not believe he has ever doped and the french have done some horrible things in the name of their national pride to discredit Armstrong.
 
It's also funny what Jan Ullrich had to say:

www.cyclingnews.com said:
"I think it is possible that he can win again in France," the retired German cyclist told the dpa press agency. "He has a great life and great women, but it doesn't fulfil him. He finds his fulfillment in sport. If he meets the challenge mentally, then his body will also meet it."
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Je non comprende:
Jean-Etienne Amaury told French sports newspaper L’Equipe on Saturday, “We can’t say that he has not embarrassed the Tour de France, as he has had a quite a complicated history with it.”
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How does this mean he has embarrassed?
 
TDF PODIUM FINISHERS

1995
1. Miguel Indurain
2. Alex Zulle (Festina – EPO)
3. Bjarne Ris (EPO admitted)

1996
1. Bjarne Ris – (EPO admitted)
2. Jan Ullrich – (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Richard Vrenque (EPO, Festina caught)

1997
1. Jan Ullrich (Blood doping, caught)
2. Richard Virenque (EPO, caught)
3. Marco Pantani (60% hematocrit - suspected drug cheat)

1998
1. Marco Pantani (60% hematocrit - suspected drug cheat)
2. Jan Ullrich (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Bobby Julich

1999
1. Lance Armstrong (EPO, 6 positive blind samples later ID’ed as LA’s)
2. Alex Zulle (Festina, EPO caught)
3. Fernando Escartin

- Test for recombinant EPO developed -

2000
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Joseba Beloki (Operation Puerto, blood doping)

2001
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Joseba Beloki (Operation Puerto, blood doping)

2002
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Joseba Beloki (Operation Puerto, blood doping)
3. Rainondas Rumsas (HGH, caught)

2003
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Alexander Vinokourov (Blood doping caught)

2004
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Andreas Kloden
3. Ivan Basso (Blood Doping, caught)

2005
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Ivan Basso (Blood Doping, caught)
3. Jan Ullrich (Blood Doping, caught)

2006
1. Floyd Landis (Testosterone, caught)
2. Oscar Pereiro
3. Andreas Kloden
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We are expected to beleive that all these doped guys are still inferior to a clean Lance Armstrong :lol

ps. Astana the super clean team, that Lance will be joining, have just announced they are signing Vinokourov - who was kicked out of the 2007 tour for blood doping.
 
Also, it's not true that his team never got caught taking drugs. They just all got caught after they left his team.. Heras, Hamilton, Landis, Beltran.
 
qwertybob said:
ps. Astana the super clean team, that Lance will be joining, have just announced they are signing Vinokourov - who was kicked out of the 2007 tour for blood doping.
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Source? Last I heard, Vinokourov said he wants to come back with Astana, but Astana is saying Vino has not even contacted them about coming back.
 
sonarrat said:
Source? Last I heard, Vinokourov said he wants to come back with Astana, but Astana is saying Vino has not even contacted them about coming back.
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Astana also said Lance wasnt joining them. It does appear your right i didnt fully read the article but if Vino wants back will be back, Astana are basically a Kazakh state sponsored team in everything but name
 
Karma Kramer said:
The Tour De France wouldn't have nearly as much attention in the past decade if it wasn't for Lance Armstrong.
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this may be true in the USA. the rest of us, pay attention anyway.

it's a nice story if you believe in fairy tales. but why won't he let samples be re-tested with more up to date tech. very very suspect.
 
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