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[quote=Anonymous]On one hand, the pressure to dope was intense in those days and my heart goes out to cyclists who felt they had to choose between having a career at all (the "domestiques" who support the stars) and riding clean.  I certainly understand why Armstrong felt he had to dope. I think it would serve the sport best just to have a general amnesty for riders in that era because how would you know any of the runners-up were any cleaner than Armstrong.  Jan Ullrich certainly wasn't! Marco Pantani either!

On the other hand, over the years there has been a fair bit of evidence coming out against Armstrong and his reaction has been to attack the people who were most likely telling the truth.  Can you imagine saying this about Lance Armstrong back when everyone revered him? Not good for your career at all. (See Betsy and Frankie Andreu.)

Here's how soigneur Emma O'Reilly described the harassment she endured after reporting on suspected drug use by Lance:

http://bicycling.com/blogs/theselection/2011/04/27/emma-o%E2%80%99reilly-responds-to-strickland%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cendgame%E2%80%9D/

And I think it was at his 6th TdF win that he gave a speech on the podium implying that this showed you could win clean and people shouldn't be so cynical about cycling.

So I used to admire Lance and although I believed the Andreus' testimony that they heard him describe his drug use in his hospital room (back when he was fighting cancer), I had hoped he wasn't drugging anymore. But over the years I've watched as a guy I used to admire acted more and more like a bully towards people who had far less power than he did.

Of course, this is the problem with drugging.  If you're accused, you have to admit or deny.  It's hard to admit early in the process but if you wait till later you've lost a lot of credibility.  David Millar admitted what he did and paid the price and he now has a cycling career. Jonathan Vaughters admitted after he retired from competition and then started a cycling team (Garmin-Sharp) that has a reputation for being successful and clean.  Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis denied and denied before finally admitting the truth, waiting so long to tell the truth that their careers are in tatters.

What bothers me about Lance is not so much that he denied, but that in doing so he acted like a jerk and hurt innocent people, when he is supposed to be this great guy who's fighting cancer. I know there are pps who admire Lance a lot and have a hard time believing he was involved in doping but folks there is a growing pile of evidence out there. Sorry to tell you that but it's true.[/quote]

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