Professional Cycling · Public discussion

Boonen's Reaction

Klodifan · 2007-07-26T04:01:20+00:00

Boonen calls for lifetime suspensions Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) Photo ©: Sirotti[img]http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2007/tour07/tour0712/fs014tn.jpg[/img] Tom Boonen does not mince his words, with the Quick.Step sprinter calling for Alexandre Vinokourov to receive a lifetime suspension after testing positive for a homologous blood transfusion at the Tour de France. "Vino is a dirty cheat who they ought to suspend for his lifetime," Boonen told HLN.be. "He is causing immense damage to everyone. There are so many teams in search of a new sponsor. This case will not make it easier." The Quick.Step rider was lying on the massage table when he got the news about Vinokourov, as a text message on his mobile phone. "We have all worked so hard," he said, "we have had fantastic successes with this team, and Vinokourov helps throw all of that away." Boonen further claimed that Vinokourov was indeed one of the so-called 'Men in Black' - a term used to describe professional riders training in plain colours to avoid detection. "I saw him myself, wearing black," said Boonen. "Gert Steegmans saw him, too. I'm not blind. You know who hides themselves, who disappears for three months and all of a sudden can fly. I have always been told that you can't question the performances of others. But now I am starting to do that. Even if it makes me crazy." "I am a victim of people such as Vinokourov, because I am in the same circus they are. I can only hope that I will be believed when I say that I don't have anything to do with doping. I underwent five controls before the Tour: four unannounced controls and once after the Belgian championship." Of the remaining favourites actually left in this year's race, Boonen picked Australian Cadel Evans as one of the riders he still trusts. "I have given up my belief in most of the rest," he confessed. "It is possible to ride the Tour without doping. And to ride and win, too. And Cadel Evans proves in my eyes that you could win it without doping." "I only know that the UCI has to do its best. Because it goes very far. I have no privacy any more: I have to tell them every day where I am. Go with that to a court and you will always win. But guys like Vinokourov apparently can't leave it alone. Then there is only one possibility: you test every god-damned one of them." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul26news3 so tommy, who are the other men in black? hmmm...? discuss...

Started by Klodifan · 26 July 2007 · Last activity 26 July 2007 · 10 posts · 1,485 views

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01 / Original postBoonen's ReactionKlodifan · 26 Jul 2007 02 / This pagePosts 1–10Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #10tcklyde · 26 Jul 2007

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Original section: Professional Cycling
Published: 26 July 2007
Last activity: 26 July 2007
Original author: Klodifan
Posts: 10
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 1,485
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Tour de France Cadel Evans Tom Boonen

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Original post
Klodifan
Archived post

26 July 2007, 04:01 UTC #1

Boonen calls for lifetime suspensions
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step)
Photo ©: Sirotti[img]cyclingnews.comfs014tn.jpg[/img]
Tom Boonen does not mince his words, with the Quick.Step sprinter calling for Alexandre Vinokourov to receive a lifetime suspension after testing positive for a homologous blood transfusion at the Tour de France. "Vino is a dirty cheat who they ought to suspend for his lifetime," Boonen told HLN.be. "He is causing immense damage to everyone. There are so many teams in search of a new sponsor. This case will not make it easier."
The Quick.Step rider was lying on the massage table when he got the news about Vinokourov, as a text message on his mobile phone. "We have all worked so hard," he said, "we have had fantastic successes with this team, and Vinokourov helps throw all of that away."
Boonen further claimed that Vinokourov was indeed one of the so-called 'Men in Black' - a term used to describe professional riders training in plain colours to avoid detection. "I saw him myself, wearing black," said Boonen. "Gert Steegmans saw him, too. I'm not blind. You know who hides themselves, who disappears for three months and all of a sudden can fly. I have always been told that you can't question the performances of others. But now I am starting to do that. Even if it makes me crazy."
"I am a victim of people such as Vinokourov, because I am in the same circus they are. I can only hope that I will be believed when I say that I don't have anything to do with doping. I underwent five controls before the Tour: four unannounced controls and once after the Belgian championship."
Of the remaining favourites actually left in this year's race, Boonen picked Australian Cadel Evans as one of the riders he still trusts. "I have given up my belief in most of the rest," he confessed. "It is possible to ride the Tour without doping. And to ride and win, too. And Cadel Evans proves in my eyes that you could win it without doping."
"I only know that the UCI has to do its best. Because it goes very far. I have no privacy any more: I have to tell them every day where I am. Go with that to a court and you will always win. But guys like Vinokourov apparently can't leave it alone. Then there is only one possibility: you test every god-damned one of them."
cyclingnews.comnews.php
so tommy, who are the other men in black? hmmm...?
discuss...

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Frigo's Luggage
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26 July 2007, 04:07 UTC #2

Good for Boonen. I'm shocked. I just hope he isn't a hypocrite.

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drm
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26 July 2007, 04:15 UTC #3

It always struck me that Sprinters are the ones who would benefit most from performance enhancing drugs (specifically HGH, steroids but I'm no expert, I'll be the very first to admit - as some will recall, I ignorantly thought Vino wasn't a doper but that is mostly because I listen to the Phil Leggit or whatever his name is). So I'm a little surprised he feels he can speak out like this. Now I know nothing about Tom Boonen, maybe it's well known he's clean but I digress. All I'm saying is he should be very careful about what he says; he'll look quite the fool if he tests positive someday.
It seems clear to me by what he said that 1) he is friends with Cadel Evans and sees him with rose colored glasses or 2) he knows all other GC contendors dope or 3)both.
Really it pleases me to hear cyclists speak out so ardently about doping but, alas, I'm afraid it is just posturing. I'm not as naive as I was a week or two ago when I defended Vino (I feel pretty dumb about that right now).

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sogood
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26 July 2007, 04:31 UTC #4

Good comments.
The fact that teams would withdraw on the basis of one doping rider is a very positive move. This would generate positive peer pressure b/n the team members.

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Bro Deal
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26 July 2007, 04:43 UTC #5

Its good that current riders can now speak out like this. You never saw this a couple years ago. On the few occasions you did (Bassons, Simeoni), Armstrong exacted revenge on them.

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Klodifan
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26 July 2007, 04:45 UTC #6

heres the thing, why didnt tommy boy speak out about the men in black before the blow up? and why doesnt he name the other men in black? i can understand his position but makes for thin veiled comments.

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thebluetrain
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26 July 2007, 04:49 UTC #7

Just ask the good Doctor.House. He'll know.
Hey Doc, is Boonen doping?

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nns1400
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26 July 2007, 04:52 UTC #8

Klodifan said:
heres the thing, why didnt tommy boy speak out about the men in black before the blow up? and why doesnt he name the other men in black? i can understand his position but makes for thin veiled comments.

Right. It leaves more questions. But (and I HATE to say this) his comments had a tiny ring of truth in that they weren't that standard "gosh, I'm shocked. I don't know what to say." He actually sounds [censored]. His last line should be the future motto of the Tour : "Test every god-damned one of them." Or none of them. Either way would be better.
BTW, klodifan, when Boonen retires, he can call the races for me 😉 .

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Klodifan
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26 July 2007, 05:12 UTC #9

nns1400 said:
BTW, klodifan, when Boonen retires, he can call the races for me 😉 .

lol! hes got a killer accent, doesnt he? among other things... :p

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tcklyde
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26 July 2007, 06:25 UTC #10

Klodifan said:
Boonen calls for lifetime suspensions
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step)
Photo ©: Sirotti[img]cyclingnews.comfs014tn.jpg[/img]
"He is causing immense damage to everyone. There are so many teams in search of a new sponsor. This case will not make it easier."
Good point, Tom. How do you think Cofidis feels about this publicity?
[IMG]cyclingnews.comDV213544.jpg[/IMG]

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