Hosting Aaron's Pro Cycling Team

My family and I had the great pleasure of hosting the Aaron's pro cycling team this weekend for the National Criterium Championships. This is the third year my family has done so and we really enjoy it. They are very enjoyable to be around, socializing with my whole family including my young son and daughter. A teammate of mine hosted a few of the riders from the team and they really enjoyed their family's dog. They share their stories and enjoy our stories, as well. It is a rewarding experience and one that we will continue year after year. Thanks Carmen, Brian, Kat, Meredith, and Erica for staying with us. Also, thanks to Rebecca, Carmen and Anna who stayed at my teammates house.

So, in summary, we had a blast this weekend!! So... how do you get started hosting a team? I am not sure the best way, but I can let you know how we did it. When Elk Grove was planning their first cycling event, I found out they were looking for host families. I talked to my wife about it and we decided to take a chance. We were given a choice on hosting 2 couples from different teams or to take 6 people from one team. We decided to take in 5 riders and 1 director. It ended up being only 5 because one of the team members stayed with a friend. It was a great decision we made. We had a wonderful time. We have continued every year since.

I know that Superweek was looking for host families this year. I would imagine there are still opportunities to host teams for Elk Grove and Downers Grove. I would suggest contacting Special Events Management and/or Elk Grove Village Hall regarding being a host family if you are interested. I have yet to hear of someone having a bad experience.

Please feel free to leave your host family experiences in the comments.

Landis Decision preannouncement

CAS has announced that they will release their decision regarding Floyd Landis on 6/30/2008 at 10am CDT. I am very interested to find out what their decision is and what they have to say about it.

Even the best make mistakes

If you watched the race today in Begium, you saw that one of the world's best racers made an embarrasing mistake... He started to post up before crossing the line and got nipped at the line. I never expected Tom Boonen of team Quick Step to make a mistake such as this especially considering Boonen started his sprint early. He got nipped at the line by Mark Cavendish of team High Road, but half a wheel.

Let this be a lesson for all racers out there... It is much more important to practice your sprint and bike throw, than it is to practice your post up. If Boonen had held his sprint and did a bike throw there is not doubt that he would have been the winner.

The Iban Mayo case and how it helps Landis

Does anyone find it interesting that in Iban Mayo's case, the Spanish Cycling Federation had the common sense to test the B sample somewhere else other than the Chatenay-Malabry lab which is the same lab that had inconsistencies with the Landis' tests? Hmmmm... one can only wonder what would have happened if USADA had actually listened and agreed to the request to test the B samples from the other stages at a lab other than Chatenay-Malabry. Hopefully, WADA will shut down that lab or at a minimum, make it a regular practice of testing the B samples at 2 different labs.

Landis' legal team has to just LOVE this story. While Iban Mayo was caught for something different, Landis' legal team will infer that Mayo would have been wrongfully convicted if it were not for the testing at labs other than Chatenay-Malabry.

The Iban Mayo story may just be enough to swing the pedulum in Floyd's favor. Get ready for round 2 everyone.

For complete coverage:

http://trustbut.blogspot.com/

For additional commentary:

http://rant-your-head-off.com/

***UPDATE***

Anne Gripper of the UCI said this today:

She said it would be another "five or six weeks" before the second round of tests is completed. Even if the follow-up tests are negative, the UCI said it might consider an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

So, let me see if I get this right... if your A sample tests positive and the B sample tests negative, the UCI will try to get you suspended on the basis of the A sample by appealing to CAS. How much more screwed up can WADA and the UCI get about doping?? How about following your own rules for starters? Talk about a witch hunt.

All I can think of is that Monte Python sketch where they go around yelling "witch!!" I can't believe Landis hasn't spoken up about this, although maybe he is just waiting for it to play out. So far, everything the lab and UCI is doing should help Landis with his appeal to CAS.

TGIF - Level 2 Coach & Landis

Level 2 Cycling Coach

I went to the USA Cycling Level 2 coaching clinic last weekend. I completed the test this week and passed, so I am now a USA Cycling Level 2 Coach!! Honestly, I didn't think I was going to learn that much from the class as I have read a lot of material on training and nutrition, but I did learn A LOT. Thanks to Sam Callan from USA Cycling; Al Gandolfi, part owner of ABD; and Stephen McGregor, professor of exercise physiology at Eastern Michigan. They were all fantastic teachers and they made the class FUN. Thank you Sam, Al and "El Ranchero" :-).

So, what did I learn, stay tuned... I will be touching on topics that I learned about in future posts to this blog.

Landis Appeals to CAS

Just as the ceremony was planned to give Oscar Pereiro the yellow jersey, Landis announced he has appealed to CAS. I think this is the right move considering the appeal should be considerably less expensive than the initial hearing and CAS has been known to side with the athlete when warranted. Also, most of the analysis is already complete. I only wish that Landis had announced it earlier. I do feel for Pereiro. Here is a guy that doesn't know whether he finished first or second in the biggest bike race in 2006 in the world and he won't find out if he won it until the start of the 2008 season. Also, does anyone know if any of the riders have been paid for the 2006 Tour de France? According to Landis at one of his book signings, he didn't think anyone will get paid until a final verdict in his doping case.

So, what's my point? There are plenty of other riders that are affected by this case other than Landis. Think about how much easier this would have been if WADA's certified lab, LNDD, had their act together. They either would have never found a positive test or the positive test would have been without reproach. Anyway, hopefully CAS gets the verdict right and WADA cleans up their act as a result of this case. Anyway you look at it, Landis and other riders are the losers in the case no matter what the verdict.

Floyd and Bike Crash Incident

There are 2 items that have been on my mind this week:

Vehicle causing crash of cyclists - A pickup truck went around a group of cyclists riding single file in Lake County and then proceeded to slam on his brakes. The cyclists piled into the vehicle which then sped away. No one was seriously injured, but some were serious enough that they had to be taken to the hospital for stitches and x-rays. The good news is that the driver was caught and arrested. Thanks go to the two witnesses who attempted to follow the pickup, but returned to the scene when they could not follow. Thanks also go to the driver for returning, although he did give a bogus story about something being in the road, which is where the witnesses come in. Also, thanks go to the officer on the scene that took the report seriously and the police are pushing for a charge that would be a felony. You can find more information about the incident at:

http://www.chicagobikeracing.com/

Floyd Landis - After reading more about the majority and dissenting opinions, I am more convinced then ever that Landis got shafted. As I have said before, I am not proclaiming his innocence, but if the data isn't clear or is corrupted, then you can't have a decision against the athlete. First, all of the original testosterone to epitestosterone tests have been thrown out as worthless. This is the initial test that is done to determine if a rider is cheating. The follow-up test that determines whether the testosterone in the rider's body is his own is what held up according to the majority decision. This is the topic that is highly debatable. This topic is being discussed on 2 sites in detail. I find this very interesting, but others will find it good bedtime reading material because it would help them fall asleep. To each his own. Here are the two sites:

http://rant-your-head-off.com/WordPress/?p=383#more-383

and the best source on all things Landis:

http://trustbut.blogspot.com/

Floyd Landis Found Guilty

I am really disappointed in the arbitration panel. I can't believe that they actually voted 2-1 that he was guilty. I haven't read too much, but from the reports I have heard, the panel threw out the T/E test results saying they were not reliable, but they were basing their results on the IRMS testing. Well, at least they got it half right, but it doesn't change the result.

From what I can remember about the case, there were problems with the IRMS testing. The biggest thing I remember is that LNDD primed the liner before conducting the test. During the hearing, a witness from the manufacturer stated that this was not proper procedure and could likely produce positive tests where they were really negative. There was a memo from an executive at the manufacturer that stated the same thing.

I believe more than ever that this is a witch hunt, especially after hearing when the suspension is effective: in January. Every other athlete that has been suspended has had their suspension effective from around the time of their last competition. Not in this case. The UCI wanted to penalize Landis for making them and WADA look bad. UCI also wanted to send a message with the recent penalties: There is no use fighting us because we will find you guilty whether the science supports it or not. If you fight us publicly, we will give you a longer suspension. If you admit to doping, whether you did it or not, your penalty will be reduced (see Jorge Jaschke's one year suspension). And don't forget, even if you didn't do it, we will find you guitly anyway, so you might as well lie and say you did it. In an athlete's career, one year is a lot different than two years.

If the UCI really wanted to figh doping, they would require all teams to implement the Slipstream/Chipotle model. Yeah, it isn't cheap, but neither is finding a new sponsor because your sponsor has lost faith in the team and the sport. But, in my opinion, the UCI would rather have high profile cases against certain athletes such as Valverde, Landis, Vinikourov, etc. They all may be guilty, but when the science doesn't support it, they should be vindicated as Landis should have been. And the UCI should be more concerned about preventing future doping through baseline testing.

I welcome all comments, especially ones that have better facts than me.

Vote for the 2008 Slipstream/Chipotle jersey

Slipstream/Chipotle has been a model of what professional cycling needs to do in order to prevent doping in our beautiful sport. They have a fantastic roster for 2008 with Vandevelde, Zabriskie, Millar, Backstedt, Danielson and many other strong riders (Floyd Landis in 2008 or 2009?). Now, they are giving you, the fan, the opportunity to vote for their 2008 team kit. (They were giving everyone the opportunity to submit designs, but that time has past.) My favorite is Entry #5, but don't let that influence your vote.

Go vote here:

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/fun.jerseytop5.php

And while your at it, support the team by eating at Chipotle, who has upped its investment by becoming a co-title sponsor.

If Landis is found not-guilty...

So... if Landis is found not-guilty, then what? First, I had heard that Slipstream was very interested in signing Landis if he was found not-guilty by a vote of 3-0. While I think this is unlikely (2-1 either way is pretty much a lock), how can Slipstream sign him if they have only one more slot open and Vaughters has stated that they are targeting Jason McCartney for that slot? Maybe, Vaughters is assuming that the UCI, USADA, WADA or anyone else who is allowed to appeal will appeal the decision to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) which would take Landis off the market for the 2008 season thus giving him a 2 year suspension whether he is found guilty or not. Great system, huh? Also, how long does anyone have to appeal the decision to CAS?

My prediction is that we will have a 2-1 decision and the losing side will appeal to CAS. Folks, we are almost halfway through this saga. What is your prediction?

For complete coverage of the Landis saga, go here:

http://trustbut.blogspot.com/

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog!! You will find 2 main topics of conversation: race reports & cycling. Feel free to post comments. I welcome open debate, constructive criticism, and positive comments.