Manco wrote:

As soon as Lance retires all the main contenders are found out to be
dopers. Then again maybe Lance was doping and knew the gig was up.

But how did Armstrong know the gig was up? Does anyone else see anything
fishy about how immediately after he retires this happens (not to mention
the Festina affair was the year before he started winning)? Who do you
think really knew where all the skeletons were buried in closets?
Armstrong trained in Spain, I think, maybe he didn't, I don't really care,
it makes a better story if I believe he did, so he had ample opportunity to
send a letter here and there, nudge a local gendarme, or whatever the hell
they call cops in Spain (gendarmos? poliziarojas?). It is also quite
telling this happens after the Giro but before the Tour and after the
Vuelta from last year but before this year's. If that isn't part of the
larger pattern, then I haven't gotten into some moldy peanut butter.
Again.

But of course all that speculation about Armstrong blowing out the dopers
as a final "Texas-style-finger-in-the-air-hat-waving-whooping salute" to
the French is just that, speculation. It deflects from who really
benefits. Stop focussing on virtual wins from past Tours and Giros. Both
Ullrich and Basso now can claim a virtual Tour win from this year (in
Basso's case, a split actual-virtual double, or maybe a actual-virtual-
virtual if he claims he was planning on riding the Vuelta (or even the
unprecedented triple virtual if he gets stripped of the Giro)). Those
virtual wins are going to look great on their resumes.

--
Bill Asher