I hope this thread isn’t a dupe - I did check first.
This is pretty sad. Many cyclists, including Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, and Oscar Sevilla are suspended from this year’s tour for doping. I was looking forward to seeing the mighty Jan Ullrich ride free of the shadow of Lance Armstrong this year.
Is there a sport left where the participants aren’t wallowing in drugs? It’s getting me down.
Correction: Suspended not for doping, but for being suspected of possibly having doped on evidence of their names being listed in a doctor’s little black book.
At least they can’t blame Lance for this, although God knows that French rag will try somehow.
At least you won’t get suspended for duping! 
You mean to say these guys were on the juice and still couldn’t beat Armstrong? They need better doctors.
What does that tell you about Armstrong, Sean? Any time he was asked if he juiced, his answer wasn’t “No”, but “I’ve never tested positive”. Like as not, if none of them had juiced, he’d still have been the fastest up the mountains and the best cyclist of his time.
It sure seems like anybody at the top level of that sport has to be juiced pretty much by definition. It isn’t fair to single out individuals - the problem has to be attacked at the source, or else abandoned entirely.
Excerpts:
Lance Armstrong settled his libel case against a British newspaper over doping allegations Friday after winning a preliminary court ruling.
The seven-time Tour de France champion sued The Sunday Times over a June 2004 article that referred to a book, “LA Confidential – The Secrets of Lance Armstrong.”
After reading the article, along with the headline, photographs and captions, any “reasonable reader would have understood [the article] … to mean that Mr. Armstrong had taken drugs to enhance his performance in cycling competitions,” Judge Charles Gray said.
The article reprinted allegations that Armstrong had taken performance enhancing drugs. Armstrong has denied all doping allegations.
“I am extremely happy with today’s judgment, which is the latest in a series of consistent rulings in our favor,” Armstrong said about the earlier decision in a statement. “I always said that the article falsely alleged that I was guilty of doping. The article was based on untrue allegations which are without substance contained in a book published only in France.”
Ok, this tour is totally dismembered. What happens now? Missing from the start: Basso, Ulrich, Manchebo, Sevilla, and Beloki with most of the rest of Astana-Wurth, except notably for Vinokourov, who now has no team. The the top five finishers from last year are out. WTF. Is this really happening?
Well, maybe this is Boonen’s or Leipheimer’s big chance. . .
Anyone wanna place new bets? I bet the bookies are screaming right now.