View From the Bushes

Well it's getting close to that time of year again -- yes, you guessed it, the Tour de France starts two weeks from this Saturday. I can hardly wait. But rather than talk about the race, which I know most of my readers find appallingly dull, I thought I'd talk about doping, and the drug allegations leveled against Lance Armstrong in a new book.

For some reason the perception is that cycling is among the worst sports for drug abuse. I think that comes about because cycling conducts more drug tests and subsequently gets more positives. Whereas baseball conducts almost no tests and never gets a positive, though by many accounts steroid use in baseball is epidemic. Armstrong himself has never tested positive for any drugs and is probably the single most drug-tested athlete ever. So if he is using some kind of banned substance, then the tests are of very little utility if in the hundreds he's taken he has never once tested positive.

Obviously, I hope (and in fact believe) that Armstrong is not taking any illegal performance enhancers. I think everyone appreciates a clean race, not to mention an exciting one, which is what I think this is shaping up to be. My personal podium picks (not in any particular order) are Armstrong, Ullrich and Hamilton. I have a bet which has been 'doubled or nothinged' to the point where it's real money, so I hope I'm right this year...

Carpe Diem Quam Minimum Credula Postero
Ross