Some numbers here:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/09/news/horner-pushes-the-power-numbers-at-the-vuelta_302720

Might wanna put a spoiler tag on that – its got todays result in it. 😉

Sean Kelly was commenting on this t’other day. His view was Horner’s numbers were not out of the ordinary.

I’d also like to think that it is a case of the clean riders now being able to shine with ex-dopers finding it tough.

LOL.

PDM

Richie_B – Member

The last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics: I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles. But this is one hell of a race. This is a great sporting event and you should stand around and believe it. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people.

I once felt that way I thought I had a good idea who was ‘prepared’ and who was clean but then again I believed in David Millar…

Richie, I believe that is a famous Armstrong quote…

😆 @ piemonster
<whoosh> @ Richie_B

I do find it interesting that he’s “had” to miss most of the season due to being “injured” and so is “well rested”. I wonder how often he’s been tested…

Horner’s delight at taking his win was reflected most strongly when he spontaneously grabbed the press conference microphone and recounted how his 11-year-old son had said he would prefer him to continue racing when Horner had had doubts because of his knee injury earlier this year.

“He told me not to retire, because right now it was cool to be able to tell his friends his dad was a professional doing the Giro and other races, and with every pedal stroke I felt that, what he’d said.

“Now he can say his dad won the first Vuelta for America, he’s the only 40-something year-old to have won a Grand Tour, and that’s something he’ll be able to enjoy for the rest of his life, to enjoy that for ever.”
🙂

So what if he’s 41?

Dont really care, f00kin great racing, best Grand Tour for years. Bring back no tests, would be a superb smashfest!

No evidence other than performances?

Then I’ll take it at face value and enjoy it for the superb spectacle it is.

Not normal

Merak – what’s that got to with Horner?

He looked ruined after today’s finish.

I’m just wondering if all the people moaning are either 40+ fatties or young people who are 5hit riders who see their Dad beating them.

I do hope he is not on drugs but there are plenty of 40+ athletes out there.

He looked ruined after today’s finish.

All part of the illusion(!)

I do hope he is not on drugs but there are plenty of 40+ athletes out there.

It is not the fact that he is a 40+ athlete, it is how the 40+ athlete competed against the rest of the elite peleton.

Frankenstein – Member
… there are plenty of 40+ athletes out there.

It’s just that none of them are stuffing gc riders ten years or so their junior, having never won a gt stage let alone a gt jersey before and being so good they haven’t even got a contract for 2104.

gutted for Nibali, thought he’d been holding something back for the Angliru and was excited when he took it on… great ending to a Tour that wasn’t living up to expectations for me.
I just can’t like Horner though… it’s his attitude and demeanour as well as his unexpected performances.

I’m just wondering if all the people moaning

I got into sport first in the early/mid 90s, and with that became aware of pro cycling.

I’ve known nothing else but epo doping cyclists to be present in, and winning Grand Tours. So you’ll have to forgive me if it takes a while to start believing in ‘miracles’

Still, I’m hopeful that its not quite as bad as 100m sprinting, although I’m not willing to place bets.

In order to enjoy pro-cycling in these days of suspicion you need to institute a chinese wall in your head.

Watch the race. Enjoy the race. Don’t think about the doping potential, it will spoil it for you.

I pity those poor individuals who are not capable of this. The Vuelta must have been an impoverished experience for you whereas for me it was exhilarating.

Horner’s ride just wasn’t credible.

It wasn’t that bad, only saw a couple of the highlights. But yeh it was still a little bit meh.

Funniest thing was his speech at the end of the stage, I was waiting for the American national anthem to start playing. Cringeworthy (a bit like his performance).

It’s just that none of them are stuffing gc riders ten years or so their junior

a pre ban Valverde would have walked all over Horner, now they’re all clean* its a different story

*fingers crossed

warton – Member

He’s 41
he’s never won a grand tour stage before now
he said he’s never seen doping
he was one of armstrongs most important riders

of course he’s **** doping. kick him out.

You’re right, with evidence like that why even bother testing?

a pre ban Valverde would have walked all over Horner

Indeed. There does seem to be a fair few top-end riders off their game this last year or two, or is it just me?

I’m just wondering if all the people moaning are either 40+ fatties or young people who are 5hit riders who see their Dad beating them.

40+ ex high level athlete here, who’s found just how much harder it gets when you’re over 40. Maybe those who aren’t suspicious are either not old enough to know, or have never competed at a high enough level?

MAMIL hero or drug soaked yank.

rOcKeTdOg – Member

It’s just that none of them are stuffing gc riders ten years or so their junior

a pre ban Valverde would have walked all over Horner, now they’re all clean* its a different story

Nibali’s not been banned but old man horner stuff’s him?

correct, excellent analysis. Sean Kelly is looking over his shoulder

We all know what the real problem is here. I’m going to come out and say it. Forget all the doping suggestions and all that malarkey. The real problem is the viewers who are finding their bigotry challenged.

But it’s OK, we forgive you. All we ask is that you reset your perceptions. You’re wrong, all you have to do now is accept it and move on.

Now after me…..

“Slapheads can be winners too”

That’s better isn’t it?

In the pre-helmet days it was aerodynamical.

And yes, I hope he’s clean, but I am finding it a little surprising.

I though Rodriguez might have done something in that stage.

Jens reckons he is clean, and that’s good enough for me. Oh, and I’m a 40+ fattie!!

A brilliant end to a brilliant race. Well done Horner, and well done Nibali for giving it everything today.

Can’t be a***d to watch it (or any other road race). Pro cycling is a joke.

I feel that way about football, so I don’t watch it.

**** it. In the last few years I could have been persuaded by GB, Sky, the slower Spanish guys etc.

But the last few days of the 2013 Vuelta?

Next thing Phat Mcquaid will be re elected to his $40,0000,0000 a year consultancy (the UCI paperstamp) and there will be one person somewhere who still thinks that cycling has cleaned up.

I can’t believe the amount of emotional baggage people attach to professional sport. Personally, I thought today’s stage was one of the most entertaining stages I’ve seen for a long time. If Horner does fail a drugs test then it will be a shame, but I won’t lose any sleep over it.

If you want honour, humility and fairy stories, go and watch sunday league rugby, go and watch a marathon and support all those struggling to even get to the finish line in the name of charity, go and watch an ironman and see what average people put their bodies through.

Don’t rely on professional sport to uphold your moral and emotional standards: You will always be disappointed. Afterall, professional sport is a cut-throat, win at all costs occupation and couldn’t give a crap about your idealistic view of your “heroes”.

mikey74 nail on head!

Mikey74 ftw. Though it’s a shame for the David Moncoutie’s of this world.

CH was not riding on an Armstrong team pre 2009 and Horner is very experienced, spent most of his career riding for Continenal teams. His Palmares isnt littered with big wins but then neither are most GT riders! Horner is an experienced guy and is tactailly astute. He barely rides post May, Tour of Utah, Tour of California, season done… so was always coming it to this race fresh. Rodriguez has done something like 70k competitive kms this year finishing in the top 5 in each GT and somehow stays under the finger pointer’s radar and Nibali is riding for Astana for heavens sake, Katie Price is cleaner than that team!

testing seemed to work well on the Giro with two Vini Fantini riders being kicked out so I think its reasonable to assume that anyone using PEDs will get caught….

Jens reckons he is clean

Another veteran still riding at top level with a dodgy team history?

As for Horner, as David Millar is always reminding us, it’s a new era now, and everything is better.

Quack.

Jens reckons he is clean

what else is he going to say on TV?