David Millar to mentor BC young cyclists

I’ve only skimmed through this so excuse me if I’m repeating what others have said but if cycling ever wants to rid itself of its doping problem it needs to start by not letting ‘ex-‘dopers (my emphasis) a career in cycling once they retire. No if, no buts.

Everybody, and I mean everybody has some apologist for them. Ask Nicole just what she thinks about that!

Millars book was a farce, I only doped three times (and I didn’t even need it), I left the shit lying around as I couldn’t live with myself and wanted caught…. yeah rightio davie boy, no problem. Go read Tylers book if want a full and frank disclosure. Made RTTD look like the fairy story it is. Omerta is as omerta does. Couldn’t even go speak to CIRC.

He has been rehabilitated, he resumed his career and co-owned a pro-team with another ex-doper. He even got to ride the Worlds. Now he needs to **** off out it.

I’d rather someone who made it as a pro without doping, took the job

So how would that person deal with questions about doping and the pressure put on you, after all they have no idea they didn’t partake or didn’t get caught.

As for the Vin dude, what does he actually have to offer BC?

Vin and his family have been involved in promoting the sport for as long as I can remember and well before that. He personally was responisble for getting CX set up properly in the South West when he moved there and puts in many, many hours unpaid to this day.
His opinion of Millar and the current situation is shared by an awful lot of people who ‘work’ for BC on a voluntary basis, me included.

So how would that person deal with questions about doping and the pressure put on you, after all they have no idea they didn’t partake or didn’t get caught.

As I said, anyone racing at pro tour level will (sadly!) have come into contact with those that dope, it’d be frighteningly naive to believe otherwise.

I’d rather someone with the courage and conviction to say ‘no’ mentor the next generation, than someone who’s answer to the “questions about doping and the pressure” would be “I gave in”!

after all they have no idea they didn’t partake

Not giving in != never being around dopers/doping culture.

coffee induced double post 👿

Not to doubt everyone but what you mean was the never caught.

Not to doubt everyone but what you mean was the never caught.

Indeed, there’s always that risk (again, sadly!). I’m not sure an attitude of “oh well, it’s possible they’re all at it, so look kids at least this one’s (probably, ahem) stopped now” is the way forward though. 😕

I really don’t think the poacher-turned-gamekeeper argument carries much weight.

If anything they’ll be hiring him for his long experience at the top level and undoubted knowledge and tactical awareness.

I can see the irony that doping clearly has enhanced his profile, which may have led to him getting the job over other non-previously doped rivals. Thus repeating the situation from his riding career.

surroundedbyhills, Did you actually think about what you posted OR am i reading your post wrong?

“Further don’t insult the integrity and intelligence of the young athletes under BC’s care, please.”

Is this not what BC have done by appointing him to oversee young intelligent Athletes under their care?
If they can Insult them by insinuating this then why can’t we?

Basically, we’ve got a problem so we employed a criminal to catch one……

xyeti: he is not overseeing them he is a mentor in an advisory capacity, the tone of your objections regarding the athletes suggests that one visit from DM and they will all instantly go “Oh, let’s dope it looks like such fun”

Basically, we’ve got a problem so we employed a criminal to catch one…..

yes what’s wrong with that? He is a convicted ex doper – he is ideally placed to have open and frank discussions with these young athletes on how to avoid getting sucked in.

So he’s overseeing them then? In an advisory capacity as a Mentor? either that or he isn’t because i think thats how mentoring works,

All i’m saying is that it wouldn’t put me off,

If i was told, Look this guy’s called Lance, this is what he achived, this is what happens when you cheat 😯

This guy here is called Chris Froome, He’s clean, Look what he’s capable of. 8)

I’d have prefered a CLEAN Mentor, or even one that didnt get caught, you know, a David Beckham type as oposed to Adam Johnson or a Ryan Giggs.

I don’t really rate him as a role model or a Mentor. of course i have never met him, he might be able to hold his breath and turn himself invisible “I Dont Know” but what i do know is what we all know.
Some think its perfectly acceptable to surround him by our future in the sport, i think it’s wrong, Corrupt and irresponsible. Others have their opinion “This one is mine”

Whilst I admit that most of the peleton would have been juicing, what sticks in my throat is how Millar appears to still be benefiting from his wrong doings. Lets be honest, his ‘I’ve been there and now I’m completely against drugs’ stance has got him alot more gigs than if he had achieved everything he did as a clean rider.

People like Nicole Cooke must be livid..

I don’t have a massive issue with those that cheated during that period, but Millar appears to have made as much of a career out of his repentant anti doping stance than he ever did as a pro cyclist, and that is just wrong. Would he have had anything like the same profile if he hadn’t been a cheater?

The fact he hasn’t yet fully spilled the beans on others tells me all I need to know about the man.

edit…what tang said in many less words..

…seems a bit unfair to me reward some one who has been caught doing things illegal.

It’s very easy to look at David Miller as the bad man. Ex-doper. Cheat. But let’s not forget he did his time for that.

A well known fact is that people respond better to reward than they do to punishment.

Let’s not also forget that he has done a lot of good. Speaking out before many dared. He didn’t make himself a popular figure when he was caught doping, but he made himself into a less popular one (in certain circles) when he started campaigning against it.

Yes, maybe some of that was to his own advantage with the general public. And he quite possibly knew that. But what’s the alternative. Be punished for that too? Might as as well go back to doping, where you’re more likely to forge a lucrative career.

All of that aside. I think it’s a little naive for anyone in the industry, to assume that anyone riding 10 or 20 years ago was riding clean. There were clean riders, I’m sure. But they’ll be few and far between, and the only people who will ever know that, is them. David Miller is at least very clear about his stance, and in a perfect position to advise on the pressures of competitive cycling.

It’s pretty standard practise for any anti-drug programme to employ former users to help deter others.

Which kid will listen to a Scottish cad who looks like this and irrespective of what he says, sounds like a weapons grade bell end with a chip pan hair do.