I do hope so.

Suspended from management, possibly ahead of a new report by Anti Doping Denmark. I think that’s more likely than unsatisfactory performance story given where we are in the season.

Vino next hopefully!

i also hope so. I can’t understand how the sport can expect to clean up its image while people like him are still influential in it.

Poor team performance would be my bet. These oligarchs, no patience. Never liked him and always marveled at his apparent improvement from domestique to tour winner. Must be hope for my racing on that basis 😉

I can’t understand how the sport can expect to clean up its image while people like him are still influential in it.

My worry is that, given Tinkov’s past, Riis has been replaced with a win at any doping cost mentality.

My worry is that, given Tinkov’s past, Riis has been replaced with a win at any doping cost mentality.

This is a fair concern. If Johan Bruyneel wasn’t banned, he’d be a perfect fit, failing that, Chris Horner or Ivan Basso in a player/manager role?

Never liked him and always marveled at his apparent improvement from domestique to tour winner.

Yes, at the time everything about his 96 tour win stank. Big domestique suddenly winning mountain stages. Felt like a high water mark for EPO before the free for all came to an end with the “health check” test in 97 introducing at least some degree of moderation.

Ivan Basso in a player/manager

Ned Boulting jokingly tweeted that last night… then hastily had to explain he was j o k i n g…

Ned Boulting jokingly tweeted that last night… then hastily had to explain he was j o k i n g..

Indeed he did, my suggestion too is very tongue in cheek. What about Lance? Is he able to manage a team?

Felt like a high water mark for EPO before the free for all came to an end with the “health check” test in 97 introducing at least some degree of moderation.

Rubbish nothing came to an end with the “health check” test, if anything it could be argued it spurred on even clever uses and increased greater use of drug cocktails.

Haha, I’m not suggesting for a second it fixed anything, it just changed the way doping worked with riders now effectively given the green light to dope to 50%, then micro dosing, etc. Mostly put an end to the 60+% days though. Out of so many “unbelievable” performances in the Tour, Riis’s for me was the stand out.

TBH I was just glad the dull Indurain era was over. The performances of around that era that stand out are LA on Hautacam, any with by Frank VDB or a bit earlier Gewiss at Fleche Wallone.

Those days made for exciting racing though 😆 😈

Was that the Fleche Wallone when Gewiss, with a Ferrari motor, just rode away from the peloton and team time trialled their way home? Can see what LA was on about when he said how crazy things were when he first came to race in Europe.

TBH I was just glad the dull Indurain era was over.

Indeed – Riis’ attack on Sestrieres was so exciting but I was young and naive back then

Looks like he’s gone, at least for now.

Bye bye…