London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

I have posted this a couple of years ago, but I can't resist repeating it, especially since we now have an additional point.

Of course, the post should be in two columns, side by side, but I'm not clever enough to make the machine do this. (I suspect that any knowledge of the ancient world makes it harder to understand computers). I hope it's clear enough, but maybe it's worth pointing out that 'Odi odioque sum Romanis' goes with 'Doesn't like the French, and the French don't like him.'

Hannibal (242 – 182 BC)/Romans


Comes across sea to beat Romans at
their own game (land battles)
Lost an eye early in career through illness and overcame difficulty

Wins victories by bold crossing of mountains using cutting edge technology (elephants)

Is supported by foreign mercenaries

“Odi odioque sum Romanis”

Defeated at Zama (202 BC) aged 40

182 BC Dies by his own hand to avoid extradition.

Armstrong (b.1971)/French


Comes across ocean to beat French at their own game (Tour de France)

Cancer overcome

Usually establishes victories in the mountains. Uses cutting edge technology. (And now everyone knows what it was)

Is supported by team of professional domestiques of all cycling nations

Doesn’t like the French and the French don’t like him.

Defeated by USADA (2012) aged 41.

http://gerard.cc/2012/10/31/forget-backdating/

Director of Skins piling on the pressure:

http://www.skins.net/news-and-events...5N5G0.facebook

South Park wow.

anyone got a link to Southpark ?

You can download a VPN called TunnelBear that give 500mb per month free and watch direct on Comedy Central

Spoiler follows

















Episode opens with people having their yellow wristbands cut off outside a Wallgreens pharmacy whilst exclaiming "I can't believe he fooled us all, we all were duped".

The wristbands turn out to be "WWJD" wristbands and Jesus has been disgraced after the Turin shroud was tested and showed evidence of HGH and painkiller usage during the resurrection. "He didn't suffer at all, and all those miracles he performed were under the influence of PEDs"

Stan however doen't cut off his wristband and become famous as the only person in USA who still believes in Jesus, and inspired by his stand farmers in Belarus start wearing brown wristbands as a symbol of support for him and rise up against their goverment.

Then he does a Nike commercial :D

Stan starts the "StanDSTRONG Foundation" to raise awareness of the farmer's plight but is accused of having cut off his yellow band and actually glued it back together by one of his classmates. He accuses them of being an alcoholic prostitute and refuses to subject his wristband to further tests.

He accuses the authorities of conducting a witchhunt against him and that whether he did or did not glue his wristband back together is not important anymore, StanDSTRONG is more important.

great storyline.. Would have loved to be in on that script meeting.

Thanks matey I already have a VPN for the F1 on BBC iplayer - going to go watch Southpark now

He doesn't look that much of a cunt.

I have found with some region restricted streams from US that once they have started successfully you can turn off TB and stream continues too, saving your allowance.

Pretty sure Daily Show works so other Comedy Central progs might work too.

Christian Bale would probably find it easier to achieve the correct physique and is also enough of a cunt to method act it.

Todd Bridges to play Lance!

Paul Kimmage tweets:

"My lawyer, Cedric Aguet, works for Bonnard Lawson in Geneva. I call him Maximus. He has just unleashed hell."

Fighting-fund appropriately named by the sounds of it. Wish I'd donated now.

^ you still can it's open till Dec

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kimm...ruggen-mcquaid

is the hell.

Good jobs Kimmage.

he ought to be careful - $85,000 is not going to go that far if he loses and has to pay their costs as well as his.

He has filed a criminal complaint, the Swiss public prosecutor will fund the prosecution if they take the case, and Hein et al will have to fund their own defence whether they win or lose.

im still laughing at this

doesnt it work that way everywhere ???
thought you only had to pay costs/ both costs in civil matters

Yes, I was just pointing that out to Carson who seemed to think that Kimmage had exposed himself to the risk of paying Hein et al's costs

Go, Paul. I'm inclined to add in German: "Kimme und Korn."

holy shit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/7525072.stm
interesting to know that getting your fav event in the olympics isnt that expensive. 3 million dorras

News dated 2008, was that resolved?

Looks like Private Eye read Emma O'Reilly's evidence

SKINS are suing McQuaid, Verbruggen and UCI for $2m

http://s4.skins.net/docs/SKINS-vs-UC...0121102-EN.pdf

Wow, but did they really believe cycling was a clean sport?

That doesn't really matter. Its whether the average person watching cycling believed it or not.

don't think they expect settlement-more likely they are just pressuring the management committee of the UCI to force Hein and Pat to walk the plank...

They've more chance of Max Crowe giving them $2m than winning this case.

Does their compression clothing restrict bloodflow to the brain?

Or do they think that this lawsuit will -

(1) Gain them publicity
(2) Ensure that the public (or at least those with a brain) knows that they are a very ethical firm.

Not all publicity is good publicity and, given the responses I've seen so far, they aren't getting any good publicity out of this.

They've actually achieved something I thought was impossible at the moment, and united cycling fans behind the UCI. We know they (the UCI) are generally wankers, but they are our wankers so fuck off you opportunistic, greedy cunts.

I think the point may have been missed.

I'm pretty sure I read weeks ago that the SKINS ceo is passionate about ousting McQuaid and Verbruggen. He may just be a frustrated cycling fan (and publicity lover). This is probably just what he can do to add pressure.

They'll not get money from the UCI but they can add to it's embarrassment.

Too true. SKINS was the clothing choice of Anders Brevik!

Ferrari: remember, Lance, to take care when injecting yourself. Dirty needles are dangerous.

Armstrong: It's ok doctor, I always wear a Skins condom.

Are you serious? Evidence?

Are cycling fans that stupid that they'd don't want business to help clean up the sport, or am I missing something?

We all want the UCI to change, and perhaps them being sued as a result of their incompetence/corruption may help. After all, there is nothing like a major hit to the financials to make an entity such as the UCI seriously consider itself.

I don't have the time to discuss this now, but as an opening question - how is the UCI funded?

I'll be back in 3 hours.

From numerous sources I think.

Memberships funding from national governing bodies, commercial sales from their own events and increasing amounts of private funding.

The UCI have three main income streams;

1. Affiliation and licensing fees from national federations
2. TV rights to UCI operated events (mainly the World Championships)
3. Sponsorship from commercial companies, mainly to get exposure at 2.

As I understand it, the bulk of the money comes from the TV rights. As usual, inrng has an informative post on this;

http://inrng.com/2012/09/uci-financial-accounts-2011/

But my point in this discussion, is that they are not a wealthy organisation so supporting greedy, ignorant wankers like Skins is going to affect what they spend their limited budget on.

I'm all for more transparency and accountability at the UCI, but no-one seems to be able to come up with credible candidates to replace McQuaid so I'm unsure what regime change will achieve.

Doesn't the UCI also occasionally accept private donations from successful Tour riders as well? #zing

They did, but under the previous president's administration, not on McQuaid's watch. The key question the independent commission need to answer is when was that money paid and, more importantly, what was it spent on.

Smacks of Skins jumping on the bandwagon for some PR - though if it brings about some change I won't complain