Thursday Roundup

News
The San Francisco Chronicle posts an AP article by Erica Bulman about the dark cloud that professional cycling finds itself under at the start of this year's competitive season:

UCI is planning to unveil a new anti-doping program for ProTour teams in Paris on Friday. The program reportedly could include blood volume testing and checking for human growth hormone. UCI refused to comment on the new plan.

The sport's credibility was hit by two major doping scandals in 2006 — Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' alleged positive test for testosterone; the "Operation Puerto" case in Spain led to the exclusion of Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and 1997 Tour champion Jan Ullrich from the Tour de France.

The Boston Globe publishes the same piece.

The Houston Chronicle notes the temporary agreement between the UCI and the ASO to let the "games begin" at Paris Nice this weekend, and that the defending champion will not be present.

The VeloNews mailbag contains a letter from Don Cunningham who wonders why some cyclists get to race this year and others in similar states of disgrace don't. He is going to go out and just ride.

Blogs
Triple Crankset laments the exclusion of certain teams due to the Pro Tour ASO compromise, and looks to the past to remember what would have happened to some very well known riders if their teams had been excluded. He also mentions what did happen to one recent Tour de France winner when his team was not chosen.

Wilmette Life publicizes the FFF event to take place this Saturday in the Chicago suburb:

Floyd Landis, 2006 Tour de France bicycle race winner, will appear Saturday at a Wilmette Theatre fundraiser to fight efforts to revoke his trophy and right to compete.

Landis is fighting both American and French moves to ban him after he failed blood tests for his ratio of testosterone to epi-testosterone.
For a $35 admission, visitors will receive a box lunch, see a slide show about the issues and take part in a question-answer session with Landis.
The event is scheduled from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the theater at 1122 Central Ave.

Pommi read Part 2 of "Judging Floyd" with interest expressing some concerns over the Landis camp's choice of arbitrator Christopher Campbell.

CrystelZENmud tells us about a series of caricatures of Floyd Landis that would each one qualify for snark of the day, but since there are four of them they might make snark of the month.

Mendacity thinks that Floyd Landis is being railroaded, and he feels badly about the evil of it.

PJ analyzes the tactics on S-17 and shows a human effort; a comment is skeptical because of the S-16 bonk.

Rant covers Paris-Nice accord, Spokesman, likes Judging Floyd, and pumps PJ's S-17 piece above.


Forums
Discussion of the moderation policies at the Daily Peloton Forums continues with thus far no satisfactory answers to the confusion coming from the "powers that be".

Thought for the Day

When the police break a rule, it turns out to be necessary so that they could protect us; when defense attorneys work within the system, and zealously defend their clients, it’s “getting off on a technicality.

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