Monday Roundup

News
The CyclingNews posts more fallout from Patrik Sinkewitz's latest statements to the media on systematic doping at Quick Step, this time Patrick Lefevere responds, and the Andrey Kashechkin case concerning doping tests and human rights violations will be appealed to a higher court if it is lost in Liege:

Luc Misson, who is defending the Kazakh rider who has complained that the current anti-doping system is illegal because it violated Human Rights, took the case in order to prove a point. He sees the doping controls as intrusive, and is undeterred by potential consequences should Kashechkin win his case. "The fight against doping has to be a mission of the Police and Justice system, rather than the Federations, or racing cyclists."

"I am calling for Human Rights, for the freedom of the individual to be respected. All doping must be fought by the State. There are 18 countries that have laws against doping. It is a business that moves about 8,000 million euros," Misson stated. "States should know these industries, see where the doping products are manufactured. It is the fight against crime and smugglers rather than condemning the weak," he added

In a PM update the CN notes that Paolo Bettinni is calling for an accord among all who have an interest in the preservation of professional cycling. And there is yet more fallout from the Sinkewitz allegations of systematic doping at the 2000 world championships. And Doctor Carlo Santuccione ,who had been suspended for his involvement in the Oil for Drugs scandal, has responded to the request for a life-time ban by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) by stating his innocence.


The VeloNews reports that UCI president Pat McQuaid is making preliminary plans to expand the pro cycling tour into Russia and China, something which will not go down well with many in Europe:

We cannot remain a European sport. If we remain a European sport then we die," he continued. "2008 will be a transition year for the ProTour, but by 2009 we will have a global ProTour. There will be teams within the current set-up who are not happy with that. But there are others who want the global reach and who want us to develop events outside Europe. We'll get some criticism in the next 12 months, possibly we'll have difficulty in gaining 100 percent support from some stakeholders. But I think they've got to have a bit of vision and look at what we're trying to achieve in the long term."

The Salt Lake Tribune comments on the need for increased testing for PEDs in NCAA sports and almost inevitably includes Floyd Landis in the usual list of "cheater" suspects.

The New York Times Metro Diary contains a note from Floyd Landis on random acts of kindness he observed in the big city, Floyd L Landis that is.

The Niagara Falls Reporter presents awards appropriate to the Thanksgiving season, if not the spirit, they are plucked clean turkey carcasses going to those who have embarrassed themselves in the public realm. Will Geoghegan gets second runner-up in the sports category.

Blogs
Maureen expresses disappointment at some of her sports heroes who it seems will do anything to win, but still has faith in many who she feels competed cleanly.

Jim recently moved back to SoCal for the sunshine and is living in Murrieta where he feels he will eventually run into cycling "GOD" and fellow resident Floyd Landis.

Your Weekly Numerology tells us how to compute our personal number for the year 2007 and also that Floyd Landis is in a 6 year cycle, whatever that really means.