GCN Show: Why are some dopers loved and others hated?
Si Richardson and Dan Lloyd explore the way that notorious dopers from the 1990s and 2000s are remembered
James Howell-Jones
Junior Writer
No cyclist can deny that our sport has a chequered past, but few of us agree on how we should talk about it. Do we caveat every remark about them with a reminder that they doped? Or do we leave the past in the past, accept that it was a different time, and move on?
Things get more complicated still when we turn the conversation to individuals. Why do a lot of cycling fans love notorious doper Marco Pantani, but hate notorious doper Lance Armstrong?
On this week’s show, Dan and Si untangle the messy relationship between cycling fans and doping cyclists. We want to work out why some riders are venerated and others are villainised, even when, on paper, they’ve broken the same rule.
Also in the news this week:
- Hope Lotus have released the new version of their Olympic track bike. It is broadly similar but uses a new 3D-printed seatpost.
- New research showing which songs are most common in playlists tagged with ‘cyclist’ or ‘cycling’ on Spotify shows that we love AC/DC. Highway to Hell and Thunderstruck were the top two songs in cycling playlists, and rock and metal dominated the top 25 tracks.
- Christoph Strasser has dominated the Transcontinental Race, finishing hours ahead of his nearest rival, Robin Gemperle. He completed the course in 8 days, 16 hours and 30 minutes, covering almost 4,000km.
- Hank will be hosting an evening with Wahoo in the Brewdog in Glasgow to celebrate the World Championships. If you’re in Glasgow on the 8th August, head along.
Hack/bodge
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On the channel this week
- How to ride steep climbs
- Mistakes that pro cyclists make
- This one skill will transform your cycling
- Blake vs Alpe d’Huez
- Himalayas KOM
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