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Back in March i received a reply to an item that i wrote in " TourdaFrance.blogspot.com "
! This time they did not address me as " Mrs "!  seems they read the blog piece , as they refer to it in this email submission ?

  "   Ticket "2014031010001733" created!

Date:   Mon 03/10/14 06:33 AM

Dear Mr Mc Carthy,

Once again we convey our sincerest apologies if you feel you have been disrespected. Your original email asked for information that was indeed provided to you in a follow up email shortly thereafter, granted we made an honest mistake when addressing your title. We have provided you with information that you requested,  a suggestion as to what would better suit your needs, as well as an apology for what we repeat was an honest mistake. Unfortunately our CEOs do not frequent our customer service department as they are based at the HQ office.  Apologies for not being able to assist you getting in contact with them as we have protocol regarding the privacy of giving out such personal information.

It is unfortunate that you have decided to write a negative review although our department has apologized repeatedly for the mistake. We do hope you will come to see things differently in the near future and not let a mishap as has happened affect your opinion on a product.

Best regards
Oregon Scientific UK
Customer Service
Tel - 0871 222 1966
@ - technical@oregonuk.com

Being used to dealing with the Organ Grinder , not the MONKEY , i still have not reached the purpose of my original request , that of using a " Loan " unit .  When first in contact , i had the idea to combine their unit with a Garmin , thus seeing what was being recorded as i rode . With having laid out my usual annual Cycling Events , any reasonable person could have seen the amount of Publicity that could have been garnered by cooperation ?  Iin addition there have been " Traffic Violence Incidents " that i have been the unwitting victim of , let alone others , where other Cyclists have suffered Injury .

Local Polizei have treated MOST of my complaints as of " No Account " , principally because i fail to provide " Independent Witnesses " or Video , of the " Supposed event "!   Even when i drag a guy into their Office , and he admits that he caused a dangerous road incident , whilst driving and using a hand held cell phone , they decide " NO ACTION "!   That incident was one of several resulting in No Injury , yet , there have been many others where INJURY has been suffered but as there are NO "Independent Witnesses " the Legal process will drag on into infinity !  Have you ever fought Goliath , with their bottomless Pockets ?  Of course ONLY 2 weeks have passed since the latest Traffic Violence Incidence . Riding on a " Bike Lane " , clearly painted AND SIGN POSTED , i had a London Double Decker Bus ram my rear , as he attempted to pass me in a " Squeeze Point " ! When a traffic Island is put in the road , little wider than the width of a Bus , why would anyone with common sense/awareness or in their " Sane Mind " attempt to pass a Cyclist ?

Thrown onto the pavement by the apparent impact of the faster moving vehicle coming into contact with the rear derailleur , it would appear that the ability to judge the width of the street , failed when the driver attempted to pass the Cyclist in an area which Authorities had decided was a " No Passing " area .

In Europe , passing a Cyclist requires , in MOST Countries , waiting until the road ahead is clear , then passing with in excess of 1M to 1 1/2M , not as done in the UK , where lightly touching the clothing , is regarded as sufficient consideration by most drivers !  Had the Bus not hit the rear derailleur , on this occasion , it would likely have hit the shoulder , thus causing even more INJURY , than the " Walk/Cycle away damage inflicted !  The Police Officer who attended to my Physical Examination , stated he was a trained  " Para Medic " and did a more thorough job than i usually give myself . Suffice to say , he was annoyed with my impatience to get to my feet , even though the whole Left side of my Body was damaged in one way or another .  When the Ambulance People arrived , the 2 Ladies were equally as caring and applied coverage to the Knee and Ankle even though i prefer to leave them exposed to the fresh air after cleaning . To this day , the hip and knee gives me trouble as i walk but i just grit my teeth when Cycling since i have things to do , regardless of the attempted MURDER efforts of the unwitting/gormless drivers that think sitting on their fat butt is the only way to travel .


With the extent of the injuries suffered , i have taken to a combination of Cycling to the edge of Towns or the Motorway Entrance , where i then take to Hitch Hiking . One of the benefits of this mode of Travel , is the variety of people i get to meet and thus the various Nationalities and Backgrounds thus they provide me with an insight into the way others live , not available to me by other forms of transport . To ALL that i have met , i should like to offer my THANKS ! Some have gone far more than the " Extra Mile " on my behalf . With being taken home to Meals , people going far out of their normal journey and offers of accomodation , i have been extremely fortunate , in the people that i have met .

When i asked the Police at the scene of the Traffic Violence to discover WHAT Assistance , TFL Bus would offer to assist with my onward travel as the Bike was no longer roadworthy , they obtained a telephone number !  Now as a film buff i have seen " Harry Potter travel through the Fireplace "!  Yet in the Modern everyday world , i have yet to hear of people being able to get down the phone line to a destination, have you ?  Seems that TFL , which records DAILY Taffic Violence Incidents , takes NO INTEREST in the consequences to those that suffer from contact with them ?

The Police took me in their Mobile Police Station to " Apex Cycles " near Clapham Common , where i had to pay for repairs and parts , that i would normally be able to provide from my OWN Resources . Since i carry a spoke key , the rear wheel could have been " Retrued " by myself , but the snapped Ultegra Rear derailleur was replaced by the " Cheapest Tiagra " available , since i had a " Dureace " available in Manchester on another bike stored there . Of course it was necessary to replace the cabling and outer cable. The fracture of the down Tube will need attention and gets surveyed daily and the bent handlebars and tape will be replaced as will the damaged Saddle , Pedals , Glasses and Broken Helmet !   Those that think that Helmets are an " Affection " , should think about " Brain Damage " ! If you break a HELMET , what would have happened to your Brain let alone the surface of the HEAD ?

Since Ambulances do not carry Bikes , i had NO CHOICE but to sign a " Disclaimer of Responsibility " for the Ambulance Service , when i refused to go to Hospital . No Bones Broken but severely bruised , bloodied and shaken , i was not about to endure several hours in an A & E whilst awaiting a little more TLC. As it turned out , i was in A & E at Shrewsbury 10 days later due to concerns about the lack of progress in the injuries mending .  Xrays and other tests revealed that nothing undue was out of order thus i continued across the UK without a return visit to London . Luckily i got a ride from Reading to Dover via the M25 , which for once was not the largest parking station in Europe .

With my contributions to various " Cycle Safety Org.s " over the years , it appears that i would be well enough known for members to assist by replying to my request to deal with this matter by EMAIL : So far a few comments in the " Facebook web page " , but otherwise it appears that i am on my own !

THANKS FOLKS !

You are as WORTHLESS as the people that make the " DUAL Camera "!

Out of sight , so out of mind !

WHEN will Cyclists wake up to the fact , that aas individuals , WE ARE WORTHLESS , as part of an International Cycling Safety Campaign , OUR NUMBERS will carry the DAY !

On the 21st May , " StopKillingCyclists " will mark the loss of the 5th Cyclist of 2014 . Meanwhile as i read " AmyGillettFoundation " i see " It is with regret we report " for the umpteenth time in 2014 !

TRACEY Gaudry is VP_Cycling at the UCI , since 3rd Quarter of 2013 , but CEO of AGF for several years . Brian Cookson has listened to me in person at Aigle and suffers my Tweets & Emails .  Whilst at Aigle i met a Guy connected with " Off Road Activities , he told me that apart from Amy D. , several other of HIS Communities' Racers have been Lost through TRAFFIC VIOLENCE !

UCI as a member of the IOC , will be only too aware , that Athletes from MANY Disciplines , use Cycling as Cross Training in their endeavours to qualify for the Olympic Events . WHY then are they " Hurrying slowly " to address the continuing " TRAFFIC CARNAGE "?

Yesterday i Tweeted :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour  23h

@BrianCooksonUCI @gaudryt C https://www.facebook.com/amygillettfoundation … about BLARING HORNS! STOP it TODAY! RESPECT of CYCLISTS starts at Races not on STREETS !

AS i write this blog , i am watching the repeat of the Giro d'Italia , and you have got it , MORE HORN blaring as the " Official / accredited / VIP / Assh#le " passes the Racers ! Of course that was Friday and this is Saturday , so little time for ACTION ?!

TRY THIS FOR SIZE THEN !

May 21 is going to see thousands gather in London to mark the passing of yet ANOTHER CYCLIST ! WHAT does UCI plan to do ? Tracey , was there ANYBODY in Cairns from " AGF " for the Cairns 1st Ann of Tanya's demise :

http://www.cairnspost.com.au/lifestyle/riders-take-part-in-ride-to-remember-cairns-cyclist-tanya-roneberg-a-year-after-she-was-killed-by-a-car/story-fnjpuwet-1226914127074

BRITISH Cycling could ensure that Pro Cyclists were available , EQUIPPED with a NEWS RELEASE , not only demonstrating support , BUT , outlining WHAT the UCI , on behalf of the INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY , proposes to do ! UCI might even propose a series of TV Ads , similar to UEFA Football's " RESPECT " series ?

The ANT is roaring , but HOW LONG do Cyclists have to wait for the INEVITABLE ? It is an International Epidemic that CYCLING is suffering !

LACK OF RESPECT !

LACK of International ACTION !

THE NEW OMERTA ! Can UCI deal with it ?

SWAMPED by controversy caused by ineffectual leadership until the September Congress in Firenze , UCI may now find itself on shifting sands once again ?  Defeating Mc Quaid , may have been the easiest part of Brian Cookson's take over of the UCI Presidency ?

In order to retain control of the UCI , mc quaid had to " Win friends and influence people "! Was part of this effort , so many " Quid pro Quos "? Where in the UCI Aigle office , did he deposit ALL those Le Tour Sanctions that were created by about 200 Pro World Racers that were seeking " Fame and Glory " at the 100th Le Tour ?

THEY DIDN'T DOPE ? They didn't race SKY Team , to stop them WINNING the 100th Le Tour ?

Do " pigs fly " ? Were there " Anti Doping Inspectors " at Le Tour ? I met a bunch of them at the Argos -Shimano Team Hotel , as they arrived , breakfast time , on the Saturday of the 1st Etappe ! They even offered to test me , as they climbed out of the Le Tour Vehicles . I even told them who would win that day , having said as much to the Mechanics of the team , whilst topping off my wheels from their compressor .

Maybe it was bravado that caused me to name Kittel , but Thor will tell you i told him on the last Sunday at an earlier Dauphine Libere that i expected him to win that etappe and Millar will also tell you the same story of another occasion  , as will Oscar & Phillippe of others . Guess the funniest prediction was me trying to educate Horner , in how to say " Aider HandiSport " , when he arrived on the Podium of that Tour de Suisse Etappe , that night ? Not having met him before , but knowing his reputation , i had fluked that one ?

Whilst the Dutch conducted an investigation of the Rabobank Team earlier this year , Micheal Rasmussen was writing his recently revealed book . No doubt he would have tipped off a few of his previous team colleagues as a matter of courtesy ? Whilst UCI was having the new regimes " Extraordinary Management Meeting " , Razzie was letting the press know the contents of his book . Several of the 2007 Tour de France  Rabobank Team took issue with his " 100% Team PED Usuage declaration " , Oscar Freire threatening Legal action , was one result .

But then controversy sells BOOKS ! Doesn't it ?

Out of the wings popped Ryder Hesjedal , winner of the 2012 Giro d'Italia for Garmin , he went on to be the Canadian Athlete of that year ! Seems that he agreed to the facts revealed by " Razzie " , of his learning to " Dope " in 2003 !  Of course he regetted that course of action , decided that it was not for him . It is rumoured that he sat down with USADA and the Canadian ADA Authorities , towards the end of 2012 , and discussed / revealed his personal situation .

Reports confirm that he did not race for a substantial period , in fact i met him at the 2013 Giro d'Italia in Tarvisio , where he was no longer in contention for this year's podium . Seems that lack of racing time was a factor , in the lack of ability to contest that year ? Was this a period that he was excluded , as were other Garmin Racers ,who were unable to race in the US Team as they received a 6 month suspension , for owning up to their " Doping antics " , with Lance Armstrong Teams in past years ?

Lance Armstrong has even joined the media circus in the past few days :

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lance-armstrong-exclusive-interview-part-1

So far all that has appeared is pure vanilla . Lance keeps teasing the story that is being offered , with assersions that " more facts will be offered to WADA /UCI / Truth & Reconciliation "! So let's hope the next instalments don't put us to sleep ? Guessing that Benson of Cycling News , wants to create a " scoop " , which was Oprah's hope , when she had Lance on the January TV show ?

So far as most people/anyone can see ,  Lance appears to be the ONLY Racer who has suffered any serious consequences for their " Doping Career "!

NOT SO !

With the USADA Reasoned Decision , SKY Team decided to enforce their " No Tolerance Policy " , by quickly requiring relevation of ALL personnel's previous Career PED exposure . Net result was the departure of Racers and Support Staff by the end of the 2012 Season . Who can be sure of the " Personal Reasons " , that prompted so many well known people to depart for " pastures new "? Retirements and new teams were the result for many . Rumour and innuendo followed .

In other teams , there were departures , one well known GT Leader , levi Leipheimer , appears to have left the Pro World Race Team scene , unwillingly , since no other Team has offered him a place in the 2013 season . Seems that even though he won the Vuelta , Chris Horner , may suffer the same fate , although there is conjecture that he is demanding TOO High a salary for the 2014 Season ?

So with these results for COMING FORWARD , does anyone dispute the possibility that there are MANY Racers , with cupboards full of " rattling bones ", unwilling to trust that their relevations of giving up " PED Use " in 2003 , will leave their Cycling Career intact ?




Last year we saw the UCI score an OWN Goal , when they announced in November , some of the Pro World Teams that would be in the 2014 Season ! Those elected then included Katousha , but later that Team was removed , then reinstated after a visit to CAS ! This past week , we see a repeat of that process, and various other Teams required to present more information to satisfy the Authorities appointed to vet their credentials .

In OTHER Posts , i have stated that my view is that , this is TOO Late in the season to be conducting these procedures !   Fact is it is telling SPONSORS , that Teams are " living Hand to Mouth ", not like they behave , with their 5 and 10 year Plans and Budgets ! WHAT a way to run a business ?

Hurray , we are " Pro world Team "! Right NOW , order the kit ! Call the Racers , tell them which Races they will ride next season ! Ring the Leasing Companies , tell them we need THAT Equipment , tell the Sponsors they can Advertise the fact we are " Pro World Status "! What did i miss ?

IT IS NOT EASY RUNNING A PRO WORLD TEAM , on a dime's notice !

COME ON UCI , get it together !

Oh , by the way , YOU STILL have to decide the Pro Continental Teams , AND , they have to order KIT, Equipment , Advertising , etc !

Then you have to let the OTHERS , those that did not get the NOD , that they are staying in " Conti Status ", thus FINALLY knowing what to put on THEIR KIT , Equipment , etc !

Will we be in the same place next year Anto ? See the tweets !

1. the Inner Ring ‏@inrng20h

   Still half the World Tour teams must wait until December to know what they're doing in January, which UCI logo to put on their kit etc

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1. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour4h

   @inrng My take on this http://tourdafarce.blogspot.com  ! Repeat of last year with http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lance-armstrong-exclusive-interview-part-1 … to add to confusion ? pic.twitter.com/B7Kkhh48EQ

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2. the Inner Ring ‏@inrng2h

   @skippydetour it does feel like we've lost a year here

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3. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour1h

   @inrng @jaimiefuller @tanni_GT @briancooksonUCI @GaudryT @Moran_anto Do you remember this http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/analysis/hoberman-qa-outlining-corruption-doping-collusion-at-the-ioc-uci_270482 … Will we be here NEXT YEAR ?

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4. Anto Moran ‏@moran_anto49m

   @skippydetour @inrng @jaimiefuller @Tanni_GT @BrianCooksonUCI @gaudryt No! We will be in a better, cleaner place!

UCI has a lot of ground to cover in Mens Road Racing , so it will come as no surprise that Womens Racing Status , promised last week , after the Management meeting , is still in the pipe line !

However Para Cycling has a place ALSO ! These Athletes were absorbed by the UCI in Hein Verbruggen's day ! I recall him telling me in his Geneva West Office , about those plans . Those plans took Para Cycling from the Para Body , into UCI control in the early 2000s .

 It appears that Colin has GOOD reason for concerns and thus his open letter here :

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2013/11/6/5072602/para-cycling-and-the-uci-colin-lynchs-open-letter

 " Life wasn't meant to be easy ", a well known phrase ,  i recall that Malcolm Fraser remark , from my early days , but IF UCI has such a thin " Track program " planned for the next years , then the 2016 Paralympic Track Events will be a DISASTER !

Those in doubt about Colin's hard graft should read his blog " 637daystogo.blogspot.com "!

MOTIVATING COOKSON ?

Tuesday night @BrianCooksonUCI  tweeted the link to the UCI Press Release ,

http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI8/layout.asp?MenuId=MTYzMDQ&LangId=1


regarding that day's Extraordinary Management meeting ! Had you read my Blog Post " My Wish List " , you would be aware of the amount of work needed to attempt to put UCI on track to a " Brighter Future " , that his predessor tried to con the Cycling Community into thinking was his ambition ?

Since the September election , Brian and his Management Team , have been beavering away at clearing the DEAD Wood , that cluttered Aigle and obscured the path forward . It surprised me to see so much covered in the Tuesday Meeting and i tweeted to that effect :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour29 Oct

@inrng @TheRaceRadio @BrianCooksonUCI @gaudryt SEEMS that Transparency will be FOREMOST principle of UCI from TODAY! Good start CONGRATS ALL

Womens Cycling progress will be revealed later this week , hopefully including the NZ Tour that was not run in 2013 due to the Organisers having difficulty with the UCI attitude to " Anti Doping "! Funny how they let the US Mens Races run without " Full Testing " , but thrash the Ladies ! Of course there was that Canadian woman who was subjected to sanction , perhaps others , but really ? Look at ALL those US Racers that were given a 6 month " All Salaries Paid Holiday " after the USADA Reasoned Decision , but they were MEN ? Why did phat , cheat the Ladies ? How was it THEIR fault that phat and co. were asleep for 8 years under his watch ?

In reading this article , i came across the following comment , which i paste in it's entirety :

http://inrng.com/2013/10/cookson-uci-president/#comment-89040

It is this type of Influence that shapes lives , i guess that the 40 years mentioned , suggests what was written here , was revealed before Brian was seeking the Election to the UCI Presidency ?

bikecellar October 30, 2013 at 9:06 pm

The day I met Tom Simpson
By Brian Cookson, British Cycling President
It was 17 June 1967. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was still five days short of my sixteenth birthday, and in the middle of my O levels. Of course school was only a sideline, a bit of insurance. I was going to New Brighton with some mates from my club at the time, the Preston Wheelers, to see the man whose career I was going to emulate. It was the day I was to see my cycling hero.
I caught the bus up to the top of Cop Lane and waited for the mini to arrive carrying my clubmates. Was it a mini? It must have been, they all had them. They were all older than me, all working for a living, but committed racers in their own way, some better than others, 1st cats, 2nd cats, 3rd cats, whatever. All lads about town as well. They were my heroes too, in a different way.
Was it George Bradbury’s car, or was it Andy Deakin’s? Maybe I don’t remember it quite as well as I thought. Either way I do remember it was a sunny day. But then every day was a sunny day when I was that age, wasn’t it?
We drove down the A59, through Rufford, Burscough, Ormskirk and Maghull to Liverpool. I’d never been there before, despite living only 40 miles or so away. We didn’t travel so much in those days of course. My kids think I’m joking when I say I’d never been to Manchester either, until I went for a college interview at 17. Why would I have gone to Manchester or Liverpool? There were plenty of shops in Preston, then there was the seaside at Blackpool, St Annes, or Morecambe. For a really exotic outing we would go to Grange over Sands, or a coach trip to Windermere. No point going to Manchester, certainly not Liverpool. How the world has changed in such a short space of time.
So Liverpool was a bit of a culture shock to me. I knew it was where the Beatles came from, indeed that had been another of my possible career paths – I had the guitar, the haircut, the music master even called me the school Beatle for a while. But I’d dropped that, I figured the life of a pro bike rider was my destiny.
On we went past Aintree racecourse, then mile after mile of terraced streets, past a gloomy prison, a big hospital, caught a glimpse of the Everton ground at one point, then suddenly we were in the Mersey Tunnel, descending in the semi-darkness, flat at the bottom, then climbing up the other side. Someone said they let you ride a bike through early on a Sunday morning, and the climb was the hardest on Merseyside.
Suddenly we were out in the bright sunshine and into the clamouring world of the Birkenhead Docks, passing ship after ship, loading or unloading their mysterious cargo, with home ports and flags from around the world. No containers in those days, just real docks and real dockers. Cranes and boats and trains, and those dockers all hustling and bustling, busy, busy, busy. Or maybe that’s just the way it seemed to me.
Suddenly we were out of the docks and arriving in what seemed like a smaller version of Blackpool. New Brighton, our destination. I could see the sea, or rather the Mersey Estuary (I knew that from Geography), and I could see a huge outdoor swimming pool. In fact some of the lads went for a swim. I didn’t join them because I knew I was going to be a serious professional roadman and swimming during the season was not good for cycling muscles. It didn’t matter that my most significant performance to date was not getting dropped in a schoolboy criterium on Morecambe promenade. I was a serious bike rider.
Finally, we strolled up to where the races were, a few hundred yards away. A few hundred metres, I thought, preparing myself for my life as a European pro. The lower category races were going on, but my hero wasn’t due to arrive until a bit later. So we waited. I relaxed my rules and had an ice cream (don’t eat it too quick or you’ll put a chill on your stomach).
The British professionals (or were they still calling them independents that year? I forget) were getting ready, and a fearsome lot they looked, a hard bunch of men. Blokes like Arthur Metcalfe, Colin Lewis, Roger Claridge. No matter, I’d soon leapfrog over them and join a top continental team, I thought.
A sizeable crowd developed. The biggest I’d ever seen at a bike race. Where was the man we had all come to see? Is it my memory playing tricks again, or was there a hot rod car there, in the colours of the event’s sponsors Players No6 cigarettes? Bizarre.
An announcement came over the crackly tannoy. His flight had been delayed, but he was on his way. The British pros didn’t seem too pleased. Their race was about to start and they didn’t want to hang around. So they raced.
Another announcement came over the tannoy. An extra race would be held, when he arrived. So nobody would be disappointed. Was I imagining it, or did the British guys ease up a bit in their race? Were they talking along the back straight? They still didn’t seem too pleased. Surely they should have been honoured that they were going to be thrashed by one of the greats.
Then suddenly there he was. Tom Simpson. My hero. The greatest British bike rider ever. You could pick up Cycling (as it was then) any week during the season and expect that he would have won a classic, or at least given his all in a break, before suddenly blowing and finishing in a state of exhaustion. He’d won the World Championship then the Tour of Lombardy, in 1965, less than two years before, the autumn that I first went on a club run. He’d worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. He’d won Paris – Nice earlier that year beating some young teammate called Merckx or something unpronounceable, who everybody said was going to be pretty good. Tom was one of the favourites for the Tour, leading a British national team, a temporary blip before the Tour finally became taken over by commercialism.
Blimey, it really was him. Here, now. He looked exactly like the photos in the magazines. Tanned limbs, beaky nose, ready smile, classic black and white Peugeot kit and matching bike with Mafac brakes and Simplex gears (remember them?). A big crowd gathered around him and a couple of other continental-based guys who’d come over with him.
Meanwhile the race with the British pros had finished and it was clear some discussion was taking place. There seemed to be some reluctance, but eventually a smaller bunch took the start and a short race began. Simpson won, of course. At least in my memory he won. But then I wasn’t really watching anybody else anyway. I think we all knew it was a bit of a show really, but we appreciated the effort the guy had gone to, to please his home fans on a rare British appearance.
The race was over and we wandered back towards the car, happy enough to have seen him. Suddenly there he was again, stood by his car chatting to fans, signing autographs. I waited my turn, and was too shy to ask him a question, but I’d got something special for him to sign, something that nobody else seemed to have – a copy of his autobiography “Cycling is my Life”. And sign it he did, with a cheery smile. I still have it. He probably said something to me, but I can’t remember what. I was already in a trance.
Off we went, back to the car, back through the docks, back to Preston, dropped off at the top of Cop Lane, and walking back home, still inhabiting the dream world of the Continental pro. Maybe I’d even be his teammate one day, I thought. I’d got the cotton Peugeot-BP cap from an advert in Cycling, I reckoned the rest of the kit would look fine on me too, once I’d filled out a bit. Days later, I got a stern rebuke from a team mate “Never mind that, you never offered any petrol money!” I was mortified – the biggest sin of all is to be tight with your mates.
But I had done what I’d wanted. I’d met my hero, the guy I was basing my life on. I had his autograph to prove it. I was happy and went about my training with renewed seriousness. The O levels? Well, I passed enough to get into the sixth form, even French because I knew I’d need it when I joined Tom over there.
Now my memory is moving on a bit. Its less than a month later. I’m a junior now and I’m in the changing rooms on a Thursday evening for the Eccleston Handicaps that take place every week. Andy Deakin (was it him, or is my memory playing tricks again?) comes into the changing rooms. He’s got a serious look on his face. “Hey lads” he says “Simmy’s died”.
We are stunned. What can you say or do? It was on the BBC radio in Andy’s mini, so it must be true. We don’t cry, we’re northerners, we are just stunned. Stunned, baffled and bemused. What’s happened, was it a crash on a descent, yeah that happened to that French bloke Riviere or something a few years back, didn’t kill him but finished his career, didn’t it? Maybe that was it?
No. It seems the reports are saying exhaustion or heart failure or something. Wow, we think, we always knew Tom could push himself, we’d seen the photos and read the reports in Sporting Cyclist, but to push yourself that far was something else. Maybe there was more to it. Didn’t make sense. We raced anyway, but our hearts weren’t in it.
It didn’t take long for the stories to start to emerge. Cycling on the front page of my Dad’s Daily Express for once. Doping was there in big letters, it seemed amphetamines had been found in his kit. Amphetamines? Wasn’t that what some mods took in clubs in Manchester or London? Film was shown on the News of Tom cheerfully showing the contents of his personal medical box – “muscle fortifiers” and all, whatever they were. It seemed pretty clear – it wasn’t the only factor, the extreme heat, dehydration, general exhaustion all seemed to have combined. But there was doping. I was shattered.
I still clung to my belief that I would make it as a pro for a few more years, but now I look back I realise that my heart wasn’t really in it any more. I still loved the sport and gave it all the commitment I could, whilst going through A levels and college and getting a proper qualification to see me through the real world. Of course by that time, reality had set in. I won a few races, even a Division Championship, but I wasn’t ever going to be anywhere near good enough to be a pro. I knew that.
But it did teach me something and it did give me one very, very clear moral position. Doping is a scourge, and sometimes people need to be protected from their own and others’ failings, their greed and their folly, if sport is to be worthy of our ambition, worthy of our commitment, worthy of our devotion.
Tom Simpson should still be with us today, an elder statesman, an icon for the young riders we are bringing so successfully into our sport. Instead he has been dead for forty years. He let us down. I understand the thought processes he went through, the moral conundrums he faced. But still, he made the wrong choice and he paid the ultimate price. Easy for me to say, I know.
The mystery is that so few people seemed to learn the lesson. Forty years later we are still going through the process of weeding out those who think it is acceptable to take those sort of risks, or worse to risk the health of young riders, men and women, in their care, just to win bike races and make money. At last, however, we seem to be making progress. That makes me happy. I know there are problems in many other sports, too. But I don’t really care about other sports. I care about our sport, our young people, our beautiful races.
That’s why I will always do everything I can and why I will continue to speak out on this sadly persistent issue. When I read of the latest “hero” to be questioned by the authorities, and hear of their protestations of innocence, their pathetic claims of laboratory mistakes, devious conspiracies against them and so on and so on, I smile, sadly. Forgive my scepticism. Truth will out. What goes around comes around. I know that, you know that, they know that. How do they sleep at night?
When I think of their cynicism, I think of Tom Simpson. And I think of a broken dream. The broken dream of thousands and thousands of us over the years.
Rest in peace, Tom.


Quite an insight into a youthful person's background and motivation . Here is another tweet sent :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour28 Oct

@TheRaceRadio @gaudryt @BrianCooksonUCI Makes mc quaid look as if he was out of his depth http://www.cyclinginquisition.com/2013/10/colombia-must-rise-to-occassion.html … About time UCI took CONTROL

Here is another "  can of worms " that  UCI will need to get to grips with !

Those that follow the following Blog written by Steve Tilford will see more than a few eye opening episodes that he has encountered , as he has sought to race  at the highest level , without succumbing to the same temptations , that saw some US racers take a 6 month Winter Break :

http://stevetilford.com/2013/10/31/remorseful-ryder-hesjedal/comment-page-1/#comment-36430

My hope is that there are others such as Steve , that can shed light on those that pretend to be "CLEAN " and thus continue to enforce the " OMERTA " that controls the PELOTON even in 2014!

Some people that can help push Cycling's Future further forward , need to be brought on board by UCI ! One such was responsible for the creation of the Cervelo Team , some years ago . Here is a link to his latest Blog , which reveals a lot about their success :

http://gerard.cc/2013/10/30/selling-cycling/#comment-4994

There are many more such as @jamiefuller , who could contribute to a successful future for UCI Endeavours !

Le TOUR 2014 ! Inspired Guesses ?

Whilst the " Le Tour Grand Depart " from Yorkshire has been in  the public Domain for most of the past twelve months , there are those that are constantly seeking information about the remaining Etappes ! It is something that i have been aware of over the years , but  , i was surprised today to see that i am already a week behind one of the sites upon which i rely !

Plagerism is about the only way i can bring to you the efforts of those that have done the work . I rely on their efforts and thus this post will be a copy of the latest blog on 7th Sept 2013 , then updated on the 11th !

See next post ! REMOVED AS ORDERED by the owner

Before getting into the post , i should like to add a photo that refers to the Angliru Climb today :

Having seen Chris Horner , ROAR up the 22% grades , leaving Nibili in his wake , i can't help but think that the only way to the finish line for me would have been in this manner , to the right !

When i saw this photo , i was reminded of another over exuberant Racer , who never seemed to smile , certainly not as he rode on the climbs ! These days i doubt he has a lot to smile about and judging from Sheryl's comments on Piers Morgen Show of CNN he has become a memory she would prefer to ignore .




Whilst watching the Eurosport TV Coverage i was dismayed to see the OUTLANDISH STUPIDITY displayed by those that consider themselves fans of the Vuelta ! There were those who went to the trouble of dressing themselves , in a manner their friends would recognise , perhaps even encouraging the TV Camerapeople to record them . They then behaved , as if they wanted to cause the Racers to crash , rather than quietly applauding their efforts .

There was one guy , bare from the waist up , tremendous upperbody physique but was running like an elderly woman , what was between the ears ?  Time and again we saw people running with flags , really looking like they weren't sure for what  purpose ? Any of you at home that felt like they had to duck , when the flags or banners dropped over the camera , because the Motorcycle had driven through , with the camera showing the action behind ? In many cases , all the camera was recording was the following motorbike which was trying to squeeze through without touching the Idiot Bystanders , less interested in the action because they were attempting to amuse the camera & audience with their facial expressions and antics!

The Official standing in the red car finally decided to send some motorbikes through , far too long after they were needed ! Each year we are entertained by these " Antics " , yet , the Organisers continually ignore the possibility that either Race protagonists or spectators will be unlucky , get hit and bring the race to a stop ? It was indeed fortunate that both Horner & Nibali were able to avoid being tipped off their bikes . Judging by Chris's condition after the finish , how could he have got back on his bike on such a strong climb ? When i am in 27 on a 15%+ , i can hardly weave across a 4M wide road to get going again , let alone drive directly ahead . I train on 20% climbs regularly in my back yard here in the Inntal of the Tirol , there is even a 22% post for a 200m climb that i struggle over . One of my bikes won't go up 22% without skidding of the chain , can you imagine that on the Angliru ?

MORE CRAP FLIES as the contenders move into the final 14 days , before the Election in Firenze ! We all know of Brian Cookson's Blog :

http://briancookson.org/en/blog/

What i had not seen until this week is another blog for phat the rat :

http://mcquaidvscookson.wordpress.com/

Another Blog i enjoy reading , has weighed in with some interesting insight to the current situation :

http://redkiteprayer.com/2013/09/not-dead-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-780772

Along the way , i have been taking a look at the Twitter feed of the man that caused phat to lose the Irish Nomination :
https://twitter.com/moran_anto

and that of his compatriot :

https://twitter.com/irishpeloton

My Tourdafarce.blogspot.com blog may well be worth a visit for those , not entirely sure of the state of play in the UCI Election .

Whilst searching for another site i follow authored by Charles Pelkey , i came across one of his latest exploits as a Lawyer :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/blind-cat-guy-taser-lj-faith_n_3714418.html



As promised the plagerism , if you want to read the considerable number of comments follow this link :

TWAT ordered removal , couldn't be bothered to give him the finger !

doesn't he have better things to do ?