Yale Law School talks doping

There's a fascinating panel discussion with Floyd Landis, Jonathan Vaughters, Travis Tygart and a bloke from the WADA who's name escapes me available via the Yale Law School website.
It's about doping in cycling and while this may be a bit 2012, it's Floyd Landis' first public discussion of the topic sine Lancegate happened. Reminder to self - must watch the Oprah thing.
Not sure how long this will be available for...

Click Vaughter's face

Lance scandal is destroying cycling

The UCI must be absolutely shi**ing themselves this morning as the Lance case claims its first real victim which will hit the sport where it hurts - in the pocket.
Despite, Nike, Trek and that beer brand all disowning Lance, the various doping bans which were handed out and Johann Bruyneel getting the bullet from Nissan Trek, Rabbobank's decision to end its association with the sport after 17 years, really brings home how tainted the sport of cycling has become for sponsors.
The UCI need to act and need to act fast.  
The 21 day window it has to respond to the USADA's reasoned decision still has over a week to run and so far, the silence has been deafening.  Their defensive statements in the run up to the report's production add to the impression that the UCI is intent on looking for wriggle room in the USDA's case.
However, while they do noting, the world is still turning and they are rapidly being painted into a corner by the series of event which is unfolding before their eyes.
Whatever the UCI does next, needs to be decisive, show leadership and show a way forward for the sport.

We're out

Failing to bottom out the crisis at this stage will be a critical failure of leadership which would have severe ramifications for the sport.  By far the most sensible suggestion I've heard so far in how to achieve this is Jonathan Vaughters' idea of a truth and reconciliation commission.  It would be fun to watch the UCI having to swallow this one too!

The USADA case against Lance

Further details of the USADA case against Lance are beginning to emerge. See the New York Times for deets.

Broadening the appeal

Back in March 2011, the outspoken president of the Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels (AIGCP) and Garmin Sharp general manager Jonathan Vaughters threw a gauntlet down to cycling claiming that the sport should be as big as Premiership football or Formula 1.
To achieve this, he argued that a ten point plan be implemented which would launch the sport into the global stratosphere.
Leaving aside any power grab which he may be manoeuvring the pro teams to make against the UCI, Vaughters' plan - such as it was - had, in my view, a coherence and energy that would broaden the appeal of the sport; particularly as a TV event.
Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy watching an entire day's racing from signing on to the broom wagon making it home, but not everyone is the same.
But why does this matter now?

Looking good: AG2R in 2009

Well, the 5th idea of Vaughters' ten point plan was to introduce more team time trials.  Although he doesn't really expand on the idea, you can understand that the team time trial is a photogenic and dramatic looking event and ideal for TV.
And so it will be later today when the teams line up in Pamplona for the start of the Vuelta. 
In the last couple of years the Vuelta and Giro have started with team time trials but the Tour de France hasn't. It should be interesting to see how it goes and the response from the media the race receives in the UK.
With Froome leading the Sky team and Bertie back in the saddle, it should provide a fascinating glimpse into next year's Tour de France.