Omega Pharma-Quick Step 2012 Season in Review

In recent years Tom Boonen has had indifferent seasons on the road with limited successes. Several positive tests for Cocaine at the end of last decade raised questions of whether the Flemish star was still interested in competing. Podium places at Flanders and Roubaix in 2010 suggested the fire was still burning but 2011 yielded just two wins in the whole season. The collapse of the HTC-Highroad team and signing of several riders from the American team alongside and the new sponsor Omega Pharma joining the team 2012 was a chance to start a fresh not just for Boonen but for the entire team. 2011 was also a very lean year for the team who had just as many national championships’ wins as trade race wins. The star rider of the season was Boonen but the team had 15 different winners suggesting the changes over the off season had a positive effect for the Belgian team. 

USADA Saga Claims Two in One Day

Matt White and Levi Leipheimer have both lost their jobs today as the fallout from the USADA reasoned decision continues.  Lance Armstrong has confessed no guilt in the accusations while Johan Bruyneel will face the Court regarding his charges. Bruyneel and RadioShack-Nissan has already parted ways.This is going to be a messy affair with cyclists implicated or otherwise slowly coming forward with statements or simply their opinion on the matter. These two will not be the only ones to lose their jobs as the important matter of sponsors is considered. The team names in 2013 may just be very different indeed  as sponsors decide if their money could be spent better and distance themselves from endless doping scandals that rock the sport.

The Problems of Reassigning Results After Admissions of Doping

After the recent USADA reasoned decision which contained the affidavits of several Garmin-Sharp riders who were teammates with Lance Armstrong in his Tour winning days have had their results voided for the years they admitted doping. Christian Prudhomme who is the head of the ASO has admitted that no rider should inherit the Tour titles that Armstrong looks likely to lose. Instead he has said that “If it’s a question that we would declare that era as a black era, then I’m not afraid to do so” as in many of the years the riders in the top ten have, if not tested positive been implicated, been tainted by doping scandals.