Ibán's done
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I realised I promised to keep you up to date with Ibán's situation. It's been a long time since I last posted something. I've missed it, no doubt, and I'll be back, just not quite yet. Anyway, Ibán... Read an interview with him a week or so ago. I know there's been some rumours about a comeback, possibly with Xacobeo-Galicia, but that was, as I thought, just that. Rumours. He's decided to quit the sport all together, and won't be making a comeback. It's over. And he seems content with his decision. Amidst all this, I guess that's what matters the most. Initially I was worried for him after he was exposed as a cheater. We all know he isn't at his best when things go bad, he'd be the first one to admit that. He seems to be a very sensitive guy, so I was worried that his downfall would break him. Therefore I was relieved to read El Correo's interview with him; he seemed totally at peace with his life and situation. Besides writing a column for Basque daily DEIA now and then, he didn't reveal what he's up to now. Anyway, it's sad to realise we won't get to see him on his bike anymore, dancing up those mountains. It was a joy to watch, and man what a talent that guy was. Now all that's left is the memories of a merculiar climber. I'll cherish those memories.
11 comments:
What a bad news.. Iban, I will never forget you! your my hero! Thanks for the good times!
Yeah, knew it already actually. In one of the articles this spring Iban was talking about the Vuelta al Pais Vasco together with Laiseka. Laiseka said to him: "Come on, start again, do the same as Basso." Iban answered: "No, not for me". The first year it was very difficult for him, he was really mentally down, but now he seems to be oke. I read somewhere that he has a restaurant now.
I really want to participate in his zikloturista some day.
Glad you're back, hope you can fully tune in again next year!
Thanks Arnout. I'll probably be back for good some time in the new year.
Intxausti is the new Iban Mayo... he is one of the best climber of the moment in Basque Country and Spain.
Magnus, you would have to follow to him... Beñat is a probable signing to Euskaltel.
Bye.
P.D Sorry for my poor english.
Benat already signed with Euskaltel ;)
And so did Izagirre and Sicard, while Castroviejo is close to signing.
4 big new talents, 2010 promises to be a good year again.
No, at the moment Beñat is not cycling of Euskaltel.
http://www.gara.net/paperezkoa/20090929/158953/es/Sicard-es-recompensa-trabajo-base-Fundacion
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In this interview of Gara Galdeano says... (Spanish)
¿Cómo están las incorporaciones de Castroviejo, Gorka Izagirre e Intxausti?
La mayor complicación la tenemos con Beñat Intxausti porque tiene contrato con Fuji Servetto y no podemos entrar a por corredores con contrato. Él tiene interés por venir y nosotros en que venga y nos hemos interesado por su situación, pero mientras no tenga su carta de libertad no podemos entrar en negociaciones. En teoría se ha dado libertad a los corredores del Fuji, pero la realidad es que no tiene la carta de libertad. Con Castroviejo sólo falta la firma mientras que con Gorka tenemos el mismo problema de su carta de libertad que se debe solucionar y está más fácil. Con Beñat hasta que no tenga la carta no debemos entrar en negociaciones.
Bye.
I'm actually kind of glad Iban is not coming back! Don't get me wrong, he was my biggest favorite for many years, loved his style and followed his career closely, but he also disappointed me big time with using doping in 2007. In 2003 it was all different, almost everybody did it, but in 2007 you would have to be a complete moron not to understand that things were changing fast, and that cheating would be playing Russian roulette with the entire sport of cycling. Unfortunately Iban turned out to be one of those morons and I was deeply disappointed. I can partly forgive people who cheated and admitted it, but Iban chose, as so many others, to deny it all to the bitter end, dragging the credibility of cycling further down the drain, and I will never ever forgive him for that...
I wish him good luck in his future life, and hope I'll never see him in the professional peleton again...
I agree with you Bolsen, you're spot on. If only the Spanish (Iban, Astarloza, Astarloa, Serrano etc) could admit to it, then I could perhaps, just perhaps, forgive them. And, yes, I know Ibán cheated. I was blind at first, I readily admit that, but as time passes you acquire more knowledge, and it's obvious that he cheated for a majority of his career as a pro. Like almost everyone else. But that's not an excuse though. Though Bolsen, I'm sure Ibán was not part of a minority of riders who cheated in 2007. Almost everyone did it in 2007 as well, though you're right in the fact that attitudes towards drugs had just started to turn at the time.
I really recognize my own feelings about this case in what you're writing, Magnus! I was oh so blind at first, maybe for a year or so, hoping Iban would be cleared. But, as you write, when you learn more, you see the whole picture. You understand that if he had been cleared it would be on a technicality, not the fact that he was clean. It's amusing to look back today, I even joined a campaign named "Rasmussen; the true winner of Tour de France 2007" :D (I'm half Danish btw). Now it's so fucking obvious Rasmussen was spinning wildly on CERA or whatever drug he may have used. And of course Iban was stimulating his blood with EPO, there's no question about it...
But yeah, you're absolutely right about 2007, I was a little harsh on Mayo there. The big turning point probably came during the 2008 season. If you were smart you'd see it coming and stop already in 07, but then again it's probably not easy to change something that has been such a big part of the sport for years. I'm glad things are really starting to change now though, but it's still a long way to go. But at least things are a lot easier for the clean riders now, believe me, they have always been there, and hopefully they'll be the majority very soon (I'm not 100% confident that they are at the moment, maybee ;-)
I'm not at all convinced either that the majority of the peloton is clean. As Mr. Bordry said a couple of weeks back, there are two substances in use right now that are untraceable.
Yup, there will always be new ways to cheat, the tests will of course always come after the substances are in use. Therefore I'm very glad they've started retro testing, thats the biggest weapon in the fight against doping!
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