Kimmage, Landis & McQuaid

Paul Kimmage, Floyd Landis, McQuaid and Michael Barry

So I finally finished reading the full transcript of the Floyd Landis’ interview done by Paul Kimmage. It is worth a read but set aside a few hours to tackle it fully as it is rather long.

Paul Kimmage

When reading it you really get an appreciation of just how talented Paul Kimmage is at interviewing. His probing style and unique wording of questions really teases out the best answers from his interviewee. By the end of the piece you do feel sorry for Landis as you have gotten to know him better and understand the reasons behind his decisions. Will we have to wait five years to know the motives behind Contador’s actions at the Tour last year and his denials since?

There are so many things that you could pick apart and talk about in that interview but I just want to touch on two; Pat McQuaid and Michael Barry (will be in a later blog).

Pat McQuaid

Most cycling fans would agree that McQuaid and his inconsistent decisions are ruining our sport. I want to just quote two passages from the Landis/Kimmage email exchange which took place after the interview.

“Fuck! I hate this asshole. He announced my positive before I was notified and then requested my B sample be tested before I had a chance to decide (an unprecedented move by the UCI) and now he’s all over the map with his opinions. Not to mention it’s suspicious that he knows the timing of the verdict in a case which is completely removed from the UCI. What a joke” (Landis after McQuaid said there will be no Contador verdict until 2011)

“It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of shit. And it can’t be fixed.” (Kimmage in a later email to Landis urging him to leave the sport of Cycling)

I share both their opinions of Pat McQuaid. But unlike Kimmage I believe (maybe naively) that the sport can be fixed. However with McQuaid in charge of the UCI the sport has got itself in a position like Football is in with Sepp Blatter as the head of FIFA. 

Sepp Blatter

What many have stated before me is that the sport needs to somebody with no knowledge, love or history in the sport to take charge at the UCI and revolutionise the way the sport is run. I applaud but how can cycling fans help bring about the departure of the President of the UCI and have a greater say in the way sport is run. Otherwise we will left with McQuaid continually ruining everything great about this sport through his inconsistent actions and stupid and ill thought statements and actions such as the one below.

"Unfortunately a lot of the media these days are led by people whose opinion is not educated. Bloggers and so forth and journalists who write under pseudonyms on blogs. That leads to a lot of opinions but it's not correct or the facts. Come over and spend a day in the UCI office and see what your opinion is." (From cyclingnews article “McQuaid: There has never been corruption in the UCI)

The most incompetent man in the world? 

This made me so angry. Firstly his point about those in the media not being educated is disrespectful and arrogant. Secondly Pat, Bloggers and Journalists have opinions on the sport because they are fans of the sport and have views about how to make it better. Maybe you should listen to them for a change. Lastly I would love to take up your invitation of going to the UCI office and finally getting some insight into how the sport is run and have the chance to have a say in the future of the sport.

So all cycling fans who, like me, despise McQuaid and everything he stands for unite and try and force him and his like out of the UCI or failing that get behind the ASO and try and create a new fairer governing body for the sport. How is with me?