He does it in an almost offhand, casual kind of way that will have you nearly miss it, so I’ll post the quote:
Question: (Sport24.com / Le Figaro): “One of the problems of cycling is it that most team managers’ current runners who were steeped in years of doping?” (restated, Isn’t the problem in cycling that most current team managers, themselves, have a history of doping?)
Answer (Jonathan Vaughters): “Yes, obviously.
Myself, I was part of this generation “doped.” (I think it should have read (“this ‘doped’ generation”, but this is a translated text — Bikezilla)
But if we have the right mindset, good ethics, we are the right people. Because we made these mistakes, we know the inner pain of living with this lie.
I do not want the new generation do the same thing. It is our responsibility to present a sport where there is no need to make these bad choices.
I have a ten year old boy. I do not know if he will make the bike but if it becomes cyclist, I will pass on my knowledge because I do not want him to enter the sport as it was before.
Instead, the best asset in cycling today is to have these people with that experience, because they have good intentions, they can prevent errors.
Let everyone realizes he must take a new direction. It is a battle he must win.”
Thank you, Jonathan! Sincerely.
But I still don’t understand why you don’t line up behind Floyd Landis and tell what you know.
YOU are the guy who can take down the mafioso culture of doping in cycling. You’re the guy who can destroy the Made Men of that culture; from Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel, to the people running USA Cycling and UCI. You’re the guy who could burn it all down and let the phoenix rise up, new and whole and beautiful, from the ashes.
Does that require more courage than you possess?
And when Lance Armstrong reads your interview, will he get so nervous that he gives you a call and tell you to “chill out”, “calm down”, “don’t do anything that’s gonna hurt yourself and a lot of other people. Don’t do anything that’s gonna hurt cycling more than it could ever help it.”? Because that’s his style and his view.
Will Johan and Bill Stapleton and maybe Pat “Dick” McQuaid give you ever so casual calls to find out how you’re doing and offer their own (self-serving) sage advice? I suspect that they will.
If Jeff Novitzky comes to you, will you be open and honest? Or will you, like so many others, perjure yourself and perpetuate the poisonous status quo?
