David Millar

Seve OB

Gawd he is a boring commentator!

neris

He's actually very good and very informative.

Eamonnator

I wouldn't be Millar's biggest fan, but I think, he's excellent. He knows his stuff, explains the tactics, knows the riders and can recognise them quickly. All in all, I'd nearly forgive him his past indiscretions.

Andalucia

I can't stand him, especially since he blocked me on twitter for asking him why some dopers are good, some dopers bad

my opinion of him prejudices how he may be as a commentator

must have another book out any day now - all about profile for Millar

terrydel

Andalucia wrote: »

I can't stand him, especially since he blocked me on twitter for asking him why some dopers are good, some dopers bad

my opinion of him prejudices how he may be as a commentator

must have another book out any day now - all about profile for Millar

That digger twat blocked me for questioning his insinuations about Sonia O'Sullivan despite zero evidence.
Touchy bunch the cycling twitterati!

koutoubia

While I may not be Millars greatest fan he gives a great insight into the 'workings' of the modern peleton and knows his riders.
Can spot the tactics and calls them.

Seve OB

Ah yea he gives good info alright. He just puts it across in a way that doesn't really make me want to watch......

Lusk_Doyle

Seve OB wrote: »

Ah yea he gives good info alright. He just puts it across in a way that doesn't really make me want to watch......

He can be a bit monotone which can make it difficult to listen to for prolonged periods. The info is sound and insightful so I don't mind the fact that his voice doesn't convey any excitement about what he is watching. Maybe that's it - having been through it all (unlike CK and RH, etc.) he finds it hard to give anything more than analysis of what he is seeing?

Miklos

I'd say he's still 'finding his voice'.

Macy0161

Miklos wrote: »

I'd say he's still 'finding his voice'.

He's still making the calculation...

1bryan

What are people's opinion of Millar running for CPA president?

Is his contrition genuine? Is there a place for 'reformed dopers' in the sport today?

godtabh

1bryan wrote: »

What are people's opinion of Millar running for CPA president?

Is his contrition genuine? Is there a place for 'reformed dopers' in the sport today?

Lance tore him apart. Kimmage too. Probably means he'll get it

Hurrache

Here's what Armstrong has had to say about him.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/25/lance-armstrong-david-millar-cyclists-union-cpa

I've seen little support for Millar amongst former professionals, plenty of opposition. It's the current peleton though I imagine that's important to win over. Maybe free clothes from his line for all if they vote for him.

terrydel

I cant get past his utter pretentiousness and the promo videos he made for that clothing brand of his.
They made Rapha look working class!

1bryan

Hurrache wrote: »

Here's what Armstrong has had to say about him.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/25/lance-armstrong-david-millar-cyclists-union-cpa

I've seen little support for Millar amongst former professionals, plenty of opposition. It's the current peleton though I imagine that's important to win over. Maybe free clothes from his line for all if they vote for him.

I get the current peloton genuinely think he'll champion their issues and that's why they're getting behind him. The current peloton in any era seem able to look past (or around) doping mishaps.

Maybe he would do a good job. The current voting system is a joke (it's today, isn't it?).

But for the image of the sport, Millar would be a terrible choice.

EC1000

1bryan wrote: »

But for the image of the sport, Millar would be a terrible choice.

+1.

Regardless of his contrition or otherwise, cycling will never leave it dope riddled past behind it unless it steers clear of ex-dopers in team management and other admin roles. Accepting them is basically saying its acceptable to have doped and been caught.

There are not many other sports where ex-dopers are not shunned.

Chips Lovell

It looks like Millar faces an uphill battle because of the way the voting is done. It isn't one rider, one vote. Rather the big countries vote as blocks and most seem to be sticking with Bugno.

RobFowl

Millar was never going to win, suspect it was s talking horse run to provoke change.
UK policy is to get as many British members into the highest echelons of sports admin and perhaps this is part of that.
Having Sky riders at the forefront of his supporters may play well at home but probably not in the rest of Europe...
CPA seems an odd set up though, voting is archaic and loaded towards establishment members, Bugno has done a reasonable job though so I wonder why this campaign came about at such short notice.

Macy0161

I don't think Millar is as intelligent as he thinks he is, or certainly how he likes to portrait himself (those montages on the tour rest days :rolleyes: ). Or how many "UK Cycling Experts" see him...

It's clear the CPA is unrepresentative, and the voting system is bonkers, but this is actually the first time they've had multiple candidates as I understand it. The Cycling Podcast has Millar, and a CPA rep on, and tbh I don't think they came out of that bad. The message was that Millar was working with them on other stuff, but only raised the voting issue too late to change things.

The riders need a strong Union (as do all workers imo). Hard to know whether the CPA can be that or it needs a new organisation. The big thing reforming the CPA has going for it is that it's supposed to have funding streams, and UCI recognition.

Wishbone Ash

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

He can be a bit monotone which can make it difficult to listen to for prolonged periods.....

Well at least he never acquired a Scot accent despite being from there (albeit spending most of his childhood overseas).

Doc07

EC1000 wrote: »

+1.

Regardless of his contrition or otherwise, cycling will never leave it dope riddled past behind it unless it steers clear of ex-dopers in team management and other admin roles. Accepting them is basically saying its acceptable to have doped and been caught.

There are not many other sports where ex-dopers are not shunned.

I’m not sure if it’s possible for world tour teams to avoid ex-dopers on their staff as doping was part of EVERY team in the 90s and still many in the 2000s. It’s not gone in the 2010s but I don’t think it’s routine in every team anymore. Even teams people would consider clean like Orica Scott have had ex-doper DS on staff.
I suppose I mean I’m not sure there is enough expertise out there not someway involved with doping of the 90s/2000s to be able to staff the WT teams.

Your point about other sports is interesting. Soccer, tennis, American football and ...gasp...rugby just pretend there is no doping so no shunning required.

Weepsie

Read his book. It's full of a woe is me, self pitying nonsense (Nothing was ever his fault at any stage it seemed). It's also one of the most poorly written of the cycling/sports books I've read.

He wanted it to be like Rough Ride I think, but it was a rubbish. Only seems sorry he was caught is how it came across.

Inquitus

Dan supports him

https://twitter.com/DanMartin86/status/1044920598051328000

terrydel

Inquitus wrote: »

Dan supports him

https://twitter.com/DanMartin86/status/1044920598051328000

Both live in Girona don't they? No surprise.

The tax man

terrydel wrote: »

Both live in Girona don't they? No surprise.

Dan lives in Andorra.

terrydel

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Well at least he never acquired a Scot accent despite being from there (albeit spending most of his childhood overseas).

His posh boy accent is insufferable, give me a proper Scottish accent any day.

terrydel

The tax man wrote: »

Dan lives in Andorra.

Hes definitely lived in Girona for a period.
http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/dan-martin-moves-into-business-with-shop-and-tour-company-interests/

EC1000

Doc07 wrote: »

Your point about other sports is interesting. Soccer, tennis, American football and ...gasp...rugby just pretend there is no doping so no shunning required.

Going a bit off topic here but, yes, cycling is not the only sport to bury its head in the sand. However, look at that chap who played with Munster last year - he was effectively put out to pasture and off loaded at the first opportunity.

Regardless of other sports and their track record on testing, etc., cycling has a problem that it needs to fix. The first step really should be detaching itself from its past.

1bryan

EC1000 wrote: »

Going a bit off topic here but, yes, cycling is not the only sport to bury its head in the sand. However, look at that chap who played with Munster last year - he was effectively put out to pasture and off loaded at the first opportunity.

That was pretty much directly as a result of the media bringing attention to it, no?

I think what was more telling was that they signed him at all, and that the resisted any criticism for as long as they did.

terrydel

1bryan wrote: »

That was pretty much directly as a result of the media bringing attention to it, no?

I think what was more telling was that they signed him at all, and that the resisted any criticism for as long as they did.

Rugby is the worst of the lot in my view.

godtabh

Dan and David where on the same team for long enough its easy to understand why Dan would support him.

In saying that Phil Gamion thinks he is a plonker based on his books. That says enough for me.