Armstrong, winner, and THUG

I really hope this is true: If Simeoni can get criminal charges upheld against Lance Armstrong, for "fraude sportive, violence privée et intimidation de témoin" (fraud, personal violence, intimidation of a witness...), for the incredibly shameful behaviour during the third to last stage of the Tour de France, it would be GREAT.

For those who don't know what happened, Simeoni is a witness in the trial of Dr. Ferrari, who has worked closely with Lance Armstrong, for charges of doping. Simeoni has publicly said that Lance is doped, and Lance is suing Simeoni for slander. During the tour, on the third to last stage, Simeoni was in one of the breakaway groups. He wasn't in any position to threaten any of the standings, and, normally, this means that the leader, Lance Armstrong, would leave him be, since, tactically, there's no reason. There were six other riders in the breakaway group, which had two minutes on the peloton.

Lance then decided to take things in hand. He chased down the breakaway group, the lovely yellow shirt looking so small on such a mean man, and when he got to the group, he told all the other riders in the breakaway group that he would allow them their small margin if they made sure Simeoni was brought back to the peloton. The other riders asked him to do this (winning a stage is soooo much glory!), and, finally, under a lot of pressure, Simeoni gave up. Accompanied by his trusty friend Lance by his side, Simeoni was treated to a private talk all the way back.

This is the real beauty of sport, when it becomes no better than a mafia deal.

I don't care if Lance is doped. So many of those riders are. I don't care if he only rides the Tour de France...that's his business. What I do hate is when someone takes my sport away. I don't watch cycling to be reminded of the injustice inherent in big business. I don't watch cycling to see fairplay and courage dissolved by intimidation and coercion. He can take his six tour de Frances and stick it where the sun don't shine. A thug stays a thug, and it's a tarnish no amount of glory can hide.