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veefuller's review
dark
4.25
It's not just about the doping. It's about a lie backed by bullying and harassment of the worst sort.
I cheered Lance Armstrong on. I defended the man to the naysayers and believed him. I took him at his word.
And, then, the house of doping cards fell. Spectacularly and completely.
I am so, so grateful to individuals like David Walsh, Frankie and Betsy Andreu, and Emma O'Reilly, and others who eventually spoke truth to hubris and power.
And, Lance? Fuck Lance Armstrong. He ruined cycling for me. But, more so, he ruined lives because of his sociopathic desire to win. On the bike and off.
I cheered Lance Armstrong on. I defended the man to the naysayers and believed him. I took him at his word.
And, then, the house of doping cards fell. Spectacularly and completely.
I am so, so grateful to individuals like David Walsh, Frankie and Betsy Andreu, and Emma O'Reilly, and others who eventually spoke truth to hubris and power.
And, Lance? Fuck Lance Armstrong. He ruined cycling for me. But, more so, he ruined lives because of his sociopathic desire to win. On the bike and off.
alanaferraro's review
4.0
Not only was this a fascinating story, but I applaud the author for his tireless commitment to something he was believed so strongly and passionately about. Thirteen years is a long time to uncover the truth.
jw1949's review
5.0
I've just finished David Walsh's book - Seven Deadly Sins - on his long pursuit of Lance Armstrong. It's a superb, inspiring read with so many parallels to our own doping story (Rangers FC). This tale, at least, has a happy ending but we may have to be very patient as it took >13 years to nail Lance!
The UCI come over very badly indeed - they were aware of the problems early on, covered up and tried to stick to their discredited script right up until the bitter end. For UCI, read SFA, SFL, SPL, SPFL - our governing body were aware of the (financial doping) problems early on, it was covered up and CO's EBT may well have effectively been a bribe. It certainly ensured that SDM had nothing whatsoever to worry about from that quarter.
For the most part the journalists were too lazy to cover the LA story properly. The cycling journalists were too conflicted, the more generic sports journalists were not interested. The conflicts, as here, were on promises of access - toe the line or your access to Lance, to his team and to the sport will be adversely affected; by implication the journalists' livelihood is at risk.
The cyclists themselves, the whole sport, was and perhaps still is wholly corrupted by the doping. Again, the riders were forced to toe the line (dope), keep to the script (don't grass up), or leave the sport. How difficult must it be for a talented bike rider to have to choose between the sport he loves and having to cheat to survive.
There are, of course, differences. In Scotland unless we stick to the mandated, establishment script we must be anonymous. Any journalist who breaks ranks is vilified and eventually leaves the story or leaves his job.
What I still cannot fathom out about our story is the motivation - of all of those who maintain the lie. It cannot be possible in this day and age that the BBC, the Herald, the Scotsman, the DR are populated & controlled by Sevco sympathisers. It cannot be possible in this day and age that all of these organisations are so afraid of the mob that they perpetrate the corruption and the lie.
The UCI come over very badly indeed - they were aware of the problems early on, covered up and tried to stick to their discredited script right up until the bitter end. For UCI, read SFA, SFL, SPL, SPFL - our governing body were aware of the (financial doping) problems early on, it was covered up and CO's EBT may well have effectively been a bribe. It certainly ensured that SDM had nothing whatsoever to worry about from that quarter.
For the most part the journalists were too lazy to cover the LA story properly. The cycling journalists were too conflicted, the more generic sports journalists were not interested. The conflicts, as here, were on promises of access - toe the line or your access to Lance, to his team and to the sport will be adversely affected; by implication the journalists' livelihood is at risk.
The cyclists themselves, the whole sport, was and perhaps still is wholly corrupted by the doping. Again, the riders were forced to toe the line (dope), keep to the script (don't grass up), or leave the sport. How difficult must it be for a talented bike rider to have to choose between the sport he loves and having to cheat to survive.
There are, of course, differences. In Scotland unless we stick to the mandated, establishment script we must be anonymous. Any journalist who breaks ranks is vilified and eventually leaves the story or leaves his job.
What I still cannot fathom out about our story is the motivation - of all of those who maintain the lie. It cannot be possible in this day and age that the BBC, the Herald, the Scotsman, the DR are populated & controlled by Sevco sympathisers. It cannot be possible in this day and age that all of these organisations are so afraid of the mob that they perpetrate the corruption and the lie.
flowerbob's review
4.0
This is an interesting and honest account of obsession; Walsh doesn't flinch from his own faults, or go out of his way to emphasise those of Armstrong, but takes the reader on his journey. It serves as a decent biography of one of the most famous cheats in sport.
Clearly Lance Armstrong is a complete bastard, and I finished the book wanting him to be further punished for what he did to those around him.
Clearly Lance Armstrong is a complete bastard, and I finished the book wanting him to be further punished for what he did to those around him.