Tour de France legends to ride in Absa Cape Epic

"Wanda has built a full industry value chain that includes event organizing, athlete representation, event marketing and rebroadcasting, which will greatly enhance Wanda's influence on the global sports stage and accelerate Wanda's strategic advancement in the industry."

Epic took a different direction some time ago, but it didn't crack the major league in terms of money potential, it did remain principled. Ironman/ WTC/ Wanda represent a whole different league. That suit that Kevin wore once a year to the route launch is about to be retired for a whole new wardrobe, the Chinese like suits. Got to hand it to him, one of few deals in sport last year that seem to bring in foreign capital.

About principles and policies - well I think you just need to look at ASO, nobody wants to see the 'best' riders sitting on the sidelines, sure huff and puff at them because of a failed test here or there, but they have to be on the start line.

Welcome to the big league.

Must have been a good ad as I even remember the name of the bike, Nishiki NFS Altron. WHo would have thought a ladyboy triathlete was a good way to advertise a bicycle.

The mullet is the icing on the cake though!

Here's what the Epic rules say:

28.3 Any person who is under provisional or final sanction by an Anti-Doping Organisation with jurisdiction under the WADA

 

Here's what the Epic rules say:

 

28.3 Any person who is under provisional or final sanction by an Anti-Doping Organisation with jurisdiction under the WADA

Code (a “person under sanction”) is prohibited from participating or being involved in the race, whether as a rider, team manager or official or in any other capacity whatsoever. Where any such sanction has been made final for an offence committed after 31 December 2012, such prohibition shall apply for the life of the person under sanction (irrespective of the duration of the sanction imposed by the relevant Anti-Doping Organisation).

 

And what Kevin Vermaak said in 2012:

 

“As of 1 January 2013, any athlete (professional or amateur) caught using performance enhancing substances, whether at another event or out of competition, will be banned for life from participating in the Absa Cape Epic. Not only will the person not be allowed to participate (as an amateur rider or UCI- licensed elite), but the individual will also be banned from being involved on any level including as a team manager. This is harsher than what is required currently by any federation, but is our considered opinion of what should be enforced even on a wider scale with regards to event participation of convicted dope cheats.”

 

“We’ve chosen not to apply this retrospectively because we believe that would be naive. As has been exposed in recent months, cycling has a dark past. Many riders from this previous era have rediscovered the joy of cycling as mountain bikers and participate in the Absa Cape Epic as their expression of riding clean. Previous offenders, who have served their suspension term, may ride future Absa Cape Epics. We want to be part of the new era of cleaner cycling, and therefore only future offenders will receive the lifetime bans."

 

This is probably as sensible as is possible under the circumstances.

It seems Kevin has been stung (see Facebook Epic feed) by some of the criticism re the doping past of GH.

If my comments were personally offensive, I apologise. I have said numerous times I have great respect for what he has done.

I still do think its a whole different ballgame now, but if not now,then soon.Capital has been invested - a return is required - that will change things.

Back to GH participating, I have no problem with Udo, Roel (even if Chiarini his partner was popped in 2014) and others who are able to participate. But I think where the Epic has misread things is that GH is being promoted by the organisation. Sure you dont have to turn down his entry, but neither did you have to celebrate it.

So I think the Epic has read this incorrectly - GH is a big name - he should be allowed to compete within the rules, but to use him as part of your publicity is where I think you have got it wrong.

See Kevin's Facebook post:

Kevin Vermaak

 

See Kevin's Facebook post:

 

Kevin Vermaak

1 hr · Cape Town · 

 

Yesterday we announced that Cadel Evans and George Hincapie would be at the start line of 2017 Cape Epic competing for the increasingly competitive Masters jersey.

I well-remember back to 2011, when Cadel won the Tour, thinking that it would be simply amazing to have Cadel ride the Epic one day. Finally, this is coming true, and frankly, it’s a

coup for the Epic that his first real competitive mountain bike stage race since switching to road in 2001 is the Absa Cape Epic (and massive personal satisfictation that something of which I once dreamed is coming true ).

Before the race this year I was in discussion with Cadel’s management regarding his participation in 2016. Cadel’s, and BMC’s, choice of partner was Big George - unsurprisingly. Unfortunately Cadel never recovered sufficiently swiftly from a planned knee operation earlier this year, and so we immediately started planning with BMC for 2017.

I obviously knew about George’s doping history and that the offences to which he had confessed took place before the date from which we had introduced a life time ban for doping offences committed after 1 January 2013 (http://www.cape-epic.com/news/409)

To my genuine surprise, we took some flak for promoting George’s participation.

Let’s be clear – I personally was behind our zero-tolerance approach to doping, and nothing has changed whatsoever. I think that the criticism that has been levelled at us is based on an incorrect reading of the letter, and the spirit, of our anti-doping position. So let me try to explain it here:

When we announced our lifetime-ban policy in November 2012, I said the following: “We’ve chosen not to apply this retrospectively because we believe that would be naive. As has been exposed in recent months, cycling has a dark past. Many riders from this previous era have rediscovered the joy of cycling as mountain bikers and participate in the Absa Cape Epic as their expression of riding clean. Previous offenders, who have served their suspension term, may ride future Absa Cape Epics. We want to be part of the new era of cleaner cycling, and therefore only future offenders will receive the lifetime bans.”

Frankly, I can’t think of many riders to whom these sentiments apply to more completely than Big George.

As soon as it was on the cards that Cadel would ride with George (about a year ago), I read his book, The Loyal Lieutenant https://www.amazon.com/Loyal-Lieutenant-Leadin…/…/0062330926. If you’ve not yet read it, do yourself a favour, and get a copy. It’s so refreshingly honest and such a simple expose of life as a pro-cyclist and what it takes to become one.

I've read many of the plethora of books that were published after September 2012, starting with The Secret Race, and George’s is the one that does not leave you with a feeling that there was some secondary agenda other than honestly telling one’s lifestory. George and I have traded countless emails in the last 12 months, and I can’t wait to welcome him and his family to Cape Town and to take him on my favourite route around Table Mountain before the Epic starts next year. It’s going to be a huge honour.

As far as the Cape Epic’s rules are concerned they are crystal clear: riders who committed a doping offence after January 1, 2013, face a lifetime ban. Those whose offence was committed before that date and are not currently sanctioned, can ride the Epic. Besides the comments I made in 2012, part of the reason for not introducing a retrospective ban is enshrined in the legal principle that you cannot change the law to address a crime after it has been committed: in other words, we did not believe it would be fair to ban people for life when they had been operating under a WADA regime which at the time prescribed a maximum two year ban for doping offences. After January 1, 2013, prospective Epic entrants would know that if they were caught doping, they faced a lifetime ban from the race.

By the way, George will not be the first former-pro road rider convicted of doping to ride the Epic. Udo Bölts, the former Telekom pro (famous for telling Jan Ullrich to “suffer - you pig”) who finished 13 consecutive Tours from 1992 to 2003, is a 7-time Epic finisher. In fact, it was with my friend, Udo, in mind that I made the comment about “many riders from this previous era have rediscovered the joy of cycling as mountain bikers and participate in the Absa Cape Epic as their expression of riding clean”.

After his first few days at the 2008 Cape Epic, Udo said: “I’ve finished 13 Tours de France and the camaraderie at the Absa Cape Epic beats anything I experienced in my 15-year professional road cycling career. I love this race and I'm sure I’ll be back to ride it again.” Udo has subsequently become a multiple Masters and Grand Masters champion of the Absa Cape Epic.

George made his confession in 2012 about events pre-2009, so his participation in the race neither contradicts the letter nor the spirit of our rules.

Finally, I should point out that these rules have been in existence for several years. Our stance, and welcoming George to ride in 2017, has absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with our recent acquisition by Ironman.

 

Explaining is losing.

It's the money, honey. Nothing else matters when the cash dictates a change of policy.

Vermaak can post all he likes on Facebook trying to justify that GH doped before the ban introduced by Vermaak. The fact is he is welcoming one of the biggest cheats in cycling with open arms to his event.

Like almost everyone in cycle race organisation and administration worldwide Vermaak pays lip service to stamping out doping when it really matters.

But it is privately owned event and they can accept who they want. That is the privilege of starting and owning your own event.

I am honestly so torn about this and I know it's hypocritical. The sportsman in me wants to see them race because of who they are. The part of me that likes to think he's moral and ethical wants to see him banned. The reasonable person in me who doesn't beat people to death in the traffic daily even though he wants to, wants them to race and be tested every waterpoint just to make sure they are not dodgy cos sadly, the rules are actually the rules. #complicatedsh*t

“Cadel made me do it,” Hincapie said. “And it looks like it’s going to be an amazing adventure. Troy (de Haas, BMC team manager) sent us some videos on the race to start visualising and preparing over the next months, but that’s about it. have always enjoyed riding off-road but have never really raced it, except just with mates at home.”

Cyclingtips

doesn't matter, at least all the guys at the front of the race are squeaky clean now 

I am honestly so torn about this and I know it's hypocritical. The sportsman in me wants to see them race because of who they are. The part of me that likes to think he's moral and ethical wants to see him banned. The reasonable person in me who doesn't beat people to death in the traffic daily even though he wants to, wants them to race and be tested every waterpoint just to make sure they are not dodgy cos sadly, the rules are actually the rules. #complicatedsh*t

I think most of us are torn here. The Epic seems to have misjudged the zero tolerance to doping view that the general public has. Its been said before. Let him race, but do not promote it. If anything state that the ACE noted his prior offences that was before the 1/1/2013 date and wish him success in a clean and hard race.

think their marketing backfired a bit on this.

wonder if they would allow LA race?

It's the money, honey. Nothing else matters when the cash dictates a change of policy.

 

Vermaak can post all he likes on Facebook trying to justify that GH doped before the ban introduced by Vermaak. The fact is he is welcoming one of the biggest cheats in cycling with open arms to his event.

 

Like almost everyone in cycle race organisation and administration worldwide Vermaak pays lip service to stamping out doping when it really matters.

 

But it is privately owned event and they can accept who they want. That is the privilege of starting and owning your own event.

Flippen exactly!    Well said!

By allowing this to happen opens the door I think.

Here is a chance for an example to be set....but no, money talks.

This is why the sport will never be clean.

Cadel Kevin Evans and David George Hincapie

You really have to laugh when Mclean & Hani give Hincapi some lip for taking part in the epic....

I see George is sharpening up his legs with some old friends. 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-hincapie-vande-velde-and-casey-reunite-for-24-hours-of-old-pueblo-gallery/?utm_content=buffer55548&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I see George is sharpening up his legs with some old friends cheats 

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-hincapie-vande-velde-and-casey-reunite-for-24-hours-of-old-pueblo-gallery/?utm_content=buffer55548&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Like almost everyone in cycle race organisation and administration worldwide Vermaak pays lip service to stamping out doping when it really matters.

The owner of the Epic is Ironman. What does this say about their attitude towards doping?

think their marketing backfired a bit on this.

 

wonder if they would allow LA race?

Has LA not been banned for life from any UCI or something races?

Yip yip

There's some category of public events he is allowed to compete like a recent 24 hr MTB race

Perhaps some slack is in order here, things were different in the good old bad old days..

Agreed. The vituperative moral outrage is interesting to see. This same reaction led us to completely annihilate hansie cronje. I believe we treated him very badly indeed.

People make mistakes. I wonder how many of us, in similar positions, facing similar levels of demand, desire, ambition and pressure might not make similar decisions that so many elite athletes have made. Condemnaion and the desire for extreme punishment is easy. It allows us to feel superior, justly aggrieved and it suggests punitive remedy ti restore the illusion of the moral order. In reality I think these situations are more complex and full of human frailty and our propensity for error.

Maybe when we judge so harshly it expresses the almost universal frustration that the world is not as we want it to be, not even in the sprint for the finish line which we want so much to be pure and separate from the rest of messy humanity.

Perhaps some slack is in order here, things were different in the good old bad old days..

Agreed. The vituperative moral outrage is interesting to see. This same reaction led us to completely annihilate hansie cronje. I believe we treated him very badly indeed.

 

People make mistakes. I wonder how many of us, in similar positions, facing similar levels of demand, desire, ambition and pressure might not make similar decisions that so many elite athletes have made. Condemnaion and the desire for extreme punishment is easy. It allows us to feel superior, justly aggrieved and it suggests punitive remedy ti restore the illusion of the moral order. In reality I think these situations are more complex and full of human frailty and our propensity for error.

 

Maybe when we judge so harshly it expresses the almost universal frustration that the world is not as we want it to be, not even in the sprint for the finish line which we want so much to be pure and separate from the rest of messy humanity.