Merckx drugs could kill small horse - Specialized

-- Double glazed reception doors provide transparency of sorts, but in these times of interconnectivity and openness, people want to see deep into the belly of brands they deal with.

While some corporate brands tiptoe into tweets and employ more PhD-qualified call centre operators unafraid to deviate from scripts, most still pine for the safety of weasel words and sanitised pompousness.

However, occasionally, examples of refreshing candour and long leashes extended to company spokespeople offer new hope to nosy consumers.

Responding to my “sarcastic” email, the honesty of this Specialized representative should be revered.

Honestly, I am impressed.

Respect.

From: store_customerservic@specialized.com

I think you meant to send that sarcastic email to Quickstep. We sponsor Quickstep. Quickstep is the team that Tom Boonen rides for. They pay his salary. They are the ones who stepped up with legal help. It was the CAS who let him ride, so maybe you should email them too.

If you think Boonen ruined cycling integrity you must be new to the sport. Drug use and cycling go hand in hand! Even Eddy Merckx was on enough steroids and amphetamines to kill a small horse. What's worse is he was doing it during competition to gain an advantage!! Come to think of it.......several of the last Tour De France winners have had their titles stripped from them for testing positive. Oh hey, where are Kohl and Valverde this year? Oh, that's right....they got busted for performance enhancing drugs and weren't allowed to race.

Don't get me wrong, I totally object to Boonen testing positive for cocaine. I am opposed to drug use in any way. I do think that getting your party on after winning the Queen of the Classics is a little different than flat out cheating. If you want to credit riders with ruining the integrity of the sport there are plenty of people in line ahead of Boonen. I would start pointing fingers at them first.

I do agree with you. I feel like the sport of cycling has had its integrity compromised, but I don't think it was Boonen who did it. While what he is going through really bums me out, I get a lot more bummed out by people I looked at as heroes getting busted for cheating. Pro cycling is very bittersweet. I still have a couple heroes left and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they won't end up dopers. Hopefully the testing will get stronger than new doping technologies. Sadly, there is no money to made in testing and tons of money to be made in cheating.

I hope Tom being in the Tour this year doesn't sour you on it. It promises to be an exciting/drama filled event.