So the Tour is over...

...and I need to get something off my chest.
I don't care if Lance doped...ever...and neither should you. You know why?
1) He brought more people into our sport than would have ever found it on their own. If you think this is a bad thing, then the problem is with you. With all of the extra folks entering the sport since 1999, technology has moved forward, the bike business has moved forward and awareness of cyclists on the road has moved forward. Would all of you power dorks have your precious watt meters now? Maybe...maybe not...! The guys with the $$$ that buy super high dollar shit bring pricing down, and the tech trickles down to the lower end of the spectrum, so that it's affordable for almost everyone. Yeah, that's a bad thing!
2) The playing field was, and remains, level. Cyclists have doped since the dawn of bike racing...so what? Are you pissed off that some may, or may not have, done it better than the rest and dominated? If so, then you should be pissed at Merckx, Hinault, Indurain and the martyr that is LeMond, cause they ALL did it. May have been dope of different tunes, but the song remains the same. In the late 80s, and right through until today, a big percentage of the peloton is on SOMETHING. It may not be the AvGas of days gone by, but it's still benefiting their performance.
3) Quit being so fucking self-righteous! Yeah, I called you morons out! You sit around and bitch on internet forums, and other 'bicycle-related' websites, about how you are pissed off at Lance, or whoever, and that you're pissed at the sport for allowing doping. I'm sick to death of hearing 'burn it to the ground'. If it were to all fall like a house of cards, then you very same douchebags would piss and moan that there's no Euro-Pro cycling to watch and talk about anymore. Then watch would you complain about? Masters racing? Oh, some of you already complain about that...
Funny part? Cycling has better dope control than EVERY other sport on the planet. Are football and baseball players forced to tell their respective governing bodies where they are...AT ALL TIMES? Hell, they get a 48 hour 'heads-up' that the vampires are coming for them.
4) Regardless of what you think of Lance, you cannot fault his ability to raise awareness, and cold hard cash, for cancer research. Nearly $350 million has been raised by the LAF/Livestrong since 1997. $350,000,000...that's a bunch of damn zeroes. Constantly speaking of the foundation, cancer, fund-raising and his personal want to end the epidemic that is cancer is not rhetoric, nor is it self-righteous. It's called promotion, and it's DAMNED effective. Again, if you have an issue with this, the problem lies with you.
5) STFU Floyd! STFU LeMond! You both doped and you are both liars. Neither of you are relevant anymore...

Now for some positive stuff...
Horner is a stud, period. He rode for LA and the bald midget, yet still finished 10th overall... better than both in Paris.
Cav is playing a different game than the rest of the sprinters.
Petacchi wins green, and deservedly so.
Lots o' crashes this year...being a pro doesn't always equate to handling skills.

As for me...
Saturday, La Gata and I did 80km. It was very pleasant. We left @ 8 and saw no on else out on the road. Guess it was too hot...
This morning, I was on it @ 0745, did two hours solo on the cross bike and was home for the last 100km of the Tour.

Peace...