Big Maggy Speaks

So, you read Pez Cycling News, right?

Today, they’ve got Magnus Backstedt’s regular bit covering the Tour of Denmark, and also a couple of paragraphs on the tiny problem Cycling’s been having. I dug these; the rest is extremely interesting.

I hear that there are a lot of people are wondering why many riders don’t speak up about the doping issue!

I think I know why, and it is all based on the media. You can say something to a journalist and the next day he has twisted it around and published it in a way that pleases him to sell more copies of his newspaper or magazine. This is never fun even when it concerns less delicate issues than doping. So as you can probably understand there is a fear of being quoted saying something that you haven’t said! So if there was some more respect being shown from journalists in this matter I think the riders might feel a bit more confident in talking. In saying this I want to add that this doesn’t go for all journalists, but you can never be sure who is the good one and who is the bad one. A bit like the doping I guess!

I can’t say that I disagree – why speak out if it makes you a target?

In happier news, last week’s Prairie Home Companion (a rerun) was amazing. Mark Knopfler … Absolutely perfect for sitting on the porch in the chill of impending Autumn, with the crickets providing percussion.