 |
 |
 |
 |
LeMond recommends skipping USAC license
Thu, 10/25/2012 - 2:24pm
Greg LeMond has written an open letter recommending a boycott of USAC until Pat McQuaid and Hein Verbruggen resign.
NCNCA was independent from USAC for a few years, and other than drugs (ironically) being legal in local racing in that era, there wasn't much downside that I could see except perhaps to riders trying for the national team. Steve Johnson talked us back in into the fold. But has anyone considered putting some institutional muscle behind Greg's suggestion?
I could do without a license. The past few years I've been doing hillclimbs, my attempt to get in a few road races this year frustrated by a mid-year injury. Others are far more committed to racing. It seems too bad to put these people on the spot when really we don't need USAC here at all.
The irony is NCNCA went back to USAC to forge the path for local riders to go to the national team, but that path led to an international cycling environment which was toxic with drugs and corruption. As Greg says in his letter, the latter is the worse of the two, as with it, the former cannot be addressed.
I chose not to buy an license this year do to I believe USAC, UCI and IOC are corrupt. These Governing bodies new what, who and how PED's were being used and are currently being used.
Found this story a few days ago. http://www.sandcreeksports.com/crookedel.htm
Even though I made my decision before this article and Lances confession, today. Just backs up what I had suspected. As vitalyg mentioned Thom Weisel being a huge money backer and helping to dictate how the USAC is run was, also, an part owner of US Postal.
With this NY Times artical from todays news, Lance may being blowing the whistle on the Leaders of cyclings Governing bodies. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/sports/cycling/lance-armstrong-admits-...
slowpoke
No comment
Not getting a license is tempting. It was over $400 for the three of us to get our licenses in 2012; it'll be closer to $450 in 2013. OBRA and ABR cost no more than $30 and that covers racing, officiating, promoting and coaching! Permitting through those two agencies provides nearly identical insurance for less money too. If anyone wants to know how the vote to rejoin USAC went in 2002, I still have the minutes of the voting results (via newsletters) and have nearly every month's newsletter from January 2000 to December 2005.
It wasn't Steve Johnson who came out to NorCal, it was actually gerard bisceglia and it was a VERY close vote (1 vote) by ncnca clubs to go back with USAC, back the USCF.
As I've stated elsewhere, if I was still living in the Midwest or in OR, I would let my USAC license lapse in a blink of an eye because I could still race ABR or OBRA races. But it's unfortunate that here in CA, we're now completely monopolized by one governing body. Another issue is that as long as Thom Weisel is permitted to cut personal checks to USAC, it won't really matter how many riders don't renew their licenses.