What a sad day for U.S. cycling. I suppose we should not be surprised. Other than those of us who love the sport and go to the trouble to find the information necessary to follow it, all the news here in the US has been bad. Cycling gets very little coverage here, but what it did get all started and ended with comments about the continuing doping scandals.

I’ve worked hard to avoid using many words since beginning to contribute to this site. Two of them are “Barry Bonds.” As a native and life-long resident of Hank Aaron’s home town I cannot be considered an objective observer in the Major League Home Run race. But everything I’ve read about Bonds suggests he has used steroids to enhance his performance.

All of professional U.S. sports is plagued with drugs, of both the performance and recreational varieties. The official organizations take official stands against both varieties, but few people are confident that they really are enforcing their stated policies.

Every participating level of Professional cycling is trying to clean up its sport. From the riders to the regulatory authorities to the sponsors. Cycling is suffering through what looks like a dark era, but I believe this will prove to be it’s brightest day. I don’t know what kind of roaches they have in Europe, but here in America the rats and roaches run for cover whenever the lights are turned on.

Cycling is shining the light of truth on its pests. The rats and roaches are being exposed. Collateral damage is an unintended impact of any major effort of this sort and we can be almost certain that some clean riders will be marred in the process. That is unfair, but it is a fact of life.

Present day USA is a personality driven institution. If a personality as large and influential as Lance Armstrong’s cannot land a sponsor then the momentum against cycling in corporate America really must be strong. This is a darn sad day for one of the most successful professional sports franchises to have existed in my half-century lifetime.

The real cheaters know who they are. I hope they are fully aware of what they have done to their colleagues as well as their fans!