It’s either a natural thing to do, or so culturally ingrained that it might as well be – and why not? France had also recently passed a law making doping a criminal offence. Perhaps he realised that he’d been part of a collective hypocrisy in cycling – able to smile his way through the 1998 Tour de France and enjoy the spoils of victory while others were taking the blame for the doping – but didn’t have the courage to admit it. Something went wrong. Virenque was devastated at his exclusion from the Tour. It can only be surmised that Pantani’s 53 per cent haematocrit level was down to a mistake by either him or the individuals who facilitated his doping. The cycle of self-destruction had begun. Their entire marketing, from websites to memorabilia, is based around the colour of their kit. The car contained a staggering range and number of doping products, a mobile library of pharmacological research from which riders could borrow at will. I had to see, to know who was the strongest,’ he said. Pantani conceded 11 minutes to Indurain in one time trial alone, but he still rose to third overall by the end of the race. The 1998 Tour was a clash of cultures, stereotypes and cycling ideologies: the Latin versus the Teutonic, the climber versus the rouleur, the attacker versus the defender, Romanticism versus Classicism, the underdog versus the favourite, fire versus ice. The summit finish itself was hard, but not at the same level of difficulty as Alpe d’Huez or Plateau de Beille. The shining of light into cycling’s dark corners, still ongoing, had begun. Marco Pantani died a lonely, ugly death, caused in the end by a terrible alchemy between what he achieved, what he was, and the way the world viewed it. Bath Visit our corporate site. Is it possible to celebrate the cyclist, and enable his ascent to the emotional heights, without somehow playing a part in his descent to psychological obliteration? The Festina scandal erupted in the run-up to the 1998 Tour. Perhaps he’d thought that, as a sporting icon, he was untouchable. At this point, there was no danger in terms of time conceded by the German – he could expect to put minutes into Pantani in the final time trial, and his cushion was already three minutes. Yuar butee Men's Official Soccer Referee Shirt Zipper Umpire Referee Jerseys Pro Ref Uniform for Basketball & Football, Sports Unlimited Double Knit Adult Integrated Football Pants, SKLZ Sports Mesh Practice Jersey, Pack of 6, SKLZ Flag Football 10-Player Deluxe Set with Flags, Belts, and Cones, adidas Men's Soccer Sweden 2020 Home Jersey, Umbro Mens Johnny Collar Short Sleeve Soccer Jersey, Adorox Adult - Teens Scrimmage Practice Jerseys Team Pinnies Sports Vest Soccer, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Athllete DURAMESH Set of 6 - Scrimmage Vest/Pinnies/Team Practice Jerseys with Free Carry Bag. Sign up to the Cyclingnews Newsletter. 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Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Many observers have stated that Pantani was never the same after Madonna di Campiglio, but actually he was exactly the same – only more so. Virenque, like Pantani, was dependent on the adulation of the public. The next day, the riders went on strike again, the Spanish teams pulled out, and the race limped on to Paris, not quite mortally wounded. Ruhao Paul Crewe 18 Mean Machine The Longest Yard Movie American Football Jersey (Black, X-Large) 4.8 out of 5 stars 6. His enablers in this were a motley collection of hangers-on and friends. We don’t want EPO in the sport, so what does that say about our enjoyment of Les Deux Alpes? Pantani’s psychological complexity and addictive personality got him hooked on the adulation, and the withdrawal symptoms eventually killed him. At this point, cycling fans and the media were on Pantani’s side – his attacking riding and time-trial defeats made him easy to support, in contrast to Indurain and Ullrich, whose defensive, negative Tour wins were impressive but too well-planned, too cold to be emotionally engaging. Thank you for signing up to Cycling News. His sticky-out ears and crooked smile made him seem accessible, normal and likeable. Pantani, in his pride, simply couldn’t deal with the shame of the association with doping – he’d built his self-esteem and identity on success in bike racing to the point of denial about the methods he was using, and the blow to his ego was mortal. But after this episode, and eventually confessing to doping, Virenque was back racing with no hint of self-doubt or regret and he retired happy in 2004, having won a total of seven King of the Mountains titles and three more Tour stages to add to the four he already had. Receive news and offers from our other brands? 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