Tom Boonen is out of the Tour

It's that time of year again when the fan starts getting hit with flying excrement. Tom Boonen is the first high profile casualty. He is going to miss the Tour because of a failed drugs test for cocaine. He was also caught driving drunk the other day, so all in all it's not a good time for Tom.

Lets hope he's given the chance to get hold of his demons and use them to become a better cyclist. We all know how good he is so let's hope we see him back sooner rather than later.

Normally I'm against drugs in sport but this case seems to more of a personal problem, rather than an attempt to cheat.

Good luck Tom

Another cyclist bites the dust

Floyd Landis has been found guilty of doping so he loses his Tour de France title and is banned for 2 years, which i think goes to 2009.

It's horrible to think how low sport can push great people.

Let's have some drug free sport!

Astana dope?

Mattias Kessler has been suspended by Astana for a dodgy test result. Will this affect Vino's attempt at the tour and make my prediction wrong (although Michael Rogers should be in with an Aussie shout)?

I'm going to back Thor Hushovd for the green jersey and if he doesn't do it I think there will be an Aussie winner.

Basso Suspended

Top Class cyclist Ivan Basso has been banned for 2 years for attempting to dope. But as he is 29 it will give him time to come back and maybe win the tour. Should bans be a lot harsher or is 2 years enough???

Fallen Idols?

Cycling has been turned on it's head even more today with Bjarn Riis's admission that he was taking EPO from 1993 - 1998. This means he was using EPO when he won the tour.

I remember watching every day of the Tour that year and being astounded by his performance, taking apart Big Mig in the Alps, the look on his face, the grimace mixed with a smile. He was the man who made Miguel Indurain seem human...

Now it turns out he was using EPO. Am I disappointed? I am a little if I am honest. You would like to thing cyclists are super human, you would like to think your heroes are invincible. They are not, they are human.

Does it take away from his achievements? Yes and no, let's not pretend that taking EPO will make you a champion, it won't. Year's of hard work and dedication make champions, but heroes?

He will no longer be a hero, but he will never stop being a champion, legend, idol even if it is a fallen one.

The whole house of cards

Drug taking in cycling has just been blown wide open. Ok, maybe not wide open, but wider. Telekom or T-Mobile as they are now know have one hell of a scandal on their hands. I wonder will any Tour winners make admissions? (2 in particular!)

As a former Tour de France director once said that they don't get up those mountains on fizzy water alone.

Should drug taking be allowed in cycling? Can it be stopped?! Discuss...