A great summary of some of the ills in cycling: there is no ladies’ Tour de France, a female cyclist discussing it said they “are not ready for it”.

Cooke is spot on in her comments about Armstrong:

Throughout our talk, Armstrong’s shadow looms large. She has nothing but contempt for him. I suggest his apology could help clean up the sport, and the world might forgive him. She looks appalled. “He’s a criminal. He has stolen people’s livelihoods. There must be thousands of clean athletes scrabbling around on the bottom end of the employment structure because that’s all that’s possible, and he’s taken away their career.”

Should he be in jail? “Of course, Lance Armstrong should go to jail. At the moment his punishment is not in line with the crimes he has committed. For the sport to genuinely clean itself up, the punishment has to be severe so not one would even think of doping.” Does she think he ever will be? “If he’s lied under oath, there should be legal consequences.”

via Cyclist Nicole Cooke: ‘I had to say exactly how it is’ | Sport | The Guardian.