Monday, June 7, 2010

Criminality in Biking

http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-05-26/news/floyd-landis-doping-scandal-the-s-f-connection/

Matt Smith's recent article in the SF Weekly reveals a startling level of criminality in the world of professional bike racing. Some within the industry itself, describe the activity as like a "Mafia".

The culture of bad boy-bad girl in both racing and especially mountain biking is something that is lauded in the bike press as if it were a badge of courage. This misplaced hero idolatry fuels the ongoing commission of illegal acts both in the professional realm of cycling and in the forests where illegal trails are cut with impunity, imperiling the eco-culture of fragile terrain and even impacting endangered species. But this is what you don't often hear about. The bike industry tries to portray itself as a benign force, bringing outdoor appreciation to new levels of experience. Unfortunately the cost of that experience is wreaking havoc on open spaces and lives.