My gut reaction is f’ him. Let him quit.

Unless Lurker has an objection, the next shelter dog I adopt will be named LurkerMcLurkerson. Fantabulous name.
On topic, the man is a mess. Is the cause persecution or guilt? I haven’t a clue. Regardless, he’s a mess.

If he goes I think its puts pressure to get UCI to actually sort doping out (and itself as well first) and sends a message to all the big riders -no one is above a sanction now.
Landis spilled the beans on the protocol ie transfusion + micro dose +lock doors = normal profile in morning. Test @ 2AM!
This is what should have happened post Festina.
Please please have a go at cleaning it up properly.

A classic from sandboxes and playgrounds around the globe. Perfectly suited to a UCI proceeding.

But I would understand if he truly were innocent and reacted this way (retiring) to a conviction and a two year ban. There are worrying signs regarding the details of the positive and the support he has received from people like Millar and Lemond raises some questions in my mind. The only thing worse to me than the probability that many of cycling’s best performing riders could still be dopers is the possibility that certain teams and individuals could be manipulating or bribing the authorities to escape detection or that the testing protocol and entire system could still be deeply flawed and not catch dopers while implicating innocent riders.

That said, if he did get caught using blood transfusions and microdosing (it was a rest day after all) then I hope he gets the full two years suspension and that the Spanish Federation is unable to help him and gets some serious pressure put on them to stop doing so much to aid dopers.

"I don’t want this sport any more. I’m slamming the door and I’m leaving. I will prove I’m not guilty. I want to restore my honour and get the results of this test rescinded. It’s a mistake. I have never doped, that’s not the way I see my profession."

Perhaps he’s innocent and getting blasted wrongfully. He’ll lose a Tour victory, be labelled a doper in the eyes of the public, and his perception will be tarnished no matter how much he wins from here on out. I can totally understand him thinking “well nuts to this, I’m going to take my cash and live off of that until I find a job that’s a wee bit less stressful.”

Perhaps he’s guilty. If he gets popped correctly, then it’s his own fault for doping. However, I wouldn’t blame him for subsequently feeling defeated & hiding the fact that he is a fraud—an exposed fraud at that.

In either scenario, he has to go through an entire two years without competing, and many people will refuse to take him seriously if he does come back. The best he can do is “well, the cheater won again.” In either scenario, the one fact we do know is that he’s most likely in a very dark place, emotionally. I’m not a soul-reader, but he certainly looks like a depressed man. And even if he didn’t look that way, common sense would tell me that he’s seen happier days.

My opinion of Contador remain unaffected by this quote. FWIW, I think he’ll eventually come to his senses and come back to compete again.

is quite different from L’Equipe…..the interveiw by Manuel Martinez that is.