Who you calling dopey?

So the TofC started yesterday. Levi Leipheimer won the prologue (enjoy it now, Levi before Basso makes you an errand boy) just edging out Jason Donald of Team Slipstream (formerly TIAA-CREF). What is so cool about Donald's performance is not that he beat the world time trial champion and most of the hot shot tter's of the pro peloton, but that he is undeniably a clean rider. Team Slipstream has partnered with the Agency for Cycling Ethics in a unique testing program that offers every incentive for a rider to ride clean. Unlike the UCI and WADA's systems of better-not-let-us-catch-you system of testing, the ACE is focused on establishing a "clean" record for each cyclist on the team. This comes out of the philosophy established by Don Caitlin, a scientist and medical researcher. Don was featured in Discover magazine years ago in an article that outlined the faults that he found with the then current system of anti-doping checks. The ACE and Dr. Catlin's system is voluntary. Each rider submits to a rigorous and thorough testing process that lasts 12 months and establishs a baseline for their system. Any time subsequent tests look hinky, the rider undergoes counseling. Continue to look hinky and your out of the program and therefore, not "clean". Much better than the current state of catch-me-if-you-can vs. Dick Pound polemica that doesn't seem to get anybody anywhere.

Hats off to Donald for his strong second place and his donning of the Points Leader jersey. Congrats too to his teammate, Taylor Tolleson for taking the best young rider's jersey. Just last year, Tolleson was stomping the pedals around these parts while he attended Lees-McRae College. Support the boys in argyle as the put their mark on the peloton! If you want to actually support the move that Slipstream has made towards a new way of cleaning up cycling, you can join the Argyle Armada. Buy a jersey and 100% of the money (not 100% of the proceeds!) will go to the Agency for Sporting Ethics.

The weather is looking up for this week. If you can get out and ride. Think of me sitting in a classroom full of knuckleheads trying not to convince myself that the work ethic of my students will spell doom for the social security system that I pay into so dearly. I'm a little disappointed that not one Star Trek fan made a comment about my Kobayashi Maru reference... I'm just going to have to get even more obscure on you to pay you back for that sleight!