View Full Version : Rasmussen Dropped From Team!?!?!
Robobo1
07-19-07, 02:15 PM
From Reuters....
TOUR DE FRANCE LEADER MICHAEL RASMUSSEN HAS BEEN DROPPED FROM DA
TOUR DE FRANCE LEADER MICHAEL RASMUSSEN HAS BEEN DROPPED FROM
DANISH NATIONAL TEAM - DANISH CYCLING UNION
Reut16:10 07-19-07
Robobo1
07-19-07, 02:49 PM
BC-CYCLING/RASMUSSEN
Cycling-Rasmussen dropped from Danish cycling team
COPENHAGEN, July 19 (Reuters) - Tour de France leader
Michael Rasmussen has been dropped from the Danish national
team after receiving several warnings from the UCI and
anti-doping authorities, the Danish Cycling Union (DCU) said on
Thursday.
In a statement on its Web site, the DCU did not say what
the warnings were for. But Danish public television station DR
said Rasmussen received them for failing to inform anti-doping
authorities of his whereabouts when training.
REUTERS
Reut16:48 07-19-07
Cromulent
07-19-07, 02:55 PM
Here's a link to the story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/6907568.stm) on BBC news.
timmhaan
07-19-07, 02:57 PM
something smells fishy here....
biffstephens
07-19-07, 03:09 PM
Ahhhhh so he is only dropped from the Danish National Team...
Blaireau
07-19-07, 03:15 PM
Dropped because he tried to avoid UCI surprise drug testing by leaving them in the dark as to his whereabouts when training.
Not good news.
Randomus
07-19-07, 03:19 PM
That's a shame, especially since Chicken was looking forward to riding for his national team. :(
SunSwingsLow
07-19-07, 03:54 PM
I dont blame him. Test him when he races. This following them around when they train is BS anyways.
didn't he say the yellow jersey was like dope. Maybe there is something in the jersey.
That's a shame, especially since Chicken was looking forward to riding for his national team. :(
He can auction off on eBay his Colnago mountain bike that he was planning on riding in the 2008 Olympics.
Randomus
07-19-07, 04:15 PM
I dont blame him. Test him when he races. This following them around when they train is BS anyways. Well, I actually think riders should be tested during training camps and the off season, but enough of this men in black (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=321753&highlight=black) crap.
Blaireau
07-19-07, 07:22 PM
Testing should be done year-round to have a hope in hell to be effective. If you deny that you are either an idiot or a hypocrite.
Blaireau
07-19-07, 07:23 PM
Dropped because he tried to avoid UCI surprise drug testing by leaving them in the dark as to his whereabouts when training.
\
Put this way, it sounds better:
"Michael Rasmussen, the current leader of the Tour de France, has been kicked off the Danish national cycling team because of repeated failures to give the sport’s antidoping officials the required notice of his whereabouts while training, the Danish Cycling Union said Thursday."
When reading this I imagined the men in black arriving at the training camp and Michael and his team are out training. Upon finding out they're going to be a few hours the MIB go to the local pub to have some lunch and a drink. One drink becomes two, becomes 3 and then 4 and before they know it they're hammered on the UCI credit card.
They're due back the next day so the arrive back at the office hung over and have to make up some story about Rasmussen being elusive.
Its all a conspiracy i tell ya.
merlinextraligh
07-19-07, 07:37 PM
I dont blame him. Test him when he races. This following them around when they train is BS anyways.
You really have no idea how doping works, or the limits of the tests.
Randomus
07-19-07, 07:42 PM
In retribution against the Danish UCI, Rasmussen won't race in the Tour of Denmark.
daytonian
07-19-07, 09:02 PM
Apparently he likes to skip down to Mexico to train.
Apparently he likes to skip down to Mexico to train.
...and there's plenty of other things you can get in Mexico other than tequila and cheap hookers.
Randomus
07-19-07, 10:19 PM
Apparently he likes to skip down to Mexico to train. I'm not ready to call it a conspiracy, especially since his wife is Mexican. ;)
VT Biker
07-20-07, 12:12 AM
Testing should be done year-round to have a hope in hell to be effective. If you deny that you are either an idiot or a hypocrite.
Thank You for pointing this out to the more ignorant on this board. Well either ignorant or completely comfortable with doping in the peleton. A lot of time, these people are like the Romans at the Colliseum:
"Entertain Us Dammit"
Only what they do not realize is that the less dope, the more entertaining.
VT Biker
07-20-07, 12:14 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/20/sports/sportsspecial1/20tour.html?ref=sports
Here is a link to the NY Times
To be fair, Rasmussen has commented on the situation. According to him, he received two reprimands, one last spring from Anti-Doping Danmark and one in june from both Anti-Doping Danmark and the UCI, for not informing the authorities of his whereabouts. In both instances, he claims, he sent the paperwork but it wasn't received in time, and that part of the blame lies with the Italian post.
He also said that he was tested twice out of competition, in addition to the competition controls. He says that such harsh penalties for what he claims are administrative errors are unfair, but doesn't know what else to do.
VT Biker
07-20-07, 12:58 AM
To be fair, Rasmussen has commented on the situation. According to him, he received two reprimands, one last spring from Anti-Doping Danmark and one in june from both Anti-Doping Danmark and the UCI, for not informing the authorities of his whereabouts. In both instances, he claims, he sent the paperwork but it wasn't received in time, and that part of the blame lies with the Italian post.
He also said that he was tested twice out of competition, in addition to the competition controls. He says that such harsh penalties for what he claims is administrative errors are unfair, but doesn't know what else to do.
Look - I have a feeling that Rasmussan was not exactly trying to make sure he was contacting them. I mean, a phone call? E-mail? We are in 2007, not 1907,
I want to beleive Rasmussan, if only because the sport does not need another debacle.
Look - I have a feeling that Rasmussan was not exactly trying to make sure he was contacting them. I mean, a phone call? E-mail? We are in 2007, not 1907,
I want to beleive Rasmussan, if only because the sport does not need another debacle.
I'm not taking sides, just reporting what he said.
Obviously, the riders know that the onus is on them.
interested
07-20-07, 03:32 AM
Look - I have a feeling that Rasmussan was not exactly trying to make sure he was contacting them. I mean, a phone call? E-mail? We are in 2007, not 1907,
I want to beleive Rasmussan, if only because the sport does not need another debacle.
Yeah, electronic submissions are of course the way to do it, unfortunately UCI doesn't allow that. It has to be snail mail, and yes the Italian postal system is dysfunctional. Just google "Italian postal system" to read the many stories about that: http://www.slowtrav.com/valerie/italy_post_office.htm
Please note that no one from UCI/DCU says that he didn't send it in time, they just received it too late.
Michael Rasmussen is being shafted by the UCI/DCU because they don't like his attitudes. They are on record stating that one of the reasons they won't allow him to race VM is they think he didn't sign the UCI contract fast enough; it's not that he didn't sign it before the deadline, just that he didn't sign it eagerly enough when it was presented to the riders.
--
Regards
Damn, Rasmussen was one of my favorite riders too...the one I look the most like!
Lithuania
07-20-07, 04:56 AM
GUILTY until proven innocent!
GUILTY until proven innocent!
But he is guilty. The rules are clear: three warnings in an 18 month span (two from ADD, plus one from UCI) and he can be disqualified from the Danish team.
Is that what you meant?
Lithuania
07-20-07, 05:10 AM
nope. i have no problem with why he was dropped from the team.
nope. i have no problem with why he was dropped from the team.
Hmmm...I have never been good at trolling...
For the record, while he is technically in violation of the rules (which Rasmussen has not disputed), like 'interested' says, there is something else going on here. Other theories include being one of the 'Men in Black' and signing the anti-doping charter in protest. Interestingly, he was allowed to ride in the Danish national championships after the decision to remove him from the team was made.
One thing is clear: you can all stop compaining about the French doping conspirators and start complaining about the Italians...
maddyfish
07-20-07, 06:55 AM
Why even test him? The only drugs he could be abusing are diet pills.
SunSwingsLow
07-20-07, 07:19 AM
This is as Paul and Phil said a real power struggle between the UCI and ASO. The timing of this announcement is not an accident. UCI wants to fire a shot at ASO and taking the man in yellow off the national team is the best possible way to do so.
Deliberate deception is one thing...A late filing of a diary is quite another.
I feel bad for Rasmuusen. And the UCI should be ashamed of the way they have handled this.
ElJamoquio
07-20-07, 07:31 AM
Why even test him? The only drugs he could be abusing are diet pills.
You have much to learn, grasshopper.
maddyfish
07-20-07, 07:39 AM
You have much to learn, grasshopper.
Sarcasm- learn it, live it.
maddyfish
07-20-07, 07:46 AM
Listen- I have NO DOUBT that every single rider in the tour is on dope. No doubt at all. When you watch it you have to suspend you disbelief. You might say, " how can they do 100 miles a day, day after day up over mountains, and keep going so fast?" well the answer is that they can't, it is the drugs.
This says it all:
The Dane, who is married to a Mexican and trains in Mexico, won stage eight on Sunday to take the overall lead in the Tour that now stands at more than two minutes.
Mexico is a notorious hotbed of doping, only matched by Spain.
Blaireau
07-20-07, 08:31 AM
This says it all:
The Dane, who is married to a Mexican and trains in Mexico, won stage eight on Sunday to take the overall lead in the Tour that now stands at more than two minutes.
Mexico is a notorious hotbed of doping, only matched by Spain.
But Doc, don't you know he trains in Mexico only because his wife is from there> :D:D:D:D
beat.tk
07-20-07, 10:03 AM
Naive question--one of the TdF commentators said these mini scandals are being brought up now, during the TdF, to discredit the race. What would be the point of that?
biffstephens
07-20-07, 10:32 AM
Naive question--one of the TdF commentators said these mini scandals are being brought up now, during the TdF, to discredit the race. What would be the point of that?
ASO the promoters of the TDF are in a power struggle with the UCI...so in general the UCI wants to punish ASO because of the power they have....vice versa....ASO wants to do what they want and they can....ala the Unibet issue....they are a pro tour team...they should have access to every pro tour race....but ASO is not letting them in...
It is all a power struggle....
timmhaan
07-20-07, 10:48 AM
yeah, the unibet thing is asinine.
SunSwingsLow
07-20-07, 11:06 AM
This ASO vs UCI is similar to what brought American open wheel racing down. Tony George the president of the Indianpolis Speedway thought his track and for that matter his opinion were more important than the sport itself. So he stopped allowing CART drivers to INDY and started his own league. Which has struggled mightly to even be a shadow of its former self. I dont see the ASO as being the only bad guy in this instance but having the sport at odds like this is very bad for the health of the sport in general.
alanbikehouston
07-20-07, 11:19 AM
The headline in the "New York Times" today was "Tour Leader Faces Ban After Missing 2 Drug Tests". The article says that Rasmussen has missed two drug tests since May, and that he has been told he will get a two year suspension if he misses another drug test.
THIS is exactly what the Tour de France needs: a guy who is racing under a cloud of suspicion. But, the GOOD news is, he will not be wearing the yellow jersey for long...the first time trial is tomorrow, and there is not drug in the world that would enable Rasmussen to win a time trial.
SunSwingsLow
07-20-07, 11:23 AM
The headline in the "New York Times" today was "Tour Leader Faces Ban After Missing 2 Drug Tests". The article says that Rasmussen has missed two drug tests since May, and that he has been told he will get a two year suspension if he misses another drug test.
THIS is exactly what the Tour de France needs: a guy who is racing under a cloud of suspicion. But, the GOOD news is, he will not be wearing the yellow jersey for long...the first time trial is tomorrow, and there is not drug in the world that would enable Rasmussen to win a time trial.
Can you tell me a year when the leader of the race wasnt under suspicion?
Blaireau
07-20-07, 11:44 AM
ASO the promoters of the TDF are in a power struggle with the UCI...so in general the UCI wants to punish ASO because of the power they have....vice versa....ASO wants to do what they want and they can....ala the Unibet issue....they are a pro tour team...they should have access to every pro tour race....but ASO is not letting them in...
It is all a power struggle....
Even good old Paul Sherwin got it:
"A lot of the day's action was overshadowed by the "leaked" news by the Danish Cycling Federation that Michael Rasmussen had failed to hand in his diary on time. I do not wish to judge Rasmussen as he leads this race, but I would like to question why the international governing body and the national federations seem to have embargoed information -- then managing to release it smack bang in the middle of the Tour. Were they looking for major publicity against the sport and the Tour organizers with whom they are in an on-going power struggle?"
Check out www.velonews.com someone is accusing him of doping in the past.
Moochers_Dad
07-20-07, 12:03 PM
Why even test him? The only drugs he could be abusing are diet pills.
And all that Anti-Growth Hormone he does.
beat.tk
07-20-07, 12:16 PM
www.velonews.com
Whoa. Here's the end of article:
"Richards said he finds it offensive that a rider he knows "for sure is mixed up with doping" is leading the Tour de France when the race is fighting for its survival.
"Look at what the Tour has gone through this past year," Richards said. "Ullrich, Basso and [Operación] Puerto last year, and the Telekom confessions this year. Riders are putting their salaries and their careers on the line to help convince people cycling is clean and this guy gets up and tells people, ‘You can trust me,' something I know for a fact is not true. The stupidity, the arrogance, the hubris... it's incomprehensible. Someone needs to know about this."
I have to admit, Richards's story sounds legitimate from what I've read so far. But I need to remind myself that it doesn't mean that he's doped up now.
SunSwingsLow
07-20-07, 12:32 PM
Wow.
Michigan
07-20-07, 12:42 PM
..But I need to remind myself that it doesn't mean that he's doped up now.
Right, and his insistence that Rasmussen is dirty in now, when he last saw evidence of his cheating back in 2002 makes this article pretty much worthless.
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