My point exactly (from velonews):

"[Rasmussen] should never have been at the start," said Tour race director Christian Prudhomme, who was joined by ASO president Patrice Clerc at a morning press conference at the start village in Pau. "The UCI was aware of the matters [surrounding Rasmussen] as they had issued a warning letter on 29 June to Rasmussen. They should have allowed us to avoid this crisis."

If Rasmussan was telling the truth, he would have been able to garner the evidence. Innocent people do not act the way Rasmussan has acted. Hell - if I were in the yellow jersey, I would have brought to that Monday press conference ATM receipts, credit card statements, my passport, cell phone records, you name it in order to prove I was in Mexico.



You do realize he was riding in the TDF and not sitting at home during the off season don't you?

he lied because he was avoiding being tested for doping.

ed rader


sarcasm ed, sarcasm

You do realize he was riding in the TDF and not sitting at home during the off season don't you?

You have got to be kidding me. This guy is leading one of the biggest sporting events in the world in 2007. It seems to me if I were Rasmussan, my wife would have been on the first plane home the first day this became an issue to get the evidence.

It is not like he has to ride his bike home.:rolleyes:

I'll tell you what cements it for me - guys on the Rabobank board of directors (not the team board - the bank itself) weighed in as convinced that he'd lied to them. Bankers aren't usually apt to give in to speculation and sketchy evidence. These are guys who's life is built around being conservative. I think the bank had a lot more to gain from Chicken winning than they had to lose from him being popped for doping. They must have been dead certain of the facts before making this move.

Huh? Every hear of Enron? Most of the major bankers in the US were involved in the largest corporate scandal to date. . .Citibank, Chase, BOA, RBS. . .they all got snookered and/or were involved.

No, bankers aren't conservative. . .they are looking to make a buck and they realized this scandal was diluting their marketing dollars.

It should be easy to prove from his passport and the immigration stamps as to his whereabouts right?? Lets see if it comes to that or some smoke and mirrors explanation..

Passports do not get stamped at every border corssing. Most European countries do not stamp passports of EU citizens coming in from outside the EU. Schengen treaty eliminated passport checks between EU countries that signed it (including Italy and Denmark). To top it all, he is a Dane, lives in Monaco and married to a Mexican. How many passports do you think he has and which did he use?

So, establishing his history of travel may not be that easy based on passports alone.

Passports do not get stamped at every border corssing. Most European countries do not stamp passports of EU citizens coming in from outside the EU. Schengen treaty eliminated passport checks between EU countries that signed it (including Italy and Denmark). To top it all, he is a Dane, lives in Monaco and married to a Mexican. How many passports do you think he has and which did he use?

So, establishing his history of travel may not be that easy based on passports alone.

If he were clean, it ought to be easier for him to prove where he says he was through various receipts and so forth.

Gotcha...

So what we saw of Rasmussen in Stage 16 with all the waving and hand gesturing must be the cyclist's equivalent of 'roid rage??? :D

+100, will the really high-strung Michael Rasmussen please stand up ?
Michael, we hardly knew ye.

If he were clean, it ought to be easier for him to prove where he says he was through various receipts and so forth.

True, but if he went there with the intention of not being found then there is a lot he can do to hide his whereabouts. Have others pay for his expenses, have someone use his cellphone and credit card in the place he was claiming to be, stay at someone's home and not a hotel, etc. It's not like he went to Italy as an innocent tourist and then came across a doping opportunity on a street corner in Rome.

Gotcha...

So what we saw of Rasmussen in Stage 16 with all the waving and hand gesturing must be the cyclist's equivalent of 'roid rage??? :D

Phil and Paul kept saying he was waving at the motorbikes, but it sure looked to me like he was upset with the spectators at least some of the time. He was clearly a very despised rider yesterday.

It's not like he went to Italy as an innocent tourist and then came across a doping opportunity on a street corner in Rome.

When I was a kid, I would run across people on street corners who wanted to sell me dope. But somehow I think the stuff they were selling wouldn't have helped with performance :eek:.

Phil and Paul kept saying he was waving at the motorbikes, but it sure looked to me like he was upset with the spectators at least some of the time. He was clearly a very despised rider yesterday.

I had a different impression: It seemed to me that he wanted the motorcycle out of the way so he could make a charge without it being in the way, like they were the day before. And indeed, he did make a jump a the end, which makes it seem more likely.

We have yet to see evidence from either side other than one possible proposed sighting of him in Italy which is completely circumstantial thus far. It's a classic case of ``guilty until proven innocent.''

Oh, and the eurowhatever.yahoo.com guys are clowns. They said in one statement, ``Testing is 100% today and someone doping will be found and booted instantly'' then followed it up later with, ``Rasmussen was tested 14 times and passed every one.''

If he turns out to be innocent, it's a shame that he'll never have known what it's like to win the Tour de France.

If he turns out to be innocent, it's a shame that he'll never have known what it's like to win the Tour de France.

If he turns out to be innocent for what? He wasnt booted for doping. He was removed by his own team for missing tests and not reporting his where abouts correctly. Im a rasmussen fan and im bummed that he is kicked out but i certainly dont think its unjust. It most likely could have been handled better by having him not start the tour but I can complain about the expulsion itself.

Right now, all we know is that MR was sent home for lying about his whereabouts, esp to his team manager, and from that...the implication that he was deliberately avoiding the drug tests. MR could very well be "clean" and he certainly passed all the TdF drug tests he had to take. The Team and Rabobank must have their own intel before making their decision...maybe plane tickets, hotel stays, phone records, CC charges, etc etc was found that placed MR in Italy for those disputed dates. In the current atmoshere at the TdF, any missteps are magnified and accusations/questions are leveled almost routinely. With most of the riders owning cell phones, a text message or voicemail could have been left about MR needed to take his drug test, but we don't know it that was done or if the testers even had his cell number or Mexican home phone number. To be frank, MR should have taken the test before he went to Mexico or Italy or wherever. RM claims to have asked how long he was good for before the next test.

^^

Actually we don't even know if he lied. He says he didn't, Rabo says he did. We'll have to wait and see. If I were him (and I was really in Mexico) I'd sue the living daylights out of Rabo and ASO.

Yeah, but it also involves training in the mountains, and I don't know if Mexico has mountains with paved roads that would be good for training.

Just in case nobody answered before... yes they do have mountains. BTW mexico city is a high altitude city.

Just in case nobody answered before... yes they do have mountains. BTW mexico city is a high altitude city.


It is, but his doctor probably lives in italy

To pick up on earlier posts in this thread . . .

"I'm shattered. I'm on the verge of tears," said Rasmussen today, quoted in the Danish tabloid BT. "I was not in Italy. Not at all. That's the story of one man who believes he recognised me. There is no hint of evidence."

Other reports have the DS of Rabobank saying that Rasmussen admitted he was in Italy. Can Rasmussen be so stupid as to admit this to the DS and then publicly deny ever being in Italy? Or is the DS lying about Rasmussen's admission?

It is, but his doctor probably lives in italy

Well... i dont think it is hard to find a mexican doctor to put you stuff in you know, besides it is cheaper in mexico :)

Oh somebody said something about the passports, I really doubt Ras has a mexican passport, in a matter of fact for a foreign person to be mexican is a pain in the ars! Then mexicans complain about how hard it is become american citizen, south of the border is even harder, well.... who wants to be mexican anyways... Actually in mexico by law if you are foreign, you have to pay extra taxes and stuff every year so i really doubt MR will get a mexican passport anyday soon.... Probably a mexican drivers licence, for 10 bucks u can get one :P no kidding...

Thanks...

I am deeply saddened by all of this...first, I have an affinity for Denmark and Danish riders. Second, I was thrilled to see Ras doing so well in the Tour this year; I've always liked his style. Ras is not guilty of anything except, it appears, lying to his employer. That is enough to get you fired from most any job and if he did that, he should be fired. If someone lied to me in my line of work, I'd fire them on the spot. It's just very sad to see him go down like this. However, until and unless evidence comes out that he did in fact dope, please don't call him a cheat. The circumstances may lead one to the conclusion that he is a cheat, but he has not tested positive for anything. If that changes and if the process isn't the flawed clusterjob that Floyd's saga was, I'll be the first to call him a cheat. Until then, he's only guilty of deceiving his employer, and that conclusion is only based on what I've read in the news. Far be it from me to say I know all of the facts in this or any other case. I can only base my opinion on what I've seen and read.

By the way, I've read Floyd's book and I think and hope he is innocent...I also believe Lance did not cheat. Call me whatever you want to, but that's what I believe.

This may be a smoking gun: Rassmussen photographed in Italy in May (http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1c91c89e2e6047f3a96cb3c58d9079f2.italy_cycling_rasmussen_mil103&prov=ap).

It would be pretty easy to prove if you were in Mexico for a month if you wanted to. Everyone carries a cell phone with a camera and then has five more devices with cameras built in. If he was there with his wife and her family, someone would have taken a photo or seven.

There's tickets, e-mail, receipts, and PEOPLE who would have seen him in Mexico. Maybe one person said he saw him in Italy; but zero people have come forward to say they saw him training in Mexico.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3721/mexicanrasmussengq0.jpg

This may be a smoking gun: Rassmussen photographed in Italy in May (http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1c91c89e2e6047f3a96cb3c58d9079f2.italy_cycling_rasmussen_mil103&prov=ap).

I really hope these photos are wrong and not actually from that date.

(Found this one too - the site claims it's him in his bike shop in Italy on May 8, 2007)
http://images.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/articles/2007/07/26/ap/sports/d8qklkrg0.jpg
http://images.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/articles/2007/07/26/ap/sports/d8qklkrg0.jpg

I am deeply saddened by all of this...first, I have an affinity for Denmark and Danish riders. Second, I was thrilled to see Ras doing so well in the Tour this year; I've always liked his style. Ras is not guilty of anything except, it appears, lying to his employer. That is enough to get you fired from most any job and if he did that, he should be fired. If someone lied to me in my line of work, I'd fire them on the spot. It's just very sad to see him go down like this. However, until and unless evidence comes out that he did in fact dope, please don't call him a cheat. The circumstances may lead one to the conclusion that he is a cheat, but he has not tested positive for anything. If that changes and if the process isn't the flawed clusterjob that Floyd's saga was, I'll be the first to call him a cheat. Until then, he's only guilty of deceiving his employer, and that conclusion is only based on what I've read in the news. Far be it from me to say I know all of the facts in this or any other case. I can only base my opinion on what I've seen and read.

By the way, I've read Floyd's book and I think and hope he is innocent...I also believe Lance did not cheat. Call me whatever you want to, but that's what I believe.


Nah - I will still call him a cheat. Why you ask?

He lied to us and his employer. He evaded the testing authorities and overall, acted in a manner that anyone with a brain larger than President Bush's would realize can really only be explained by one thing: he was trying to evade the testers because he "gasp" did not want to be tested. No innocent rider would act in the manner he acted in. You do not jeapordize your career and essentially treat the organizations you have the "privledge" (not the "right") to ride under with such disdain unless to do otherwise would be worse.

My opinion is that I would rather assume all are doping or all acting the way Rasmussan acted are guilty and risk smearing a clean rider along the way, than assume the best, and let them all continue to cheat us, the fans, the sponsors and the sport. Rasmussan's antics are in large part going to cause many, many other riders, mechanics and others who depend on sponsorship money for their livelihoods to be out of work this fall, looking for most likely lesser paying positions because the money is drying up. So please do not ask us to spare "poor" Mr. Rasmussan from being called a cheat.

As my father laid it down to me growing-up: if you act guilty, I can only assume you are guilty or else I will end up making a fool out of myself.

Nah - I will still call him a cheat. Why you ask?

He lied to us and his employer. He evaded the testing authorities and overall, acted in a manner that anyone with a brain larger than President Bush's would realize can really only be explained by one thing: he was trying to evade the testers because he "gasp" did not want to be tested. No innocent rider would act in the manner he acted in. You do not jeapordize your career and essentially treat the organizations you have the "privledge" (not the "right") to ride under with such disdain unless to do otherwise would be worse.


You've never taken a day off and said you were sick when you weren't?

Not saying this is what happened but these guys have to be available for testing 365 days a year. Vacation is NOT an excuse. They can come test you on vacation too. Maybe he just wanted a day off. (Again, not saying that's what happened but it is a possibility)

This may be a smoking gun: Rassmussen photographed in Italy in May (http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1c91c89e2e6047f3a96cb3c58d9079f2.italy_cycling_rasmussen_mil103&prov=ap).

I don't know what that says on his shirt, but it doesn't look polite.

I havent read all the posts in this thread. However, if Ras was thrown out for allegedly lying about his whereabouts and the "proof" is some dude claiming he saw him in Italy and some photos from a Bike Shop, then I feel bad for him (Ras).

I'm not a Ras fan by any stretch of the imagination ... but he rode a great TdF and clearly was the strongest in the race. What should have been a pinnacle moment of his life's work, was taken away to leave him in disgrace. I really hope there is more to this story than we currently have knowledge of, from the limited amount of reading I've done on this, his life has been ruined based on what is nothing more than conjecture. Put the suicide watch on.

I havent read all the posts in this thread. However, if Ras was thrown out for allegedly lying about his whereabouts and the "proof" is some dude claiming he saw him in Italy and some photos from a Bike Shop, then I feel bad for him (Ras).

I'm not a Ras fan by any stretch of the imagination ... but he rode a great TdF and clearly was the strongest in the race. What should have been a pinnacle moment of his life's work, was taken away to leave him in disgrace. I really hope there is more to this story than we currently have knowledge of, from the limited amount of reading I've done on this, his life has been ruined based on what is nothing more than conjecture. Put the suicide watch on.

Rabobank is stating the 'proof' is that Raz admitted he was in Italy to them, ie, admitted lying to them.

I really hope these photos are wrong and not actually from that date.

(Found this one too - the site claims it's him in his bike shop in Italy on May 8, 2007)
http://images.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/articles/2007/07/26/ap/sports/d8qklkrg0.jpg
http://images.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/articles/2007/07/26/ap/sports/d8qklkrg0.jpg

Well, I can tell you that I just looked into the AP archives, which I have access to, and there is an entire shoot of Rasmussen posing in this bike shop. They are all taken by the same photographer, an AP staff photographer who covers sports, fashion, politics, etc.

In the metadata all the photos show the original creation date as that date, and there are editors notes that state the photos were taken May 8th. The AP editors would not mark that in their "special instructions" field of the metadata except for actual verification purposes in a situation like this, so I can tell you, yes, that is the date the images were taken, as verified by the AP.

Just in case nobody answered before... yes they do have mountains. BTW mexico city is a high altitude city.
It's also one of the most polluted cities on the planet...certainly not where you would go to train for an aerobic sport.

Well, I can tell you that I just looked into the AP archives, which I have access to, and there is an entire shoot of Rasmussen posing in this bike shop. They are all taken by the same photographer, an AP staff photographer who covers sports, fashion, politics, etc.

In the metadata all the photos show the original creation date as that date, and there are editors notes that state the photos were taken May 8th. The AP editors would not mark that in their "special instructions" field of the metadata except for actual verification purposes in a situation like this, so I can tell you, yes, that is the date the images were taken, as verified by the AP.

Wow. Does it state the location?

And when did they add that note? Does it tell you the date that the "special instructions" note was added to the pictures?

Well, I can tell you that I just looked into the AP archives, which I have access to, and there is an entire shoot of Rasmussen posing in this bike shop. They are all taken by the same photographer, an AP staff photographer who covers sports, fashion, politics, etc.

In the metadata all the photos show the original creation date as that date, and there are editors notes that state the photos were taken May 8th. The AP editors would not mark that in their "special instructions" field of the metadata except for actual verification purposes in a situation like this, so I can tell you, yes, that is the date the images were taken, as verified by the AP.
Why would they have needed to verify the dates at the time the pics were taken. It's not like they knew on May 8th that two months later this scandal would erupt.

Wow. Does it state the location?

And when did they add that note? Does it tell you the date that the "special instructions" note was added to the pictures?

Don, he has admitted to his team that he was in Italy. What more do you need?

... Brad

Wow. Does it state the location?

And when did they add that note? Does it tell you the date that the "special instructions" note was added to the pictures?

Lazise, as the caption states. Pics were filed from the Milan bureau so that would probably be the bureau the photog is based. Creation date for the images I looked at was May 8th, and the submit date was July 26th (yesterday). The archive I am looking at only goes back a couple weeks. So most likely, a couple pix were filed way back when for the original story, and then yesterday, because the photographer and his editors knew they had much more in the take, went back and did a re-edit and submitted a bunch more images to the system because of the news value. It is very common to go into a shoot later and pull more images from the take when the person is back in the news.

So it looks like that happened yesterday, and that is when the editors most likely put the notation in the special instructions field (this is in addition to the automatically generated creation date which is pulled from the metadata of the file) to clarify for AP members specifically when the image was taken, since most AP members will be asking that very question. It is a notation to say, "yes, indeed the image was taken on May 8th."

The photog probably had his raw take archived at home, or on his laptop, whereas the AP archives only had the few images that were filed for the origianal story. It is very common to dig into a raw take for more images. If it is the same image that was already put out on the AP wire, it is called a "file" image. If it is a fresh image from that take that never hit the wire, it is not a "file " image. AP style is that it states it is a file image in the caption if its a filer.

Anyway, the AP is a perfectly credible source and they go through great lenghths to verify a fact like that before they would put it on the wire.

Don, he has admitted to his team that he was in Italy. What more do you need?

... Brad

Actually, I don't think he did because his only public comments were that he was on the verge of tears and the info that he was in Italy was wrong (paraphrasing because I am too lazy right now to pull thew quote off cyclingnews.com)

Anyway, the AP is a perfectly credible source and they go through great lenghths to verify a fact like that before they would put it on the wire.

There is no question that's why Rabobank sacked Ras. It certainly wasn't for any moral reasons. They (Rababank) knew this (proof) was coming out.

... Brad

Actually, I don't think he did

If he didn't then his team managers lied to the press. I guess that's possible.

However, there is no doubt that Ras was in Italy, and that he did lie about it. That's the bottom line.

... Brad

^agreed

I havent read all the posts in this thread. However, if Ras was thrown out for allegedly lying about his whereabouts and the "proof" is some dude claiming he saw him in Italy and some photos from a Bike Shop, then I feel bad for him (Ras).



I had been leaning strongly on the side of not enough evidence, nothing new. But this now gives 2 independent sources placing him in Italy when he "was in Mexico". The photos are especially d@mning as it seems (and makes sense) that they were taken by AP and logged as to date taken. Add in that the AP Photos were on a date where he missed a drug test and the balance turns.

Now why he would do a bike photo session providing the smoking gun is an interesting question. It raises the possibility he is just a total fool. Actualy since it is this year it almost makes it sure he is a fool whne combined with missing the test and his subsequent evasions. The only remaining question is he a doping fool or not. But to me HIS actions have now put the missed tests issue into the same class as someone who refuses a field sobriety test. Presumed drunk and his own fault, no one elses.

People, the TEAM threw THE GUY THEY HAD IN YELLOW off the team!

Whatever the real story is, and we may never know, surely you understand they would make every effort to avoid having to do this if they could.

Unless you're questioning the sanity of the team's management, it's like questioning someone's decision to have his arm amputated. "Are you sure you had to do that? It wasn't just a hang nail, I hope. I'm sad for the arm. " :rolleyes:

Why would they have needed to verify the dates at the time the pics were taken. It's not like they knew on May 8th that two months later this scandal would erupt.

If the pics were taken with a digital camera, and if the user set it up his camera properly, then they'd be automatically date stamped.

I feel kind of bad about the way that Rasmussen was kicked out, just as it seemed that he'd practically clinched the victory. I also understand that he's not being kicked out directly for doping, but for allegedly lying. However, the presumption appears to be that the lying was to aid him in some kind of doping.

So what specific type of doping is suspected that didn't show up on any of the tests he was given during the tour? What's this about asthma treatments? If they involve medications, and if they are known to benefit people without asthma, wouldn't the doping tests look for traces of these?

Just asking. This is all rather new to me.

If the pics were taken with a digital camera, and if the user set it up his camera properly, then they'd be automatically date stamped.

Folks, this is a non-issue. Ras has already ADMITTED to his team that he was in Italy. Rabobank has stated so - and they stated that's why he was sacked.

For those of you who somehow think Ras was indeed in Mexico, please tell me why Rabobank lied?

... Brad

If the pics were taken with a digital camera, and if the user set it up his camera properly, then they'd be automatically date stamped.


He said editing the "special instructions" field was a separate step.

People, the TEAM threw THE GUY THEY HAD IN YELLOW off the team!

Whatever the real story is, and we may never know, surely you understand they would make every effort to avoid having to do this if they could.

Unless you're questioning the sanity of the team's management, it's like questioning someone's decision to have his arm amputated. "Are you sure you had to do that? It wasn't just a hang nail, I hope. I'm sad for the arm. " :rolleyes:

The sponsor wants good publicity - that's why they pay millions of Euros to support a cycling team. Ras was getting universally bad responses from fans, other cyclists and the press. Rabbobank probably decided by dumping him they would get more good PR than if they let him win the tour and had to deal with all the public backlash of an unpopular tour winner. Strictly from a PR point of view I think they did the right thing...the public reaction has been all good.

Rabbobank probably decided by dumping him they would get more good PR than if they let him win the tour and had to deal with all the public backlash of an unpopular tour winner. Strictly from a PR point of view I think they did the right thing...the public reaction has been all good.

They were between a rock and a hard place. They chose the rock. They (Rabobank) KNEW that Ras had missed tests before le Tour, yet they didn't report it to le Tour officials. They only took him out because they KNEW evidence proving him to be in Italy was forthcomming. In other words, they knew he'd be sacked in the end. So why wait for the fallout? It certainly wasn't done for any moral reasons, or becasue they thought Ras would be an unpopular victor. He was getting the boot one way or the other. He was lucky to only receive the soft end of the shoe.

The real irony is that had Ras not been in yellow and staged to win the entire race, there would have been no scrutiny and he would still be racing today. Certainly Rabobank wouldn't have ratted him out.

... Brad

Folks, this is a non-issue. Ras has already ADMITTED to his team that he was in Italy. Rabobank has stated so - and they stated that's why he was sacked.

For those of you who somehow think Ras was indeed in Mexico, please tell me why Rabobank lied?

... Brad

Brad, you are right... (actually we are both right) this from cyclingnews.com

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/news/?id=/news/2007/jul07/jul26news2

According to hln.be, former professional Davide Cassani, now a commentator for Italian TV station RAI, made a statement to Danish TV on Wednesday in which he claimed to have seen the Rabobank leader training in the Italian Dolomites on June 13 and 14. Rasmussen had previously declared that he was in Mexico from June 4 - 26. "When Rasmussen was confronted with this information he confirmed to (team manager) Theo de Rooy he was at that moment in Italy," said Rabobank press officer Jacob Bergsma. "That was the reason De Rooy decided to get him out of the Tour and the team."

And he was quoted as saying something completely contradictory to a Danish newspaper:

http://http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26072007/58/tour-de-france-menchov-quits-rasmussen-hits.html

He told Danish tabloid BT: "I am shattered. I am on the verge of tears. I was not in Italy. Not at all. That's the story of one man who believes he recognised me. There is no hint of evidence.

"My career is ruined. I have no idea what I should do or where I will go. This is an enormous blow for me, and also for all the guys from the Rabo team. They're devastated," he was also quoted in Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

Which shows he's lying to the public just as he defrauded the public with his deceptive behavior. The photo shoot places him there May 8th and the cycling commentator placed him there in June. QED.

It's also one of the most polluted cities on the planet...certainly not where you would go to train for an aerobic sport.

UNless your training for Beijing 2008. I mean, you need to adjust to the particulate matter.

You've never taken a day off and said you were sick when you weren't?

Not saying this is what happened but these guys have to be available for testing 365 days a year. Vacation is NOT an excuse. They can come test you on vacation too. Maybe he just wanted a day off. (Again, not saying that's what happened but it is a possibility)

Not an effective analogy. This was not a sick day. He could have easily taken a day off and still reported his whereabouts.

A more effective analogy would be when my firm sends to to some city for training, they trust I am at training. But, when it was in Miami last year, I could have decided instead to go to Miami beach, and tell the firm I was at the training. This is essentially what Rasmussan did, except, he told them he was at Miami Beach, when in actuality, he was at the training all along. Go figure.

OK - so contrary to his official travel itinerary, he was in Italy, missed out of competition doping controls, did not revise his travel locations in the manner required, tried to cover it up, and rode the best TT of his life. That's still all smoke, and could be explained by him just being negligent, committing an administrative error, and riding the TT of his life, not necessarily him doping. The mountain stages he rode - we've seen him do that before.

I've still got to think (and I hope) that Rabobank has more info. than what has been issued for public consumption, and that the info includes him actually admitting to doping or failing some type of control. An administrative error does not equal doping.

All said, I believe Ras has been doping for years, but I dont think a fair burden of proof has been achieved in this circumstance.

If requirements of his employ require him to tell governing bodies of his whereabouts in order to facilitate off season testing and he repeatedly failed to do that, despite his salary then he really shouldn't have been allowed to start the race to begin with. You don't like the rules made to curb drug use in the sport, don't ride for a pro team. For that money I'd wear a ankle bracelet. Slow post isn't an excuse either. I'd make damned sure they knew where I was. Doesn't he have a history of this with multiple governing bodies? Do we to put chips in our athletes so we can track 'em by satellite?

I do think it's pretty crappy to yank him out after allowing him to start.... that's politics at it's finest.
Spare the team the grief next time and fill the roster with complying riders.