Road Bike Racing - Rasmussen Receives 2 Year Suspension

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HigherGround
07-01-08, 11:56 AM
According to CyclingNews.com, it looks like the Chicken is cooked (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jul08/jul01news3):


Nearly one year after he was forced to leave the Tour de France while wearing the race leader's maillot jaune, Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen has been suspended for two years for missing out-of-competition doping controls prior to the race.

The Monaco cycling federation, with whom the 34 year-old former Rabobank rider carries a racing licence, released its decision today following a hearing on May 28, according to Rasmussen's manager Moreno Nicoletti. Rasmussen has the right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Rasmussen was withdrawn from the Tour de France after being fired by Rabobank for missing three anti-doping controls. He reportedly missed two controls carried out by the Danish Cycling Federation and one by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

The suspension is expected to be back-dated to start on the day he left the 2007 Tour de France, July 25.

Meanwhile, a verdict in the ongoing court case between Rasmussen and Rabobank, in which the Dane is claiming damages of 5.5 million euros from his former employer, is expected tomorrow in Utrecht, The Netherlands.


TheJackMove
07-01-08, 11:58 AM
This is amazing. Just one day after 2 years of deliberation on the Flandis case we can start all over again.

HigherGround
07-01-08, 12:18 PM
If the suspension is backdated to last year, it may not be that big of a deal. It doesn't look like Michael had any plans to race this year, and a comeback for next year would be questionable at best - if any team would have him.


Pedaleur
07-01-08, 02:05 PM
Translated from Jyllands Posten:

"According to Danish cycle expert Henrik Jul Hansen, Rasmussen is being hit especially hard because of his nationality. He was disqualified for an offense that in all probability, no one would take a Frenchman out for."

Hee, hee. They're blaming the French.