TDF - Rasmussen: What really happened

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http://www.nrc.nl/achtergrond/article874819.ece/%3Cb%3EEnglish_version%3C%2Fb%3E_the_Rasmussen_schandal

The most thoroughly researched and detailed writeup on the whole TDF-Ras scandal.

Perhaps the most interesting thing in the article:

The Rabobank team planned to grant only two interviews with Rasmussen, to the Danish and Dutch television, on the rest day in Pau, on July 24th. But the management of the Tour de France intervened. It ordered the team to give a press conference for all media. The management warned De Rooij. If after the press conference any doubts about the integrity of the Danish rider remained, ASO would take Rasmussen out of the race.


Pat McQuaid claims that ASO also put pressure on the main office of the bank in Utrecht. The logic of the ASO must have been simple. Rasmussen was damaging the Tour de France. If Rabobank wanted to start in the Tour of 2008, they had to act. ,,I heard about several phone calls’’, McQuaid says. ,,And pressuring the sponsor fits the pattern of ASO.’’ Vincent Pijpers denies that the bank was in touch with the ASO, but confirms that the management of the Tour put an ultimatum to De Rooij. ,,ASO was desperate. They told De Rooij: you’d better come up with a full explanation.’’ McQuaid: ,,ASO played a crucial role in taking Rasmussen out the Tour de France.’’

I think this has already been posted in this (http://www.cyclingforums.com/t444082.html) thread here (http://www.cyclingforums.com/showpost.php?p=3675548&postcount=28).