Why did Levi sign with Astana?

Guaps

Why did Levi sign with Astana knowing that the team had been banned from the Tour de France this year? I don't get all the talk about Let Levi Ride. I only casually follow this stuff, so can someone explain it to me?

Thanks

TheDarkLord

(a) He is too greedy for money (he definitely got offers from other teams).

(b) He is addicted to the cocktail of juice that Bruyneel feeds him, since his prowess would potentially reduce significantly without this magic potion.

Crankyfeet

I wasn't aware that Team Astana were banned from the Tour de France when Levi signed. I don't think this is the case. Though there was certainly a risk of it when he signed.

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Guaps

They may not have been. I don't know. That would certianly explain why he signed...

TheDarkLord

Of course Astana was not banned from Tour 2008 when Levi signed with them. But a couple of the real reasons he signed with the team are outlined in my post above.

Guaps

You say of course like I should have known that. That's what I was asking.

Your coctail comment helps me see why he'd sign with a team that even had the possibility of being banned.

TheDarkLord

Bruyneel is a very clever person. He is somehow able to run a juicing program that has a low chance of getting busted. How he does it, I don't know, but one possibility is collusion with the UCI (maybe he gave McQuaid money, maybe he has some blackmail material over him, whatever). Now, if Levi were to go to some other team, then he would lose this protection/juice. Do you really think he won the last time trial in the 2007 Tour by being clean? The gamble of sticking with Bruyneel failed this time because of ASO-UCI politics. Much of this is speculation of course, so you are free to not accept any of it.

Wyldsyde

Well the sport is in a big spot of bother then if the above is the case. I cant put my finger on it when but Johan has looked like the bad Superman in Superman 3 for some time now. Not that I can prove it but something about him looks dirty. Wasnt during the Lance years thats for sure. Levi signed with Astana because Johan took him to Astana when he signed on. Im more disapointed in Trek. I dont know why they are so smitten with Johan, but why the hell would Trek, in the clean American image that they are, sign with team dodgy? I know my local Trek dealer isnt too impressed now and seems to be putting more effort into Felt as a result. Nice bikes but.......Astana? Please!

Bro Deal

They were banned from the 2007 Vuelta, so a rider could have foreseen the likelyhood of problems in the 2008 season.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

LONGPATH

Why ban a team whose riders are all new to the team and ostensibly clean. Ban individuals not teams.

Rasmussen took off like a rocket from Contador and Leipheimer last year like they were standing still. Michael is good but he is not that good. So should we ban Rabobank? Hell NO!!!

Astana is not pure as the driven snow but the same could be said for a goodly number of other teams. Ullrich broke my heart. So did may other riders I followed over the years. Ban the rider not the team!

Look you may not like Leipheimer or Contador but I am already heart sick from watching races where some of the greats were missing. If they test clean let them ride. If they don't test clean then drop the hammer on them. What kind of race is it when last years 1 and 3 are sitting on the sidelines?

Why did Levi sign with Astana....he is a pro....so I would guess money and a team that would provide the personnel to help him win.

::dom::

Maybe Levi knows the TdF is not the only bike race in the world

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huboon

One comparison is college sports in America. When a coach is busted for recruiting violations or other forms of cheating, he may be fired but the school (including new and old student athletes) is still subject to punishment for a year or two after he is gone.

Also with Astana, the riders are not all new. According to CyclingNews database, these guys were all returned from last year:
Assan BAZAYEV
Antonio COLOM MAS
Koen DE KORT
Thomas FREI
René HASELBACHER
Maxim IGLINSKIY
Serguei IVANOV
Benoît JOACHIM
Aaron KEMPS
Andreas KLÖDEN
Julien MAZET
Andrey MIZOUROV
Steve MORABITO
Dmitriy MURAVYEV
Daniel NAVARRO GARCIA
Grégory RAST
Michael SCHÄR
Serguei YAKOVLEV

And even Contador was on Liberty Seguros which became Astana.

LONGPATH

I stand corrected sir. I still contend that if the riders are not positive for doping then you let them ride.