Bombshell - Rasmussen will not start tour tomorrow... what else is new!



Unbelievable! You have to feel sorry for the Tour organizers who did so much to try to ensure that the Tour was raced clean. 1st Floyd and now this. The cycling culture of cheating is dying ugly.
 
Wow, this is the first tour that I've watched as someone actually interested in cycling and this whole thing is depressing me as much as the Olympics have been.
 
That's pretty f...ed up. I'm not even going to watch the rest and don't give a **** who wins....
 
Will whoever "wins" have actually won, or will it be a contest of of who had the best dope?

I'd love to see someone come in with a squeaky-clean team and take every stage. How awesome would that be?
 
batjerk said:
I'd love to see someone come in with a squeaky-clean team and take every stage. How awesome would that be?
Awesome but dammn near impossible... well maybe not if riders keep getting axed like this.

And I guess it's safe to say everyone knows who wins - contador. Maybe levi. I dunno if I were contador I wouldn't even bother trying to win at this point (what's the point what competition does he have now?).
 
IMHO, I think the best way to end this year's tdf is to just not continue. What point is it to continue if after a few days another rider will test positive. Better to end it now, while the tour has a little more dignity left.

Damn, I woke up 3:30AM PST just to watch the last mountain stage. As a fan, I felt so betrayed by these idiot riders who think they can go away undetected! They should be banned in cycling for life and taught a lesson they will never forget! :mad:
 
tanggoman said:
IMHO, I think the best way to end this year's tdf is to just not continue. What point is it to continue if after a few days another rider will test positive. Better to end it now, while the tour has a little more dignity left.

Damn, I woke up 3:30AM PST just to watch the last mountain stage. As a fan, I felt so betrayed by these idiot riders who think they can go away undetected! They should be banned in cycling for life and taught a lesson they will never forget! :mad:

I got up at 7:15. Anyway, after reading the thread on bikeforums I think I will continue to watch because, as was pointed out by a poster there, watching the tour shows support for what the officials are doing to clean up the sport even if it means throwing out top riders.
 
tanggoman said:
IMHO, I think the best way to end this year's tdf is to just not continue.
Maybe, and it seems as though a few teams are doing just that... but to officially end the tour becuase of a doping problem would be an insult to the tour's legacy.

There are riders in this tour who have very little relation to what's going on. Boonen for one. And I don't think it's fair to ruin it for them... Even though doping has already done this for lots of other riders in the tour... the officials should never do the same.
 
It's total ******** Rassmussen should suffer so much for "missed whereabouts." The Yellow Jersey and Danish team is just too much loss. And he didn't even dope.

Totally stupid for Vinourkourov to do what he did and make Astana pull out. Very surprisely since he was banned before for cheating too. Kloden would have done good for the team, they should have put hopes in him and put Vino aside this year.

I now hope Contador wins!

When will we get back Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton!
 
It's total ******** Rassmussen should suffer so much for "missed whereabouts." The Yellow Jersey and Danish team is just too much loss. And he didn't even dope.

Totally stupid for Vinourkourov to do what he did and make Astana pull out. Very surprisely since he was banned before for cheating too. Kloden would have done good for the team, they should have put hopes in him and put Vino aside this year.

I now hope Contador wins!

When will we get back Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso!
 
The organisers have handled this whole Rasmussen affair pretty badly as have Rabobank. He's still not tested positive, seems guilty under suspicion.
Wonder what the French press have to say about a guy who protests on the start line knowing him was doped up! Think these drugs much give you energy but remove brain cells.
Must say though when I stayed up late to Ras cruise over the line I wasn't sure if I was watching a clean rider. I suppose they want him out in case they get a repeat of the Floyd debacle.
Good to see Petacchi was innocent, seems to have been missed that story!
innocent until proven guilty!
 
Yeah, I'm disgusted as well. I don't blame Team Discovery for feeling the way they do/did after the news- total disappointment. As not only will this water-down their ultimate TDF victory..but will more importantly tarnish the sport for years to come. And, the worst part is..I don't think it's EVER going to get any better...it's out of control. And, it's not only cycling..it's EVERY sport...it seems like every professional athlete is looking for the magic pill or easy way of improving performance whether it's via blood doping, drug use, or whatever. I just read in the USA Today about steroid use on the PGA Tour and how that is benefitting young golfers. Is it the money that ruins these athletes? Are they truly willing to jeopardize their careers/reputation for a win? What's next? Sheesh
 
robwatson35 said:
The organisers have handled this whole Rasmussen affair pretty badly as have Rabobank. He's still not tested positive, seems guilty under suspicion.
Ras missed four random out of competition doping tests. He is required to inform the authorities where he is at all time so he can be tested. During the three weeks before the Tour he told them he was in Mexico but unable to tell them of his exact whereabouts becuase he didn't have e-mail or a FAX machine. He actually was in Italy and an Italian cycling commentator saw him there. When confronted, Ras admitted that he was actually in Italy. And that was the end of a lying scumbag.

Sneaking off to train with Armstrong's dope doc, Dr. Ferrari, will get you in trouble.
 
All well and good he lied about where he was, the fact is that he missed the tests and that is what Prudhomme is so upset about not where he was but the fact that he missed dope tests, Rabobank have been put under pressure from Prudhomme (probably told they won't be in next years tour) to get rid of Ras on a technicality. All the while UCI knew all about this but didn't inform Prudhomme, yet again the timing is terrible, the handling of all these tests during the tour is rubbish. Sinkewitz heard while in hospital from a reporter and it was conducted at a lab that no one knew about. I've personally been through French sporting bureacracy and believe me they will do everything in their power to make it harder for you.

The Authorities, UCI, need to hold their hand up as well!
 
I'm kind of glad, it did seem like he was "really" tired the whole ride today, then, "hey, I'm all better, now I win", besides, now my guy, Levi might win!:)
 
JTE83 said:
It's total ******** Rassmussen should suffer so much for "missed whereabouts." The Yellow Jersey and Danish team is just too much loss. And he didn't even dope.
I understand what you are thinking when you write this. but i think it is good that they aren't going to give them any room. they should be strict or the problem will just continue. im sure it puts fears into many of the riders when they know a team who holds the lead will fire the leader because he missed some requirement. its a good step in the correct direction.
 
Well, it sucks that Rass is gone, I was starting to like him very much as a rider and it's really unfortunate that this is happening.

But I'm glad that they're not letting anyone off the leash, regardless of who they are.

I still love cycling despite the bad rep some riders are giving it to and I will continue watching the Tour for as long as I live and VS as well.

Overall, Go Discovery!