Interview with Rasmussen? Where is he?
- Thread starter donrhummy
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Apparently, he was interviewed by the associated press just hours before he was kicked out of the Tour. He said he was being victimized.
"Of course I'm clean," Rasmussen said, after a doping test following Wednesday's stage win. "Like I said, I've been tested 17 times now in less than two weeks. Both the peloton and the public, they're just taking their frustration out on me now. I mean, all I can say is that by now I had my test number 17 on this Tour, and all of those have come back negative. I don't feel I can do anymore than that."
That's last I heard from him.
"Of course I'm clean," Rasmussen said, after a doping test following Wednesday's stage win. "Like I said, I've been tested 17 times now in less than two weeks. Both the peloton and the public, they're just taking their frustration out on me now. I mean, all I can say is that by now I had my test number 17 on this Tour, and all of those have come back negative. I don't feel I can do anymore than that."
That's last I heard from him.
He spoke to a danish paper. I'll try to translate:kennf said:
"I'm crushed. I'm on the verge of tears. He didn't say anything to anyone. Not even the directors were informed. It's the work of a desperate man. He's on the verge of a nervous breakdown. My boss is crazy."
Oh, and also:
"This is a story of one man who thinks he recognised me. There isn't a hint of proof."
Disgraced cyclist Michael Rasmussen said his career was a ruins after he was pulled out of the Tour de France as leader, the Dutch Algemeen Dagblad daily said Thursday. Rasmussen, who was suspended by his Dutch team Rabobank on Wednesday night for lying in connection with his whereabouts earlier this year and missed doping tests, also claimed he did not know why he had to quit.
His team announced Thursday that it will continue the Tour de France, with the 17th stage set for later in the day, even though the other riders, according to Rasmussen, were "devastated."
The Tour de France ends on Sunday in Paris.
"I am ... aware my career has been ruined," said Rasmussen, who wore the yellow jersey as overall leader for almost a fortnight.
"I have no idea what to do or where to go. It is an enormous blow for me."
"I am sick of it, I am sick of it, I am sick of it," the 33-year- old said.
Rasmussen, 33, also claimed he did not know why he was dropped, saying that team boss "Theo de Rooy could not explain me what moved him to remove me from the Tour."
Rasmussen was pulled from the Tour and suspended by Rabobank late Wednesday, just hours after he won the 16th stage in the Pyrenees with which he all but secured the overall title.
Rabobank said that Rasmussen "broke team rules" in connection with missed doping tests.
"On several occasions, he claimed he was training, and that was a lie," de Rooy said. "Team management was warned several times and had received new information on Wednesday."
His team announced Thursday that it will continue the Tour de France, with the 17th stage set for later in the day, even though the other riders, according to Rasmussen, were "devastated."
The Tour de France ends on Sunday in Paris.
"I am ... aware my career has been ruined," said Rasmussen, who wore the yellow jersey as overall leader for almost a fortnight.
"I have no idea what to do or where to go. It is an enormous blow for me."
"I am sick of it, I am sick of it, I am sick of it," the 33-year- old said.
Rasmussen, 33, also claimed he did not know why he was dropped, saying that team boss "Theo de Rooy could not explain me what moved him to remove me from the Tour."
Rasmussen was pulled from the Tour and suspended by Rabobank late Wednesday, just hours after he won the 16th stage in the Pyrenees with which he all but secured the overall title.
Rabobank said that Rasmussen "broke team rules" in connection with missed doping tests.
"On several occasions, he claimed he was training, and that was a lie," de Rooy said. "Team management was warned several times and had received new information on Wednesday."
I'm told that the corporate entity, Rabobank, told the cycling team that they did not want their corporate name linked with people who are perceived to have cheated.
Rabobank - the esteemed Dutch Banking Group - I'm told, contacted the cycling team and told them to get rid of Rasmussen asap.
Only then did the team do what they should have done.
Despite the current crisis - i think that this is a positive development in that the sponsor realises that their corporate goodwill is tainted by having it's identity linked with a sport that is complicit with cheating.
I'm told that Rabobank Corporate are reviewing their commercial obligation to the team and the sport and are considering the termination of their involvement in this sport.
BTW : classic photo, Klodi!
Rabobank - the esteemed Dutch Banking Group - I'm told, contacted the cycling team and told them to get rid of Rasmussen asap.
Only then did the team do what they should have done.
Despite the current crisis - i think that this is a positive development in that the sponsor realises that their corporate goodwill is tainted by having it's identity linked with a sport that is complicit with cheating.
I'm told that Rabobank Corporate are reviewing their commercial obligation to the team and the sport and are considering the termination of their involvement in this sport.
BTW : classic photo, Klodi!
Tim Lamkin said:
Partially agree.
The problem with some corporate sponsors - such as private equity vehicles -is that they may have no corporate profile to speak of.
Such entities are sponsoring teams in cycling.
Rabobank are a commercial operation - with a very high public profile.
They spend millions in advertising and are a well known "bluechip" entity.
They don't want to have their good name tarnished by perceived cheating.
This would never work. Why should a sponsor do battle with dopers when it is much easier to pull their money and put it into another advertising avenue where they don't have to deal with the stench of doping?Tim Lamkin said:
It's the threat of losing sponsorship money that will clean up cycling. I expect to see a lot of changes for the 2008 season after a significant number of large dollar sponsors flee the sport.
That is what I just stated the sponsors needs to pull out, tell me where I sad the sponsor needs to do battle with the riders....duh
See post 292
http://www.cyclingforums.com/showthread.php?p=3422940#post3422940
See post 292
http://www.cyclingforums.com/showthread.php?p=3422940#post3422940
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