Rasmussen out of the tour!!!

[Bro Deal]

Anyhow, does anyone else have a suspicion that Rabobank is covering their ass a bit here? I just have this sneaking suspicion based on absolutely nothing that something's coming in the next few days i.e. Rabo knew Ras would've tested positive today or something along those lines.

My take on the situation is that Rabobank thought that Ras was only going for the mountains jersey. They knew that his missed tests might bring some criticism but thought it would be minor. When the missed tests were revealed, the team stuck with their guy, thinking it would blow over when Rasmussen lost the yellow jersey in the time trial.

Ras all along was planning to go for GC and to put the team in a position where they would have to support him instead of Menchov. He blitzed the ITT and the contraversy over him grew much larger as people realize that he could really win the Tour. Unfortunately for Rabobank, they had already defended Ras' behavior so they couldn't do anything without looking like fools.

Once it was revealed that Rasmussen had lied about where he was during June, Rabobank saw their opportunity to get rid of an embarassing situation.

 

[Klodifan]

i agree with bro

 

[David_Zen]

Yep! It's confirmed.

Prudhomme MUST have informed Rabo that they were going to lose their invitation to ALL ASO events if they didn't pull Rasmussen.

Yes, at first, I also felt that the ASO may have pressured Rabo to get rid of Rasmussen. Prudhomme himself admitted that the public pressure to get rid of Rasmussen had become unbearable. Of course, he did not say it in those exact words. But he did say, "we cannot say that Rasmussen cheated, but his flippancy and his lies on his whereabouts had become unbearable."

The truth is, no one wants a repeat of last year's (Landis) mess but because the ASO had no actual proof that Rasmussen was cheating, they could not just kick him out of the Tour. They had to find another way to pull the Chicken out of the oven before it blew up in all their faces. The only thing they had on him was the fact that he lied about his whereabouts. Still, until that could be proven, only the team management itself had the power to remove him from the Tour. So in the end it turns out that Rasmussen did himself in. He really should stop crying now about being victimized. Instead, he should apologize to everyone, especially to his former teammates and to all his fans who supported him.

 

[drm]

Re: Bro

That seems pretty logical, my main problem is that the lie about being in Mexico while he was really in Italy seems like something Rabobank would be able to live with considering Ras pretty much has the Yellow Jersey wrapped up.

I guess Rabobank is more worried about bad press that I had assumed.

 

[David_Zen]

My take on the situation is that Rabobank thought that Ras was only going for the mountains jersey. They knew that his missed tests might bring some criticism but thought it would be minor. When the missed tests were revealed, the team stuck with their guy, thinking it would blow over when Rasmussen lost the yellow jersey in the time trial.

Ras all along was planning to go for GC and to put the team in a position where they would have to support him instead of Menchov. He blitzed the ITT and the contraversy over him grew much larger as people realize that he could really win the Tour. Unfortunately for Rabobank, they had already defended Ras' behavior so they couldn't do anything without looking like fools.

Once it was revealed that Rasmussen had lied about where he was during June, Rabobank saw their opportunity to get rid of an embarassing situation.

That sounds like a pretty accurate analysis.

 

[Crankyfeet]

My take on the situation is that Rabobank thought that Ras was only going for the mountains jersey. They knew that his missed tests might bring some criticism but thought it would be minor. When the missed tests were revealed, the team stuck with their guy, thinking it would blow over when Rasmussen lost the yellow jersey in the time trial.

Ras all along was planning to go for GC and to put the team in a position where they would have to support him instead of Menchov. He blitzed the ITT and the contraversy over him grew much larger as people realize that he could really win the Tour. Unfortunately for Rabobank, they had already defended Ras' behavior so they couldn't do anything without looking like fools.

Once it was revealed that Rasmussen had lied about where he was during June, Rabobank saw their opportunity to get rid of an embarassing situation.

Further to that I don't think Rabobank have any real principle in this matter. They were just going to look real bad that they hadn't taken any action earlier, as the whole story started to unfold.

 

[mitosis]

Maybe this has been well covered in this thread, but I did skim it to find out...

Anyhow, does anyone else have a suspicion that Rabobank is covering their ass a bit here? I just have this sneaking suspicion based on absolutely nothing that something's coming in the next few days i.e. Rabo knew Ras would've tested positive today or something along those lines.

Does anyone know whether or not he was tested after the race?

I do (have that suspicion). It seems like the teams act early if they know the **** is about to hit the fan, in an effort to minimise the mess. They may have just been waiting for a bit of seriously damning evidence or they were "encouraged by the tour organisers".

 

[saluki]

so this begs the question... why are you here? DP would be much better suited where any inkling of a suspicion about Saint Lance is immediately dealt with.

Same dumb remark again and again. Just because we don't buy "Sinnister Lance" we must be pushing "Saint Lance". Are you so brain washed that you cannot think in anything but these extremes.

It's evident that you have to paint your opposition according to your moronic stereotype. And yet you people are so off the deep end that you cannot stand for a Disco fan to enjoy the teams success without attacking them for it.

Here's a news flash for you. I like Disco - warts and all. If that pisses you off, you can kiss my ass. End of story.

 

[earth_dweller]

End of story.

Really? promise?

 

[mitosis]

As an Aussie I am reassured by tom boonen's words:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul26news3

"Of the remaining favourites actually left in this year's race, Boonen picked Australian Cadel Evans as one of the riders he still trusts. "I have given up my belief in most of the rest," he confessed. "It is possible to ride the Tour without doping. And to ride and win, too. And Cadel Evans proves in my eyes that you could win it without doping.""

It would be interesting to get his opinion of the remaining riders in the top 10 (are there still 10 left?).

 

[saluki]

The us against the world attitude is extended to calling the moderator mine. Like it or not he is there for everyone.

Really? How many Disco/Armstrong bashing people has he thrown off the forum? You must think that you have a god given right to attack Disco and embarrass Disco fans with impunity otherwise you wouldn't be so blind to the imbalance in the discussions here. And now you cry like a three year old because someone is giving you the same that you've been giving all along. I have watched the forum from the outside and seen how creeps like you pile on and attack Musette. The petty, inane, and mean spirited attacks that you and your buddies engage in make dopers look like paragons of virtue.

 

[mitosis]

Really? How many Disco/Armstrong bashing people has he thrown off the forum? You must think that you have a god given right to attack Disco and embarrass Disco fans with impunity otherwise you wouldn't be so blind to the imbalance in the discussions here. And now you cry like a three year old because someone is giving you the same that you've been giving all along. I have watched the forum from the outside and seen how creeps like you pile on and attack Musette. The petty, inane, and mean spirited attacks that you and your buddies engage in make dopers look like paragons of virtue.

If you judged Musette's posts as harshly as you judge others on the forum you wouldn't say that.

Crying? Only with laughter.

Play the ball, not the man.

 

[Rob81]

If ContaPuerto will win..it'll be a HUGE SHAME!!!!! HUGE....

In the peloton everyone know what the others do....maybe this messed situation will bring others to open their mouth. I predict there is not going to be any start of stage today...

But the clean must begin also banning ex pro dopers as manager, seigneurs, mechanics, whatever linked to a bike!....they must be banned from cycling, any kind of job related to it....or we'll be forced to read reactions like this (Rominger) http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul26news3
what a li'l b'tard doped mouse...he "knows" nothing !

 

[saluki]

If you judged Musette's posts as harshly as you judge others on the forum you wouldn't say that.

Crying? Only with laughter.

Thanks for the perfect example.

 

[saluki]

If ContaPuerto will win..it'll be a HUGE SHAME!!!!! HUGE....

Shouldn't you be going after all those known Italian dopers instead of attacking a Spaniard for whom there is zero evidence of doping.

Petacchi
Mazzolini
Di Luca
Ricco
Moreni
Scarponi

 

[Tonto]

Shouldn't you be going after all those known Italian dopers instead of attacking a Spaniard for whom there is zero evidence of doping.

Petacchi
Mazzolini
Di Luca
Ricco
Moreni
Scarponi

Any reason you didn't mention Basso?

Oh, and Petacchi was cleared, or does that not count anymore?

 

[limerickman]

One can be happy for DC, and not happy with the general state of doping-related developments in cycling. Or is that distinction too complex for some to appreciate?

They're one in the same - there is no distinction.

 

[limerickman]

exactly. There are much better forums out there. shameful.

That's why you post here - because there are much better forums elsewhere.

Uncanny.

 

[Gregers]

I missed yesterday's stage live as I was away at a Case Conference discussing whether Musette should be committed to a secure medical facility. Avoiding all mention of the Tour, I finally got to see it by staying up through the night and watching a recording of the whole stage. And now I belatedly discover this. Seriously, it is my own sanity that I really ought to be analysing. Why do I waste my time watching a bunch of duplicitous lab rats going through this charade. It would have been a far more wholesome experience to have cleaned out the U-bends with my tongue rather than exposing myself to this much less pleasant form of shite. To cap it all, the first thing I hear on the subject is Uncle Pat with his usual spiel about proving we are beating the cheats/small minority/we are on top of it/insert own hollow cliche. Oh Christ, is this Groundhog Day, am I in a time warp, why do I care?

 

[chickenorkebab]

http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article321700.ece


RASMUSSEN: I HAVEN'T LIED

It pretty much says:

Someone thinks he noticed me in Italy. I can't understand that. Whatever the reports says, I have not lied about my whereabouts to the team - I was in Mexico.

I have not confessed lying to the team, and throwing me out of the race is madness.