Rasmussen out of the tour!!!

[donrhummy]

And it just so happens that none of those teams have anyone in the top 10. Those must be the clean teams.

Moreni wasn't clean. Oh, and he wasn't in the top 10 either.

 

[Denia]

I also think that when you throw in Basso, Hamilton, Tyler, Ullrich, Operacion Puerto, Pettachi etc, then the death knell might be ringing for more than just the TdF.

Whoops, I seem to have slipped Hamilton´s twin in there too . . .

 

[saluki]

seriously, how can you be excited about that? are you totally rabid as well as vapid?

Go sit on your Klodi doll. You'll feel better.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Agreed.

But dear old Pat McQuaid was on national radio this morning - telling the nation that the dope results for Vino show that the sport is cleaning up it's act, unlike all other sports.

Pat is talking bollox (as usual).
If cycling is cleaning up it's act, why did cycling not take a leaf out of footballs book, and ban Ras for missing a dope control appointment?
Rio Ferdinand went missing for a dope control appointment....and the FA banned him for 9 months.

But if there is one positive, this latest nadir in the sport has created the will to REALLY clean the place up. Unfortunately, they can do a lot but they can't stop Vino from centrifuging his mechanic's blood, or following every individual 24/7. This pathetic situation, if it hadn't shocked pros into going clean before the race, might just be the clincher to change the culture. I think previously dopers were tolerated within the peloton because everyone had something on each other and nobody was sure they could compete clean. Also there were a lot of threats of legal action if you made any accusations. Now it seems the dopers are being burnt at the stake by the teams and riders. When you do something which threatens the respect you get from your peers, it is a lot different from the past when the general public villified those caught doping, but your peers perhaps felt sorry for you.

Unfortunately, the prospect of a clean peloton was just too much of an opportunity for the addicted dopers to miss. It meant they had an even better chance of victory. We haven't caught them all, but you have to respect that it was very hard for the authorities to take the actions that they have avoided for so long.

 

[thebluetrain]

Moreni wasn't clean. Oh, and he wasn't in the top 10 either.

Hence the term "dope". Only a dope would cheat and lose at the same time. How is that possible?

 

[kennf]

Why is it even possible to miss on out of competition controls and just hide for a few weeks (Ras wasnt the only one in the peleton who received a warning for not being in the location he stated he is just the only name we have because of the Danish story)

How hard is it to require pro cyclists to wear an "UCI GPS" or something down that line?

I believe Dave Zabriskie actually suggested that, jokingly of course.

 

[saluki]

maybe. its hard to remain optomistic though. what a sad outcome for the greatest race on earth

Sorry you're so disappointed that doper Ras didn't win.

 

[RedFury]

Could be!

I'll wager that tonight just about everyone associated with the TDF is on some kind of drug: anti-depressants, anti-anxietals, alcohol...

You're likely right...depending on what "associated with" means in this context. If being a cycling fan (especially when it comes to the TDF) for close to forty years is included, count me in.

And yes, in that context, I won't deny that I am happily sipping some Cava ATM.

 

[Tim Lamkin]

It will really bug him when Disco wins....

 

[Denia]

You're likely right...depending on what "associated with" means in this context. If being a cycling fan (especially when it comes to the TDF) for close to forty years is included, count me in.

And yes, in that context, I won't deny that I am happily sipping some Cava ATM.

I´m sipping a delightful Highland Park single malt myself. I think it´s what Landis has before a major stage . . .

 

[Trajectum]

Sorry you're so disappointed that doper Ras didn't win.

I dont think that is why he called this a sad outcome for the greatest race on earth Saluki.

This tour seems over with the way things are going now and it wouldnt suprise if the tour doesnt reach Paris this year.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Why is it even possible to miss on out of competition controls and just hide for a few weeks (Ras wasnt the only one in the peleton who received a warning for not being in the location he stated he is just the only name we have because of the Danish story)

How hard is it to require pro cyclists to wear an "UCI GPS" or something down that line?

You can't be serious?

UCI official to gofer (at UCI HQ): "So where is Rasmussen now?"
Gofer: "He's in his house. I think he's on the loo sir, he must be constipated, he's been in there 20 minutes"
Official: "He's not constipated, he's centrifuging. get a SWAT team down there immediately!"

 

[donrhummy]

But if there is one positive, this latest nadir in the sport has created the will to REALLY clean the place up. Unfortunately, they can do a lot but they can't stop Vino from centrifuging his mechanic's blood, or following every individual 24/7. This pathetic situation, if it hadn't shocked pros into going clean before the race, might just be the clincher to change the culture. I think previously dopers were tolerated within the peloton because everyone had something on each other and nobody was sure they could complete clean. Also there were a lot of threats of legal action if you made any accusations. Now it seems the dopers are being burnt at the stake by the teams and riders. When you do something which threatens the respect you get from your peers, it is a lot different from the past when the general public villified those caught doping, but your peers perhaps felt sorry for you.

Unfortunately, the prospect of a clean peloton was just too much of an opportunity for the addicted dopers to miss. It meant they had an even better chance of victory. We haven't caught them all, but you have to respect that it was very hard for the authorities to take the actions that they have avoided for so long.

Right because the Festina affair really cleaned the sport up! Oh, wait, no it was cleaned up when Thevenet admitted doping in 1978. Oh, wait no Tom Simpson's death led to it being cleaned up. No, it was cleaned when Merckx failed a dope test. No, Pantani's death cleaned things up.

This may damn near kill the sport financially but it ain't gonna clean it up.

 

[Bro Deal]

Holy ****! I have to stop training. Every time I come back something has happened and the Tour has gotten worse.

 

[Tim Lamkin]

This may damn near kill the sport financially but it ain't gonna clean it up.

Hope it does, then they can start over in a couple of years, no racing for two/three years would be good.

 

[Bro Deal]

Yup, aparently Italian ex-Pro and Giro commentator Davide Cassani saw him in Italy when he said he was in Mexico.

He should wave worn a disguise in addition to black.

 

[wolfix]

I just got back from a VIP thing with LIVESTRONG. I was wondering why the journalists were asking strange questions......... I thought the buzz was about the chickens great ride today.......... I should have paid more attention to the questions then to the bottle of Amber Bock and the redhead wit the tube top......

Headed back ...curious as to what LA is going to say. He's on in a few minutes.

 

[saluki]

So what is all the crying about? This is a fantastic outcome. With the information we have and the ITT performance of the chicken we know that he was doping. If he had stayed and won, then we would have once more had a victor that we could be certain was a doper. Now, with him gone, we will have a victor, whether it be Contador or Evans, for whom there is zero evidence of doping. This is great for the Tour and for bicycling.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Hence the term "dope". Only a dope would cheat and lose at the same time. How is that possible?

There are a lot of guys (a la Sinkewitz) who are doping just to keep up with the peloton and keep their jobs as domestiques. Average riders are going to get left behind and be useless to their leader if most of the peloton is doped except them.

 

[saluki]

I dont think that is why he called this a sad outcome for the greatest race on earth Saluki.

This tour seems over with the way things are going now and it wouldnt suprise if the tour doesnt reach Paris this year.

Hey look, I'm sorry your guy lost. Honestly. He did a super ride today. But had he completed this Tour and won we would have one more Landis type year. And that's not good for the sport.