« Petacchi cleared of Salbutamol charge, but... | Main | Stage 17 on the road »
July 25, 2007
Rasmussen withdrawn, fired by Rabobank
cyclingnews.com | Cycling News Flash for July 26, 2007: Rasmussen pulled out of Tour
CyclingNews reports that Rabobank has withdrawn Michael Rasmussen from the Tour, and that he will not take the start tomorrow.
CyclingNews suggests it could relate to a report by Italian TV commentator Davide Cassani, who claims to have seen Rasmussen training in the Dolomites on June 13th or 14th, while Rasmussen claims he was in Mexico for training.
DeRooy will not withdraw the entire team, but will allow the riders to choose to start the stage tomorrow.
Also:
VeloNews.com | News Flash: Rasmussen pulled out of Tour, fired by Rabobank
Adds that Rasmussen is also fired from the team.
iol Sport | Rasmussen kicked out of Tour de France
However the team has learnt that Rasmussen lied to them over where and what he was up to during the month of June when he was in fact in Italy and not in Mexico as he had told them.
Posted by Frank Steele on July 25, 2007 in Doping, Michael Rasmussen, Top Stories | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bf6df53ef00e3932fa2c48834
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Rasmussen withdrawn, fired by Rabobank:
» My prediction: Rasmussen will NOT win the TDF from The Fire Ant Gazette
The only one who can stop Michael Rasmussen is Michael Rasmussen. Oh, and his team manager, of course. [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 25, 2007 5:40:26 PM
Comments
Im sorry to say it, but i do not feel sorry for Michael Rasmussen.
He is a jerk ,why did he lie about where and what he was up to during the month of June ???
I must say that he deserves what he gets !
I´ve been following him and been proud of being danish , now im embarressed .
Just me being p!ssed off ! :-)
Posted by: Dan at Jul 25, 2007 5:51:28 PM
Are you serious???
Posted by: elton at Jul 25, 2007 5:56:53 PM
Given the uncertainty with his training schedule before the TDF, he should have been pulled earlier. Now, while also a huge blow to the TDF, it'll probably be better in the long run; we don't want another Landis situation, do we?
Posted by: Elton at Jul 25, 2007 6:02:25 PM
Why is it that no pharmaceutical companies sponsor a Tour de France bike team? I think they a missing a wonderful opportunity to promote their performance enhancing drugs. They could have slogans like “Allowing you to perform above your wildest dreams” of “Taking your performance to levels that were never possible before"
With the way the Tour is headed this year, a pharmaceutical company sponsored team could at least have some pride in being honest in what they are doing to win.
Posted by: art at Jul 25, 2007 6:22:36 PM
Is this the worst tour since the 1998 Tour of Shame with the Festina team?
Landis was embarrassing, this Tour is criminal. Any bets on the next person to fail a test?
Will Discovery be untouched? Will Leipheimer win the Tour and will anyone care?
Posted by: Expat Teacher at Jul 25, 2007 6:23:58 PM
WTF?
So long Skeletor!
Frank! Are there any riders in The Tour that aren't cheating?
What a public relations disaster.
Posted by: Brooke at Jul 25, 2007 6:27:20 PM
Holy F***! It's one thing after another. Just when I'm thinking this can't get any worse I turn on the computer and find another bombshell.
I was in London for the Grand Depart and it was such an incredible day, even if the bastards rode too fast for me to catch a single one of them on film.
And then, bam, bam, bam!
No, I'm not sorry for Rasmussen either. But I was hoping someone clean (and I hope to God that Contador and Leipheimer are clean) would beat him, humiliate him on the road.
Now Contador's got the yellow jersey, but what a way to get it, and who knows what's next? Now I'll be amazed if there AREN'T more doping crises, when it should be the other way around.
Posted by: Chris at Jul 25, 2007 6:28:12 PM
The Tour is over. You people are crazy. I know what happened here. The crazy witchhunters pressured Rasmussen's teams' sponsors to boot him off if they wanted to keep their sponsorship. It wasn't the team who did it; it was the tour and these crazy dope hunters who must be dopping themselves to be so crazy. I was coming to France in August. I'm not coming now. There are enough crazy people in America. I don't need anymore! The Tour is dead. Lance ought to give you back all his seven yellow jerseys, that's how meaningless this tour has become. You can't believe he didn't take drugs either. The most dangerous thing in bicyclist can do if he wants to maintain his career is compete in the Tour de France, particularly if he wins! I'm done with you.
Posted by: Linda at Jul 25, 2007 6:34:52 PM
Well, gee, now we know why he's been so strong! I didn't hear the alleged mocking and booing from the crowd on TV today, but I half expected some angry fan to rip him off his bike -- and that was before this bombshell. Since Chicken had stretched the rules to their limits, it seemed clear to me that there must have been a reason to do so.
John (Beard's friend in FLA)
Posted by: John M at Jul 25, 2007 6:35:40 PM
Imagine what would happen to a sport like say, American football or baseball if they tested like cycling does and is trying to do. Perahps that's the only way to really salary cap because the teams would not make the money they do now without fan support.
The sensationalism from todays news other news (Vino) has some saying Cycling is done for but I'm happy to see this type of purge coming for the cheaters and those that are dishonest.
As for Rasmmussen's riding, jerk, liar or otherwise, he's an impressive rider to watch in the mountains.
Posted by: kendall at Jul 25, 2007 6:40:58 PM
This is getting outrageous, we've now seen two leading lights of cycling destroy their careers, and another handful of lesser lights of cycling also tossed out just during this tour.
The Tour will be decided by whatever riders don't get thrown out.
Posted by: Robin Roberts at Jul 25, 2007 6:42:24 PM
Ugh! He should have never started in any case, but glad this one is solved. It's pretty straightforward. He gave bad information and he violated some clearly defined rules.
Posted by: WheelHound at Jul 25, 2007 6:56:10 PM
I think that everyone has an opinion before the full story is known and it is far to easy to accuse from the arm chair. Why have the team managers etc not been on top of ensuring that their athletes are clean if this is so important? They are being paid money to cycle for the team so the team should ensure they meet their standards.
Posted by: Ali at Jul 25, 2007 6:58:03 PM
who cares where he was? was it that big a deal? why fire your only hope of winning a tour? is rabobank his mother?
Posted by: chris at Jul 25, 2007 7:06:52 PM
I am an avid cyclist who can't help but watch the Tour de France. I have vowed to just ride for myself and ignore professional level events, due to what appears to be rampant doping and cheating. With the latest news of Rasmussen being fired and the whole Cofidis Team withdrawl... not to mention Vinokourov's alleged cheating, I find myself absolutely ill over cyclings apparent current state of affairs. It is getting harder to believe that anyone in pro cycling is honest and clean. The pros need to STOP looking like a bunch of idiots and race clean.
Posted by: Hutch at Jul 25, 2007 7:27:45 PM
Where do these athletes get off? It is more about the integrity of the great sports than the winning. Having coached at several levels of sports I am always concerned tha my athletes did the right thing, winning is a by-product of doing just that. Can the TDF even continue based on the last several years.
I would suggest not withou a total overall of the system and testing procedures.
Just my thoughts
Posted by: Steve at Jul 25, 2007 7:47:28 PM
Why do I feel more relieved for cycling and the Tour de France than sorry for the disappointed Dane? Why do I feel more like a cloud has been lifted from the Tour instead of feeling sad about an athlete apparently being trapped in a cycle of deception (including self-deception) triggered by his competitive environment? I don't know; but that's my response. I feel like the Tour and professional cycling just dodged a bullet and got another chance to move in the right direction.
Posted by: John Hay, Jr. at Jul 25, 2007 8:01:07 PM
I personally think that, its not really anyones business where he was... I mean, if your a celebrity of any stature, they all want to be left alone. Maybe he wanted to train where nobody could find him, follow him etc. What is the world coming too. Judging people, accusing, people need to go and find something to do with their lives other that gossip and cause problems for others.. GET A LIFE!!!!!
Posted by: Daneil at Jul 25, 2007 8:48:27 PM
I know who will win the Tour De France... The last rider who tests positive.....
Posted by: pat at Jul 25, 2007 8:51:15 PM
OH!!! Does anyone give a rats A*! where i'm at or what i'm doing? Why? Because i'm not in the spotlight. And if i was there. I would bend the truth of where i'm at so i don't have vultures over me.. Look at the damage paparazzi and others have caused to people over the years.. Think about it.. Remembering Princess Diane!!!!!
Posted by: Daniel at Jul 25, 2007 8:57:07 PM
What a shame that the host country has to pull all these strings because it can't stand an outsider winning its race once again. Landis last year, Vino and Rasmussen this year. In all likelihood, none of these three did anything wrong.
Posted by: mickey at Jul 25, 2007 9:01:23 PM
To steal a phrase from elsewhere, "I want to believe". Even as the Rasmussen situation unfolded, I remember thinking at one point, "Well, the paper work -could- have been lost or delayed." And when I heard the Danish had banned him from their team going to the World Championships and next year's Olympics I thought, "Ahh, just a bunch of bureaucrats and rule mongers." LOL!!:) Now, I see that the entire Cofidis team has withdrawn. Cycling with go on, but this is another terrible blow. This still does not erase my memories of cycling battles I have seen on Mont Ventoux or Alpe d'Huez.
Posted by: Will at Jul 25, 2007 9:06:24 PM
Another great stage overshadowed.
Rasmussen sacked because of his lies, growing pressure from tour organizers, cycling officials etc. Moreni caught with elevated testosterone. Goodbye Cofidis.
It is hard to feel sorry for anyone at this point. It is hard to trust anyone's performance and has been for a long time.
People will say the 98 tour was worse then this one, but the fact is that this is the culmination of a long burning fire of suspicion. One that claimed Tyler Hamilton, Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Matthias Kessler, Eric Dekker, Roberto Heras and many other riders whose presence at the Tour may have played a great role in the final outcome.
It is a period of time that has stolen past glory, Riis and the entire 1996 Telekomm team admitting to doping. Zabel, who did his best sprinting in years this year, calling his wife up so that he could give his green jersey back from 1996 when the race reached Paris.
A period of time that has also stolen the peace of mind of riders like Pantani, of foolish medical theories that stole the lives of countless promising cyclists.
It is no surprise that this year's race was as it was. No one able to fully take command. Today, Leipheimer was too tentative, Sastre who had done little prior to today, ran out of gas. On Monday, Contador failed to take advantage of opportunities to put Rasmussen in trouble. Vino, was up and down, Kloden's confidence bobbed and weaved and his injuries from stage five slowed him a touch. Valverde never quite reached the top echelon.
The superstars of the sport have done themselves in by making bad choices. Those left are under a cloud of suspicion. Those who have always raced honestly have been robbed of what true stature they have earned by competing against those who artificially enhanced themselves and suffered in comparison.
The sport is imploding in front of us. It is on the verge of not being part of the olympics. It lacks true superstars. The contenders this year are, (other than Contador), beginning to age. The stages have been exciting this year, but they have been largely overshadowed in the last few days.
If there is a tour next year, I have a feeling it will be populated by a much different group of riders. It will take a long time for the sport to get its luster back. After all, it took it a long time to fall this far.
Today, the end of a long era, looms large on the horizon. The sport will change, (it has to to survive and it has to because its stars are either banned or past their best days).
Contador will likely win the yellow jersey come Sunday. Soler will be the king of the mountains. Maybe there is a future. I hope so.
Posted by: Alan at Jul 25, 2007 9:06:37 PM
What does what he did in june have to do with what he is doing now. You are all f&*&%* nuts, It' would be like you get fired for something you did one year ago. Let him ride.
He is the only rider worthy of the win.
Posted by: Lennart Andersen at Jul 25, 2007 9:11:33 PM
First off: cycling lost today! Secondly: does anybody in their right mind think that these men can entertain us the way they do without chemicals? Using stimulants in one form or another goes with the territory of being a professional cyclist. I am not condoning or condemning; I am merely stating a fact. There are all kinds of programs going on: think Petacchi can ride a bike the way he does with asthma? Think Landis, Hamilton and Armstrong denials are the truth? I have to agree with Kendall: "The Tour will be decided by whatever riders don't get thrown out.", except I would like to change it to: lesser riders [that] don't get tripped up!! Let the warriors amaze and amuse us and let them do it in whatever way they can! Stage 16 was the most stunning display in any sport I've seen in many, many moons!
Posted by: cody_57 at Jul 25, 2007 9:15:21 PM
