Tour leader Michael Rasmussen has been thrown out of the Tour de France. The rider in the yellow jersey was fired by his Rabobank team for lying to the team leadership about his whereabouts during a training last June.
The Rabobank team withdrew Michael Rasmussen from the race and sacked him with immediate effect. The team leadership says Rasmussen lied about his whereabouts prior to the Tour, and the cyclist himself admitted as much to the leadership.
For Rabobank team leader Theo de Rooy, the consequences were clear:
"We have decided to pull Michael Rasmussen out of the race because he has violated internal codes of conduct and agreements."
Rabobank team leader Theo de Rooij makes the announcement |
Rasmussen told the team leadership that he was training in Mexico in June but it eventually became clear that he was actually in Italy. As a result, he missed out-of-competition drugs tests, for which he received two warnings from the international cycling union UCI.
Under UCI rules, three warnings equal a violation of doping regulations. Over the past few weeks, Rasmussen has been tested for doping many times, but all tests came back negative. His departure means that the Spaniard Alberto Contador takes the lead with only four days remaining of the cycling event.
Shocked
The other riders of the Rabobank team expressed their shock at the incident, but later decided to continue in the event. Team sponsor Rabobank has also vowed to continue its involvement in cycling despite the Rasmussen affair.
Michael Rasmussen called his dismissal an "incomprehensible" move on the part of the team leadership. Police have meanwhile searched the Rabobank team's hotel in the town of Pau. The officers were unable to question Mr Rasmussen there because he had moved to a different hotel outside Pau.
The scandal is particularly bitter for veteran rider Michael Boogerd from The Hague. This is his last Tour, and he wanted to go out in style. Boogerd has proved himself an indispensable assistant to the Danish tour leader, and he is now in 16th place on the overall list.
On Wednesday this week, Rasmussen won the 16th stage of the Tour de France. During the last part of the climb of the Col d'Aubisque, the Dane powered away from his rivals Levie Leipheimer and Alberto Contador, who finished second and third.
Moreni caught
In addition to Michael Rasmussen's departure, the riders have also had to say goodbye to another team. The Tour management has announced that Italian rider Cristian Moreni of the Cofidis team tested positive for testosterone last week. Moreni was detained by French police for several hours. The Cofidis team - at the urgent request of the Tour management - has also withdrawn from the Tour.
On Tuesday, the Astana team also left the Tour de France after its leader Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for blood doping.
* RNW translation (gsh)
Tags:
cycling,
doping,
drugs,
enhancing,
France,
performance,
Rabobank,
Rasmussen,
scandal,
Tour,
UCI
Rene Goupillaud,
27-07-2007
- USA
The Tour is dying. Rasmussen is a victim of what is becoming a political event rather than an athletic event. Whoever wins won't be remembered so much as Michael Rasmussen will be remembered for having been denied a victory by politics. His lawsuit will be quite revealing. This is so european.
Mark,
27-07-2007
- USA
I am just sick over what Rabobank has done to Rasmussen. He didn't deserve to get fired, especially since he was tested multiple times in the last few weeks and all tests came back negative. Lying about one's whereabouts is one thing, while blood doping is entirely another. Perhaps he just wanted some peace and quiet while training in the Dolomites, so he could properly prepare for the Tour de France and the grueling climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees. The real winner of this year's tour is none other than Michael Rasmussen. Contador is a good rider, but he couldn't drop Rasmussen on any of the climbs, so for him to win is nothing more than a handout he doesn't deserve. I hope another team gives Rasmussen a shot so he can come back next year and spit in the face of the hypocrites who have canned him for no reason.
chris barton,
26-07-2007
- USA
unreal- Rass is about to when the tour, and some guy says he's in Italy as opposed to Mexico....we're talking about where dude was in May- seriously if that was an issue he should have never been able to start- way to go Rabobank- Kick the yellow out based on pure speculation-
cory worf,
26-07-2007
- USA
I have known Michael since he rode mtb for Scott, and I don't believe he has done anything wrong. The dark shadow on pro cycling is getting darker and darker. Why would they wait until he had petty much won the tour to do this. I've been a cyclist for almost 30 years now, but I think I will choose to not follow professional cycling anymore... You can have it...
Nick,
26-07-2007
-
I don't see why Rasmussen should be able to continue in the Tour. Granted, he is an amazing athlete. Yes, he is stongest in the mountains, but how do you think he was outclimbing all of the mountain men including Evans, Levi, and Contador, cracking every one of them, without himself cracking once. Not even a slight slip-up. And also, in the time trials?!?! Passing Alejandro Valverde?!? There is more than a hint of suspicion there, considering TT's are his weakness. I say, get him out. And everyone that is doping. The Tour sould be clean, without all these suspicions floating around. Its hurting the sport of cycling.
Nick,
26-07-2007
-
I don't see why Rasmussen should be able to continue in the Tour. Granted, he is an amazing athlete. Yes, he is stongest in the mountains, but how do you think he was outclimbing all of the mountain men including Evans, Levi, and Contador, cracking every one of them, without himself cracking once. Not even a slight slip-up. And also, in the time trials?!?! Passing Alejandro Valverde?!? There is more than a hint of suspicion there, considering TT's are his weakness. I say, get him out. And everyone that is doping. The Tour sould be clean, without all these suspicions floating around. Its hurting the sport of cycling.
Vox de Person,
26-07-2007
- USA
Emotional positions bemoaning Rasmussen’s dismissal are moot. Regardless of where he was, regardless of whether he doped or not, as the article says: “he missed out-of-competition drugs tests, for which he received two warnings from the international cycling union UCI.” That in itself should have precluded him from even starting the tour. The UCI and tour officials are at fault. Had they done their job in the first place, and kept him from starting the tour, we would have had a whole different race, without all the ugliness and drama of removing the yellow jersey holder in a grand gesture of due diligence.
If the sport truly wants to get clean and sober, 1) ban all dopers, and anyone in the sport facilitating doping, for life 2) strip any rider caught doping of all of his palmares 3) impose a five year suspension on any team whose members are in anyway found to be involved in doping 4) test each rider before and after each race and make the event organization pay for it.
If they don’t really want to make the sport clean – and it truly appears that they don’t – then the best thing to do would be to let the WWF take over cycling. That way the whole doping thing could be dispensed with by adding a disclaimer at the end of each race stating that everything portrayed in the event was choreographed and should not be confused with a real race either present or past. The riders could all buff up and wear butch little theme costumes and have cute names like, Vino “The Cossack” Vinokurov, Tyler “The Chimera” Hamilton, Floyd “The Prank Caller” Landis, David “The Time Stealer” Millar, Roberto “The Little Spaniard Who Could” Heras, etc.
Jacob Ragan,
26-07-2007
-
I think this is a discrace, the man was about to win his first tour . They new that he had been spotted in Italy so why not sack him earlier.
Kevin,
26-07-2007
- USA
I think that Rasmussen should sue everyone that has been involved. A simple check of his passport would prove where he was. He has always been a good rider and should have been able to wear the jersey to Paris. I decided to quit following the tour and hope that everyone else will do the same.
brian,
26-07-2007
- U.S.
what are you people thinking, Rasmussen wasn't kicked out by hysterical tour organizers or governing bodies, he was tossed by his own team who, let's just say, had "millions" of reasons to allow him to finish. The publicity of the team winning the Yellow Jersey could only be a "bad" thing if they knew it would later be stripped from him leaving both Rasmussen and Rabobank in disgrace. Seem much of Phonak this year?
vince,
26-07-2007
- England
Rasmussen was a hero of mine,and looked forward to watching the tour after these long 12 hr shifts. If he has doped,only he knows if he is guilty!! I think he should come and tell us the truth!! If he does then it would win some respect back !! If he is clean,then no positive test,then him been kicked off the tour is a disgrace!!!
Chris Westra,
26-07-2007
- Canada
Consider the following: UCI v. Tour politics and money. Media's focus on doping and rhetoric about riders.Top down decisions made by Rabobank execs to end the negative publicity and as the sponsor fot the team put pressure on team management to remove Michael. Michael is the sacrificial Lamb. Yes Crucified! Wake up everyone including you holier than thou riders. The Tour cannot be won without doping: it is quite simply beyond human physiology. Period. Winning, #1, is all that matters. Winning requires doping. Witness Armstrong the the US Postal era. Armstrong killed the Tour. There is no more heart, just radios, hr monitors, TV cameras and medical enhancements. Hypocrasy to put Contador as the yellow jersey - he and Ras both went up Plateau de Beille faster than Armstrong. Think! I'm losing sleep over the Tour and have now abandoned it completely.
mik,
26-07-2007
- usa
i think the decision to pull him from the race, when he was still within the rules, and had passed all drug tests was reactionary, and foolish. it has rendered the race a non-event—the winner is not allowed to win. he rode a heroic race. showed un-believable heart. withstood every attack. they have destroyed a great athlete, who so far is guilty of nothing other than being a bit rebelious with regards to wanting to train in secrecy. unless they can prove that he did so to use illegal supplements, this whole affair looks more ridiculous by the minute.
Steven Gerard Smith,
26-07-2007
-
Innocent until proven guilty...Shame on all involved...I feel sorry for the fans and the Tour and what a horrible way to take yellow for Alberto Contador. If he wins it will never feel like he did.
sl,
26-07-2007
- belgium
There is reason for strong suspicion here, but the decision to withdraw Rasmussen is a conviction without trial. Can't they wait for evidence instead of going for random black sheep executions? Shame on everyone who helped to stir up the hysteria, shame on all the hypocrites in the peleton, the press and the sponsors.
