posted Jul 25, 2007

Fact remains is the missed reporting are supposed to be confidencial. Infact it is illegal for anyone other than the rider to make any claim for how many 'missed reports are made.'

This information frankly should not be in the public domain.

Rules say only a ban if you miss 3. thats life - live with it. top cyclists will have more drugs tests this year than any other sportsman will have a lifetime - and he has come clean every test.

Frankly you can only prosecute following the rules - but the fact that you have to give a report 3 weeks in advance with every location you will be at every time will always cause errors and mistakes. There has been an endless stream of athletes who have missed informing 1 time at least. the Current england athletics team has 48 members on a warning at the moiment - and i doubt you call them all cheats.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

flameHammer: I think you will find that the information that was released by the Danish Cycling Union is confidential, regardless of what Rasmussen said. The only valid answer that the DCU could have given to the press was: 'no comment'.

You will also find that most teams have admitted that they have several riders who have also missed deadlines within the whereabouts-system.

Further, He has not broken any rules. Cycling has the toughest rules in any proffessional sport, and yes, he came close to breaking the rules. But he did not break them. You don't send footballers off for ALMOST committing a penalty, do you?

If he is ever cought cheating, I will be the first to denounce him. But until he is, anyone calling him a cheat and bringing his results into dispute is dealing fatal blows to the sport.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

Lots of comments slagging of Rasmussen today. It seems to me his major crime is wearing yellow! It's sad when people look at the guy in yellow and presume he' doping however you'd expect that from journo types it's even sadder when it's the supposed fans themselves. What suprises me is there's been much slagging off of a guy who's presumed to have tainted the sport yet nothing here about Vinokourov and what he's done to the sport. I find that very sad and sadistic

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posted Jul 25, 2007

Yes let's leave him alone, one day we might find out what will happen to a Frenchman (if he ever gets in contention) for the yellow. Anyway can you remember what happend a couple of years ago when Rasmussen was in 3rd spot,in the time trail he fell off 3 times! At least Boonen will finish in green for a change rather than in the team car.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

To flameHammer: Thanks for the response. Actually, far from having my head in the clouds, I see your position. Please note that in none of my comments have I said that Rasmussen IS clean - only that he is not PROVED not clean. If he were proved not to be, I would be the first to cast the stone. In an increasingly complex sporting world I choose to prefer facts to speculation.
Actually, there are many rooting for him, especially here in Denmark. The booers must find their own reasons for booing - which as I say can only be speculative. A number of prominent Danish athletes have also received warnings, it's a fact of sporting life.
On the one hand we expect superhuman performances, on the other some kind of Puritan excellence, like before the Fall.
But things can change rapidly. The Danish commentator who yesterday was intoning "in Vino(kourov) veritas" must be choking on his vin rouge today. So it goes.
None of us is perfect. Until the opposite is proved, I support Rasmussen and will be among the chorus of non-booers on Sunday.
PS: When did a TT-man ever win the TDF? Pace Wiggins.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

flameHammer: you haven't got a clue what your on about. Stop speculating and check your facts out properly.

The only reason the French are booing him is because they haven't won the tour since 1985. Don't forget that it was the French who hailed Vino as the new clean hope. What the hell do they know...

Fantastic win today by Rasmussen despite a very brave effort by the Discovery riders. He now has the yellow jersey firmly in his grip. Only a disaster will stop him from winning. He has been the best rider and Rabobank have been the best team. Dekker and Menchov were amazing today.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

This Tour performance isn't a big step up for Rasmussen really.
Thanks to his mountain skills he's always been "there or there abouts".
He likes to win an early mountain stage to stamp his dominance in the polka jersey - which this time also gave him the yellow. That's the usual for him, no surprise there.

Then of course his team turn to support HIM, not Menchov or Boogerd, which is new and means he has more support climbing. He also realises he's in the frame for yellow so doesn't go wafting off the front every day trying to get polka points before dropping back.

He then rides a decent time trial by NOT FALLING OFF or his bike breaking. The time trial was also hilly and in bad conditions, of which he had some of the best. So it's no biggie he performed the way he did.

Then back into the mountains and Boogerd, Menchov and Dekker have been BREAKING themselves for him. He's leaving Soler to do what he'd always go and he's riding as a race leader - defensively and looking to pick people off one by one. He's also a high tempo mountain rider - he's not explosive so he gets his team to hit the front of the group and ride at a fast tempo which he CAN follow.

Again no surprises.
This final time trial is flat. He'll lose time to the rest of the top ten...The question is, can he keep enough in hand? I hope so.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

And Rasmussen is out, according to his team.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

Looks like someone's finally taken a decision. Would 'Liebgott' like to revise his view?
I remember some parsing the expression "cheats never prosper" as meaning that, while individual instances of cheating may work out, it doesn't work as a life strategy, because sooner or later, you lose the trust of people you depend upon and can't do without and everything goes horribly wrong.
Rasmussen and Vinokourov will have plenty of time to meditate upon this in their premature, but not undeserved, retirement.

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posted Jul 25, 2007

The drug police are spoiling the sport more than the alleged drug takers. The constant witch hunt only serves to appease the French crowds and the media for there own ends

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