Full Rasmussen interview Sunday (In English)
Solidsteel
Posts: 2
Hi all
The following is a word-by-word copied interview done Sunday by the biggest national television channel, TV2, in Denmark. The interview lasted 25 minutes. Michael Rasmussen invited TV2 to his private home in Italy and gave his view on the matter. It was aired twice in Denmark today, they even interupted the tranmission from the final stage to show the interviews as well as it was aired at 8 pm primetime.
Sorry for the gramma, my english is a bit rusty. And it took a lot of time to translate.
Enjoy the reading
Regards
René
Odense, Denmark.
TV2: What is your opinion on the whole situation of your exclusion?
MR: It’s a surrealistic situation, don’t you think? I just had the greatest day of my cycling career and won on top of the Col d’ Aubisque in the yellow jersey, and in reality I won Tour de France that day. Only to be kicked out of the hotel hours later.
TV2: How did that happen?
MR: Well, it happened in the way that we had a meeting in the team bus, where I got the message that I was taken out of the race. Afterwards my team mates were called in and got the same message.
TV2: How did you react?
MR: Well, I was in a state of shock and of course I got very angry of the decision that had been made, because I think there was nothing that could justify this decision.
TV2: I imagine you did not get much sleep that night. What thoughts went through your mind that night?
MR: No, well first of all, journalists put aside all respect for invasion of privacy. They called me until 2 AM. On top of that, I had 100.000 thought going through my mind concerning what had happened and what went wrong and what the future would bring. I had just been robbed the Tour de France victory.
TV2: Were you alone that night? And where were you exactly?
MR: Actually I don’t really know were I was. I know that I was driven to a country house about half an hours drive from Po, and then I was picked up the next morning, taken to the airport and on a private chartered plane to Verona.
TV2: That’s the way Rabobank chose to send you out of the race. How do you feel about that?
MR: When it came to it, you must say that at least they had the dignity to take care of me in a way without bigger drama, at least from my side of it. But naturally there were a lot of chaos in the first couple of hours after I left the hotel. But I haven’t had much to do with that.
TV2: Your team mates, did you have any time to speak with them before you left, and how did they react?
MR: Yeah, of course I spoke with them and they where naturally frustrated about the situation, just as I was. They had been riding for so many days and had been working for me, and we had won the yellow jersey. They were devastated. It had huge consequences for them financially that we did not win the Tour de France this year.
TV2: What do you think about the way Rabobank handled this whole matter?
MR: Well, I think it is better if I don’t express myself about this, as the matter will have legal consequences.
TV2: Theo de Rooij says you have admitted to him that you were in Italy during the time you should have been in Mexico. Have you?
MR: As I said, I better not express myself about that as well. It comes under your previous question.
TV2: But can you relate to and do you still claim that you were only in Mexico during the time you had stated?
MR: Again, it comes under the case that will be undergoing.
TV2: You can easily prove it by showing a passport and maybe stamps and plane tickets. Have you considered doing this during the case?
MR: Well, what I am saying is that now we have to se what the case brings and we will take it from there.
TV2: Personally, what do you think of Theo de Rooij and his role in this matter? You have been quite close to him.
MR: There is no doubt that he has been under an enormous pressure, and he has been accused of many things during the Tour, and at some point his facade cracked and he made this decision.
TV2: Have you spoken to him since?
MR: No I haven’t. I think there are very few persons who have done that, and I know, even the team has had difficulties in contacting him the last few days.
TV2: But the team has not only suspended you, actually you have been fired. What do you think about that?
MR: Well, it looks like a bit of a rash action. I read it on teletext and then I contacted the team to get it confirmed and to get an official dismissal notice. Just to be absolutely certain of what had happened and on what basis.
TV2: So did you receive it?
MR: Yes I have.
TV2: But do you think it is an over reaction?
MR: Well, for breaking some internal rules, I think it is a very harsh reaction, especially when thinking about the fine given to me earlier as a consequence of the mistake I maid.
TV2: What are you intending to do as to Rabobank and all the row?
MR: Naturally, I have contacted a lawyer and I am meeting him next week. After that we will contact Rabobank’s lawyers, and then I hope we can solve this matter in peace and toleration.
TV2: So you don’t expect this to end up in the courtroom?
MR: No, I think no one will benefit from that.
TV2: Today the Tour de France ends at Champs-Élyses. What is your comment on that?
MR: I am pretty convinced its not the best rider who won Tour de France this year.
TV2: You have said winning Tour de France is your ultimate dream. Do you feel the victory has been taken from you? That the dream has not come true and has been taken from you?
MR: Yes, definitely. It is no secret. Since the day I was excluded and for the rest of my life, I will wake up in the morning and remember that I didn’t win the Tour the France because I was wrongfully excluded from the race.
TV2: How do you feel about having that thought? Living with it the rest of your life.
MR: I feel truly horrible. I don’t know what to say. Maybe you can compare it to having a Picasso painting stolen. I was on my way to achieve the greatest thing I am capable of, and it was taken from me.
TV2: What have you done to come to terms with all this? It must have been hard for you at the time you were kicked out. Your dream was crushed. What did you do to come to terms with your expressions and all the feelings inside?
MR: Well, I have gone back to Italy to the ones closest to me, the people I know I can trust. Those are the ones I have been in contact with and it is also those who have contacted me.
TV2: Returning to the situation where you were kicked out of the Tour de France. How do you feel about the fact that de race director Prudhomme, announces that this is the best thing that could happen to the Tour de France, only one day after you have been kicked out?
MR: No question I am having a hard time to understand this. I do not know on what basis these statements are on.
TV2: They feel you should never have been allowed to enter the Tour the France, in connection with the row about the warnings from different anti doping instances. But you have not been tested positive in any way, so there is no case. How do you see this situation?
MR: No, it is some hypocrisy. UCI has, various times, stated that there are absolutely no motives for me not entering the Tour de France this year. Therefore, I really cannot see why this is a problem at all.
TV2: And they also say themselves that they have put pressure on Rabobank to have you kicked out. How do you feel about that?
MR: It is highly reprehensible that a race director feels that he has the right to kick riders out of the competition and “choose” the winner himself. Meaning, if he wanted to, he could attack Contador, attack Evans and finally he would attack the red haired, so maybe a Frenchman could be on the podium…
TV2: Do you think it comes down to that?
MR: I am having difficulties understanding what makes him say the things he has said.
TV2: Are you going to watch the final today?
MR: No, I haven’t watched any Tour de France since I was on the podium myself.
TV2: Do you follow the race at all?
MR: Yeah, I know Contador is probably winning, isn’t he?
TV2: How about your team mates, have you spoken to them after you left the Rabobank camp?
MR: Yes, I have been in contact with several of the riders.
TV2: What are they saying to all this?
MR: Well, they hate every day they sit on their bikes right now. Menchov left the race the other day in sympathy. I think that is a huge gesture coming from such a great rider. Boogerd, he left the dinner table crying the other day and he did not feel like riding his bike again.
TV2: So the whole team is taking this hard, not only you?
MR: Yes, of course. And it is not only the riders, it is also the mechanics, soigneurs and so on, they all have the Tour de France as their main goal. And it is indeed a catastrophic decision for all.
TV2: How do you feel of having the chance of winning the Tour de France taken away from you, on pure suspicions?
MR: I am having difficulties in seeing the basis of these suspicions. I have only missed being present at a certain time, and therefore I think it was a very severe decision.
TV2: But there have been doubts about your willingness to be available to the anti-doping-authorities. You are known as a perfectionist, how come you have been careless with your reports?
MR: First of all, I received two warnings from Anti Doping Denmark, who is put into this world to control athletes who are subject to DIF (Danish Athletics Association). And I am a member of Rabobank and have a licence in Monaco, so I have absolutely nothing to do with DIF. So I definitely mean this is unimportant. They should not have a say in this matter. From a legal point of view they have nothing to say.
TV2: But they say you are a part of the Danish National Team, or at least until they kicked you out. So they should have the right to test you?
MR: I haven’t been a part of the Danish National Team since 2004, nearly 3 years ago. A lot of Danish riders should have been on this team then, and ought to be in the “pot”. I have never received any guaranties from anyone about being a part of the national team.
TV2: I have heard that you have signed a document that gives them (DCU, Danish Cycling Union) the right to test you, is that correct?
MR: No, I have absolutely not signed anything from DCU.
TV2: So you don’t understand why they have involves them selves in this?
MR: No, well I might understand why they have involves themselves, but they have not right to interfere.
TV2: How do you feel about DCU, and especially Jesper Worre (director) of DCU, who partly started all this?
MR: I don’t know, its an awkward case. It is remarkable that on 26th of June I receive notice of exclusion from the National Team, afterwards I am asked to attend to a reception at DCU’s 100 year anniversary, they day before the National Championships I Roskilde. Photos are to be taken, hands to be shaken on I don’t know how many people. And the next day, they let me start at the National Championships. 14 days later, while riding the yellow jersey, they feel like announcing that I have received warnings. It is a highly remarkable situation, which easily can be taken personal.
TV2: Do you feel it is something personal, that someone has something against you?
MR: Well, the night before Thursday, it was almost 1 AM, I received a call from Jesper Worre. At that time he claimed that they were definitely not my enemy.
TV2: Do you believe that?
MR: They are definitely not my friends. One can interpret this as one like.
TV2: But I understand you have been tested by DCU, sorry ADD I mean. The day before the National Championships, is this correct?
MR: Yes, but the test was staged by UCI. One the day of the National Championships I was tested by ADD, which was staged by DCU.
TV2: And these UCI warnings, the talk has been concerning two warnings. They exist, right?
MR: Yes they definitely do and I have not tried to deny that. The first warning goes back to March 2006, at that time we were 6 Rabobank riders who forgot to send in our information. And the 5 of us only got at friendly telephone call from UCI, asking them to send in the information as soon as possible. I received a written and registered warning from UCI. A highly remarkable special treatment of a rider.
TV2: So that is the warning you feel you should not have gotten at all, and then there is a correct warning. But still, that is only two warnings and no case was opened against you. How do you feel about that? When it comes down to it, this costs you the victory in Tour de France.
MR: Well, there are a lot of small things that should never have been out in the public, because some information is confidential. So therefore, there was no case. If I had received a third warning, a case would be opened. And then UCI could sanction me. But because there were only two, there was no sensible reason to go public. There are a lot of other riders in Denmark and on the National Team with warnings that the public knows nothing about. So once again, a remarkable special treatment has been carried out.
TV2:
Doping problems is naturally on top of the agenda within the cycling sports, and we see that some riders are exposed, Vinokourov, Moreni during the Tour de France. So a lot of resources are used on this. Have you ever used doping?
MR: No I have absolutely not. And again I must confirm that since 30th June until the moment I was kicked out, I have hade 17 controls. This can only support my words.
TV2: Do you feel hounded as riders?
MR: Well, of course there is a problem and there has been a problem. The problem is fought with all means. It is getting smaller, because we have a control system that works. But naturally it is obvious to anyone that the riders are treated very different from other athletes.
TV2: But what is the control system worth if the race directors of Tour de France overrule the system? A case has not been opened.
MR: That is what makes the whole situation much more frustrating, not only for me, but for everyone. I think most lawyers or people with just a bit of education can see, that something happened here that should never have happened.
TV2: How do you think the press have handled the matter?
MR: Primarily, the press has been driven by sensation-seeking, and has not narrowed the sense of criticism. As the rider in the yellow jersey, I am an easy target, and there have been shots from both left and right.
TV2: Do you feel part of a smear campaign against yourself?
MR: From some medias, yes. Others have chosen to view the matter a bit more critical.
TV2: Why do you think some have been targeting you from the moment you got the yellow jersey?
MR: The yellow jersey has been hunted for several years now, at least 10 years, lately with Landis who was kicked out. Maybe there has been some expectation from the public that they guy wearing the yellow jersey is the one to get. As I say, at war it is always the ones in front you shoot at.
TV2: Prior the Tour de France you said that this Tour would decide if you had to work for the rest of your life or you could live from the earnings you made through your sport. Will this situation throw you into financial chaos?
MR: Not at the moment, no. And a legal case has started now, the result of that will influent my financial situation.
TV2: But it is a lot of money you are missing out on. A victory like that is truly worth a lot of money, isn’t it? Don’t you think you will be bitter about that?
MR: Yes, but besides the financial problem, there will be some tough feelings that no money in the world can replace.
TV2: Now the legal system takes over, and we have seen that this can take a while. You are 33 years old, have you seen your last race as a professional?
MR: No, I absolutely think not. And it is not my feeling that the process will take that long.
TV2: So realistically, you think there will be a team that dares to hire you after all this?
MR: Yes, I am convinced that there are a lot of people who easily can see that mistakes have happened in this case, because a rash decision has been made.
TV2: So you think you will start at the Tour de France next year?
MR: It is probably a question that will await an answer for some time. It depends on teams available for the future.
TV2: But how far are you willing to go for a new chance in the Tour de France?
MR: Well really, Tour de France is what fascinates med as a rider. And no matter how I was treated, if I get the chance, I will do it, because it’s the most prestigious race in the world as well as the most important race all season. Armstrong was also not so popular, but nevertheless he showed up seven years in a row and beat them all.
TV2: you have been riding your bike today. How can you manage it, thinking of the situation as it is at the moment?
MR: I have been in a state of siege by papparazies the last couple of days, and this morning I saw that there was no one in front of the door, so I thought there was an opportunity to get some fresh air. And to do what I love most in the world.
TV2: Did that help you think some things through?
MR: That’s were I feel most comfortable, on my bike.
TV2: I have visited your bike shop in town. Supporting emails are pouring in. How do you feel about the support you receive from cycling people around the world?
MR: Actually, I think it is not only cycling people. Its also regular people, who easily can see, that a gigantic mistake has been made in this case.
TV2: You seem relatively serene. Have you recovered from the shock it must have been to be kicked out?
MR: I will never recover from that.
The following is a word-by-word copied interview done Sunday by the biggest national television channel, TV2, in Denmark. The interview lasted 25 minutes. Michael Rasmussen invited TV2 to his private home in Italy and gave his view on the matter. It was aired twice in Denmark today, they even interupted the tranmission from the final stage to show the interviews as well as it was aired at 8 pm primetime.
Sorry for the gramma, my english is a bit rusty. And it took a lot of time to translate.
Enjoy the reading
Regards
René
Odense, Denmark.
TV2: What is your opinion on the whole situation of your exclusion?
MR: It’s a surrealistic situation, don’t you think? I just had the greatest day of my cycling career and won on top of the Col d’ Aubisque in the yellow jersey, and in reality I won Tour de France that day. Only to be kicked out of the hotel hours later.
TV2: How did that happen?
MR: Well, it happened in the way that we had a meeting in the team bus, where I got the message that I was taken out of the race. Afterwards my team mates were called in and got the same message.
TV2: How did you react?
MR: Well, I was in a state of shock and of course I got very angry of the decision that had been made, because I think there was nothing that could justify this decision.
TV2: I imagine you did not get much sleep that night. What thoughts went through your mind that night?
MR: No, well first of all, journalists put aside all respect for invasion of privacy. They called me until 2 AM. On top of that, I had 100.000 thought going through my mind concerning what had happened and what went wrong and what the future would bring. I had just been robbed the Tour de France victory.
TV2: Were you alone that night? And where were you exactly?
MR: Actually I don’t really know were I was. I know that I was driven to a country house about half an hours drive from Po, and then I was picked up the next morning, taken to the airport and on a private chartered plane to Verona.
TV2: That’s the way Rabobank chose to send you out of the race. How do you feel about that?
MR: When it came to it, you must say that at least they had the dignity to take care of me in a way without bigger drama, at least from my side of it. But naturally there were a lot of chaos in the first couple of hours after I left the hotel. But I haven’t had much to do with that.
TV2: Your team mates, did you have any time to speak with them before you left, and how did they react?
MR: Yeah, of course I spoke with them and they where naturally frustrated about the situation, just as I was. They had been riding for so many days and had been working for me, and we had won the yellow jersey. They were devastated. It had huge consequences for them financially that we did not win the Tour de France this year.
TV2: What do you think about the way Rabobank handled this whole matter?
MR: Well, I think it is better if I don’t express myself about this, as the matter will have legal consequences.
TV2: Theo de Rooij says you have admitted to him that you were in Italy during the time you should have been in Mexico. Have you?
MR: As I said, I better not express myself about that as well. It comes under your previous question.
TV2: But can you relate to and do you still claim that you were only in Mexico during the time you had stated?
MR: Again, it comes under the case that will be undergoing.
TV2: You can easily prove it by showing a passport and maybe stamps and plane tickets. Have you considered doing this during the case?
MR: Well, what I am saying is that now we have to se what the case brings and we will take it from there.
TV2: Personally, what do you think of Theo de Rooij and his role in this matter? You have been quite close to him.
MR: There is no doubt that he has been under an enormous pressure, and he has been accused of many things during the Tour, and at some point his facade cracked and he made this decision.
TV2: Have you spoken to him since?
MR: No I haven’t. I think there are very few persons who have done that, and I know, even the team has had difficulties in contacting him the last few days.
TV2: But the team has not only suspended you, actually you have been fired. What do you think about that?
MR: Well, it looks like a bit of a rash action. I read it on teletext and then I contacted the team to get it confirmed and to get an official dismissal notice. Just to be absolutely certain of what had happened and on what basis.
TV2: So did you receive it?
MR: Yes I have.
TV2: But do you think it is an over reaction?
MR: Well, for breaking some internal rules, I think it is a very harsh reaction, especially when thinking about the fine given to me earlier as a consequence of the mistake I maid.
TV2: What are you intending to do as to Rabobank and all the row?
MR: Naturally, I have contacted a lawyer and I am meeting him next week. After that we will contact Rabobank’s lawyers, and then I hope we can solve this matter in peace and toleration.
TV2: So you don’t expect this to end up in the courtroom?
MR: No, I think no one will benefit from that.
TV2: Today the Tour de France ends at Champs-Élyses. What is your comment on that?
MR: I am pretty convinced its not the best rider who won Tour de France this year.
TV2: You have said winning Tour de France is your ultimate dream. Do you feel the victory has been taken from you? That the dream has not come true and has been taken from you?
MR: Yes, definitely. It is no secret. Since the day I was excluded and for the rest of my life, I will wake up in the morning and remember that I didn’t win the Tour the France because I was wrongfully excluded from the race.
TV2: How do you feel about having that thought? Living with it the rest of your life.
MR: I feel truly horrible. I don’t know what to say. Maybe you can compare it to having a Picasso painting stolen. I was on my way to achieve the greatest thing I am capable of, and it was taken from me.
TV2: What have you done to come to terms with all this? It must have been hard for you at the time you were kicked out. Your dream was crushed. What did you do to come to terms with your expressions and all the feelings inside?
MR: Well, I have gone back to Italy to the ones closest to me, the people I know I can trust. Those are the ones I have been in contact with and it is also those who have contacted me.
TV2: Returning to the situation where you were kicked out of the Tour de France. How do you feel about the fact that de race director Prudhomme, announces that this is the best thing that could happen to the Tour de France, only one day after you have been kicked out?
MR: No question I am having a hard time to understand this. I do not know on what basis these statements are on.
TV2: They feel you should never have been allowed to enter the Tour the France, in connection with the row about the warnings from different anti doping instances. But you have not been tested positive in any way, so there is no case. How do you see this situation?
MR: No, it is some hypocrisy. UCI has, various times, stated that there are absolutely no motives for me not entering the Tour de France this year. Therefore, I really cannot see why this is a problem at all.
TV2: And they also say themselves that they have put pressure on Rabobank to have you kicked out. How do you feel about that?
MR: It is highly reprehensible that a race director feels that he has the right to kick riders out of the competition and “choose” the winner himself. Meaning, if he wanted to, he could attack Contador, attack Evans and finally he would attack the red haired, so maybe a Frenchman could be on the podium…
TV2: Do you think it comes down to that?
MR: I am having difficulties understanding what makes him say the things he has said.
TV2: Are you going to watch the final today?
MR: No, I haven’t watched any Tour de France since I was on the podium myself.
TV2: Do you follow the race at all?
MR: Yeah, I know Contador is probably winning, isn’t he?
TV2: How about your team mates, have you spoken to them after you left the Rabobank camp?
MR: Yes, I have been in contact with several of the riders.
TV2: What are they saying to all this?
MR: Well, they hate every day they sit on their bikes right now. Menchov left the race the other day in sympathy. I think that is a huge gesture coming from such a great rider. Boogerd, he left the dinner table crying the other day and he did not feel like riding his bike again.
TV2: So the whole team is taking this hard, not only you?
MR: Yes, of course. And it is not only the riders, it is also the mechanics, soigneurs and so on, they all have the Tour de France as their main goal. And it is indeed a catastrophic decision for all.
TV2: How do you feel of having the chance of winning the Tour de France taken away from you, on pure suspicions?
MR: I am having difficulties in seeing the basis of these suspicions. I have only missed being present at a certain time, and therefore I think it was a very severe decision.
TV2: But there have been doubts about your willingness to be available to the anti-doping-authorities. You are known as a perfectionist, how come you have been careless with your reports?
MR: First of all, I received two warnings from Anti Doping Denmark, who is put into this world to control athletes who are subject to DIF (Danish Athletics Association). And I am a member of Rabobank and have a licence in Monaco, so I have absolutely nothing to do with DIF. So I definitely mean this is unimportant. They should not have a say in this matter. From a legal point of view they have nothing to say.
TV2: But they say you are a part of the Danish National Team, or at least until they kicked you out. So they should have the right to test you?
MR: I haven’t been a part of the Danish National Team since 2004, nearly 3 years ago. A lot of Danish riders should have been on this team then, and ought to be in the “pot”. I have never received any guaranties from anyone about being a part of the national team.
TV2: I have heard that you have signed a document that gives them (DCU, Danish Cycling Union) the right to test you, is that correct?
MR: No, I have absolutely not signed anything from DCU.
TV2: So you don’t understand why they have involves them selves in this?
MR: No, well I might understand why they have involves themselves, but they have not right to interfere.
TV2: How do you feel about DCU, and especially Jesper Worre (director) of DCU, who partly started all this?
MR: I don’t know, its an awkward case. It is remarkable that on 26th of June I receive notice of exclusion from the National Team, afterwards I am asked to attend to a reception at DCU’s 100 year anniversary, they day before the National Championships I Roskilde. Photos are to be taken, hands to be shaken on I don’t know how many people. And the next day, they let me start at the National Championships. 14 days later, while riding the yellow jersey, they feel like announcing that I have received warnings. It is a highly remarkable situation, which easily can be taken personal.
TV2: Do you feel it is something personal, that someone has something against you?
MR: Well, the night before Thursday, it was almost 1 AM, I received a call from Jesper Worre. At that time he claimed that they were definitely not my enemy.
TV2: Do you believe that?
MR: They are definitely not my friends. One can interpret this as one like.
TV2: But I understand you have been tested by DCU, sorry ADD I mean. The day before the National Championships, is this correct?
MR: Yes, but the test was staged by UCI. One the day of the National Championships I was tested by ADD, which was staged by DCU.
TV2: And these UCI warnings, the talk has been concerning two warnings. They exist, right?
MR: Yes they definitely do and I have not tried to deny that. The first warning goes back to March 2006, at that time we were 6 Rabobank riders who forgot to send in our information. And the 5 of us only got at friendly telephone call from UCI, asking them to send in the information as soon as possible. I received a written and registered warning from UCI. A highly remarkable special treatment of a rider.
TV2: So that is the warning you feel you should not have gotten at all, and then there is a correct warning. But still, that is only two warnings and no case was opened against you. How do you feel about that? When it comes down to it, this costs you the victory in Tour de France.
MR: Well, there are a lot of small things that should never have been out in the public, because some information is confidential. So therefore, there was no case. If I had received a third warning, a case would be opened. And then UCI could sanction me. But because there were only two, there was no sensible reason to go public. There are a lot of other riders in Denmark and on the National Team with warnings that the public knows nothing about. So once again, a remarkable special treatment has been carried out.
TV2:
Doping problems is naturally on top of the agenda within the cycling sports, and we see that some riders are exposed, Vinokourov, Moreni during the Tour de France. So a lot of resources are used on this. Have you ever used doping?
MR: No I have absolutely not. And again I must confirm that since 30th June until the moment I was kicked out, I have hade 17 controls. This can only support my words.
TV2: Do you feel hounded as riders?
MR: Well, of course there is a problem and there has been a problem. The problem is fought with all means. It is getting smaller, because we have a control system that works. But naturally it is obvious to anyone that the riders are treated very different from other athletes.
TV2: But what is the control system worth if the race directors of Tour de France overrule the system? A case has not been opened.
MR: That is what makes the whole situation much more frustrating, not only for me, but for everyone. I think most lawyers or people with just a bit of education can see, that something happened here that should never have happened.
TV2: How do you think the press have handled the matter?
MR: Primarily, the press has been driven by sensation-seeking, and has not narrowed the sense of criticism. As the rider in the yellow jersey, I am an easy target, and there have been shots from both left and right.
TV2: Do you feel part of a smear campaign against yourself?
MR: From some medias, yes. Others have chosen to view the matter a bit more critical.
TV2: Why do you think some have been targeting you from the moment you got the yellow jersey?
MR: The yellow jersey has been hunted for several years now, at least 10 years, lately with Landis who was kicked out. Maybe there has been some expectation from the public that they guy wearing the yellow jersey is the one to get. As I say, at war it is always the ones in front you shoot at.
TV2: Prior the Tour de France you said that this Tour would decide if you had to work for the rest of your life or you could live from the earnings you made through your sport. Will this situation throw you into financial chaos?
MR: Not at the moment, no. And a legal case has started now, the result of that will influent my financial situation.
TV2: But it is a lot of money you are missing out on. A victory like that is truly worth a lot of money, isn’t it? Don’t you think you will be bitter about that?
MR: Yes, but besides the financial problem, there will be some tough feelings that no money in the world can replace.
TV2: Now the legal system takes over, and we have seen that this can take a while. You are 33 years old, have you seen your last race as a professional?
MR: No, I absolutely think not. And it is not my feeling that the process will take that long.
TV2: So realistically, you think there will be a team that dares to hire you after all this?
MR: Yes, I am convinced that there are a lot of people who easily can see that mistakes have happened in this case, because a rash decision has been made.
TV2: So you think you will start at the Tour de France next year?
MR: It is probably a question that will await an answer for some time. It depends on teams available for the future.
TV2: But how far are you willing to go for a new chance in the Tour de France?
MR: Well really, Tour de France is what fascinates med as a rider. And no matter how I was treated, if I get the chance, I will do it, because it’s the most prestigious race in the world as well as the most important race all season. Armstrong was also not so popular, but nevertheless he showed up seven years in a row and beat them all.
TV2: you have been riding your bike today. How can you manage it, thinking of the situation as it is at the moment?
MR: I have been in a state of siege by papparazies the last couple of days, and this morning I saw that there was no one in front of the door, so I thought there was an opportunity to get some fresh air. And to do what I love most in the world.
TV2: Did that help you think some things through?
MR: That’s were I feel most comfortable, on my bike.
TV2: I have visited your bike shop in town. Supporting emails are pouring in. How do you feel about the support you receive from cycling people around the world?
MR: Actually, I think it is not only cycling people. Its also regular people, who easily can see, that a gigantic mistake has been made in this case.
TV2: You seem relatively serene. Have you recovered from the shock it must have been to be kicked out?
MR: I will never recover from that.
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Comments
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Solidsteel, thanks a lot for making the effort to translate all that. I've done translation before so I know how much work went into that. Good job.
As Rasmussen says, his being thrown out of the Tour while holding the yellow jersey seems irregular and almost arbitrary. But, in my opinion, missing a test is a very big problem and should be treated as such at the time. Otherwise it would be easy for riders to simply miss tests when they know they'll test positive. Two missed tests is an extremely serious offence, and I personally think he shouldn't have been allowed to start the Tour because of that.
Throwing him out in the middle of the Tour without due process really offends my sense of justice, but equally, allowing him to go on and quite likely win the Tour, having missed those out-of-season tests, would be an injustice to the other riders. It was a difficult decision, and one only made necessary by the failure of the UCI to communicate to ASO the fact that Rasmussen had missed the tests prior to the Tour.
What a mess.0 -
YEs -good translation!
And what a mess. He couldn't really continue given the speculation , but throwing him off ? In reality he perhaps shouldn't have started. RAbobank probabaly knew the situation but couldn't risk not fielding a big name. . Denmark cycling has to play the UCI game in et UCI ASO battle for control of lucrative bike races.... what an effing mess indeed...0 -
Indeed, a complete mess. Poorly handled by many parties involved.
Another year where the results of the TdF will be decided in court.
Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.0 -
what a disaster for him, regardless of whether he is guilty or not.
I fear another Pantani...0 -
thanks solid
I understand there is a case going on, but I would have took the chance to show my passport and relevant stamps to the reporter and cameras. That is if they proved my case???
Jimmy
I also thought another Pantani affair in the making. Lets hope not, Rasmussen seems level headed at the moment. But as Duffers likes to say , climbers have a strange mentality.
george0 -
suspicious that he will not now affirm or deny his whereabouts in june .... sounds more like damage control than "having legal consequences"
but interesting remark that he doesnt accept that the Danich cycling federation has any rights to demand he appear for testing as he is not under their jurisdiction...0 -
Solidsteel thanks for posting that - your English is almost perfect!solidsteel wrote:TV2: Your team mates, did you have any time to speak with them before you left, and how did they react?
MR: Yeah, of course I spoke with them and they where naturally frustrated about the situation, just as I was. They had been riding for so many days and had been working for me, and we had won the yellow jersey. They were devastated. It had huge consequences for them financially that we did not win the Tour de France this year.
Just thought I'd point out that this does not tie up with what Boogerd was reported as saying to CyclingNews:
His team-mate Boogerd was clearly annoyed with the way Rasmussen left the Tour after all the work the team had done for him. "We didn't talk with each other. He didn't dare to come, I guess he proved to be a chicken," Boogerd said sarcastically just before the peloton rolled away from Pau.0 -
Thanks Solidsteel for taking the time to translate this.
It's an interesting read. I feel a lot of sympathy for Rasmussen as he's been the victim of a media witch hunt which would have befallen any rider leading the Tour.
However, it remains that he has been at best negligent and at worse deceitful in ensuring the relevant authorities are aware of his whereabouts. In the current climate that is unacceptable.
I'm sure we'll hear a lot more on this case over the coming weeks and months.0 -
"TV2: You can easily prove it by showing a passport and maybe stamps and plane tickets. Have you considered doing this during the case?
MR: Well, what I am saying is that now we have to se what the case brings and we will take it from there"
Nonsence. If he knew he was safe and had the documents he would have produced them by now and made the officials and his team look like morons. He's been well and truely caught out and missing four tests has not helped one little bit. He's been an idiot, he's gambled everything and been caught out.
P.S. Cheers for the translation.0 -
TV2: So realistically, you think there will be a team that dares to hire you after all this?
MR: Yes, I am convinced that there are a lot of people who easily can see that mistakes have happened in this case, because a rash decision has been made.
I wonder which team would hire him ? Disco, Astana, Tinkoff ?
Hat's off to him if he agrees to go with a T-Mobile, CSC, Slipstream etc0 -
"and finally he would attack the red haired"
So ASO doesn't like gingers?It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
great work, but this done not really help... its all smoke and screens.
he was not chucked off for mising the tests, he was chucked off for lying about where he was... and he careful avoids any mention of this.
interesting interviews, but once again..... GIVE US A FUGGING STRAIGHT ANSWER.0 -
Obviously his lawyer has told him to say absolutely nothing apart from how devastated and hard-done-by he feels. As many have pointed out, this would have been so easy to clear up if Rasmussen was telling the truth. I haven't felt this disappointed by a cyclist since Pantani - and it hurts me to say that even now.
Incidentally, although there are only a handful of votes, I see that people are split 50-50 as to whether he should have been thrown out of the race. Mmm interesting...
Thanks for the translation, Solid.0 -
maybe there should have been a sub-pole - how many think hew shouldnt have been allowed to start in the first place (of those who dont think he shoudl have been thrown out)dont knock on death\'s door.....
Ring the bell and leg it...that really pi**es him off....0 -
Too complicated: he hadn't broken any race rules, BUT the sponsor obviously wanted him dropped ("Hans, they are booing our logo!") so the team found an internal rule to do so. So it depends on your definition of "correct"
Yeah, I think that in the long term, dropping him was the best thing to do.Wanted: Penny farthing. Please PM me!
Advice for kilted riders: top-tubes are cold.0 -
iainf72 wrote:Timoid. wrote:"and finally he would attack the red haired"
So ASO doesn't like gingers?
My support for them grows day by day.
They already got rid of Landis last year!!
I have no sympathy for Rasmussen really. He missed four tests (at least two of which he was obliged to undertake) and he almost certainly lied to his team about his whereabouts. The '45 day' rule states that he should not have started the Tour in any case.
The one thing that I would like to know, however, is how many other riders in the peloton have similarly missed UCI tests? All riders should be treated evenly, regardless of whether they are potential tour winners or not.0 -
full story here:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/to ... sen_post07Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom0 -
I'd not only like to know who else has missed tests, I'd also like to know why the hell all of this isn't public information.
Why doesn't the UCI publish lists of which riders are due to be tested and when? If a rider misses a test, publish the reason why. It's the same approach used in business corporate governance - comply or explain. There needs to be far greater transparency because at the moment nobody knows what the hell has happened to who and when.
Would it not be attractive to potential sponsors if they could search a database of riders for information on the doping history?0 -
London-Red wrote:Why doesn't the UCI publish lists of which riders are due to be tested and when? If a rider misses a test, publish the reason why. It's the same approach used in busine
The tests are supposed to be surprises. If you tell them when it's going to happen you may as well give them some EPO and HGH.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Okay - but you could have a pretty inrteresting historical database.
So riders will only miss a test because they are not where they're supposed to be? Publish lists of where they're supposed to be then. You wouldn't even need to rely on the Mexican postal system that way - get an online system going...0 -
sorry whats the link between Pantani and Rassumssen?!
they were both climbers or what?! Pantani was at least tested and found to have a heamatocrit over 50%
so far rasmussen has not, very pedantically legally sepaking, broken any rulesWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Thanks for the transcript Solidsteel, very interesting. His complete unwillingness to answer the questions about his location in June is very damning in my view.0
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ddraver wrote:sorry whats the link between Pantani and Rassumssen?!
they were both climbers or what?! Pantani was at least tested and found to have a heamatocrit over 50%
so far rasmussen has not, very pedantically legally sepaking, broken any rules
UCI rules state that a rider shouldn't start a race within 45 days of missing a test.
Rabobank team rules state that a rider can be fired, even when wearing the yellow jersey, when pressure from the sponsor deems it to be necessary.0 -
Lying about location is tantemount to deceit and avoiding a test. If he could prove that he was in Mexico - no problem he would have won the tour. He can't and therefore his team were correct to suspend him for avaiding a test. he will have a case to answer with the UCI for this in due course and will have to prove he did not break another law.
Even in his interview he is unable to expand the Mexico trip further. That is black and white - either he was or wasnt there. He is now searching for a legal loop hole that will avoid the key issue - whether he was in mexico or not and instead focus on whether it matters if he missed the test. I have zero sympathy for him. He is making himself out to be the victim. UNless he can prove he was in Mexico he is the guilty of avoiding a test the only victims I can see are the sport and the people that fight for a clean sport.0 -
so wheres the link with Pantani?
who FAILED drugs tests because he had used EPO
people keep saying they re fearing another Pantani, I don't see any link, the4 closest link i can see is with the Gb skiier who lost his bronze medal for using a bit too much vicks nasal sprayWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
I though Matt Rendall made some interesting points in the ITV podcast after Stage 17... he talked about Rasmussen playing the system and using flags of convenience: apparently neither the mexico or monaco authorities (countries where in past season's he has been registered) have ever subjected him to an out of competition test... seems like the danish authorities got fed up with this and decided to start testing him themselves, but whether they had a legal right to do so is not clear: Rasmussen says no, they say yes.
To me it seems totally reasonable that in the run-up to an olympic year, national authorities should have access to test their own riders, no matter where those riders have decided to register.
Which raises the more general question: how many other riders are flying flags of convenience? and why aren't all national cycling bodies testing in the same way? German and French riders must feel like pin-cushions compared to most of the others!0 -
French riders are not allowed to attend training camps outside France because the French federation can't afford to dispatch testers around the world. So the rule is that riders have to stay put.
Why the Monaco racing licence? Besides, he was making noises about riding the 2008 Olympics, doing the MTB race, so he surely wanted to work with the Danish Federation.0 -
ddraver wrote:so wheres the link with Pantani?
who FAILED drugs tests because he had used EPO
people keep saying they re fearing another Pantani, I don't see any link, the4 closest link i can see is with the Gb skiier who lost his bronze medal for using a bit too much vicks nasal spray
I don't remember Pantani failing a drug test per se. He was prevented from finishing the Giro in 1999 because of his hematocrit levels which was seen as a contentious rule at the time. He was then seemingly victimised by ASO various cycling bodies and some sections of the media (His team however always stood by him). Given his always fragile mental state this was seen to have precipitated his decline ultimately ending in his tragic suicide. Maybe the OP fears that something similar might happen to Rasmussen but he seems to be made of sterner stuff.'e pur si muove0 -
but a heamatocrit level as high as his (it was nt exactly 50.1% from what i remember from the death of Marco Pantani) means that he was doing something that was nt right
I don't think Ras's (blatant) playing of the system is the same thing...yet. I didn't have alot of sympathy for Pantani, but i do have a bit for ras it does seem like he s been treated harshly compared to other people from recent years, but them I suppose this is what cyclng needs at the mo, and i wonder what really went on behind the scenes of rabobank sponser and teamWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0
