Rasmussen riding again...

tmag2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 960640.stm

Hmmm...

Kléber

If he can prove his whereabouts, let him sign for any team. Any team with a ounce of morality - scare thesedays, I know - would do a full background check on him and ask to see his passport stamps and bank statements as proof he was in Mexico.

Otherwise, if he can't volunteer evidence to prove he was in Mexico, he's going to be a figure of ridicule and Aqua and Sapone risks being barred from plenty of races. Considering Acqua et Sapone is a chain of beauty shops (think Superdrug), surely they want clean riders?

richa

Kléber wrote:

Considering Acqua et Sapone is a chain of beauty shops (think Superdrug), surely they want clean riders?

Perhaps Superdrug would be a good sponsor for him...

iainf72

I think the Soap and Water team have had 2 or 3 positives this year

avoidingmyphd

It doesn't look like he plans on proving he was in Mexico at all. This quote from cyclingnews suggests he is conceding that he was in Italy (and elsewhere) pre-Tour:

I am not able to say. There is something going on," he responded when asked why he lied by saying he was in Mexico instead of Dolomites, where he was spotted training by Cassani. When the uncertainties were uncovered Rabobank dismissed Rasmussen. "I can say that, other than the training in the Dolomites, I was in the Pyrénées in this same period. Rabobank knew where I was because it had paid me for the airplane ticket.

Full story here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/aug07/aug23news2

ut_och_cykla

avoidingmyphd wrote:

It doesn't look like he plans on proving he was in Mexico at all. This quote from cyclingnews suggests he is conceding that he was in Italy (and elsewhere) pre-Tour:

I am not able to say. There is something going on," he responded when asked why he lied by saying he was in Mexico instead of Dolomites, where he was spotted training by Cassani. When the uncertainties were uncovered Rabobank dismissed Rasmussen. "I can say that, other than the training in the Dolomites, I was in the Pyrénées in this same period. Rabobank knew where I was because it had paid me for the airplane ticket.

Full story here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/aug07/aug23news2

mmm Rabobank is in this up to the hilt - didn't the director or similar quit? My take on it. Rabobank wanted a jersey. Rasmussen said he could get one and told them how. When they asked 'what if..' or 'how will you avoid...' he said no probs... wife's mexican. When the faeces hit the fan he and teh guy who condoned it had to go...
mebbe :?:

skavanagh.bikeradar

If true this sort of statement should set alarm bells off all over the UCI. As many on here suspected the teams themselves and the people that run them are a massive problem in combating doping.

bigdawg

his team knew and paid for him to be in italy..??!! :shock:

Christ no wonder he's so confident, there could potentially be a plus million dollar lawsuit on its way... :?

andyp

bigdawg wrote:

his team knew and paid for him to be in italy..??!! :shock:

Christ no wonder he's so confident, there could potentially be a plus million dollar lawsuit on its way... :?

He lives in Italy. He's claiming that Rabobank knew he was in the Pyrenees.

However, he still has to explain why he'd told the UCI that he was going to be in Mexico only to then train in Italy and France. Did he tell them of his change in plans?

timoid.

bigdawg wrote:

his team knew and paid for him to be in italy..??!! :shock:

Christ no wonder he's so confident, there could potentially be a plus million dollar lawsuit on its way... :?

Its his word against their's. I doubt anything is written down. I think it was a no questions no answers arrangement with Rabo. They are not innocent, but they aren't liable either.

Ras is one dodgy fooker. Even Riis got rid of him because he had "suspicions" due to the Chicken's blood profile.

The A&S team have are up there with Sauier Duval and Euskaltel as one of the shadiest teams in the peloton.

top_bhoy

I'm no fan of his but until he faces disciplinary charges then he still needs to work and should be available to race for a team until he does. Not an ideal situation granted, but the status quo in being unable to race and facing no charges is not tenable. If he has breached rules then the UCI should simply lay charges and discipline him as appropriate.

If he doesn't face charges you have to wonder why not and how serious the UCI is in weeding out the cheats and/or if they are in control of cycling. This last point I seriously doubt.

Cyclo2000

re the business of telling the UCI whereaboots he was...didn't ye read Millars comments on the absurdity of the reporting procedures? It's some kind of three month forward projection, innit? Can you tell me whereaboots you're gonna be three months hence?

Also, as he's not been found out doing anything, what's the problem?

Want me to start a rumour that you're a bad guy? Using your reasoning that should be enough to get you thrown off these forums just in case I'm right or until you can proove yer not.

;-)

bigdawg

Cyclo2000 wrote:

Also, as he's not been found out doing anything, what's the problem?
;-)

are you kidding?? He nearly won the TDF, havent you realised on this forum thats on par with admitting taking EPO :shock: :shock:

Titanium

The guy told the media he was in Mexico when allegations say he was in Italy. Now he might have been in the Pyrenees. He needs to come out and account for his location on each day and why he failed to notify the authorities of his location. If you tell the UCI where you will be in 3 months time, you are responsible for notifying them of any changes to the schedule.

There's no UCI rule for being unethical, but in these times it's going to cost him. He needs to be open and to stop using lawyers.

top_bhoy

I agree - but has he been formally asked to explain why there are discrepencies between his initial intended destination and the destination where he actually went? There is no reason this mess should not be cleared up quickly - if he provides unsatisfactory answers then charge him for breach of protocol, etc.....otherwise, he should is free to cycle.

I also think Rabobank also have a case to answer if they booked his flights to Italy and yet didn't oppose any of the Mexico statements. It may have been no more than an administrative cock-up but they should still need to explain.

reverendmark

I am not able to say. There is something going on," he responded when asked why he lied by saying he was in Mexico instead of Dolomites, where he was spotted training by Cassani. When the uncertainties were uncovered Rabobank dismissed Rasmussen. "I can say that, other than the training in the Dolomites, I was in the Pyrénées in this same period. Rabobank knew where I was because it had paid me for the airplane ticket.

I'm not sure that this does implicate Rabobank. If we are to take him on his word (*cough*) then they simply paid for the ticket. I could just be that he sends them a bunch of receipts and whoever handles his expenses just paid them out. My employer's finance department certainly doesn't question why I might have been travelling somewhere on a particular day... they trust me to submit legitimate expenses, and they approve them.