Basso - a year to go

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited October 2007 in Pro race
And already talk about where he will end up.

Any bets?

Barloworld has got to be the obvious one. And now with a PT license being worth nothing the 4 year exclusion seems irrelevant.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.

Comments

  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Barloworld can sign him but I doubt ASO will be happy with that. The bloke is a disgrace. Partly thanks to him - and Bruyneel's odd faith in him - the Discovery team folded.

    Given the complete lack of contrition ("I've never heard of Fuentes" > "I didn't meet him" > "It was an attempt at doping" etc), anyone signing him is taking on a liability, not an asset.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    I think he's finished as a force in cycling, at least outside Italy. Will ASO allow this basso character near any of its events? I don't think so. I think any team with future ambitions beyond Italy won't touch the liar
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Dave_1 wrote:
    I think he's finished as a force in cycling, at least outside Italy. Will ASO allow this basso character near any of its events? I don't think so. I think any team with future ambitions beyond Italy won't touch the liar

    ASO invited the team DS'd by Alvaro Pino, ex-Phonak, to the Tour presentation in Paris.

    Is that consistant with an anti-doping organisation?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    iainf72 wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    I think he's finished as a force in cycling, at least outside Italy. Will ASO allow this basso character near any of its events? I don't think so. I think any team with future ambitions beyond Italy won't touch the liar

    ASO invited the team DS'd by Alvaro Pino, ex-Phonak, to the Tour presentation in Paris.

    Is that consistant with an anti-doping organisation?

    I never knew that. It's awful to see that.
  • Garybee
    Garybee Posts: 815
    I bet he goes to Astana with the rest of them.

    Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Garybee wrote:
    I bet he goes to Astana with the rest of them.

    I would say that's extremely doubtful.

    I reckon he'll come back and you'll see him in all the big races in his first year.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    It's be extreme hypocracy for the ASO to prevent Basso from riding in the TdF while not having a problem with other ex-dopers. Not sure how many of this year's pro Tour teams don't have a single ex-doper among them - I'm sure there are some.
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • If he has now admitted the crime and done the time, is he any different from David Millar?
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    He hasn't admitted the crime. He said he had the blood taken out because he *intended* to dope in the future. Believe that if you will. Note I am not making any judgement as to whether that makes him better or worse than Millar.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    vermooten wrote:
    while not having a problem with other ex-dopers
    Like who? JM Leblanc tried to ban Virenque from coming to the Tour but was told by the UCI to let him race. I think ASO don't like ex-dopers, especially the non-repentant ones.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Kléber wrote:
    vermooten wrote:
    while not having a problem with other ex-dopers
    Like who? JM Leblanc tried to ban Virenque from coming to the Tour but was told by the UCI to let him race. I think ASO don't like ex-dopers, especially the non-repentant ones.

    Discuss Alvaro Pino being invited to the Tour presentation - Why invite someone like that if you're not considering inviting their team?

    I'm with LangerDan on this one, ASO will do what makes commercial sense.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    Kléber wrote:
    vermooten wrote:
    while not having a problem with other ex-dopers
    Like who? JM Leblanc tried to ban Virenque from coming to the Tour but was told by the UCI to let him race. I think ASO don't like ex-dopers, especially the non-repentant ones.

    If Mr. Liggett is to be believed, there is a large picture of Tricky Dicky on the wall in the ASO reception area.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    I think it depends on which team he signs for and whether they even want to ride the Tour. One imagines that Basso will want to win the Giro again to cement his status in Italy and only then turn his attention to the Tour. Whether he signs for a big team remains to be seen but the alacrity with which Discovery picked him up last year suggests that a rider's worth is unaffected by mere ethical considerations.

    As to whether he rides the Tour again or not - I'm with Iain, ASO will do what makes sense for them commercially.
  • mandie
    mandie Posts: 218
    Kléber wrote:
    vermooten wrote:
    while not having a problem with other ex-dopers
    Like who? JM Leblanc tried to ban Virenque from coming to the Tour but was told by the UCI to let him race. I think ASO don't like ex-dopers, especially the non-repentant ones.

    Personally I am not really sure whether ASO really care all that much about doping, it is however a very useful stick to beat the UCI around the head with.
    We\'ll kick against the darkness \'till it bleeds daylight
  • ASO are a bloody joke, if they had a consistent doping policy they might have been able to sort out the problems over 10 years ago.

    There has been doping in cycling since cycle racing started, and nobody cared because the racing was fast and exciting. In my opinion they couldn't give a fig about doping until it hurts sponsorship.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    I have no problem with Basso coming back. He has done his time as per the rules and should allowed to take up his trade again. There is no remorse clause as a pre-requisite to returning to the peloton.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    Basso is the kind of cancer the sport will suffer from...
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    He could go to Slipstream who already employ at least one ex-doper (=Millar). Or Saunier-Duvall who aren't averse to taking on dopers who've done their porridge (again = Millar). Whaddyathink?
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers