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What the deal with the Chicken?

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gizzard

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I was watching the final kilometres of last night’s stage in the Tour of the Basque Country (stage 3) and couldn't help but feel that Michael Rasmussen has been royally screwed as I watched Vino solo away to the win. Loads of riders have been popped for doping violations in recent years, many of whom lied in order to maintain their innocence. So too did the Chicken Man, although crucially he never failed a dope test, but was, in my opinion, rightly suspended for lying about his whereabouts to his team and the UCI.
The thing that pisses me off is that he's one of only a handful of riders who was never given a second chance, unlike Basso, Vino, Kashechkin etc. So what's the deal?
 
#2 ·
gizzard said:
I was watching the final kilometres of last night’s stage in the Tour of the Basque Country (stage 3) and couldn't help but feel that Michael Rasmussen has been royally screwed as I watched Vino solo away to the win. Loads of riders have been popped for doping violations in recent years, many of whom lied in order to maintain their innocence. So too did the Chicken Man, although crucially he never failed a dope test, but was, in my opinion, rightly suspended for lying about his whereabouts to his team and the UCI.
The thing that pisses me off is that he's one of only a handful of riders who was never given a second chance, unlike Basso, Vino, Kashechkin etc. So what's the deal?
Click to expand...
He is free to race and any team is free to sign him up if they want to.
My feeling is that despite his excellent climbing, he is not that good of a general bike racer, especially off-EPO. He was never a complete package, remember those awful time trials? So maybe nobody wants to take a chance with him? (Even Ricco got signed up by a decent team).

I also find that he got screwed, especially since he was never caught using or failing the doping test. Basso, Franck Schleck, Valverde and many others got a pretty sweet deal compared to Rasmussen.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
#5 ·
just a thought

gizzard said:
Yeah, but that's hardly a decent team. Let's not forget that he was in the yellow jersey of the Tour when he got the flick. No doubt in my mind that he has lost more than any other top cyclist, and yet he didn't fail a test. He's not even allowed to ride the Danish national tour.QUOTE]

Perhaps the fact that he is not on good terms with his national federation has something to do with it. Apparently Vino has a great relationship with his national federation, who seem to support him 100% of the time.
Click to expand...
 
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#6 ·
gizzard said:
Yeah, but that's hardly a decent team. Let's not forget that he was in the yellow jersey of the Tour when he got the flick. No doubt in my mind that he has lost more than any other top cyclist, and yet he didn't fail a test. He's not even allowed to ride the Danish national tour.
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They still get invites here and there, but he's not exactly crushing the lower tier of competition.
 
#7 · (Edited)
gizzard said:
he didn't fail a test
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He massively failed the truth test.
When he was exposed on Italian TV it brought a lot of embarrasment to Rabobank. Rabo supports a lot of sports in the Netherlands, not just cycling, and the accusation of employing a doper was very very bad for them. It's pretty darn suspicious when someone lies to their employer and the doping police, saying they are in another country, and rides around in disguise.
He lied and threw away the trust his employer put in him. Rabobank deserves credit for taking the hard way out and firing him when the Tour looked to be won. Rabo would surely have preferred the Tour win to the scandal.
 
#8 ·
He has a screwy past and his skills are too highly specialized. He was never really that good at anything except big mountain stages in big stage races. He doesn't do anything else well. He certainly doesn't time trial well, as we saw in the 2005 TDF. And that's fine if you're on a team like Rabobank that is loaded with guys who can compete in any race on the calendar. It keeps the sponsor happy while you can hang out and do nothing until your day comes. But no team like that is going to hire him anymore.
 
#12 ·
gizzard said:
Yeah, but that's hardly a decent team. Let's not forget that he was in the yellow jersey of the Tour when he got the flick. No doubt in my mind that he has lost more than any other top cyclist, and yet he didn't fail a test. He's not even allowed to ride the Danish national tour.
Click to expand...
he has been racing but was not particularly impressive so the risk/reward ratio was probably too high for most teams.
He can race post danmark rundt, but his team has to qualify.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
#17 ·
gizzard said:
That's quite a list of names, including Cunego's. I don''t speak Italian, but please tell me the Little Prince isn't caught up in this. Tell me it isn't so Damiano.
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It is hard to say at this time. They could just see him as a witnes. Some of this dates back to 2008 and prior.....Cuengo was a different rider then
 
#18 ·
I'm doping free just means he gets it for free.

From the text
In addition to the aforementioned Nigrelli - involving crimes committed between late 2008 and July 2009 - we are the Lampre team manager Giuseppe Saronni, technicians Fabrizio Bontempi and Maurizio Piovani, the masseur Fabio Della Torre, riders Alessandro Ballan, Marco Flag, Emanuele Bindi, Marzio Bruseghin, Damiano Cunego, Mauro Da Dalto, Francesco Gavazzi, Mirko Lorenzetto, Manuele Mori, Simone Ponzi, Mauro Santambrogio, Francesco Tomei and Daniele Pietropolli.
In addition, there are Francis and Geo Bonazzi, Michael Rasmussen, Sergio Gelati, Roberto Messina, former professional Paul Bosson, Peter Caucchioli, Massimiliano Mori and Mariano Piccoli, Sebastian Gilmozzi, Paolo Pezzi, Matthew Zambrone (footballer), Nicholas Jose and Castrini Ibarguren, Former medical Fuji Servetto.
At the heart of the business surveys and the use of substances such as EPO, ephedrine, somatropin, testosterone and cortisone.
 
#19 ·
From Sporten.dk

"- Jeg aner ikke, hvorfor jeg bliver nævnt. Men jeg erkender blankt, at jeg har købt veterinærprodukter, ansigtspleje til min kone og nogle vitaminpræperater på det apotek, siger Michael Rasmussen til Sporten.dk"

Rough Translation: "I have no idea why I was named. But I freely admit that I've purchased vetrinary products, face creams for my wife and some vitamins at that drugstore." Michael Rassmussen said to Sporten.dk"

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/kyllingen-anklager-roerer-mig-ikke
 
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#20 ·
Perhaps the fact that he is not on good terms with his national federation has something to do with it. Apparently Vino has a great relationship with his national federation, who seem to support him 100% of the time.[/QUOTE]

Contador seems to be in pretty good with his federation too:p
 
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