[LostViking]

Michael Rasmussen's name is coming up a lot lately here in the forums - has something happened recently? I think I missed the memo.

Also, I'm Danish - so prob biased - but I think Rass was "robbed" of a TdF win back when Rabo dropped him.
He was never "convicted" of anything except lying about his whereabouts -
I wonder why some big team has not taken him up when others, who have been suspended for dopeing, are back on top teams?

 

[atpjunkie]

well let's see

has a Tour of his career and it turns out instead of being w/ in-laws in Mexico he was in Italy. Now why would he lie about something like that? He broke serious team rules/pro cyclist protocol. He got what he deserved

But I liked the chicken in dots
I liked watching him crash in the TT even better

 

[LostViking]

Akin to swatting a fly with a nuclear warhead

He broke serious team rules/pro cyclist protocol.

For which the only available sanction was kicking him off the team on the cusp of winning the TdF - very reasonable.

I don't debate that he broke the rules, lied about it, and should have been sanctioned, but I do think that the sanction taken was disproportionate to the offence. However, I understand that others may see that differently.

But that does not address the first part of my question - where is he now (last I heard he was riding for Miche) and why isn't he on a better team? Perhaps his results have been poor, I don't know, but I'm wondering why a former top cyclist like Rasmussen isn't with one of the bigger teams in pro-cycling - anyone (who doesn't enjoy seeing cyclists crash) with a take on that?

 

[roadie92]

For which the only available sanction was kicking him off the team on the cusp of winning the TdF - very reasonable.


But that does not address the first part of my question - where is he now (last I heard he was riding for Miche) and why isn't he on a better team? Perhaps his results have been poor, I don't know, but I'm wondering why a former top cyclist like Rasmussen isn't with one of the bigger teams in pro-cycling

Well most cyclists coming off from a suspension don't go straight back to a pro-tour level team. They all can't be like vino

 

[enac]

If Vino can come back and win a Tour de France stage after getting busted so should Rasmussen and Riccardo Ricco.

 

[den bakker]

If Vino can come back and win a Tour de France stage after getting busted so should Rasmussen and Riccardo Ricco.

since when is it right to win stages?
Everyone is free to hire MR and RR, no one wants to, why is that vinokourovs fault?

 

[Salsa_Lover]

 

[Comer]

I agree with you, I don't think he should've been removed from the tour.

I haven't heard any recent news about MR, but I would love to see him racing a grand tour or any race again.

Michael Rasmussen's name is coming up a lot lately here in the forums - has something happened recently? I think I missed the memo.

Also, I'm Danish - so prob biased - but I think Rass was "robbed" of a TdF win back when Rabo dropped him.
He was never "convicted" of anything except lying about his whereabouts -
I wonder why some big team has not taken him up when others, who have been suspended for dopeing, are back on top teams?

 

[Rickyracer]

Damn, that may be the funniest thing I've seen on this forum!!
UCI could profit from having a sense of humor like that...

 

[otiebob]

Michael Rasmussen's name is coming up a lot lately here in the forums - has something happened recently? I think I missed the memo.

Didn't he only sign a 1 yr. contract with Miche Silver Cross? If so, I would imagine the rumor mill has him jumping back into an elite level team as soon as he can if they'll have him. He's not a spring chicken (ha) though so he may not get any offers.

I agree that he ended up with a harsher punishment and/or unofficial black ball from the world of cycling. He's guilty but no more so than Vino, Basso, or Ricco. He certainly isn't as bad as DiLuca who should be banned for life at this point...

 

[shabbasuraj]

Rasmussen is like another schleck. Climbs but no TT.

RASSY is one of the few who can literally sprint up a col. (maybe stride for stride as CONTY???????????)

 

[den bakker]

Didn't he only sign a 1 yr. contract with Miche Silver Cross? If so, I would imagine the rumor mill has him jumping back into an elite level team as soon as he can if they'll have him. He's not a spring chicken (ha) though so he may not get any offers.

I agree that he ended up with a harsher punishment and/or unofficial black ball from the world of cycling. He's guilty but no more so than Vino, Basso, or Ricco. He certainly isn't as bad as DiLuca who should be banned for life at this point...

he cancelled his contract with miche when he got mono.

 

[weltyed]

if conti leaves astana, would vino try to bring the chicken onboard? that would be interesting.

as far as why no team is looking at him, they might be. but he, and ricco, were pretty brash about what they were doing (ricco admitting outright, the chicken admitting to lying about his whereabouts). when you get removed from a team because of lying about where you are, it is kind of a bog deal. the team knew the heat was coming, so they off-loaded him.
it was smart for him to take a year contract with a smaller team. look at basso last year.

 

[Perico]

For which the only available sanction was kicking him off the team on the cusp of winning the TdF - very reasonable.

I don't debate that he broke the rules, lied about it, and should have been sanctioned, but I do think that the sanction taken was disproportionate to the offence. However, I understand that others may see that differently.

But that does not address the first part of my question - where is he now (last I heard he was riding for Miche) and why isn't he on a better team? Perhaps his results have been poor, I don't know, but I'm wondering why a former top cyclist like Rasmussen isn't with one of the bigger teams in pro-cycling - anyone (who doesn't enjoy seeing cyclists crash) with a take on that?

Would any company keep an employee who blatantly lied to them about their work?

 

[T K]

He lied about his wherabouts and missed his pee pee test because he was cycling off some sort of go go juice and did not want to get caught.
The team figured the poop was gonna hit the fan and did not want to suffer that embarasment, especialy with the guy in yellow at the TDF. Stuff like that has killed other teams, like Scott, Barlo World, Phonak, ect. Rabo did what they had to do. It was his own fault. Feeling sorry for him is just silly.
Maybe without his secret sauce he's just not as fast anymore, that's why no team has signed him.

 

[nayr497]

I wonder what it feels like to be leading the TdF knowing the reason is because you are pumped full of illegal drugs?

I also wonder what it feels like to be that fast (artificially) and then to never get that fast again.

And I can kind of, kind of understand the reasons people across all sports give for doping (wanted to get that edge, wanted to stay in the big leagues, etc.) but not really. I played sports my entire life and at a pretty high level in college and it never crossed my mind to cheat. Hell, most of us were on PDD...Performance Diminishing Drugs. All that damn drinking in college surely didn't help our skills

 

[Swish]

Rabobank knew about his lies pre-tour, and so could have taken measures beforehand. That's why a court ruled Rasmussen's instant firing was unmerited and Rasmussen got 700.00 euro out of that. Only when Rasmussen was firmly in yellow Rabobank decided Rasmussen had become too high profile and axed him. Teammanager Theo de Rooij resigned the next day, so in a way there was some retribution for how the Rasmussen was treated.

 

[weltyed]

I also wonder what it feels like to be that fast (artificially) and then to never get that fast again.

 

[LostViking]

Thanks for the input guys.
I suspect the mono thing would have put a damper on his performance.
That said, I bet he is so eager to get back into the top flight pro peloton that he'd sign for cheap!

Seems he would be a bargain - even if not at his previous form (drug enhanced or otherwise).

Also - people are being busted with old blood tests - don't they have any on Rass?

 

[roadie92]

ahhh tushay