Astana
March 31st, 2008 |I find the whole “Let Levi Ride” thing hilarious, and I am not convinced that Johan runs the cleanest program, but I am not at ease with ASO’s decision to keep Astana from starting the Tour.
This sport needs the “joe average” fan to stay connected to the sport in order for the sport to survive and grow. How can the average fan understand a sport that keeps last years winner of the Tour, a man who has not failed a single test, from even starting the race?
If the ASO feels the need put Astana, or any team, under special examination during the season leading up to the Tour I have no problem with that. But the current “without cause” disqualification of Astana from starting is difficult for the average fan to understand and will damage the sport.
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10 Responses to “Astana”
But the current “without cause” disqualification of Astana from starting is difficult for the average fan to understand and will damage the sport.
Without cause? Uhh, this is a squad that has been kicked out of the last two TdFs, helping to publicly bring the race and the sport as a whole into general disrepute. That’s just cause to me.
And I shed no tears for Leipheimer, Contador, et al. They knew full well what they were signing on for and the inherent risks. Their gamble did not pay off. Boo-who.
Where are the complaints from people that Rock Racing wasn’t invited to the Tour de Georgia?
http://www.lettylerride.com
Their gamble did not pay off. Boo-who.
I think you mean boo-hoo?
Uhh, this is a squad that has been kicked out of the last two TdFs
New management, new riders. Same sponsor but not really the same team.
And I shed no tears for Leipheimer, Contador, et al
What have those two guys tested positive for?
New management, new riders. Same sponsor but not really the same team.
That response begs the question: Where does the buck stop? The riders, management *and* sponsors share a responsibility in keeping the riders clean. From everything I’ve read, this is the ASO’s message. Sure, the (known) dirty Astana riders are gone and the lax management is gone. However, the questionable sponsor remains. Thus, problem.
Further, I have no doubt that if Rabobank and Cofidis (and probably High Road, too) would be thrown out of the TdF (or any other ASO event) this year, their respective invites to 2009 ASO events would also disappear.
I applaud what Prudhomme and Co. are doing — the ASO seems to be the only organization in this mess willing to tackle the doping problem head-on.
What have those two guys tested positive for?
Naiveness.
I don’t know, but I thought sponsors just fronted the cash?
Don’t tell me you carry a grudge against Rabobank too? Seems to me that they were pretty responsible as far as sponsors go.
For the most part sponsors just provide cash and have no imput in the team. there are some exceptions (like Rock Racing) where the sponsor is a cycling fan and wants to have a hand in running the team.
there are some exceptions (like Rock Racing) where the sponsor is a cycling fan and wants to have a hand in running the team.
Running the team into the ground?
I’ll say it again:
Based on previous ASO press releases and public statements, the organization is making it clear that responsibility lies with riders, team management, *and* sponsors. Regardless of the fact that many sponsors simply front cash, the ASO has made it clear that sponsors have a responsibility to ensure that those teams representing such sponsors do so in a non-doping, ethical manner.
From CyclingNews (pay special attention to the last two paragraphs):
Speaking to L’Equipe, [Christian Prudhomme] added that “the idea (behind this decision) is not ‘Never again Astana’, it is ‘Never again 2007!”
Asked why ASO decided to exclude the Kazakh-sponsored squad, but not the team High Road (former T-Mobile)…Prudhomme replied, “That is not the same situation. The Sinkewitz affair was before the Tour [the rider was found positive at a team training camp on June 8 - ed.]. If everybody would have wanted to protect the Tour, then we would have known his test result before the start of the race…
French team Cofidis also had a doping case during the last Tour de France with Cristian Moreni. “That’s true,” Prudhomme commented, “but Cofidis left (the Tour) straight away, without us asking them to do so.”
Speaking to Dutch AD, Prudhomme added that ASO had also pondered the exclusion of Rabobank…”We hesitated, but came to the conclusion that it was Rasmussen and his boss [Theo De Rooy - ed.] that harmed the Tour, and not the sponsor,” he said. “They made the decision to pull him out of the race a bit late, but they did. The sponsor made that gesture even if there wasn’t a positive control”…
Prudhomme added that…ASO was determined to file a clean field in the race this year…”If ever a team makes a mistake, the sanction will be the same. There is no margin for mistakes anymore.”
Link:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/f eb08/feb14news3
Nope if they believe it lies on the sponsers then they should not include High Road… it’s a new team and needs to prove itself. Same would go for Rabobank (given past members) and perhaps others.
I really don’t see them showing consistant judgement. In addtion what guarntees are they giving? The you f’d up your out attitude is nice. But they show that they are willing to work with a lab more interested in leaking info to the press then doing their job. In addtion they want to protect their profit. Fine but they want to do it in a vacume.
In other words it’s ASO’s way or your out.
That doesn’t bother me, execpt that there is nothing written down. ASO wants to be able to decide how things should be done, and not have any real contract about it. What if the French Cycling Federation decides to disagree with them? Based on current behavior they’ll take the ball somewhere else. Ulitmately leaving the riders, management and sponsers held hostage to an oraganization that wants to run everything.
Now oddly enough this doesn’t bother me per se… I just wan ASO to come out and say they want to run thier show and f. off to the UCI. Get it over with as it were so that the riders, management and sponsers can decide…
NASCAR or Indy? Which race do you want to be in.
The ASO needs to be careful, or they’re going to give the French a reputation for being arrogant. If this was just about running a clean race, what teams would be left, and if it has anything to do with the ProTour, then why bother inviting FdJ? I think we know the answers.
I agree that ASO needs to come out and level with us that they want their own league. It’s not out of line — as world sports go, UCI has more power than most world organizations. English soccer teams can’t agree on field size, yet they still manage to compete as pros on the national, continental, and world levels under the sanction of different leagues and governing bodies.
I also agree that it’s stupid to exclude Contador and Leipheimer because of the kits they’re wearing, but on the other hand, it was a few “rogues” who ruined Vino’s shot in ‘06, and I guess he just started doing it the year after. They don’t have an expression that comes after “fool me twice…” for a reason.