Conspiracy theory

[Quisqueyano]

Am i the only one that thinks it is strange that it wasn't til Ras. had the tour basically wrapped up that he was kicked out?
I think tour organizers would do anything to avoid another landis style black eye. When they saw Ras. was the guy this year, the powers that be took action.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Quisqueyano

Am i the only one that thinks it is strange that it wasn't til Ras. had the tour basically wrapped up that he was kicked out?
I think tour organizers would do anything to avoid another landis style black eye. When they saw Ras. was the guy this year, the powers that be took action.

I think you are largely correct but I don't think it is much of a conspiracy, really. Prudhomme said if the Tour had known that he had missed 4 OOC tests in the last 18 months, including one each in May and June of this year, they would nto have let him start. The Tour has wanted Rabbobank to withdraw him for the last week or more. Then when the story about hsi attempt to trick a freind to bring doping products to italy broke, the pressure increased. Once he took yesterday's stage the pressure was enormous and suddenly you had a reputable journalist and ofrmer rider say that Rasmussen was in Italy and not Mexico in June (menaing he could have tested easily and that he lied about his location). At this point The sponsor was unhappy and, as in all of the world, money talks and if the team didn't listen it would walk. So the team dumps the yellow jersey. Not really a conspiracy. Unfair if you think Rasmussed was clean (I don't) but not a conspiracy.