Fuglsang and Lutsenko under investigation for cooperation with Michele Ferrari.

[MADRAZO]

According to danish media

https://www.dr.dk/sporten/cykling/jakob-fuglsang-efterforsket-forbindelse-til-kendt-dopinglaege

(Full story will be in danish DR tv 21:00 cet )

Fuglsang and also Lutsenko are apparantly under a secret investigation by CADF of having worked with Michele Ferrari, which in itself is illegal. Fuglsang has no comments so far to the story.

Not looking good for Fuglsang and for sure his sudden level-increase at an old age, only explained by eating more, has looked quite suspicious.

 

[Simurgh]

"Reports indicate, that Astana rider Jakob Fuglsang is part of Michele Ferrari's doping regime and that Lutsenko has attended at least one meeting in Nice/Monaco". (own translation)
On top of that, dr Ferrari has apparently been present at last years Volta de Catalunya with the Astana team.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Not really surprising - a team with a leader who has committed fraud and used doping isn't reliable.

 

[Frankschleck]

As a dane it breaks my heart, but not really the biggest surprise that the astana team cheating.

 

[zlev11]

not surprising to me at all, Fuglsang was incredibly obvious last year, he was so much better than he's ever been.

 

[luckyboy]

Wow, I can't believe it!

 

[Alexandre B.]

Fuglsang suddenly becoming a top champion, the numerous physical prowess displayed by various riders in the spring...

Hardly surprising.

 

[F_Cance]

Time to ban the whole team now

 

[Mayomaniac]

"Reports indicate, that Astana rider Jakob Fuglsang is part of Michele Ferrari's doping regime and that Lutsenko has attended at least one meeting in Nice/Monaco". (own translation)
On top of that, dr Ferrari has apparently been present at last years Volta de Catalunya with the Astana team.

I kinda doubt that a big team would risk actually bringing Ferrari himself to a race, when just working with him in any way is illegal.

 

[Alexandre B.]

After bringing down the Monaco/Riviera doping ring, I hope they'll bring down the Colombian one.

 

[Danskebjerge]

It would be interesting if all journalists would be ready to deal with issues like this one. Too often, sports reporters only write about doping cases if an authority has released an official statement.

 

[Koronin]

I just read this in Spanish. Article says it's from the Danish article posted above. So I'm reading a Spanish translation of that translating it into English. Sad about it, but not surprised at all. It will be interesting to see what comes of it.

 

[F_Cance]

without real proof probably nothing

 

[Danskebjerge]

There must be a reason why this report has been leaked now. It mentions the possibility of more surveillance of Ferrari and Astana - but that must be hard when everybody knows about it.

 

[Simurgh]

I kinda doubt that a big team would risk actually bringing Ferrari himself to a race, when just working with him in any way is illegal.

It sounds crazy, but they just mentioned in the evening news, that Ferrari changes his appearance (e.g. disguising himself) so that he can fly under the radar, so to speak. Then again, crazier things have happened...

EDIT: Fuglsang should allegedly have been seen doing motor pacing with dr Ferrari in the Monaco area. 12 additional sources, who have nothing to do with the report, have told this to DR and the other media outlets, who possess the secret report.

 

[tobydawq]

The report of DR tonight was supposed to be "the big relevation" but nothing was said of how it could possible be known that Fuglsang and Lutsenko had met with Dr Ferrari in Monaco or Nice.

It seemed very thin.

But now he's tainted and his career is ruined, and the Danish spectators will turn back to the "all bike riders are doping" paradigm.

So a great evening for Danish cycling.

Nice work DR and Politiken.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The report could be based on reports from other cycling teams.

 

[F_Cance]

Maybe Fuglsang will sing like a bird

 

[Kompakt]

The report of DR tonight was supposed to be "the big relevation" but nothing was said of how it could possible be known that Fuglsang and Lutsenko had met with Dr Ferrari in Monaco or Nice.

It seemed very thin.

But now he's tainted and his career is ruined, and the Danish spectators will turn back to the "all bike riders are doping" paradigm.

So a great evening for Danish cycling.

Nice work DR and Politiken.

DR and Politiken have done nothing wrong here. They become aware of a potential collaboration with Denmark's biggest rider and the most infamous doping doctor in the world of cycling. A collaboration that is illegal, no matter if it involves doping or not.
The journalistic right thing to do is to ask the critical questions. Fuglsang didn't do himself any favours by refusing to answer these questions. If there was no link whatsoever, would it be that difficult to shoot down any allegation?

Please take of your red-and-white tinted glasses. The sport needs to clean up its act and any national bias' is not gonna help - said by a fellow Dane.

 

[Baldinger]

It sounds crazy, but they just mentioned in the evening news, that Ferrari changes his appearance (e.g. disguising himself) so that he can fly under the radar, so to speak. Then again, crazier things have happened...

EDIT: Fuglsang should allegedly have been seen doing motor pacing with dr Ferrari in the Monaco area. 12 additional sources, who have nothing to do with the report, have told this to DR and the other media outlets, who possess the secret report.

The 12 additional sources didn't see Fuglsang and Ferrari. Some of them are refering to a rider who supposedly met Ferrari and Fuglsang.

 

[tobydawq]

DR and Politiken has done nothing wrong here. They become aware of a potential collaboration with Denmark's biggest rider and the most infamous doping doctor in the world of cycling. A collaboration that is illegal, no matter if it involves doping or not.
The journalistic right thing to do is to ask the critical questions. Fuglsang didn't do himself any favours by refusing to answer these questions. If there was no link whatsoever, would it be that difficult to shoot down any allegation?

Please take of your red-and-white tinted glasses. The sport needs to clean up its act and any national bias' is not gonna help - said by a fellow Dane.

Honestly, I'm not very nationalistic, and it would have been much more upsetting to me if this has been about a number of other riders.

It's just typical that this happens in Denmark, the country whose media took it upon themselves to prevent a Tour de France win 13 years ago.

And my real problem is that they explain nothing. They just convey rumours. What's the point in that? Create a solid story, if you may, but this? Choosing pictures with Fuglsang having froth in the corner of his mouth (a well-known nonsensical symbol of doping), staging a story of him having apparently risen from a nobody to a superstar in 2 years.

I don't know, it just seemed like they had nothing solid at all. They explained nothing. They just said that it had come to their attention that there might have been a time where he might have been seen with a person who might have been Michele Ferrari. Who by the way sometimes was located in Lugano, Switzerland, which was a completely random piece of information that served no purpose other than to lengthen the list of pieces of information they had of him. Another element on that list: He had apparently been with Astana at the Volta a Catalunya (of course he hadn't) - a race they failed to mention that Fuglsang did not participate in.

 

[Kompakt]

Honestly, I'm not very nationalistic, and it would have been much more upsetting to me if this has been about a number of other riders.

It's just typical that this happens in Denmark, the country whose media took it upon themselves to prevent a Tour de France win 13 years ago.

And my real problem is that they explain nothing. They just convey rumours. What's the point in that? Create a solid story, if you may, but this? Choosing pictures with Fuglsang having froth in the corner of his mouth (a well-known nonsensical symbol of doping), staging a story of him having apparently risen from a nobody to a superstar in 2 years.

I don't know, it just seemed like they had nothing solid at all. They explained nothing. They just said that it had come to their attention that there might have been a time where he might have been seen with a person who might have been Michele Ferrari. Who by the way sometimes was located in Lugano, Switzerland, which was a completely random piece of information that served no purpose other than to lengthen the list of pieces of information they had of him. Another element on that list: He had apparently been with Astana at the Volta a Catalunya (of course he hadn't) - a race they failed to mention that Fuglsang did not participate in.

That Ferrari has previously worked with Astana riders is a well-known fact from the Padova investigation. That the link is still being investigated is definitely a story IMO. Neither DR nor Politiken says anything else that there is an investigation going on and are therefore interested in hearing what Astana, Ferrari and Fuglsang have to say about it. Choosing not to confront the rumours is an extremely poor media strategy by Fuglsang et al. Especially if this is a complete non-story.

We might have different perspectives on what journalism should be but I defineltely applaud the critical angle. Especially considering the history of the sport and the lack of people asking the tough questions.

 

[Joelsim]

At the very least it’ll be interesting to see how the two riders perform this year, knowing that they’re being watched, and no doubt, tested more regularly.

 

[RedheadDane]

Honestly, I'm a bit worried about how the - resurfaced - everyone is doped mentality in Denmark will affect the upcoming crop of young riders.
What's the mentality in Kazakhstan? How's the news being regarded there? About Lutsenko.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Let's see if more stories will follow.

Fuglsang may find himself in an interesting situation now, because if he rejects all claims about meeting with Ferrari, and somebody then brings forward indesputable evidence of just that, then his credibility is in ruins. And that could damage his reputation for years, just as much as a possible doping case.