Rasmussen also pulls a Rasmussen.

[Orvieto]

What did Vaughters (or Garmin) say? I know there was a link on twitter earlier but I didn't click it.

Edit - scratch that, I found it - there was one tweet, which suggests that the teams are not privy to that information.

Second edit - the only comment from Garmin that I can find is this:
"Our policy is stringent. In light of this situation, Alex Rasmussen will not be joining our team".

I seem to recall from a previous discussion that missed test information is not disclosed, because it could be used to discredit an athlete who made an honest mistake. The system seems quite generous. 3 missed tests within an 18 month period gives an athlete lots of room for error - or for manipulation. Like driving demerits, the missed tests drop off your record over time, so you can play with fire by avoiding testers for a year and then when caught twice, play by the book for a while until the count is reset.

Most agencies also have an appeals process whereby you can erase the "missed test" by arguing extenuating circumstances or showing the testers didn't try hard enough to find him.

It would be fascinating to be able to see the pattern of missed tests (including successfully appealed missed tests) for various athletes over the course of their careers.

 

[lancaster]

You seem to forget that you are in privileged position of being the only human in history never to make a mistake or forget anything.

This investigation of yours will probably take two or three months (because there will be a lot of them) and then it turns out that testers went to the wrong place (it happens) or the rider's flight had been delayed yet again and is mobile battery had gone dead. In the meantime the rider has missed half the season and you're having to defend a lawsuit.

The high horse land you inhabit has little bearing on reality.

no, i'm pretty disorganised, make plenty of mistakes.

have i ever not turned up at work and not told anyone? no.
if i did would i'm a disorganised person/i forgot be a good enough excuse? of course not.

if your rebuttal is that going to work is something you do every day/a routine etc. yes it is, i take it seriously, and when i have to be at a different location for work or otherwise (at a meeting, conference, doctors appointment, holiday) i let work know what i'm doing (and if it's any of their business where i'll be and how they can get hold of me).

it's their job. they ride bikes 6 hours a day, rest, eat right, check the packet of every pill they take, and fill in whereabouts forms.
and when they are in the wrong place, they call the number to the anti doping hotline and say where they are. is filling in forms to say where you're going to be a pain in the a$$, sure it is, but it's part of their job, and something they should be checking on a daily or at least weekly basis. just like they check the side of a bottle of night nurse/ibuprofen etc.......... when they are about to take it.

 

[hrotha]

Exactly it is part of their job, just as much as riding the bike. They have do some admin as part of their job. Well, welcome to the real world where we all have to fill in forms as often an indirect part of our jobs.

Saying 'I forgot' is nonsense and as someone else said, is the kind of excuse someone at school would come out with.

It is no different to claiming 'someone spiked my toothpaste', 'I ate a tainted steak', 'It was my invisible twin', etc etc

The thing is that when we normal people screw up our paperwork, the media doesn't come asking for our explanation. If they did, you can bet "I forgot" would be up there in the list of most common excuses.

We just take the punishment (a fine or whatever). Just like Rasmussen in this situation.

 

[Benotti69]

The thing is that when we normal people screw up our paperwork, the media doesn't come asking for our explanation. If they did, you can bet "I forgot" would be up there in the list of most common excuses.

We just take the punishment (a fine or whatever). Just like Rasmussen in this situation.

these are privileged athletes who as MJM say do this as part of their job and it is an extremely important part of their job. If he is that disorganised then the team should have appointed someone to organise him.

 

[hrotha]

these are privileged athletes who as MJM say do this as part of their job and it is an extremely important part of their job. If he is that disorganised then the team should have appointed someone to organise him.

Personally I'd say that if he's so disorganized he can't do his job, he should be fired. No babysitting.

Which is what happened, if we believe what's been reported.

 

[Orvieto]

I'm thinking this is an opportunity to harness the power of technology and social media. Garmin should rewrite his contract to require him to wear a GPS tag at all times. Fans all over the world could then log into "Where's Alex (powered by Garmin)" to keep tabs on the wandering cyclist. Life becomes so much easier for testers.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

Pro-tier riders have agents. Keeps the dumb-dumbs on bikes from Effing things up too badly, or being swayed by 'free pony' offers...

If AR's claim is legit, then he'd be better off having his agent as the contact for the UCI, so his money-man can ensure that he's there for the test.

If not... Well, this may be the first time in history that someone is too stupid to race a bike. And that's saying something...

 

[cromagnon]

This time it's Alex Rasmussen who has missed a doping test and has been fired from HTC High Road effective immediately. He also missed two tests right before joining HTC last year (and didn't tell them) which is the reason he has now been suspended by the Danish Cycling Federation. Three missed tests in 18 months is equal to a failed drug test.

http://www.cyclingworld.dk/index.php?p=nyheder/profil.php&id=20992

http://au.eurosport.com/cycling/rasmussen-dumped_sto2951542/story.shtml

He forgot to have a mexican band with him at all times. Schoolboy error.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm thinking this is an opportunity to harness the power of technology and social media. Garmin should rewrite his contract to require him to wear a GPS tag at all times. Fans all over the world could then log into "Where's Alex (powered by Garmin)" to keep tabs on the wandering cyclist. Life becomes so much easier for testers.

New and improved version of Where's Waldo.

 

[Benotti69]

Personally I'd say that if he's so disorganized he can't do his job, he should be fired. No babysitting.

Which is what happened, if we believe what's been reported.

if he's that disorganised, but somehow i doubt it is that, that's why we are in here discussing it.

 

[craig1985]

I'm thinking this is an opportunity to harness the power of technology and social media. Garmin should rewrite his contract to require him to wear a GPS tag at all times. Fans all over the world could then log into "Where's Alex (powered by Garmin)" to keep tabs on the wandering cyclist. Life becomes so much easier for testers.

IIRC Zabriskie joked a couple of years ago that they should micro-chip riders to make life a lot easier when it comes to filling out forms. At least I think he was joking.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

i answered your question. i am not in the middle of the sport. But if i was as DS would be able to find out what riders are doing, because it would be part of my job to have my ear to the ground and have sources for info relating to riders, soigneurs etc....

I agree that a proper DS should have their ear to the ground - but how would you know about missed tests unless you have a mole in DCU? Does a DS then need to have a mole in every Cycling Federation?

If you were involved in cycling you would know that rumours on everything are rife - you cannot prove or act on them all.

I dont even consider the UCI as anything other than a cash collector.



people who take dangerous illegal substances are not the smartest people imo.



yeah and maybe he doesn't like Rasmussen or maybe he's leaving the pro peloton known to sponsors as a guy who is anti doping.



The AFLD dont have it on their website, so how did L'Equipe come by this info if it just the athlete was notified?

Voeckler admitted it before it was leaked, as these things are.

Your conspiracy does not pass even the briefest of looks.

Voeckler doesn't appear to have missed a test - so there was never going to be a leak. The information on Longo came to light because they opened an investigation on her - no-one had reported her missed test, not even l'Equipe.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

these are privileged athletes who as MJM say do this as part of their job and it is an extremely important part of their job. If he is that disorganised then the team should have appointed someone to organise him.

Of course they are in a privilaged position - but that does not automatically mean they are going to be professional and organised individuals.

While it is a good point that the team should recognize that in an athlete - they cannot be with an athlete 24 hours a day.
Moreso - if we are to believe the disorganized theory - it would seem that Rasmussen had not informed HTC that he had 'whereabout' issues.

missing a test (and filing incorrect training plans etc) should be an on the spot 3 month ban for a first offence.
furthermore an investigation into the whereabouts at the time of a missed test should be mandatory and a fine significant enough to cover this investigation and the cost of 5 out of competition tests on athletes 3 of which (at least) will be used on the rider in question.

i'm careless/badly organised is not a good enough excuse

these guys are professional so they should act like it.

EDIT: anyone with any exacerbating circumstances (deliberately posted wrong info, not answered/returned the phone call from the tester.........)

When I read this first I thought there was some merit in a quicker and shorter suspension (although a suspension for missing 1 test would be unfair).

But the whole reason for a 2 year ban is that it must match the ban an athlete would receive for a doping infraction. It would be harsh and unfair to do so because of 1 missed test, so current 3 strike within 18 months is a reasonable compromise.

 

[Waxedjatzcrackers]

I can confirm that he was very lazy - to quote a previous coach of his when we were following him on a training ride (in the cold and rain) "Before I took over his training, he wouldn't get out of bed if there was a cloud in the sky, let alone train..."

If that's the case he never would have got to the level he's at. I've lived and ridden 5 years in DK and the sky is always grey.......

 

[GreasyMonkey]

I can confirm that he was very lazy - to quote a previous coach of his when we were following him on a training ride (in the cold and rain) "Before I took over his training, he wouldn't get out of bed if there was a cloud in the sky, let alone train..."

If that's the case he never would have got to the level he's at. I've lived and ridden 5 years in DK and the sky is always grey.......

Yes, that was his problem, Extraordinarily talented, but knew that he could get win in local races without doing much - about 6 yrs ago he was coached by a different person, who drove him hard, instilled a decent work ethic in him (with plenty of arguments, etc), and the results flowed.
I don't know if he has retained that work ethic, but his results would indicate that he has.

 

[YoRUsh]

As long as Oscar Freire still can fill out his where-abouts the disorganized card can not be played..

 

[Benotti69]

I agree that a proper DS should have their ear to the ground - but how would you know about missed tests unless you have a mole in DCU? Does a DS then need to have a mole in every Cycling Federation?

If you can get a mole in the testing lab, i am pretty sure it aint hard to get a mole in a federation considering that most of them voted for McQuaid. It wouldn't cost too much either to be tipped off about a missed test.

If you were involved in cycling you would know that rumours on everything are rife - you cannot prove or act on them all.

I have admitted i am not close to the pro peloton, thankfully i dont swim in such dark waters.

I bet there are lots of doping rumours and most of them are probably true as the history of the sport has shown. I doubt Bob gives a damn about it, because as i have said this is T-Mobile in another guise. Do we know why HTC pulled the plug on Bob, strange considering how succesful they were in the biggest sporting event every July!

My theory, aint a conspiracy, based on my opinion is Bob made a PR move and Rasmussen was the patsy (fall guy) for it.

Your conspiracy does not pass even the briefest of looks.

I never suggested a conspiracy.

Voeckler doesn't appear to have missed a test - so there was never going to be a leak. The information on Longo came to light because they opened an investigation on her - no-one had reported her missed test, not even l'Equipe.

 

[RedheadDane]

From the article on the front page:

“I had actually completed my whereabouts and had written the name of our hotel in Berlin. Unfortunately I forgot to press the 'Send' button on the computer and the update never reached doping authorities,” he said. Ironically, he underwent a UCI doping control at the Six Day race.

Last time I checked that was a rather vital part of... well... sending stuff.

And I guess I really shouldn't talk to loudly about being disorganized/ forgetful...

 

[Dead Star]

That has to be up there with the unborn twin or the epo was for my dog/mother-in law excuses?

 

[RedheadDane]

I do believe he's just a sloppy-head. It is possible to be that fog-brained. I should know...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

If you can get a mole in the testing lab, i am pretty sure it aint hard to get a mole in a federation considering that most of them voted for McQuaid. It wouldn't cost too much either to be tipped off about a missed test.



I have admitted i am not close to the pro peloton, thankfully i dont swim in such dark waters.

I bet there are lots of doping rumours and most of them are probably true as the history of the sport has shown. I doubt Bob gives a damn about it, because as i have said this is T-Mobile in another guise. Do we know why HTC pulled the plug on Bob, strange considering how succesful they were in the biggest sporting event every July!

Lots of questions there.......

My theory, aint a conspiracy, based on my opinion is Bob made a PR move and Rasmussen was the patsy (fall guy) for it.



I never suggested a conspiracy.

Thanks for the amusing post. All your 'theories' are conspiracy's.

Big Bad Bob of HTC should have a mole in every Fed which is easy to do as cycling is completely drug fueled and corrupt.
Of course why he would do this is what puzzles me as Big Bad Bob is the head of what essentially is T-mobile which is a doping team, why pay a mole when you already know your team is doping?

 

[Magnus]

That has to be up there with the unborn twin or the epo was for my dog/mother-in law excuses?

Not really.

 

[Benotti69]

Lots of questions there.......

Thanks for the amusing post. All your 'theories' are conspiracy's.

Big Bad Bob of HTC should have a mole in every Fed which is easy to do as cycling is completely drug fueled and corrupt.
Of course why he would do this is what puzzles me as Big Bad Bob is the head of what essentially is T-mobile which is a doping team, why pay a mole when you already know your team is doping?

i wonder how BigBadBob ever found a rider to hire. It must be so taxing on him to even check the results of races and see who is performing.

I read the article on Rasmussen and his explanations o why he missed tests. It took him along time to come up with these lame excuses after the release of his 3 missed tests. Forgot to hit send? At a six day race, might pass the mustard! but had to go to a sister's confirmation? Well now i would've thought the first thing these guys did before packing was to notify the relevant testers of there whereabouts and then get packing for the trip.

who needs to pay moles? do you not think it comes as part of the CV, it is a doping sport afterall!

 

[ricara]

From the article on the front page:

Last time I checked that was a rather vital part of... well... sending stuff.

Maybe I'm just a chump, but after reading Rasmussen's explanations I'm inclined to believe him. On the first one he actually got tested anyway because he was at a race.

Then the third one should be easy to corroborate, at least with regards to his attending his sister's confirmation. And as far as the "Send" button goes, I actually do this all the time. You see, I still use an old e-mail program that was written back in the day when the only way to get on the internet was via dial-up telephone lines. There were charges by the minute, so you didn't want to rack up the bills.

So what you would do was connect to the internet, download the new e-mails, disconnect from the internet, write all the responses, reconnect to the internet, send the e-mails, and finally disconnect from the internet for good. This convoluted process allowed you to only use a few minutes of "internet" time each day.

To aid this process, the e-mail program has two "send" buttons. One puts the new e-mail into a queue when working off-line. Then the other one actually sends the e-mails when you are connected to the internet.

However I seriously doubt that this is the kind of software the Mr. Rasmussen is using...

Still, I really, really want to believe him! And I'm not the kind of guy that buys very many of these stories. Am I just a chump? Time will tell. If he's telling the truth, it would be a huge shame to lose your job and your career in such a manner.

 

[RedheadDane]

Naah. I don't think you're a chump. Whatever that is... I just think you believe in the innocent until proven guilty rule. And the fact is that he has not been proven guilty of doping. He has been proven guilty of being an addle-brain...

BTW, something I've been wondering since Henderson made that tweet:
What's a **** up in a brewery?