I found a new interesting interview by Jacob Staehelin with Michael Rasmussen here:
http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/bag-om-sandheden-tvunget-til-at-tilstaa
Here's a (bad) translation into english:
Michael Rasmussen saved his future by telling everything to former FBI agents and anti-doping authorities. In this exclusive interview, chicken on its reasons and 12 years as a doped rider
Michael Rasmussen could feel the net tightening around him.
The many stories of riders from Rabobank, who told the truth about organized doping, was now a burning platform under him.
- I could see what direction it went. Every time there is a new rider, who speaks out, I'm the first one the journalists are calling. So now the time has come, says Michael Rasmussen.
He sits in the conservatory with Claus and Christina Hembo in their house in Herning and tries to put some words on a decision that will forever change his life. Some hours before this interview Michael Rasmussen admitted to years of heavy doping at a packed press conference.
MR have sat down for four days of intense questioning in the Netherlands and Denmark. Here Michael Rasmussen was questioned by representatives of the Dutch, Danish and American anti-doping authorities. WADA also took part in it. With a former FBI agent to head the interrogations, where Michael Rasmussen had sports professor Verner Møller as assessor.
Rider 14
For it was a matter of time, sensed Michael Rasmussen before would go hole on the big balloon and then there would not be able to continue as sports director at Christina Watches Onfone team. So it would be a lifelong quarantine, waiting for him. It escapes him now with cooperation.
- I have known what was in USADA report for a long time. And I well knew who was behind the black line, which encompassed 'rider 14', says Michael Rasmussen, referring to the report that felled Lance Armstrong. The are a number of names crossed out and anonymous, but 'rider 14' is in many places identified as Michael Rasmussen - which is also true.
- I know also that the black lines are removed at a time. It was one of many reasons why I told it all, says Michael Rasmussen.
So the urge to tell everything, admit everything and mention a lot of names was also helped along by the threat was that if he confessed everything, he was even banned from the sport. Therefore, he entered the agreement with doping authorities.
- I will tell everything I know says Michael Rasmussen on the agreement.
But what exactly has been said, is still uncertain. It is part of the package that Michael Rasmussen silent about what he has explained about doping in cycling, so any new cases will not be spoiled in advance.
Would be to promote
Do you hope or fear, that you drag other riders down with it?
- I hope I can help - I am one of those who speak - and there are others who do the same and give their contribution. Everyone can choose when they want to talk.
There may be some great cost to others?
- It is unfortunately costs, the sport can not be separated if we are on the right track. The sport is that it has not prepared collectively, says Michael Rasmussen, who may have been aware of what the risks of continuing the lie would be, but also looking forward to being able to tell the truth again.
- One of the things that really motivated me to come forward, was that I was tired of lying. When taking with you before I admitted to doping, we both knew that we skated around on the surface. And I basically do not like to lie, says Michael Rasmussen.
- Ambition wise, I have turned down tremendously for my own career. If I win a Post Cup does not mean a damn thing to you when you have won four stages in the Tour de France. It does not matter to my legacy as a professional cyclist, he says.
And it was just the realization - that it was the Post Cup and not the Tour de France race program consisted of - that made him run clean.
- I chose to stop doping myself when it dawned on me that there would be no more grand tours for me, says Michael Rasmussen of the end of 12 years of drug abuse. The abuse began when he after a brilliant season as a mountain biker in 1997 suddenly felt that he had a hard time keeping up.
The recognition comes without emotion. It is simply a statement:
- I could easily have run clean. But I could certainly not run on the victories I wanted, he says and remembers how it all began.
Michael Rasmussen admits his wife Clarissa knew all about his drug abuse, but she was never approached by the media or held accountable for it.
A part of everyday life
- 2 reasons for me to come out to note.
1. Festina scandal in 1998 was almost an advertising campaign for doping, as I saw it. Everyone suddenly knew what EPO was. Also a lot of cyclists. Doping spread from the professional field, to everybody/all levels of races. I began doping myself in the summer of 1998. It was a huge confirmation of my suspicions about what happened in the field.
The second reason was the Internet. Suddenly there was information available. Then it was two clicks of the mouse, how to do this and that, says Michael Rasmussen, who wasn't discomforted by doping himself.
- For me doping was a part of my everyday life. It was crazy, but I felt it was something I had to do. I always knew that I did something wrong, but the feeling was not present. I knew it was wrong when I pulled EPO from the refrigerator and injected it into my arm. I didn't become a cyclist to do that. It's not something you're pleased to do when you stick yourself with needles, says Michael Rasmussen and speaks of how easy it was to cheat the doping checks.
- When I put my blood values over 2005 and 2006, they showed that my hematocrit value was between 38 and 40 (Far from the criminal 50, which could result in quarantine, ed.) I could claim that I ran clean. The values would not get anyone to lift an eyebrow. But I did not run clean. So there is no reason to say anything else. I could also say that I won the World Cup in mountainbike clean. I only had to do a simple urine test that could detect nothing. But I did not race clean. Now it is pure *** to honk in. The time for it. The time is different now than when Operacion Puerto affair came out. Back then the sport closed in on itself, says Michael Rasmussen.
Wish for the future
When we see a Tour field today, is it clean?
- No. I think it would be naive to think so. Just think of Frank Schleck testing positive in the last Tour. It is proof that it is not clean, says Michael Rasmussen.
His vision for the confession of his many years of doping and his cooperation with anti-doping authorities in the Netherlands, the USA and Denmark are clear:
- I hope the rider with the greatest natural gifts and the greatest willingness to work winning races. The sport has tried to solve the problem for many years, but I'm not sure if you can call UCI approaches for solutions. It is managed very poorly. It has budged when it was the french gendarmerie or the FBI, who responded, said Michael Rasmussen, who has a clear wish for his future as a sports director.
- I do not want to manage a team like the teams I have driven on. It is terrible stress. I would not be able to help, says Michael Rasmussen.