Will Rasmussen find a team and if so...who?

[Dimtick]

Story today that the Chicken is cleared to ride the TDF if he can find a team. I get the feeling that Riis would love to sign him but he's being stopped by someone else, probably Saxo Bank the company. I don't think that Saxo Bank the company wants anything to do with him.
So if Saxo Bank, the team, is off the table...where can he go?

 

[The Hitch]

Vacansoleil Pro Cycling.

 

[Kvinto]

I would like to see him at any pro team. No matter will it be Vacansoleil or any other team but he deserves this.

 

[Seatrout]

Story today that the Chicken is cleared to ride the TDF if he can find a team. I get the feeling that Riis would love to sign him but he's being stopped by someone else, probably Saxo Bank the company. I don't think that Saxo Bank the company wants anything to do with him.
So if Saxo Bank, the team, is off the table...where can he go?

I think, that the real problem is Christian Prudhomme, who has a personal issue agianst "the Chicken".... :-(
I think, that the truth in ASO spokesman Mathieu Desplats words, can be found in this; "Well, there's nothing to stop it. Unless there are some personal opinions somewhere in the ASO that support it.". I think that Prudomme personal will do anything to prevent him from start in the TDF :-(
But I hope that I am wrong !! .... but I don't think so...
Michael L.

 

[Dimtick]

I think, that the real problem is Christian Prudhomme, who has a personal issue agianst "the Chicken".... :-(
I think, that the truth in ASO spokesman Mathieu Desplats words, can be found in this; "Well, there's nothing to stop it. Unless there are some personal opinions somewhere in the ASO that support it.". I think that Prudomme personal will do anything to prevent him from start in the TDF :-(
But I hope that I am wrong !! .... but I don't think so...
Michael L.

I've been wondering if maybe the head of Rabobank, the company, is friends with the head of Saxo Bank, the company.

 

[jens_attacks]

So if Saxo Bank, the team, is off the table...where can he go?

i really hope riis will hire him.if that won't happen i'd like to see him riding for astana or geox.a top team anyway no miche'n'shiit.

 

[royalpig180]

Vacansoleil Pro Cycling.

Haha very funny. But actually it could make some sense for them (if they're willing to take a bunch of heat for signing another former or suspected doper). If the Chicken is really welcome back at the TdF, then having Ricco go for the Giro and Vuelta while Rasmussen focuses on the Tour could make a lot of sense (assuming Mosquera won't be racing for them next season). Doubt they'll want to take any more heat though...

 

[goggalor]

Why do you think Riis wants Rasmussen? AFAIK they don't have a relationship to speak of, and I don't think Riis is the kind of guy to sign a rider just because he's Danish. In Overcoming he tells Voigt to keep riding when Rasmussen is trying to bridge to the break during a TdF stage, and refuses to let Claus Michael Møller use his soigneur's "healing powers".

The only way I see Riis taking him on is if the Danish public get the idea that he is the only thing standing between the Chicken and the Tour, and the Danish media starts piling on the pressure.

 

[Anonymous]

Radioshack He'd fit right in.

 

[hubbard]

astana is a possible.

 

[Angliru]

Rassmussen hasn't exactly tore up the competition in the events that he's competed considering he hasn't been able to ride in the elite events versus the best in the sport. This is taking into consideration the standard year it has shown to take a rider returning from their 2 year suspensions to get back to their previous level or relatively in the same ballpark. His age, temperment (he's seemingly a loner), makes him quite the risky venture. Teams taking him on risk disrupting any chemistry that they may have unless it is their strategy to let Rassmussen do his thing: go on the attack in the mountains and work their grand tour strategy around that. It's possible that he is humbled by his experience, willing to do whatever is asked of him once he joins a team and has been quoted as saying that he would to a certain degree.

Of course he deserves the same chance as any other rider and I would hope that the only thing stopping him from returning to the Tour is simply a lack of interest by the teams and not politics in the UCI and ASO.

 

[lucybears]

astana is a possible.

http://astana.lu/news_x.php?ID_news=190

 

[Finbouy]

Astana, make a good domi'

 

[happychappy]

Radioshack He'd fit right in.

How's about Team Sky? They looked like they could have used some half decent riders in Le Tour this year

 

[Dimtick]

The more I think about it, the more I think Radio Shack would be a good fit.
RS can't seem to sign anyone because they have an uncertain future with the ongoing investigation and with the RS sponsorship deal ending next year. Rassmusson has a sponsor that has said that she will pay his salary for next year if a team signs him. Rasmussin needs to prove himself to the other teams to show he can still compete at the grand tours.
I don't see RS building a team around Rasmussen. I see Rassmussen as the breakaway guy that does his own thing. He backs up the GC when they need him for tempo in the mountains but otherwise he just goes chasing after stages.

 

[ferryman]

The Saxo Bank rumours persist. If he were to sign I guess it would be with the blessing of AC. Nothing sinister meant in that, rather it would be interesting to see how AC used him against the Schlecks. A lot of 'ifs' here I know

 

[biopass]

Story today that the Chicken is cleared to ride the TDF if he can find a team. I get the feeling that Riis would love to sign him but he's being stopped by someone else, probably Saxo Bank the company. I don't think that Saxo Bank the company wants anything to do with him.
So if Saxo Bank, the team, is off the table...where can he go?

Why would Saxo Bank, the company, not want Rasmussen?

Their stocks have been raising all year and Contador making the headlines with the wrong reasons hasnt stopped that.

With that in mind, do you really expect them to take a moral standing against Rasmussen, or doping in general?

 

[craig1985]

Perhaps an Italian team.

 

[BroDeal]

The more I think about it, the more I think Radio Shack would be a good fit.

I don't think Rasmussen is old enough to sign for Radio Shack. He may need to wait until he is forty. He does have the right attitude about doping, though.

Plus RS can only bring three riders to their major goal of the season, the Tour of Gila. With Armstrong, Leecheimer, and Horner there is not any room left for Ras. On the other hand, Leipheimer clearly wants to get whatever wins he can in the U.S., so maybe there is a spot for that unimportant race in Europe that is held in July.

 

[Hoop Dogg]

Pegasus fly-v

 

[Ferminal]

I don't think Rasmussen is old enough to sign for Radio Shack. He may need to wait until he is forty. He does have the right attitude about doping, though.

Plus RS can only bring three riders to their major goal of the season, the Tour of Gila. With Armstrong, Leecheimer, and Horner there is not any room left for Ras. On the other hand, Leipheimer clearly wants to get whatever wins he can in the U.S., so maybe there is a spot for that unimportant race in Europe that is held in July.

Hasn't Gila graduated to a 2.2? I can't see how a ProTour team is allowed to compete at all. Or will they still be allowed if they pull their Mellow Johnny's BS again?

 

[tubularglue]

 

[brianf7]

The Saxo Bank rumours persist. If he were to sign I guess it would be with the blessing of AC. Nothing sinister meant in that, rather it would be interesting to see how AC used him against the Schlecks. A lot of 'ifs' here I know

Now I remember the last Time trial in the tour a few years ago when Chicken kept falling off his bike and we all know who was following him.
How many bikes did Chicken use up that day.
was he suffering from vertigo from side effects of some substance or !!!!! something else

You or me can ride a TT without falling off 3 times he is an experienced time trialist.

Nuf said

 

[Kodiak]

Dude's 36 years old now. Hasn't raced since last april and his only result since ending his sanction was a stage win in Mexico? Not exactly a hot prospect. He'd do better to just go back into oblivion...

 

[theyoungest]

Dude's 36 years old now. Hasn't raced since last april and his only result since ending his sanction was a stage win in Mexico? Not exactly a hot prospect. He'd do better to just go back into oblivion...

The stage win in Mexico was his first or second race day after his return, I think. That's not too bad. He's had mono this year, so obviously the results have been less than spectacular.