Prudhomme Drops the Velvet Hammer

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 11:21 AM EDT in News Comment 37 comments

[Portland coffee drinkers will appreciate that headline]

Even less surprising than Michael Boogerd's announcement is today's news that the Tour de France does not want any of the riders implicated in Operacion Puerto to ride their race, or the Ardennes Classics. However, they have not moved to unilaterally exclude such riders like Ivan Basso; they are asking teams not to nominate them. As a parent, I can recognize the strategy: we can do this the easy way or the hard way. This isn't going to get better...

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This is going to be a mess

I can't see how ASO can pull this off... Keeping Unibet out of their events must have puffed them up, but I can't see them being able to pull this off without more legal standing to exclude the "so called" OP riders... Hijo de Rudi, Brillo, Valv....? I'd say that you need more proof than that...

Of course, my VDS is riding on this, so I'm by no means impartial. :-)

"As long as I breathe, I attack."-- Bernard Hinault

by ELVISGOAT on Apr 20, 2007 11:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nor is Chris

If Basso is kept out of the Tour, Chris will end up 1,000,000 points behind Little Bear.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Apr 20, 2007 11:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My VDS hopes

Lie in Basso and Valverde being bounced...

Vlaenderen die Leu

by Mr Van P on Apr 20, 2007 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The unspoken precedent here

is Richard Virenque's 'exclusion' and subsequent reinstatement in the '99 Tour.

I don't remember exactly how that played out, but I'm willing to bet that ASO does, and has had their lawyers scrambling to find a way to insulate ASO from any and all legal challenges Discovery and/or Basso will throw up about his exclusion.

Of course, if it turns out that "il Birillo"'s blood is Basso's and not VDB's italian dogs in those spanish bags . . . well . . . the news should be interesting in late June.

by R Mc on Apr 20, 2007 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Still plenty of time

After all, Basso agreed to DNA testing, so he could make ASO look arbitrary if they don't clear him if he submits a DNA sample and it either doesn't match the birillo blood, or the birillo blood isn't tainted.

ASO is on its own here, and it's mostly about Basso (not merely because I pinned my fading VDS hopes on him). Basso has a rather open-arm invitation to come back to the Giro. He also has been cleared by his home federation (for now anyway, which is a muddled Italian version of closure). Surely ASO can't exclude Contador, right? So the line between OP victims and dopers is in there someplace. IMHO Basso's home-country "exoneration" means he can race, and if he can race he can do the Tour, and Prudhomme should read the Scarlet Letter and stop acting like such an asshole.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wait

Hester Prynne was actually guilty, so maybe that isn't the right message. Anyway, you get my point. I hope.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, we get your point

You DON'T want to get an asskicking from DS Little Bear.

by Jens on Apr 20, 2007 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

IMO, they could force DNA testing

Certainly in the battle of public opinion -- don't know about French law or UCI rules -- if they ask Basso and other implicated riders to submit DNA samples far enough in advance for those riders to be checked against the Fuentes blood bags, ASO is on firm ground.

Basso or anyone else would look like they are hiding guilt if they don't cooperate fully. If they are exonerated, then they ride and ASO feels satisfied. If the DNA samples implicate a rider, then the overwhelming consensus would support ASO in excluding them.

by socal on Apr 20, 2007 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fairness

It doesn't seem that fair to exclude riders on rumor and innuendo. They could probably pretty arbitrarily exclude 1/4 of the riders on that basis.

That being said. I'm glad I picked Vino who has not been tainted by the stain of puerto!

Hell if they cut deep enough, my Dessel pick might be pure genius.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 20, 2007 2:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that is a 100% correct interpretation

I didn't think of it before but that is probably ASO's strategy. It's win/win for them.

by Jens on Apr 20, 2007 2:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What's Valverde's Reaction to Puerto?

I haven't read any comments from him or CdE about Puerto. They seem to be ignoring it completely.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 20, 2007 2:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Spanish authorities

always made sure to point out that Valverde was not one of the riders they were able to link to bags or codenames. He's been real careful not to do or say anything to get dragged into the speculations .

by Jens on Apr 20, 2007 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

these riders have already been punished based

on speculation and innuendo with last year's tour preclusion. a year later and still no resolution, or any on the horizon, and you're going to punish these same riders, let alone fans all over the world, because of some lame-ass pissing contest (pun intended) between incompetent, self-absorbed ego-massaging doo-doo heads.

oui, but of course, this is cycling.

jerks. i want my mommy.

by shnabors on Apr 20, 2007 4:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm just glad the VDS competition

doesn't require urine samples.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 20, 2007 4:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

You haven't been in the lead. We've had Jens in the tent four mondays in a row.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I took the prologue

but have been sliding ever since.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 20, 2007 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah right

I can never remember prologues. Not a fan myself... Except I raced one in Maryland once. Considering how poorly suited I was to the next day's road race, I really really enjoyed the prologue. I guess that's why I can't respect it on the pro level, I keep thnking of guys like me.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Valverde wasn't implicated last summer but

many riders were implicated who have proven to be innocent. Where is ASO's list of the guilty? Are they going to use the same standards as last year? Guilt by association.

The riders are in need of a real union again.

The S. Obedient Flying Dog Boy

by flying dog on Apr 20, 2007 4:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Absurd

but ASO will likely use the same list from last year, as if no due process has taken place since. Fucking idiots.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Money quotes

"Cycling cannot afford to let riders named in the case enter the Tour if they are not cleared of suspicion," race director Christian Prudhomme told L'Equipe.

Shorter Prude: prove the negative! If L'Equipe thinks you might be doping, you're out!

The fact that Jan Ullrich's blood has been identified "has changed the matter," he said. "The named riders are now all the more suspected. We can't simply look on and do nothing at all."

Does anyone have a clue what the hell he's talking about? How can you negotiate with brainless idiots?

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 5:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would like to bring some clarity

Here are some comments from the Milram DS. He's making as much sense as anyone in this affair.

"I have read and we have received I invite to participate it to a reunion next tuesday, to the eve of the Arrow-Walloon - it has said to tuttobiciweb the manager orobico -. What task of this taken of position of the French organizers? I answer simply therefore: the Aso does not want the runners been involved in affaire Puerto? That it takes position, but is not involved the squares. We have already given. I do not feel myself to take a decision of the sort, than he takes the Tour to it, than they expose themselves. The Italian magistracy, on the Low case, is already pronounced with a nonsuit and we what make? we continue ourselves to give of the large ones legnate on the zebedei. That turns out me all the runners been involved in this vicissitude have given their availability to make the examination of the Dna in case is a magistrate who glielo asks express: well, ahead make a magistrate, but we team of For Tour, for how much regards, we will not make to me just absolutely nothing ". And little luminosity is not the appeal that It bars turns the maximum world-wide organism of the sport."

by Jens on Apr 20, 2007 5:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my new motto:

And little luminosity is not the appeal that It bars turns the maximum world-wide organism of the sport

I will chant that as I prepare to race on Sunday.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 20, 2007 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My point entirely

I picked Low as my primary VDS guy because he was already pronounced with a nonsuit. (non-suits being very aerodynamic and useful in time trials).

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 20, 2007 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's very, very sad

that a race organiser is able to ban certain riders, especially when that same organiser has no problem having those same riders in other races. Just look at the startlist (which is already available on startlist.cyclingfever.com) for Flèche Wallonne and L-B-L.

The teams and UCI have to make a stand now, and send every alleged Puerto-rider they can find to the Tour, as ASO can't judge riders before any trial and they accept their presence in other races at the same time.
We call that "Measuring with two measures" in Holland. You've probably got a better way of saying that, i can't think of it at this time.

I don't know about you all, but i'm appalled with the ASO's conduct for some time now!

by DZI on Apr 21, 2007 4:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It seems there is more trouble ahead.....

http://www.cycling4all.com/
I find it hard to believe however that RCS would ban their favourite son, especially this late.

by Jens on Apr 21, 2007 7:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Although I kind of like the idea

of the three big organizers meeting in a dark smoky room, conspiring to bring down Chris's VDS team

by Jens on Apr 21, 2007 7:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will be SHOCKED

if Basso is prevented from starting the Giro for anything other than a positive return on his DNA and OP blood samples. His tifosi would riot and set fire to every Flamme Rouge on every stage finish, in addition to throwing tacks in front of Simoni, Cunego, and DiLuca at every opportunity.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Apr 21, 2007 7:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree ,I don't thing anything will come of it

(I also think we will see Basso on the starting line in London when all is said and done) but the one thing that could complicate things is the politics. The Big 3 need to keep up a united front in order to maintain a strong position against the UCI and ASO beeing the strongest of the three could pressure RCS if they are really serious on the matter.

by Jens on Apr 21, 2007 8:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This Can't Happen

For the Giro to exclude Basso means they would be saying they have no confidence in the Italian judicial system. Not that such an idea would be baseless... but I can't believe RCS would have the nuts to say it.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 21, 2007 1:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is that desperation I hear in your voice?

by Jens on Apr 21, 2007 1:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Um

yeah?

I do still have Cunego, so I can maintain a veneer of respectability thru the Giro regardless. Then all I need is for Schleck or Chavanel to win the Tour.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 21, 2007 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha!

Schleck or Chavanel? You've gotta be kidding me... right?

by BDBrian on Apr 21, 2007 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chavanel is a slim hope

at best, but Frank Schleck? he might be a contender, especially if the "cream" of the peleton is scraped off and dumped.

He also seems to be aiming to be fit in July.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 21, 2007 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chavanel

isn't a serious Tour contender... until you factor in Prudhomme's mission top arbitrarily eliminate every rider who stands in the way of a French victory. Then it all makes sense...

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris... on Apr 21, 2007 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aha

yes, we might end up in the parallel french universe. Mancoutie, Dessel, Voeckler, and Chavanel battle it out for yellow. There might not be enough camera bikes available to cover all of the french riders, though.

I have Dessel for that contingency, but he's my only french rider, so he better not get sick or crash.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 22, 2007 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs