Mother of babbling god... is this for real? VN's Andy Hood rehashes the whole thing in all its gory details, but basically the European cycling press is rife with innuendo to this effect, which means the story has to be taken with a pretty hefty lump of salt. The rub is that ASO are concerned about Alberto Contador's "unresolved" ties to Operacion Puerto. Of course, ASO like to throw their weight around and aren't above splashy, arbitrary, self-defeating gestures like this. But seriously:
- Why would the entire team be excluded? By all indications they're playing by the rules. If anything, ASO could demand certain riders (Kloden too?) not appear on the roster, but there's no sense bouncing Levi Leipheimer too.
- ASO are "tired of the scandals;" aren't we all? And what's a bigger scandal, admitting Alberto Contador, or excluding the defending maillot jaune on the basis of unproven suspicions?
Someone needs to get a neutral audit on Contador so we can stop calling him an OP guy... or find him guilty. If the Tour wants peace they need to reach a definitive conclusion. They'll get no peace by just kicking him out in a snit.