Rasmussen accusations to 2002: "Biopure"

I like this quote:

"Think about what it would have been like for Italian customs to catch an American with a bunch of bike gear and cows blood at the border."

Bombshell.

And VeloNews scoops everyone else.

So, I guess the next Rasmussen thread title will read: Should Razzy be stripped of yellow?

JRMDC said:

I dropped this in the Rasmussen thread but it seems cluttered already with the old stuff, so here is a new one.

velonews.com12851.0.htmlOpen ↗

Biopure is a struggling life science firm in Cambridge Mass, near Harvard University. It makes two brands of cow blood trauma product (none of which has been FDA approved for sale yet):

1) Oxyglobin for the anemia animal marketplace

2) Hemopure for humans (burn victims, chemo recovery, kidney failure, US Navy Seal deep diving, warfare field blood loss treatments, athletes)

There are several other US venders with similar products.

No question that Le Tour and all Grand Tour events are big research grounds for new drugs, products, treatments and future doping profits.

Enjoy, Nascar on cow blood.

So, who is setting up who? And to gain what? 🙄 Is it time to just say let them at it and hope the winnings can deal with the doping after affects?

kennf said:

I like this quote:

"Think about what it would have been like for Italian customs to catch an American with a bunch of bike gear and cows blood at the border."

My first wife had a reaction similar to this when I flushed her heroin down the toilet:

Quoted post said:

He claims Rasmussen admitted it was poor judgment, but then asked Richards what he had done with the hemoglobin substitute. Richards said Rasmussen became very upset when Richards explained he had disposed of it, asking him if he had "any idea how much that [censored] cost?"

What's the over/under on how long it takes for the Tour to DQ Razzy? I think we're talking hours, not days. Any takers?

islandboy said:

So, who is setting up who? And to gain what? 🙄 Is it time to just say let them at it and hope the winnings can deal with the doping after affects?

I'm not following you.

helmutRoole2 said:

What's the over/under on how long it takes for the Tour to DQ Razzy? I think we're talking hours, not days. Any takers?

Sounds like my kinds of Tour. PolyPharmacy transparency.

Finally some honest disclosure.

Getting rid of the Armstrong sponsors & underwriters has worked out well.

helmutRoole2 said:

What's the over/under on how long it takes for the Tour to DQ Razzy? I think we're talking hours, not days. Any takers?

This will be interesting to see. On the one hand, they have 'only' accusations to act upon. On the other hand, I think the German TV boycott might find followers and ad revenues/sponsorship might plummet (well that might happen regardless). ASO's between a rock and a hard place. If they kick the chicken out, what about Piti? The Astana squad? I think this is worse than last year. At least they kicked out JU, Birillo etc. before the race, and Landis was caught after it was over. To kick out the yellow jersey on accusations during the race (and let others continue)? Tough call.

For all those who think Walsh just makes [censored] up, what do you make of this?

Quoted post said:

Several years later, after being put in contact with Sunday Times of London reporter David Walsh, Richards again offered details of the story, but continued to insist that neither he nor Rasmussen be identified.

"I really just wanted someone to know," said Richards. "But I didn't exactly know how they might use the information. I didn't feel comfortable going totally public with this because I knew his girlfriend - now his wife - and I didn't see a reason to bring her into it. My friends who were pro mountain-bike racers have always told me I should, because it's guys like that who are ruining their careers by cheating. Still, it's not a decision you make lightly."

Walsh opted to use the story as an anecdote in his recently released book, "From Lance to Landis," but respected Richards' insistence that both parties remain anonymous.

I am suggesting at this point that the truth is so "buried" and "witnesses" somewhat tainted that to apply rules seems to be pointless. It is dissapointing to me that TDF is more like a "whodunnit" than a race. 😕

helmutRoole2 said:

I'm not following you.

Cobblestones said:

This will be interesting to see. On the one hand, they have 'only' accusations to act upon. On the other hand, I think the German TV boycott might find followers and ad revenues/sponsorship might plummet (well that might happen regardless). ASO's between a rock and a hard place. If they kick the chicken out, what about Piti? The Astana squad? I think this is worse than last year. At least they kicked out JU, Birillo etc. before the race, and Landis was caught after it was over. To kick out the yellow jersey on accusations during the race (and let others continue)? Tough call.

If it was just one guy making accusations, then I'd have to let him ride. But, the accusations are backed up by a credible witness who saw the biopure. Two credible guys with nothing to gain just making stuff up? One a phd? I guess if you're a Lane Armstrong fan you could look past that, but any rational thinking person will no longer give Rasmussen the benefit of the doubt.

Also, they gave Ulrich, Basso et al their walking papers for a lot less.

islandboy said:

I am suggesting at this point that the truth is so "buried" and "witnesses" somewhat tainted that to apply rules seems to be pointless. It is dissapointing to me that TDF is more like a "whodunnit" than a race. 😕

LOL. Yeah. Yeah, you've got a point. But what can they do? These are the rules by which the game is played. As we used to say in the Infantry, adapt and overcome.

Time for French TV3 to replay the USPO medical waste dumping of July 2000.

Jeff Spencer dumped their cow blood!

Doctor.House said:

Time for French TV3 to replay the USPO medical waste dumping of July 2000.

Jeff Spencer dumped their cow blood!

Yep, that would be good. "Remember this?"

DQ that m**f**er along with vino and give the jersey to gerdeman. or just dq everyone over 30!

johnnyspt said:

DQ that m**f**er along with vino and give the jersey to gerdeman. or just dq everyone over 30!

really? with your logic they should just dq everyone and everyone should pack their bags and go home because the riders are "liars" and "corrupt" and "oh ,those damn cheaters screw them all"...........im sick of this [censored].

johnnyspt said:

DQ that m**f**er along with vino and give the jersey to gerdeman. or just dq everyone over 30!

that wouldn't have gotten rid of sinkewitz... a dog took care of him tough...

helmutRoole2 said:

If it was just one guy making accusations, then I'd have to let him ride. But, the accusations are backed up by a credible witness who saw the biopure. Two credible guys with nothing to gain just making stuff up? One a phd? I guess if you're a Lane Armstrong fan you could look past that, but any rational thinking person will no longer give Rasmussen the benefit of the doubt.

Also, they gave Ulrich, Basso et al their walking papers for a lot less.

Nononono, I don't think Richards made it up. I believe him and the doctor. But it's technically still only an accusation.

I realize that riders have been barred from starting the TdF for less, but it's going to be a publicity nightmare to axe a current yellow jersey, certainly with Riis's confession and the Landis debacle fresh in public memory. I think they will exclude him based on the missed doping tests (there are four of them according to a news report from 'Der Spiegel', three are sufficient for a ban). But that's coming one day too late to be credible. It's all coming back to Dr. House. The sponsors are running the show...