Saunier-Duval withdraws from Tour

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each positive
had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it couldn't
have been organized because David Millar was on the team just last
year.

It's a bit too much to hear Barloworld make the isolated incident claim
considering that the police found Dueñas's transfusion kit in his hotel
room. Maybe he was carrying it along "just in case".

Probably the usual "you gotta do what you gotta do"...

jyh.

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:58:40 -0700 (PDT), Robert Chung
wrote:

On Jul 17, 8:47Â*am, Bob Schwartz
wrote:

I knew it was a lock once Lafferty showed up and pronounced
this Tour cleaner than past Tours.

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each positive
had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it couldn't
have been organized because David Millar was on the team just last
year.

Possibly because they were concerned other riders would be caught ?

Robert Chung writes:

When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

20yrs ago they did the same on Tour also. I'm not totally against
that, allthough I'd have the penalties in hours rather than minutes.

MJ;

--
..signature necesse est

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:54:18 -0700 (PDT), Robert Chung
wrote:


When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

It's a different situation.

F1 isn't becoming a laughingstock because of doping. F1 is becoming a
laughingstock because of Max Mosley.

Unfortunately, cycling is doing a better job of banning dope than F1
is doing with banning Max.

On Jul 17, 9:54*am, Robert Chung wrote:
On Jul 17, 9:42*am, sluggo wrote:



Robert Chung wrote in news:f8c36c5c-0f83-4c05-b1f0-
:

On Jul 17, 8:47*am, Bob Schwartz
wrote:

I knew it was a lock once Lafferty showed up and pronounced
this Tour cleaner than past Tours.

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each positive
had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it couldn't
have been organized because David Millar was on the team just last
year.

I'd think either the team is extremely embarassed since their rider stole
two victories (likely), or they realize/suspect that Ricco isn't the only
one doping (also likely). *I don't think the withdrawal is that puzzling
really, it's just a lot of damage control.

When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

Horses for courses. In F1, it's ironically often the opposite of
cycling's norm: clean drivers piloting cars built by cheating
engineers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Fo...ge_controversy

It's hard to argue that the penalty incurred by McLaren wasn't stiff.
I daresay that (fines aside) it was the harshest penalty imposable
that didn't penalize the drivers.

Similarly, Ricco's equipment sponsors will not be penalized. Except,
you know, the team withdrawal from the Tour.

Okay, and also, the McLaren drivers may have been in on the cheating,
and they got to drive faster cars.

On Jul 17, 1:03*pm, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
On Jul 17, 9:54*am, Robert Chung wrote:



On Jul 17, 9:42*am, sluggo wrote:

Robert Chung wrote in news:f8c36c5c-0f83-4c05-b1f0-
:

On Jul 17, 8:47*am, Bob Schwartz
wrote:

I knew it was a lock once Lafferty showed up and pronounced
this Tour cleaner than past Tours.

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each positive
had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it couldn't
have been organized because David Millar was on the team just last
year.

I'd think either the team is extremely embarassed since their rider stole
two victories (likely), or they realize/suspect that Ricco isn't the only
one doping (also likely). *I don't think the withdrawal is that puzzling
really, it's just a lot of damage control.

When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

Horses for courses. In F1, it's ironically often the opposite of
cycling's norm: clean drivers piloting cars built by cheating
engineers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Fo...ge_controversy

It's hard to argue that the penalty incurred by McLaren wasn't stiff.
I daresay that (fines aside) it was the harshest penalty imposable
that didn't penalize the drivers.

Similarly, Ricco's equipment sponsors will not be penalized. Except,
you know, the team withdrawal from the Tour.

Okay, and also, the McLaren drivers may have been in on the cheating,
and they got to drive faster cars.

Sporting penalty for sporting violation.

Robert Chung wrote in
:

On Jul 17, 9:42*am, sluggo wrote:
Robert Chung wrote in
news:f8c36c5c-0f83-4c05-b1f0-
:

On Jul 17, 8:47*am, Bob Schwartz
wrote:

I knew it was a lock once Lafferty showed up and pronounced
this Tour cleaner than past Tours.

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each
positive had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it
couldn't have been organized because David Millar was on the team
just last year.

I'd think either the team is extremely embarassed since their rider
stole two victories (likely), or they realize/suspect that Ricco
isn't the only one doping (also likely). *I don't think the
withdrawal is that puzzlin
g
really, it's just a lot of damage control.

When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

A statement from the team said, "Although the Tour organisers allow
teams to continue to participate after a positive test, given Riccò's
important role to the team in the race, Saunier Duval-Scott have decided
to withdraw in order to preserve the positive image of the team's
sponsors and the Tour de France itself."

There's probably a lot more to the story though, maybe one day we'll
read about it in a book.

On Jul 17, 2:08*pm, sluggo wrote:
Robert Chung wrote :



On Jul 17, 9:42*am, sluggo wrote:
Robert Chung wrote in
news:f8c36c5c-0f83-4c05-b1f0-
:

On Jul 17, 8:47*am, Bob Schwartz
wrote:

I knew it was a lock once Lafferty showed up and pronounced
this Tour cleaner than past Tours.

The puzzling thing, of course, is why the team withdrew. Each
positive had to have been an isolated individual action. We know it
couldn't have been organized because David Millar was on the team
just last year.

I'd think either the team is extremely embarassed since their rider
stole two victories (likely), or they realize/suspect that Ricco
isn't the only one doping (also likely). *I don't think the
withdrawal is that puzzlin
g
really, it's just a lot of damage control.

When F1 teams get caught cheating, they incur fines and time penalties
and they continue to race.

A statement from the team said, "Although the Tour organisers allow
teams to continue to participate after a positive test, given Riccò's
important role to the team in the race, Saunier Duval-Scott have decided
to withdraw in order to preserve the positive image of the team's
sponsors and the Tour de France itself."

Right, that's the excuse they gave. What's the real reason?

Tom2000 wrote:
F1 isn't becoming a laughingstock because of doping. F1 is becoming a
laughingstock because of Max Mosley.

Cycling needs McQuaid to get caught with some sexy hookers dressed up
like Nazi officers. That way the media would forget all about the doping.

jean-yves hervé wrote:
It's a bit too much to hear Barloworld make the isolated incident claim
considering that the police found Dueñas's transfusion kit in his hotel
room. Maybe he was carrying it along "just in case".

No, he was carrying it in his suitcase of courage.