[OGRipper]

Basso.

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/11035.0.html

I know it's the silly season and all but this is getting old.

 

[James]

Basso.

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/11035.0.html

I know it's the silly season and all but this is getting old.

Curiouser and curiouser...

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/11055.0.html

 

[Jeremy R]

How guilty is Basso if Riis dropped his golden child?
Honestly.

 

[Westy]

But Disco is getting desperate. They are like the Yankees trying to buy talent but all the talent are about to get suspended.

 

[OGRipper]

How guilty is Basso if Riis dropped his golden child?
Honestly.

Hard to know. The relationship must have gone south when Basso was excluded from the Tour based on little more than rumor. Not sure that Riis had much choice, but still. If the same thing happens again next year - rumors and allegations but no proof - would Riis do it again? Probably.

 

[golgiaparatus]

Basso was quoted as saying that Disco made him an offer.

 

[Jeremy R]

Hard to know. The relationship must have gone south when Basso was excluded from the Tour based on little more than rumor. Not sure that Riis had much choice, but still. If the same thing happens again next year - rumors and allegations but no proof - would Riis do it again? Probably.

If this whole "operation puerto" happened in America, the lawsuits would be stacked a mile high.
Imagine right before the super bowl, they kick out the star QB, RB, WR etc.. for drugs, and then they later realize they did not have enough evidence to charge them.
Its like a lawyer's dream come true.

 

[reflux]

Basso was quoted as saying that Disco made him an offer.

The Jan is being the disappointed upon the hearing of the news.

 

[loco-gringo]

If this whole "operation puerto" happened in America, the lawsuits would be stacked a mile high.
Imagine right before the super bowl, they kick out the star QB, RB, WR etc.. for drugs, and then they later realize they did not have enough evidence to charge them.
Its like a lawyer's dream come true.

It is one of few instances that people should be accountable for mischarged allegations. Just my opinion.

 

[golgiaparatus]

The Jan is being the disappointed upon the hearing of the news.

No the jan was to busy with the firings of the frau who was doing the keepings up of the massive thigh muscles. The rumer is being sad that the jan is about to doing retiring. But ony the Jan knows for sure.

 

[OGRipper]

Definitely a tough one. On the one hand, I don't think you can really fault the teams so much. They need a zero tolerance policy to keep sponsors, etc., and probably can't risk letting someone race once serious allegations (backed up with evidence) are made. On the other hand, teams should be testing routinely and then they might be able to stand behind riders who are unfairly accused. Taking a "don't ask, don't tell" approach leaves them exactly where CSC is now, and leads me to conclude that there is at least a tacit approval of doing whatever it takes to win.

 

[DRB]

Disco denies this as well....

Reports that Ivan Basso has been offered a 'concrete proposal' from the Discovery Channel team have been denied by Discovery's assistant manager Dirk Demol. ""We have always had an interest in Basso, and the other way round. But we have still presented nothing concrete to him", he told sporza.be. Team CSC and Basso announced earlier this week that they had mutually agreed to end their relationship, but there still may be some loose ends that need tying up.

Demol said, "To my knowledge, he still has a contract with CSC. We must wait to see how that evolves." The team may also wait until the matter of Basso's involvement in the Operacion Puerto investigation is fully cleared up to make any offers. "The same applies to Basso's role with Dr. Fuentes. We really must wait until his name is cleared."

Christian Frommert, director of sports communication for T-Mobile, said he is not surprised at other teams' interest in signing Ivan Basso. "That was to be expected," he told the Netzeitung. "You have to reckon with the fact that not everybody takes the Code of Ethics so seriously."

Frommert expressed doubts, however, as to the success of Basso's comeback plans. "Talk is cheap. But we have to wait and see how the UCI and the organization of Pro Tour teams will react.

 

[reflux]

No the jan was to busy with the firings of the frau who was doing the keepings up of the massive thigh muscles. The rumer is being sad that the jan is about to doing retiring. But ony the Jan knows for sure.

Ahh, you are being speaking of the truth. The reflux is giving you the thanks...along with schnitzel and beer.

 

[golgiaparatus]

Basso to Disco... Confirmed by the uniball one himself... "It's done".

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/nov06/nov08news2

Lance Armstrong has confirmed the signing of Ivan Basso to Discovery Channel. "It's done," quipped the seven-time Tour de France winner in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. This afternoon, from Austin, Texas, the official announcement is expected that the 2006 Giro d'Italia winner will ride for the same team that helped carry the American to his Tour successes.