Yes, yes, but if the UCI are to impose this penalty on him then surely they should have caught EVERYBODY at it last year and do the same with them. Have you ever heard a more rediculous way to treat sportspeople - RANDOM tests out of season!!! Whats that all about?

The only way to catch folk is to test EVERYBODY all the time when the season starts and every day of a tour. If anybody refuses a test then they shouldn't ride. The results should be back the same day so they can all be pulled that evening or the next morning. Theres only 180-odd riders in the Tour each year - I do more than 200, multi category blood tests every day at work - I could carry out the analysis myself! Whats the big deal here ??? Its certainly not analytical COSTS anyway.

Surely, if the UCI really wanted to make a difference then this is the way to do it. Or do they just want to pick on the high-profile cheats and vainly prove their authority in fear of the whole sport grinding to a halt? Pat McQuaid et al have a lot to answer for.

Maybe, but did he "evade controls in a premeditated manner and prevent controls being undertaken."?

He did it more than once and lied about his whereabouts when found out. It's perfectly reasonable to suggest he could be doping in that period. But it doesn't matter if he was or wasn't, he broke a seperate rule with the same consequences. He knew those consequences when he did it, the decision of how his career was to be affected was his all along.

If the UCI is serious about weeding out the cheats and cleaning up it's tarnished image then it has to stand by the letter of it's sporting code/anti doping legislation and punish those who break it.

Rasmussen is an awesome rider but I dont know if it's him or his doping. If you or I were willing to pump ourselves full of drugs or somebody elses blood then we could be awesome too....

My only defence of Rasmussen is that he shouldn't be the only example, others breaking the same rules should be punished in the same way. A fair and consistent approach will benefit everyone in the end.

2yrs ban in cycling??that's takin away the career of mike rasmussen

base on his age rite now...to harsh a penalty.

this is only my personal opinion,

longlive michael...ur d real 2007 tdf champ...

keep on riding..good luck.

shame.. the poor guy made a mistake and now has to live with it.. I really do hope he continues cycling as he was a pleasure to watch on 2007..