Feb 17 2008
Let Levi Ride…
I’m sure most of you have heard about the ASO’s decision to ban Team Astana from the Tour. It came after the Giro banned the team from racing in their event as well. Many cycling news sites talk about the French decision being, no surprise, a popular one in France but everywhere else most believe it is an unfair decision. It’s a different team with many different riders. Other teams tarnished the Tour’s image last year with doping, yet they’re allowed in this year’s race. Levi Leipheimer is hoping to change their minds. He has started Let Levi Ride, a website to get signatures backing his effort. What do you think about the ASO decision and will you sign Levi’s petition?
I always though it was strange when all those people went to Astana - but banning non-convicted riders is just bizarre.
I think there is lingering Discover/US Postal bitterness from ASO at work.
I really hope these guys will be in the Tour - but as last year showed - rightly or wrongly - the Tour is bigger than any rider or group of riders and will still be gigantic.
I agree completely with will. I hope that Levi will be allowed to ride in the tour, but I have to question his decision to ride for Astana in the first place.
I think that the ASO’s decision is a problem in that it adds even more uncertainty to the status of teams and riders beyond the UCI/Big Tour war. Last year’s Astana team was a disaster but it seemed to me that most of it had been overhauled. Would Astana have been invited if it had changed its name?
It is strange that riders such as Levi, with no hint of a suggestion that they have doped, are being punished and this is unfair. I think that ASO must be nervous about Bruyneel–there is quite a history of big-nameriders who have associated with USPS/Discovery in the past getting caught: Heras, Hamilton, Basso, Landis. Even Contador was initially thought to have been involved with Operation Puerto and everyone seemed to hem and haw and look the other way on that.
At least I still can believe in Ale-Jet, the Gentleman Sprinter. What? He has to go to a hearing on April 2nd? The angels weep…
I wonder how helpful this website will be. Surely this seems like a premeditated effort to throw Levi out…
New Team, OLD NAME, Let em’ RIDE