After 13 years, the Rabobank sponsor returns to cycling and the same team
BRATISLAVA. It was supposed to be the pinnacle of his career and the brightest moment in the history of the team. Michael Rasmussen was walking for Tiumf on the Tour de France. It was 2007.
He won two stages and in the overall order he had a huge three -minute lead. The Rabobank team reached historical success.
However, the triumph has changed within a few hours to a crash.
It turned out that Rasmussen consciously introduced his stay during preparation for the peak of the season.
He claimed to have traveled to Mexico for three weeks. Instead, he trained in Italy.
He received a warning for missed anti -doping tests. However, when his employer learned about it in the middle of the Tour, regardless of the fact that Rasmussen was practically a certain Tour winner, he threw him away without mercy.
He withdrew from the race after a dominant victory in the 16th stage.
They knew who was doping
It was a scandal. Formally, the Danish cyclist did not have a positive finding. Did not break any rules. However, it was suspicious that he avoided testing. Anti -doping commissioners could not find him in Mexico.
“They could not exclude me on the basis of any rules. I didn't break anything then. The only one who could download me was my team, ”Rasmussen recalled.
The Dutch bank Rabobank was not only the title sponsor of the team from 1996 to 2012, but also its owner.
Thirteen years ago, she withdrew from cycling because of new information that the doping team was tolerated for years. The case with Rasmussen was not unique.
In his autobiography, the Danish cyclist admitted that all the riders of the team on the Tour 2007 – Denis Meňšov, Thomas Dekker, Bram de Groot, Oscar Freire, Michael Boogerd and Griesch Niermann (Visma Sports Director) doped.
In 2012, Volkskrant brought details about the doping program in the Dutch team. The team management knew that cyclists were using banned substances.
It tolerated. The competitors provided medical support so that some borders would not go beyond. The then team boss said that “the team did not lead anyone to doping or directly provide funding for this purpose. Officially it was forbidden. ”
However, sports directors knew who was doping.
When this information appeared in 2012, Rabobank left cycling. “We can't prevent it. We are not convinced that cycling is compatible with pure and fair sports, ”said the Financial Director of Rabbobank Bert Bruggink.
Rasmussen later spoke of doping. He used EPO, growth hormone, insulin, cortisone, testosterone and blood transfusions. He did not hide his dark past, cooperated with anti -doping authorities. Today he works as a cycling expert for TV3 and Ekstra Bladet.
Van Aert: Orange will hurt my heart
The Dutch team, with the help of later sponsors, managed to survive and gradually developed up to one of the best teams. Today he is known as Visma Lease and Bike.
From the team that almost pulled Doping to the bottom, it has gone a long journey and today is an example for rivals in many ways.
And after a 13-year pause, Rabobank decided to return to cycling as a sponsor. It will re -connect its name with the same team. The Visma team will appear in the summer on the Tour de France.
« Apparently there are the reasons why this sponsor has regained confidence in cycling, » says one of the leaders of the Visma Wout Van Aert team.
“I think we can write a nice story again. Rabobank is not just another sponsor that appears. He returns to the roots and I am proud to ride with this brand on the jersey. Orange will hurt a bit of my Belgian heart, but I will accept it, ”he added.
It is not known for what Rabobank will contribute to the team's budget. The amount for the title sponsor is between EUR 5 to 10 million. The contract with Rabobank is for 3 and a half years.
The change will also be the case with the women's team in which Slovak hope and junior world champion in mountain biking Victoria Koloňová.
