Here is the link to Bjarne Riis' comments about Basso's future, or non-future with Team CSC:

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/10747.0.html

Riis' line that got me was:

"I feel really bad about this case. Basso is the worst that could happen to me - it has ruined my image. I need to fix that, and right now it's a tough job."

Uh...... YEAH! Between the allegations (unproven as far as I am aware) against Riis as a rider in the 90's, against his 2003 TDF captain Tyler Hamilton, the recent revelations about Tyler's "Doping Diary" and the case against Basso, Riis has about as much credibility as a politician.

For me at least, each revelation makes it more difficult to believe that Riis was totally unaware of the doping as he has claimed.

Here is the link to Bjarne Riis' comments about Basso's future, or non-future with Team CSC:

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/10747.0.html

Riis' line that got me was:

"I feel really bad about this case. Basso is the worst that could happen to me - it has ruined my image. I need to fix that, and right now it's a tough job."

Uh...... YEAH! Between the allegations (unproven as far as I am aware) against Riis as a rider in the 90's, against his 2003 TDF captain Tyler Hamilton, the recent revelations about Tyler's "Doping Diary" and the case against Basso, Riis has about as much credibility as a politician.

For me at least, each revelation makes it more difficult to believe that Riis was totally unaware of the doping as he has claimed.

yeah, that line erked me too.

aaahhh....let us look at the history of Bjarne. Never amounted to much of a winner for 80% of his career. Joins Gewiss squadra, the most notorious EPO abusers of the '90's, in 1994. Suddenly sprouts wings and ascends to the Tour podium in 1995. Wins Le Tour in 1996. Can't defend his Tour title in 1997, as others have dialed in their own dosing techniques. Festina affair of 1998 scares him into retirement. Perhaps Riis' best skill is knowing when escape. Kind of like Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies. I picture Bjarne blasting off into space, leaving behind a smoldering CSC camp.

"I feel really bad about this case. Basso is the worst that could happen to me - it has ruined my image. I need to fix that, and right now it's a tough job."

I don't know how anyone can read that and not laugh. Seems like in the wake of this latest affair Riis has hired a Danish MD for CSC who is a leading anti-doping person.

Makes me think of parenting. The things that your kids do that piss you off the most and drive you completely up the wall are when they adopt your own bad habits.