So if you don't follow cycling, or haven't at least heard (or care for that matter), the organizers of the Tour De France (or Tour 'Day' France as interpreted by Bob "Bobke" Roll) is not allowing team Astana, which includes 2007 Tour winner, Alberto Contador, and third place finisher, Levi Leipheimer, to compete in that, or any of the races they organize. You might ask.......why would they do that. I might respond.......that's a good question. Their para-phrased response is essentially "they can't be trusted ." Well, the story leading to this banning begins a couple of years ago with a rider getting caught doping when the team name was Liberty Seguros, next if you think back to last years' Tour you will remember that a rider known as "Vino" riding for the newly named Team Astana had some doping complications, in that he got caught. Well after the team completely re-structured, hired all new staff, directors (i.e. Johan Bruyneel from the Armstrong era) and re-configured the roster of riders on the team (i.e. adding Alberto, Levi and most of the other Discovery riders and subtracting all of the questionable doping characters) it seems, suddenly, "they can't be trusted." So I guess my question is do they not trust the team sponsors (Astana) or the riders (i.e. Alberto/Levi/Kloden)? Hmmmmmmm...........so I don't know whether I actually care or not but I thought it was kind of interesting, albeit illogical thinking, to fight doping in cycling.
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