Liquigas Kicked Out of Rund um den Henninger-Turm; Rasmussen, Vino to Follow Basso in 2009?

News trickled down today out of Germany that the Italian Liquigas team will not be at the start line of the upcoming German semi-classic Rund um den Henninger-Turm, as they would not agree to sign the "statement of honor" document required of all registered teams. Already Liquigas seems to be preparing for the arrival of Ivan Basso, as the tainted star was signed a few days ago by the Italian Pro Tour outfit. Liquigas is having to face scrutiny from race organizers literally the day after they announced the signing, and Basso's actual return is still a half year away. The alleged "statement of honor" must have asked Liquigas to admit something that they no longer can: that they are in compliance with cycling's world governing body rules. They are not.

Everyone deserves a second chance, right Vino?

The Pro Tour ethics code stipulates that if a rider is sanctioned for doping, he is not allowed to sign for a Pro Tour team for four years. After having withdrawn itself from the AIGCP, Liquigas has placed itself in a tough spot as it struggles to defend the choice to sign Basso. The way the situation is handled by other race organizers will have a huge effect on how future cases are dealt with. If Liquigas succeeds and Basso is able to start the Giro and other major races in 2009, what should stop another rider, either unsanctioned or done with his two year ban, from jumping onto a different Pro Tour team? Further, if Liquigas is eventually stripped of it's Pro Tour status, but still earns invites to the year's biggest races, won't other teams follow that same course and sign whomever they please?

The Pro Tour may go the way of the old cycling World Cup in 2008

Worse still, will cycling fans soon have to watch Michael Rasmussen, Alexandre Vinokourov, Andre Kashikin, and others be rewarded with lucrative high profile contracts from other Pro Tour teams in the near future? Perish the thought, but wouldn't Jan Ullrich, who is facing no sanction, at least consider returning if the price was right? In what could turn into a real mess, the above riders and others may soon be in the picture, as the fight against doping continues. Just don't necessarily expect their teams to be at the biggest races, as it looks like the race organizers, not the UCI's Pro Tour, will govern the sport into 2009.