The Adelaide Advertiser carries a brief interview with former Australian pro racer Patrick Jonker, who says that bike dopers robbed Cadel Evans of his moment of triumph in the Tour de France. Jonker isn’t saying that Evans should have won the Tour, but that his second-place showing has been besmirched by the doping charges swirling around Rasmussen, Vinokourov et al.
“Cadel (Evans) rode the race 100 per cent on weet-bix and water,” Jonker said. “I’m over a 100 per cent sure that Cadel has done absolutely nothing and he’s a 100 per cent clean. His performance should have been seen as one of sport’s all-time great performances – up with Ian Thorpe. Unfortunately three or four riders ruined it by trying to cheat.”
Thorpe is the great Australian swimmer (and national hero) who was investigated for doping after L’Equipe, the news outlet of choice for drug cops leaking test results, reported that a blood sample from May 2006 contained suspicious hormone levels. The Australian Sports Doping Authority announced Friday that Thorpe had been cleared of allegations that he used performance-enhancing substances.
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