Following allegations made by Michael Rasmussen against doctor Dion Van Bommel and bus driver Piet de Vos, the Belkin team has issued a statement with a response to the case. The team has talked in detail with its employees and has found no reason to carry out any further investigation.
Michael Rasmussen made several damning allegations against people in the cycling world in his recently published autobiography Yellow Fever. Many of those involved were employed by the Rabobank team, the predecessor of the current Belkin squad.
Some of them are still working for the Dutch team. Doctor Dion Van Bommel and bus driver Piet de Vos are still employed by the Dutchmen who have been forced to react to the allegations made by the Dane. Having talked at length with both employees, the team has today issued a statement that clears both of them and closes the case.
Already earlier this year, Rasmussen claimed that Van Bommel knew all about his doping when he rode for Rabobank from 2003 to 2007 but was not directly involved. Furthermore, he accused Van Bommel of writing false certificates for cortisone, claiming that the rider had an injury that would allow him to use the otherwise banned product. Rasmussen repeated those allegations in his book.
De Vos was accused of hiding EPO in his underpants when the Rabobank bus underwent a surprise raid in 2007. Because of the bus driver's action, the two gendarmes found nothing during their search.
Belkin has today issued a statement with their response to the matter.
"The management of the Belkin Pro Cycling Team checked external sources and talked at detail with team doctor, Dion van Bommel and bus driver, Piet de Vos in response to Michael Rasmussen's recent statements. Both employees fully cooperated. The team has no reason to investigate further or to take action against them. The management of Belkin Pro Cycling supports both employees and closes the case."
Rasmussen has made even more damning allegations against former team doctor Geert Leinders, claiming that he was heavily involved in the doping practices. The Dutchman is no longer employed by Belkin and worked for Sky until last year when he was released due to doping accusations.
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