Rumor mill churning hard as the likelihood of Rasmussen signing increases
Tuttobiciweb and other sources are reporting that the rumor that had seemed to quiet down over the last few weeks is actually set to become the truth – the long speculated signing of Michael Rasmussen to Bjarne Riis’s Saxo Bank team looks a real possibility.
The former unpopular climber has reached hitherto unheard of heights of notoriety and popularity at home in Denmark. Last year, whilst scarcely racing, Michael Rasmussen was ranked the second best sportsman in his country. The wave of positive feeling coupled with his recent appearance on two Danish television shows, seems to be pushing the former Tour de France mountain king to a return to the top level.
Saxo Bank/SunGard manager, Bjarne Riis, recently signed Volodomir Gustov and neopro Manuel Boaro to the team. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see another announcement follow soon.
Tuttobici speculates the the presentation over the weekend of Riis’s new autobiography, Riis, might be just the time to announce the arrival of a rider that could be both a highly visible, but also key addition, if he can return to the level of years gone by.