The 1999 cross-country world champion Michael Rasmussen is better known today as the almost Tour de France winner who was banned for doping abuse. He is now publishing his biography entitled "Yellow Fever" on Monday, November 4. In his biography, Rasmussen describes how he instructed Hesjedal to handle the drug Epo (erythropoietin) in 2003. The Canadian, who is now successful on the road and was the first Canadian to win the Giro d'Italia last year, was extremely successful on the mountain bike in the same year. Among other things, Hesjedal won the silver medal at the World Championships in Lugano - behind the Belgian Filip Meirhaeghe and ahead of Roel Paulissen, who was convicted of doping in 2004 and 2010. Paulissen still insists today that he never knowingly doped.

In his book, Rasmussen writes that he also let Hesjedal's Canadian colleagues Seamus McGrath and Chris Sheppard in on the Epo practice. Both of them were also involved in the World Cup as professional mountain bikers in 2003 - mostly with moderate success. In contrast to Hesjedal, McGrath and Sheppard were already stuck in controls. While Sheppard tested positive for Epo at the end of the 2005 season and was subsequently banned, McGrath only had to serve a 15-day "health ban" due to an excessively high haematocrit value, as no Epo could be detected in him.

Ryder Hesjedal, who has never had a negative test result, does not deny anything and apologizes: "I love cycling, but more than a decade ago I took the wrong path. Even if it was a long time ago and I only strayed from the right path for a short time, I have to live with it and I want to apologize deeply for it". The Canadian is not alone in this apology. In contrast to some of his colleagues who have apologized for their offences, Hesjedal may not have to fear any sanctions. The Canadian cycling association Cycling Canada assumes that the doping offense will no longer have any consequences for the ex-biker due to the eight-year statute of limitations.

It is not surprising that the reactions are not lacking. For example, a photo of an American rider from 2003 is circulating on the social media platform Facebook, showing him in third place, McGrath in second and Hesjedal in first. The caption; "it seems like there are some riders in the wrong place" as well as the comments that followed clearly show that people disagree with the statute of limitations.

When you look at what's happening in the cycling world, such apologies usually become empty phrases and Hesjedal's statement of "being back on the right track" becomes hard to believe. The hope remains that with good work and prevention, such cases can be avoided as much as possible in the future.

The World Championship podium in Lugano 2003 from left: Ryder Hesjedal, Filip Meirhaeghe and Roel Paulissen.