Race provided a platform to top stars like Sagan, Boonen, Cavendish
Rock Racing act of defiance
Tyler Hamilton and Mario Cipollini in the Rock Racing car (Image credit: Mark Johnson/Ironstring)
2008 was a strange year. After Operacion Puerto and the Landis case, the UCI and race organisers took a controversial decision to prevent riders who were under investigation for doping offences out of races.
That meant that the flashy Rock Racing team, led by clothing maker Michael Ball and his star rider Mario Cipollini, would be without three riders for the Tour of California: Tyler Hamilton, Santiago Botero and Óscar Sevilla.
Ball knew about the effort to keep under-investigation riders out of races but chose to field the three riders in spite of the bans.
"Our team is committed to fair and just laws that protect individuals' rights and the integrity of the sport," Ball said at the time. "But first and foremost are the individuals' rights. That's where I stand. There are no pending anti-doping cases with the UCI or any other respective federation against any of our riders in this Tour, period."
The team ended up racing with five riders: Cipollini, Doug Ollerenshaw, Fred Rodriguez, Victor Hugo Peña and Mike Creed.
That year also saw the race's longest stage - an absolutely miserable 218km-long headwind slog down the Pacific Coast Highway in driving rain with television and radio blackouts when the communications relay plane was forced to land and refuel. When the pictures finally returned, fans were treated to a stellar solo victory by Toyota United's Dominique Rollin.
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Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
