Posted on 07/25/2007 2:54:25 PM PDT by hardback
Leader Rasmussen kicked off Tour
Rasmussen has held the yellow jersey for 10 days Race leader Michael Rasmussen has been kicked out of the Tour de France and sacked by his Rabobank team. The 33-year-old Dane has been at the centre of controversy during the Tour since it was revealed he missed out-of-competition drugs tests.
But Rabobank have learnt he lied to them about his whereabouts in June.
Rasmussen looked odds-on to win the Tour on Sunday after taking Wednesday's stage, which increased his lead over second-placed rider Alberto Contador.
News conference: Michael Rasmussen
But young Spaniard Contador will now assume the race lead with four stages remaining.
And the Discovery Channel rider will go into Thursday's flat stage from Pau to Castelsarrasin with a one minute 57 second lead over Australian Cadel Evans.
Rasmussen has been sent home for violating the team's internal rules
Jacob Bergsma Rabobank spokesman
Rasmussen's sacking follows the high-profile positive drugs test on pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov in a dramatic 24 hours for the race.
Vinokourov's Astana team withdrew from the race in protest, and Cofidis have also pulled out following the positive test on their rider Cristian Moreni.
Rasmussen has admitted making a mistake in missing out-of-competition drugs tests but insists he backs moves to make cycling drug-free.
"I'm sorry the situation is coming out now, when I'm wearing the yellow jersey, and it's harming the sport that I dearly love," he said before his 16th stage win.
"I want to make absolutely clear I've had out-of-competition tests prior to the Tour de France, 14 tests during the Tour and all the results are negative.
"I do support my team in the fight against doping and [for] a clean sport."
606: DEBATE There's no easy answer to this - how can a sport so huge, so popular, cleanse itself?
TheInvigilator
However, Rabobank have since discovered that Rasmussen lied to them over where and what he was up to during the month of June when he was in fact in Italy and not in Mexico as he had told them.
"Michael Rasmussen has been sent home for violating the team's internal rules," said Rabobank spokesman Jacob Bergsma.
Wednesday's victory on the Col d'Aubisque was Rasmussen's second of the Tour and tightened his grip on the yellow jersey.
Have you seen this? Incredible.
Shock upon shock!
:-(
I think every single driver on the tour is doped. The ones who don’t get tested positive just have better doctors and/or more luck. I’m absolutely sure this was the case for the last 30 years (yes, Lance was doped as well. Maybe bad stuff was the reason for his cancer). Over the last few months we had a lot of public “coming outs” of former riders in Germany that I don’t believe any one of them anymore. Rolf Aldag, a very likeable down-on-earth guy, was among them.
I did 1200 miles last year and am on track to beat that this year. I wish I could get that skinny.
I think I hit a personal best time yesterday. 16 mile commute from work to home, 17.2 mph average, half of it against the wind.
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