July 1, 2008 (Monte Carlo, Monaco) – Michael Rasmussen (formerly Rabobank) has received a two-year ban from professional cycling by the Monaco Cycling Federation reports Reuters citing the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport.

Rasmussen, 34, was leading the 2007 Tour de France when he was sacked by his team for lying about his whereabouts during training. He told the UCI that he was training in Mexico prior to the 2007 TdF when he was actually in Italy, raising suspicions that Rasmussen was trying to avoid out-of-competition doping controls. There were three incidents where Rasmussen gave erroneous information. But Rasmussen denied that he was doping and last November cited unspecified “personal reasons” as his explanation for previously giving false information. He also claims that his team knew he was not in Mexico, a claim supported by former Rabobank rider, Max van Heeswijk.

The Danish cyclist lives in Italy but holds a racing licence from the principality of Monaco. His ban expires on July 25, 2009 and is backdated to his exclusion from the 2007 TdF.

Meanwhile, Rasmussen is launching legal proceedings in the Netherlands against Rabobank for wrongful dismissal, seeking 5.4 million euros (C$8.5 million) in compensation for his firing. A verdict in the Dutch city of Utrecht is expected Wednesday.

Rasmussen was also in court in Denmark in June, testifying against two computer hackers who broke into his email account. The hackers tried to sell some of Rasmussen’s private emails to a Danish newspaper. The subject of the emails concerned Rasmussen’s being in Italy rather than Mexico.

For more on this story the Guardian, BBC, Canadian Press.