July 20, 2007 — The current TdF leader, Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) has been excluded from the Danish national team for failing to provide information about his whereabouts. Rasmussen will thus miss the 2007 Road World Championships in Stuttgart this September and the 2008 Beijing Olympics reports AFP.

As part of new measures designed to fight against doping, riders must inform the UCI of where they are during training, presumably to prevent them from possibly visiting “doping clinics” such as the one allegedly operated by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes in Madrid. Jesper Worre, director of the Danish Cycling Union (DCU) told a Danish television station that Rasmussen had received several warnings about his failure to provide such information.

The announcement of Rasmussen’s exclusion from the Danish team is adding fuel to the ongoing dispute between the UCI and the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), which organizes the Tour de France. Christian Prudhomme, director of the TdF questioned the timing of the Rasmussen announcement – which only affects his participation at events this September or later – and suggested it was an attempt to undermine the Tour. UCI President Pat McQuaid then denied that the announcement was designed to discredit the TdF. Since we posted this item the UCI has issue an official release on the Rasmussen situation – to read the release click here.

Meanwhile, several German daily newspapers such as Bild, the Frankfurter Rundschau, and Berliner Zeitung had harsh words for German rider, Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile). Sinkewitz, who abandoned the TdF on Sunday, June 15, and tested positive at a doping control in June. The dailies were also critical of German public television networks ARD and ZDF that stopped airing the TdF over the Sinkewitz case. The newspapers claim that unless such cheating is publicly denounced, it will never stop.

Sinkewitz is likely to contest the validity of his positive doping test revealed the ZDF network. The cyclist was hospitalized Sunday after colliding with a spectator at the Tour and is now recovering from an operation on his jaw. To date, only Sinkewitz’ A sample has been tested, but it is expected that his B sample will be tested next week. The German anti-doping agency (NADA) is conducting the testing.

Sinkewitz tested positive for testosterone, much like the situation for 2006 TdF winner, Floyd Landis. Meanwhile, on Thursday Landis’ former team mate, Robert Hunter (Barloworld), 30, became the first South African to win a stage at the Tour. Hunter expressed hope that his victory will encourage cycling in his native South Africa, where there are many promising young riders.