November 11, 2007 — Admissions by Michael Rasmussen (formerly Rabobank) that he lied to the UCI about his whereabouts brought a condemnation from UCI president, Pat McQuaid according to AFP. McQuaid, speaking to Danish television on Friday, said that Rasmussen has “no place in cycling,” and equated the Danish cyclist’s lying with testing positive in a doping test. Not knowing where the Danish cyclist was meant that the UCI could not administer unannounced doping tests.

Rasmussen gave a press conference on Thursday giving his version of why he lied to the UCI, claiming to be in Mexico prior to the 2007 Tour de France when in fact he was in Italy and France. Rasmussen cited marital problems as his motive but did not expound on this and denied ever taking EPO (erythropoietin). More interestingly, he claimed that Rabobank knew where he was the whole time and provided him money to travel with.

Rasmussen was leading the 2007 TdF before being pulled out of the race and subsequently fired by his team. Although now discredited, Rasmussen has never failed a doping test. Currently he is pursuing Rabobank for breach of contract.

Rabobank is expected to issue an internal report giving their side of the story on Monday which may have prompted Rasmussen to speak to the media on Thursday.

Apart from the Rasmussen affair, Denmark has been rocked by two recent doping scandals involving professional cyclists. Bjarne Riis admitted on May 25 to doping with EPO when he won the 1996 TdF while riding for Telekom. Last week Bo Hamburger (formerly CSC) published a book in which he also admits to using EPO between 1995 and 1997.