Rasmussen, sacked when leading the Tour de France, gets a two-year ban
Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen has been banned for two years for missing
anti-doping tests before last year's Tour de France.
Rasmussen is said to have been handed the punishment by the Monaco Cycling
Federation, who issued Rasmussen's racing licence and have been deliberating the
matter since a hearing on May 28.
The 34-year-old was sacked by his Rabobank team while leading the Tour after it
emerged he had 'lied about his whereabouts' in the period leading up to the race.
Doped: Rasmussen led the way in last year's Tour de France before being sacked by his team
Rasmussen missed three anti-doping tests during the period in question and was
subsequently dismissed by Rabobank.
The cyclist expects to hear about the outcome of his claim of unfair dismissal by Rabobank in a Utrecht court today and is claiming damages of £4.36million.
Rasmussen's suspension start date is likely to be retroactive to July 25, 2007.
The rider can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, the same body which upheld Floyd Landis' two-year suspension for doping offences on Monday.
