> Shocker : Vino fails doping Test

ANOTHER day in the mountains, and another step towards securing the fabled yellow jersey.

But Michael Rasmussen's continued presence in the Tour de France, in the wake of revelations that he has missed several random doping controls in the past two years, is starting to grate.

Rasmussen reinforced his grip on the race lead with another commanding climbing performance on the first of three days in the Pyrenees. But for some, his march towards victory is an affront. "I'm angry," said Cofidis manager Eric Boyer.

Francaise des Jeux manager Marc Madiot added: "I've gone past being angry. I just don't want to talk about it any more. You should go and ask Mr Rabobank about it."

Rabobank, sponsored by a Dutch bank, has been under pressure since Rasmussen admitted he had committed an "administrative error" after missing random doping controls by the International Cycling Union on March 24, 2006, and June 28, 2007.

It later emerged he had been warned twice by Denmark's anti-doping agency after missing two doping tests this year.

Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, missing three doping controls by any one body amounts to a doping violation. According to the race's code of ethics, which led to the eviction of 13 riders last year over their alleged link to the Operation Puerto doping affair, suspected riders are prevented from racing.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme said: "What I regret more than ever is that we didn't have this information on June 29, or on the following days before the tour started. We would have made the Rabobank team face up to their responsibilities."

Rabobank's Theo de Rooy admitted he had reflected over the case before the tour but said: "We didn't have a positive test for doping on our hands."

Bouygues Telecom manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau said if there's suspicion, riders should be left out. "The No. 1 priority is credibility. Does being in the yellow jersey, in this way, really interest them now?"

For Bernaudeau, Rasmussen's presence casts a shadow: "He's been warned several times. He's totally on the brink (of a violation). But he's still here."

AFP

Originally Posted by xXx

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The Danish cycling union said last week it had kicked him off the national team because he had missed drug tests before the Tour began. A day later, a former amateur mountain bike racer claimed that Rasmussen had tricked him into carrying a human blood substitute to Italy five years ago.

Yesterday, the head of the International Cycling Union expressed his doubts about Rasmussen.

"With all this speculation around him it would be better if somebody else were to win," UCI chief Pat McQuaid said. "The last thing this sport needs is more speculation about doping."

McQuaid added, however, that the Danish rider has "broken no rules, so from that point of view . . . you have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Rasmussen said McQuaid's opposition was "new to me. I have all the intention to try to win this race."

French customs officials stopped and searched vehicles of Rasmussen's Rabobank team and those of at least three others -- Astana, Discovery Channel, and Team CSC -- to check for suspicious products. The officials declined to comment. The teams said the checks were routine.