Rasmussen vows to continue his career

The 33-year-old Dane was expelled by the Rabobank team after winning Wednesday’s stage for giving incorrect information about his whereabouts before the Tour, which he had led since July 15.

He had missed random drug tests on May 8 and June 28, saying he was in Mexico. But a former rider, Davide Cassani, said he had seen Rasmussen in Italy in mid-June.

“I know very well that I was late with information about my whereabouts,” Rasmussen said in Friday’s edition of the Politiken newspaper. “For that I have been punished with a fine and warnings. But that it should lead to such drastic (measures) which have been taken, is out of all proportion.

“I have now had time to collect my thoughts and I can guarantee that I am not done as a rider.”

Rasmussen was fined euro10,000 (US$13,700) for missing the two random drug tests, and was also banned from representing his country in any international event by Danish officials.

Rasmussen is adamant he was in Mexico during those months, but Team Gerolsteiner manager Hans-Michael Holczer told Danish radio that one of his riders also saw Rasmussen in Italy at the time.

“I maintain that I was in Mexico,” Rasmussen told the Danish tabloid B.T. “I was not in Italy. Not at all.”

International rules require cyclists to inform officials of their whereabouts for possible unannounced doping tests, but Rasmussen says he feels cheated.

“I feel I have won the Tour de France ... but the victory has been stolen from me,” he told Politiken.

Rasmussen captured the overall leader’s yellow jersey in cycling’s premier event for the first time after winning the eighth stage and held onto it through Wednesday’s 16th stage.

Shortly after the stage, Rabobank manager Theo de Rooij pulled Rasmussen aside at the team’s hotel and ordered him to pack his bags.

“I was kicked out of the hotel like an animal,” Rasmussen told the Berlingske Tidende daily.

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