MONTPELLIER, France (AP) _ Tour de France leader Michael
Rasmussen acknowledged Friday that he made an ``administrative
error'' involving drug-testing rules that prompted his expulsion
from the Danish national cycling team.
Denmark's cycling federation said Thursday that Rasmussen could
no longer ride with the national team at international races because
he failed to report his whereabouts for drug-testing purposes.
Danish federation and international rules require cyclists to
keep officials informed of their whereabouts for possible
unannounced doping controls.
Tour de France officials said Friday that Rasmussen missed two
recent drug tests. A third no-show would be considered equivalent to
a positive test and lead to a ban.
``I do admit that I've committed an administrative error,''
Rasmussen said before Friday's start of the 12th stage of the Tour.
``I was informed of this at the Danish championship 2{ weeks ago, so
it's no news.''
``It might be a surprise that it comes out right now,'' he added.
``I'm very calm and very relaxed ... It's a minor deal. I know that
a lot of riders in the peloton receive warnings for not informing or
not giving updated information to the UCI'' _ cycling's governing
body.
``I'm just one out of many, and I just happen to ride with the
yellow jersey right now.''
Rasmussen said he was tested out of competition in June, and the
results were negative.
``I have no positive doping tests, and that's it,'' he said.
Rasmussen cannot represent Denmark at the World Championships in
Stuttgart, Germany, in September. A decision on whether he competes
at the Olympics in Beijing next year rests with the Danish Olympic
Committee.
Christian Prudhomme said Rasmussen received a warning on June 29
from UCI's anti-doping manager Anne Gripper because he missed random
drug tests on May 8 and June 28. Anti-doping officials sought to
contact Rasmussen but he had not informed them of his whereabouts.
He was reportedly training in Mexico.
``This is blown out of proportion,'' Rasmussen said. ``It's a
matter of misinformation.''
Prudhomme said that Rasmussen, winner of the King of the
Mountains jersey as the Tour's best climber the past two years, had
three UCI blood tests on June 30, July 5 and July 17 and was
declared clean each time.
Rasmussen also gave four urine samples on July 15, 17, 18 and 19,
Prudhomme said. Those came on the day he won the eighth stage and
the days following that as he held the yellow jersey.
Prudhomme said Denmark's decision to bar Rasmussen from his
national team had no bearing on him racing at the Tour.
``Should a warning be considered as a sanction because, as far as
the Danish federation is concerned, Rasmussen should not represent
his country at the World Championships and the Olympic Games?''
Prudhomme said.
UCI president Pat McQuaid said the UCI had no involvement in the
timing of the announcement.
``It's beyond our control,'' McQuaid told The Associated Press by
telephone. ``It was the Danish federation under pressure from the
Danish media. They took decisions back in June about Rasmussen. They
were under pressure from the (Danish) media. It's beyond the UCI's
control and ASO's control. I can't comment.''
In May, Denmark's only winner of the Tour _ 1996 champion Bjarne
Riis _ admitted to using the banned performance enhancer EPO on way
to victory that year. He has offered to return his yellow jersey.
