Doping scandal: Tour de France rocked by Rasmussen expulsion

Michael Rasmussen has been sacked by his team Rabobank after his victory in Stage 16. The team says the Danish rider lied about why he missed a scheduled drug test in June. The dismissal is the latest and possibly the biggest blow yet to the Tour.
Rasmussen had been facing allegations long before he was sacked by team Rabobank on Wednesday.
He had been kicked out of the Danish national team by the Danish Cycling Union one week ago.
The union says the 33-year-old Dane failed to inform them and the International Cycling Union of his personal schedule, enabling Rasmussen to miss four out-of-competition dope tests.
Things got worse just two days later. An American cycling fan revealed Rasmussen asked him to provide a banned substance five years ago. Rasmussen has declined to comment on this issue.
Amid mounting pressure, Rasmussen said on Monday that he accepted the International Cycling Union's warnings, and was willing to take responsibility.
The scandal could mean an end to his cycling career. But more importantly, the credibility of the world's most famous cycling event is also at stake.