UCI wary of Rasumussen

GENEVA – The head of cycling’s world governing body says it would be bad for the sport if current Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen goes on to win the race.

“With all this speculation around him it would be better if somebody else were to win,” UCI president Pat McQuaid told the Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday. “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 was dropped from Denmark’s national team last week for failing to notify anti-doping officials of his whereabouts for drug testing before the Tour began.

He missed two drug tests by Denmark’s anti-doping agency in May and June, and failed to respond to two warnings from the International Cycling Union since April 2006. A third infraction with either the UCI or the Danish agency would be considered equivalent to a positive test and lead to a ban.