MAYHEM IN MONTPELLIER

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The mood in Montpellier blackened this morning as the media scrum that descended on Michael Rasmussen threatened to make the Tour de France a farce.

Yesterday the Danish cycling federation announced that Rasmussen would not be eligible for selection for the World Championships or Olympic Games because he had missed out-of-competition dope tests and failed to inform the testing authorities where he would be when he was training in Mexico.

After witnessing the chaos and steadily blackening moods in Montpellier this morning it seems that whoever wears the yellow jersey is going to be subject to scrutiny. In Rasmussen's case he appears to have given the press pack some ammunition.

The Dane said: "I know that other riders in the peloton have been given warnings for not giving their whereabouts to the UCI. I am one out of many it's just that I happen to be wearing the yellow jersey right now," said Rasmussen.

"This is blown a little bit out of proportion. It's a matter of misinformation. I can confirm that I have no positive doping tests and that's it. I have been tested out of competition during the month of June and those were negative.

"I certainly do want to continue in the Tour de France. I know that ASO have been in contact with Theo De Rooy of the Rabobank team and I have full support from ASO and I am starting with the yellow jersey today.

"I have done nothing wrong, which they also recognise. I will take responsibility for having mis-communicated my whereabouts to the UCI and I have been given a warning."

The chaos escalated when Rasmussen eventually came out to sign on. He had to be escorted by a ring of police officers all the way. The crowd's muted applause suggested many did not realise it was the maillot jaune passing.

Presumably having missed the news from the Danish federation, some looked bemused at Rasmussen's elevation to superstar status.

Yesterday?s stage winner Robbie Hunter said: "We just want to ride our bikes and do some good performances but all we get is this bullshit story."

Bullshit story or not it's going to follow Rasmussen while he has the yellow

One moment stuck in the mind. As the Rasmussen storm made its way through the town square, Iban Mayo, rolling back the other way towards the team coaches, was forced to stop next to the barrier. The baffled look on his face said it all: If that's what wearing the yellow jersey means, perhaps I won't attack in the Pyrenees.

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Sports journalist Lionel Birnie has written professionally for Sunday Times, Procycling and of course Cycling Weekly. He is also an author, publisher, and co-founder of The Cycling Podcast. His first experience covering the Tour de France came in 1999, and he has presented The Cycling Podcast with Richard Moore and Daniel Friebe since 2013. He founded Peloton Publishing in 2010 and has ghostwritten and published the autobiography of Sean Kelly, as well as a number of other sports icons.