Rasmussen expected to confess to doping

Image 1 of 2

Former Rabobank rider and Tour de France contender Michael Rasmussen is expected to reveal that he doped during his career in a press conference in Herning, Denmark.

According to reports in the Danish media, Rasmussen will talk about his past in a press conference at 2:00pm CET, arranged by his current ChristinaWatches/Onfone team.

The Danish Anti-Doping Agency has also called a press conference in Brondby for 3:30pm CET. DR, the Danish national broadcaster has suggested Rasmussen has negotiated a deal with Anti-Doping Denmark, offering names and information in exchange for a two-year ban.

Rasmussen has always been a controversial figure. Nicknamed 'the chicken' for his skinny, pure climber's physique, he first emerged as Tour de France contender in 2005. He won a stage and the polka-dot climber's jersey but crashed twice in the final time trial and was seventh overall. He was again best climber in 2006 and took the yellow jersey in 2007 after wining the mountain stage to the Col d'Aubisque.

However he had been exposed as a liar after trying to avoid out of competition testing in June. He claimed he was training in Mexico but was spotted in the Italian Dolomites by Italian TV commentator Davide Cassani.

Despite leading the Tour de France, Rasmussen was sent home by his Rabobank team and dismissed. He was later banned for two years but made a defiant comeback in 2009 thanks to support from Christina Watches. He won the Ringerike GP in 2012 and was third overall in the Tour of China.

Rasmussen has been locked in a legal battle with he Rabobank team for wrongful dismissal and hopes to secure 5.8 million Euro damages and lost pay.

Any confession could dramatically change the course of his legal battle and further reveal the scale of doping in Dutch cycling and the Rabobank team during the last 20 years.