Stage 17 - Live!

The current standings

Preamble

More woe. After his win in yesterday's stage, Rabobank skipper and Rabobank team-leader Michael Rasmussen's was sacked by his team and kicked off the Tour due to suspicions that he had lied to the squad over his whereabouts in June, when he was required for a drug test. Rasmussen insists he was in Mexico and claims he has the empty tequila bottles and souvenir sombrero to prove it (okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration), but journalist and former rider Davide Cassani insists he saw Rasmussen in Italy at the time.

Of course if Rasmussen was in Mexico when he claims he was, he probably has the passport and/or bank statements to prove it. I know it's how I check where I've been after a long bender. It also emerged yesterday that Cofidis rider Christian Moreni had also tested positive for synthetic testosterone. This was followed by the withdrawal of the entire Cofidis team from the race, of which Bradley Wiggins is a member. Despite the dismissal of their leader, the rest of the Rabobank team lined up for today's stage, although Denis Menchov and Michael Boogard - who have ridden themselves into the ground for Rasmussen over the past fortnight - did so very grudgingly.