You are listening to Kilometre Zero by the Cycling Podcast,

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This is part two of Danish Dynamite, the story of the rise, the fall and the rebirth of Danish cycling.

In part one we heard about Björner Ease, who won the 1996 Tour de France,

but later admitted that his victory was powered by the ban-blood-boosting drug EPO.

Danish cycling was to suffer a second significant scandal at the Tour de France.

Michael Rasmussen was wearing the yellow jersey in 2007, deep into the race,

just a few days from Paris, almost certain to win, until he was stocked in his tracks,

caught in a web of deceit.

A few years ago I spoke to Rasmussen for an episode of Kilometre Zero,

and he wasn't entirely repentant.

Well, it's a long story, and it started a long time before 2007.

I'd been going quite well in the years prior to 2007,

and felt that the time was coming where I could actually go into the race as a potential winner.

Obviously I didn't get to finish the race, my own team, took me out of the race

at a point where I was actually leading by more than three minutes to Conte d'Or,

just three days away from Paris.

I have made a mistake, and UCI has given me a red and warning.

No, sorry, a recorded warning for that administrative mistake that I have made,

and I accept that.

I take full responsibility for it.

Prior to the tour, I had received some warnings for my whereabouts,

...