Report: Tour de France leader sent home

Michael Rasmussen has "broken team rules", a Rabobank spokesman confirmed tonight - amid reports the Tour de France leader has been removed from the race.

The Dane won stage 16 from Orthez to Col d'Aubisque today to retain the yellow jersey.

However, reports suggest Rasmussen has now been removed from the race by his team Rabobank.

"He has broken the team's rules," a team spokesman said.

Rasmussen claimed glory on the demanding Pyrenees mountain-top finish, widely regarded as the toughest stage of this year's Tour.

He rode home 26 seconds ahead of fellow yellow jersey contender Levi Leipheimer and 35 seconds clear of Alberto Contador as they fought out a gruelling three-way battle for stage success.

The victory looked to have all but secured overall glory on this year's Tour as the Dane extended his lead to three minutes and 10 seconds over second-placed rival Contador with four races remaining.

But his success in the race has also been overshadowed by events off it with the rider dropped by Denmark's cycling team last week in a row over drug testing.

The Danish Cycling Union (DCU) claimed Rasmussen had been warned three times about failing to inform drug testers of his whereabouts.

Under International Cycling Union (UCI) rules athletes must inform the sport's governing body of their schedule in order for random drug tests to be carried out.