The UCI has denied claims made by Michael Rasmussen in his autobiography Yellow Fever that the international federation allowed him to stay in the 2005 Tour de France despite suspect blood values. Press officer Louis Chenaille tells Danish newspaper BT that his reticulocyte levels were above the threshold limit that was in place at the time.

In his autobiography Yellow Fever, former Tour de France king of the mountains Michael Rasmussen accused the UCI of covering up his suspect blood values at the 2005 Tour de France, claiming that the international federation and his Rabobank team decided to let him stay in the race. According to the Dane, his reticulocyte levels were below the 0.3 threshold that was in place at the time when he was tested on the first rest day of the race but UCI doctor Mario Zorzoli and Rabobank doctor Geert Leinders agreed not to act on the suspect values.

According to Rasmussen, he was contacted by Rabobank sports director Frans Maassen when he returned home from training. Maassen informed him that he had been contacted by the UCI who had told him about suspicious values for one of his riders.

Contacted by Volkskrant, Maassen confirms the claims but denies that he knew anything about what happened afterwards. “They [the UCI] were looking for Leinders, but did not have his number,” said Maassen.

The confirmation adds value to Rasmussen's claims and is the second confirmation of his accusations following Ryder Hesjedal's admission that he had actually doped as claimed by the Dane.

However, the UCI refuses that they failed to act on the suspect values. Contacted by Danish newspaper BT, press officer Louis Chenaille claims that the threshold value was different from what was claimed by Rasmussen. "We can only say that in relation to the rules that were in force at the time, the limit of reticulocyte value for riders not to start was 0.2 percent," he said.
 

BT examined the rules and confirmed that  a value of 0.2 was indeed in place at the time. However, the UCI still hasn't explained why they contacted Leinders as confirmed by sports director Maassen.

Rasmussen's detailed admission forms the basis for a detailed anti-doping investigation of the Danish anti-doping authorities that is set to be completed in the near future.