Michael Rasmussen, King of the Mountains winner in the 2006 Tour de France, hopes to acquire Mexican nationality according to his Tecos-Trek team manager, Navarro Flores. Rasmussen showed his return to form by winning yesterday’s four kilometer prologue in the Vuelta a Chihuahua ahead of Daniel Moreno (Caisse d' Epargne) and Óscar Sevilla (Rock Racing).
After being denied selection to Denmark’s World Championship team Rasmussen has chosen another method to ensure his participation next year. “Rasmussen has started the procedure to become Mexican, but he also wants to keep his Danish naitonality,” said Flores to the Danish TV2.
The former Rabobank rider was forced out of the yellow jersey in the 2007 Tour for lying about his whereabouts to anti-doping authorities. Rasmussen was eligible to return to competition on July 25, 2009, after serving a two-year ban. The “chicken” made a succesful comeback to cycling with his Mexican Tecos-Trek team by winning the Vuelta Ciclista Puebla San Marcos in Mexico.
Where the Dane will ride next year is still uncertain. “We still have to sit down and talk to decide his race program. We dont know if he will be racing in Europe,” Flores added.