Looks like you can move the Tour de France into the ugly column.

I'd mentioned yesterday that the race leader, Michael Rasmussen, was under a cloud for not being available during a couple of his out of competition drug test days. He said he was in Mexico, and couldn't re-file the paperwork about his whereabouts in time.

Which is all well and good, until another rider sees you bumming around Rome when you were supposed to be on another continent. His team's sponsor, not surprising in the current climate, didn't like that he'd lied to them about something related to doping control, and pulled him out of the race. Deadspin had a good comparison when they noted it'd be like Barry Bonds getting whacked with a drug suspension while rounding the bases.

I didn't watch last night's stage, taking the night off after the Vinokourov affair. Now, I don't know if I'll even bother to tune back in.

Which leads me to this thought: how would the US pro sports leagues look if they had the same doping controls as cycling?