Michael Rasmussen’s much-anticipated collapse in the final Pyrenean stage did not materialise, as the dashing Dane, shrugging off the boos and catcalls that are still dogging his progress towards final success on Sunday, climbed to another defiant victory.

In his wake, breathless with the exertion of climbing to the dizzying heights of the Col d’Aubisque, came Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador, of the Discovery Channel. Yet their attacks failed to disturb the seemingly implacable Rasmussen.

Far below that trio, in a teetering press tent in the shadow of the Gourette ski station, rumours were spreading like wildfire. The first, of a positive doping test on Cofidis rider Cristian Moreni, a former Italian national champion, turned out to be true.

Moreni was taken into custody by the French authorities immediately after crossing the finish line, while the Cofidis team hotel in Pau was searched extensively by police and an incident room established.

Corrupt race populated by a cast of frauds heading for the gutter

The abject failure of a divided sport to clean up its act has led to renewed calls that the Tour be stopped

Background

• Tour stage starts without yellow jersey

• France mourns 'death of the Tour'

• Rasmussen sacked by Rabobank

• New doping scandal hits the Tour

• Tour in disarray after Vinokourov tests positive

Background

• Rasmussen extends Tour advantage

• Vinokourov bounces back for second stage

• Contador a contender after Pyrenees triumph

• Vinokourov makes it lucky 13

• Rasmussen keeps yellow jersey as Boonen wins

Related Links

• New doping scandal hits the Tour

There were other rumours, some centred on Rasmussen, but at times like this, the Tour is a hotbed of speculation. Despite that, The Chicken now has free range over the peloton, which is more than can be said for Moreni, Alexandre Vinokourov and the hapless Bradley Wiggins, who through no fault of his own, is packing his bags and will now be unable to contest Saturday’s final time trial.

For Wiggins, this turn of events is a disaster. He has suffered through the Alps and the Pyrenees, acquitted himself with honour in other stages and had every reason to feel that Paris was within reach. He will have intended to negotiate his future contracts on the basis of his accomplishments in this year’s race. All of that hard work has now been undone by Moreni’s indiscretion. Both on a personal and professional level, Wiggins, a long-standing critic of doping, will be heartbroken.