The Tour de France is now officially in full meltdown mode: Tour leader Rasmussen sacked, out of race.

COL D’AUBISQUE, France (Reuters) - Tour de France overall leader Michael Rasmussen was sacked by his team Rabobank on Wednesday.

The Dane will not start Thursday’s 17th stage of the race after his team said the rider had lied about his training whereabouts in June.

“He has violated the team’s rules,” a Rabobank spokesman said.

Rasmussen had already received two warnings from the UCI for failing to provide the sport’s governing body with his personal schedule.

“I cannot comment on the matter now as I have not been notified by Rabobank,” UCI president Pat McQuaid told Reuters over the telephone.