On Monday Michael Rasmussen was banned by the Monaco Cycling Federation but only one day later the Danish climber received better news. A court in the Netherlands ruled that Rasmussen's former team Rabobank have to pay 700.000 Euro to the former mountain biker.

Although the court ruled that Rabobank had the right to sack Rasmussen, the court verdict says that the Dutch team did not have the right to terminate Rasmussen's contract without notice.

Rasmussen sued the Dutch team aafter he was sacked and demanded 5.5 million Euro compensation.

The court from Utrecht did not order Rabobank to pay the full sum, but did order the team to pay expenses, 2 month salaray and a bonus of 400.000 Euro for winning the Tour.

Ruling judge J. Sap said in his verdict: "In general one might assume that Rasmussen would have won the Tour if he would not have been taken out by the management of the Rabobank team. The other riders of the team also received a bonus."

Rasmussen was sacked with immediate effect but the judge said that the bank was not allowed to do so after stage 16. Rabobank knew at least from July 7 (the start of the 2007 Tour in London) that the whereabouts of Rasmussen where not correct but did not sack him at that time.

Rasmussen told sportwereld.nl: "I anm surprised that the judge already made a final verdict and I think everybody was surprised. I had expected that he would at least call more witnesses to hear them."

Henri Van der Aat, interim manager of Rabobank until February 2008 told sportwereld.nl: "There will be a compensation, but what really matters is that we were right."