LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The two-year ban given to Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen for avoiding drug tests was upheld today by the top court in sports.

The 34-year-old cyclist was banned the day the Rabobank team removed him from the 2007 Tour De France, when he was leading the overall race. The team said Rasmussen lied about his whereabouts when he missed pre-race doping tests.

He appealed the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld a decision by the Monaco Cycling Federation last June to suspend Rasmussen's racing license.

Rasmussen acknowledged he lied when telling cycling's governing body, the UCI, that he had been in Mexico. The rider said his team knew he was actually in Italy and France.

Rasmussen is banned until July 25, meaning he will miss this year's Tour de France.