Michael Rasmussen tries to retract scathing 'death' comments

The cyclist Michael Rasmussen has attempted to backtrack after appearing to admit he "would live happier" if some people died. The 35-year-old had responded to a question regarding how he felt after he was banned from cycling in 2007 – when he was leading the Tour de France – for lying about his whereabouts, and missing doping tests. Rasmussen told the Danish weekly broadsheet newspaper Weekendavisen : "There are certainly some people who, if they died, I would live happier. If they suffered a great deal and died, I would feel better. It can be a sick thought to have and perhaps even more sick to say out loud, but it is the truth." Rasmussen, who returned to cycling in January, has now tried to explain his comments. "I explained in an interview about the irrational feelings that characterise you as a man, when you are [struck] by heavy grief and anger. "In that context, I described that you in a fully abstract way may have very negative feelings towards the resistance you are met with."