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Cycling-Former dopers should come clean, says UCI boss

PARIS, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Riders and managers who have been involved in past doping practices have been urged to come forward by International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson so that the sport can draw a line under its troubled reputation. Reacting to former rider Michael Rasmussen's series of allegations in a book published on Monday, Cookson told Reuters in an email: "All such allegations and confessions will be looked at by the new Independent Commission and we would urge anyone concerned to bring forward their information to the Commission." Dane Rasmussen was kicked out of his Rabobank team, while he was leading the Tour de France in 2007, for lying about his whereabouts to doping authorities. Following allegations made by Rasmussen in the book, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, winner of the 2012 Giro d'Italia, admitted to doping "more than 10 years ago" last Wednesday. Other former riders and team doctors were also accused of engaging in doping practices until 2007 by Rasmussen in the book 'Gul Feber' (Yellow Fever). Last week, the UCI said it would audit its own anti-doping operations in the wake of the Lance Armstrong scandal. Its management committee agreed on "the broad principles under which it intends to move forward with the implementation of an independent commission which will look into allegations of past wrongdoing at the UCI and the extent and roots of doping in cycling." (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)