Michael Rasmussen looks set to return to cycling just one month after being sacked by previous team Rabobank amid a doping scandal while leading the Tour de France.

Rasmussen, who was fired by Rabobank while leading this year's Tour for allegedly lying about his whereabouts to evade doping tests, met with Italian team Acqua & Sapone director Palmiro Masciarelli to discuss the possibility of a quick return to the sport.

"He wants to finish the season with us," Masciarelli told The Associated Press. "He showed me all his papers. The problem is with the Danish federation.

"I don't think kicking him out of the Tour was the right thing to do. The confusion surrounding this case is enormous."

Rasmussen, polka dot jersey winner in both the 2005 and 2006 Tours, held a 3:10 lead over Alberto Contador with only four stages remaining when it emerged that he had been banned by the Danish national team for missing doping tests.

Rabobank subsequently sacked the 33-year-old for "violating international rules" and it was reported by former Italian rider Davide Cassani that he had seen Rasmussen in Italy in June, while the Dane claims he was practicing in Mexico.

"I'm the victim of a great injustice and my lawyers are working to take care of me," Rasmussen was quoted as saying in Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport.

"My goal is to find a team because I would like to have a great Giro di Lombardia. I'm an available rider that can start racing even tomorrow."

The Giro, the final single-day classic of the season, is scheduled for October 20.

Eurosport