Ullrich’s manager blasts Deutschland Tour organizers
By Susan Westemeyer
As might be expected, Jan Ullrich’s manager doesn’t think much of comments that his client shouldn’t be invited to the Tour of Deutschland next year. „If it weren’t for Jan, the Deutschland Tour, as it is now, wouldn’t exist,“ Wolfgang Strohband told http://www.radsport-aktiv.de. „It’s an insult to the fans to discriminate against one of the most successful German athletes simply because of speculation, and to want to deny him a start“ in the tour.
Strohband further criticized comments from German television officials, who said that they would have „a problem“ televising a Deutschland Tour which included Ullrich. „Things have gone too far when a race organizer is put under such pressure by television officials and sponsors. Soon the TV programmers will be picking out the team line-ups.“
He concluded, „Jan will ride again in 2007, even when that won’t please some people. The very fact that some people never want to see him ride again is a very strong motivation for Jan.“
For now, no barrier to Ullrich return
By Shane Stokes
Ullrich in better days
Photo ©: John Pierce Click for larger image
Although the Swiss Cycling Federation is planning a disciplinary case against Jan Ullrich, the UCI has said that it cannot currently prevent him from racing.
„Under the situation at the moment, he can ride just as Basso can,“ UCI president Pat McQuaid told Cyclingnews this week. „However I do note that there are statements that his procedure might start in January and, also, he doesn’t at this moment have a team.“
The 1997 Tour de France winner was implicated in the Operación Puerto affair and missed the Tour de France as a result. In October he returned his racing licence to the Swiss federation, protesting at what he claimed was a media campaign conducted against him by senior figures there and in the country’s Olympic committee.
The federation started an investigation into the charges against Ullrich and in late November it was announced that the anti-doping wing will open disciplinary hearings in early January.
The ProTour Code of Ethics currently prohibits riders under investigating from competing. However, considerable confusion has arisen due to directions from the Spanish judge in charge of the Operación Puerto investigation that evidence gathered cannot be used until the judicial process has been completed.
When McQuaid spoke to Cyclingnews last week, he stated that he had seen media reports that this position may be changing, with the judge possibly enabling the UCI and national federations to use some of the evidence. However, several days later he is still waiting for official confirmation of this.
„I haven’t heard anything official from Spain so as such we wait what we can eventually do,“ he said. „It would be good to get to use the material we have. But it would be a lot more helpful if we can get additional material from the investigation so we can more clearly understand what exactly took place, and therefore be in a better position to sanction those riders who deserve it.
