Ullrich has gone underground and refused internal T-Mobile DNA tests....

[musette]

Is Frommert the spokesperson for T-Mobile the sponsor or T-Mobile the cycling team?

 

[tcklyde]

Yes I will as best I can. Steinhauser is at the tour so I am not getting as much information as I would like.
There is also the fact that Jan and Steinhauser had a lot of plans for the future which are probably down the crapper now.
Jan demise will effect several others, unfortunately.

I agree that this will probably finish Jan's cycling career. But I do hope his business ventures make it. The Ullrich line of bikes looked pretty sweet. I'd be interested if I had any money.

 

[tcklyde]

Excellent article from the London Times this morning in regards to Ullrich.... appears that he is pulled the curtains down, taken the phone off the hook and is watching re-runs of the Marienhof... (German version of Neighbours)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28910-2273640,00.html

Tour de France : Ullrich faces up to sack as T-Mobile take hard line

Thanks for posting this. Good article, although really pretty sad to read.

 

[Orla_24]

Thanks for posting this. Good article, although really pretty sad to read.

The description of him still on his bike was somewhat heart-wrenching. I really hope his name would be cleared, though I am doubtful.

 

[jhuskey]

The description of him still on his bike was somewhat heart-wrenching. I really hope his name would be cleared, though I am doubtful.

He and Sara are taking casual rides together so he is at least not alone in this ,and you are correct it is not looking good from what I hear.

 

[musette]

UK article says:

"“There had been phone calls, text messages,” Frommert said."

So the phone calls were not the only source. We learn there were text messages too.

 

[cPritch67]

The one that has really gone underground is Mancebo. He "retired" and now no one talks about him... So now he´s quitely waiting to see what happens, praying...

For what? What are they going to take away from him? He "saw the light" and made the right choice.

 

[cPritch67]

I'm sure you don't mean to say that Jan was on the web one day and said, "Damn, I've got to shut up that f_cking Whiteboytrash!"

Anyway, a DNA test would go a long way to resolving this issue, although it's not required. I's do it if were innocent.

However, in urban mythology, sometimes people get drugged and wake up in a strange hotel room in a bathtub full of ice, missing a kidney. That may have happened to Jan, except, of course, they took a couple pints of his blood. And if that's true -- and it sure seems like a plausible explanation on par with a vanishing twin -- it would also seem that they were (one) Spanish and (two) trying to give it back to him.

I have more such theories if anyone is interested, including one revolving around a UFO siting in Germany at about the same time the scandal broke and another involving an encounter with Sasquash in downtown Munich. And yes, both parties are willing to contribute DNA samples.

Those are great and received several snickers from me. I'd like to hear more of them.

 

[cPritch67]

Anyway, a DNA test would go a long way to resolving this issue, although it's not required. I's do it if were innocent.

I agree. At this point his "you show me proof" strategy will not hold water. If he doesn't want to be perceived as guilty he should take the DNA test. Failure to do so, will be perceived as guilt.
I think it is that black and white at this point.

 

[musette]

I agree. At this point his "you show me proof" strategy will not hold water. If he doesn't want to be perceived as guilty he should take the DNA test. Failure to do so, will be perceived as guilt.
I think it is that black and white at this point.

He'll only be perceived as guilty by those who aren't reasonable.

 

[JohnO]

Those are great and received several snickers from me. I'd like to hear more of them.

No joke - the UFO pilot and Sasquatch submitted DNA samples, and the analysis identified Tyler's vanishing twin.

And you know what? He said he was innocent, too.

 

[wicklow200]

You've got to like Jens Voigts's style. And he sounds genuinely like someone who doesn't cheat.

Is he taking a dig at Ullrich too?
From CN:

Voigt supports DNA bank

Jens Voigt has said he would support a UCI-wide DNA data bank which could be used for comparison purposes in future doping cases. "What might really help would be when we said: listen, on January 1, 2007, we're going to take a hair and blood sample from everyone. Every rider who has a license has to submit his genetic fingerprint. And these will be kept for 10 years -- and when there's a question, like with this Spanish affair, then a comparison will be made."

Voigt addressed the Operation Puerto doping scandal in an interview with the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung. He noted that he is not immune from doping rumors. When he doesn't ride well or when he rides well, or even the fact that he rides the complete season -- everything creates rumors. "And all I do is train very hard, I know what I'm doing, and my wife Steffi would knock my head off if I did that kind of ****."

Is he angry at his colleagues? "Yes, sure, that makes me sick! My wife is worried every day when she brings the kids to school, that somebody is going to say something dumb to her. And it really irritates me: I, who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this and who is totally innocent, have to talk about it -- and those who have brought all this **** down on us, are hiding."

Voigt admits that the newest scandal caught him by surprise. "I really thought that things had gotten better since the 1998 scandal. I really thought that they had cut out the cancer. But now it's the same or even bigger: different teams, more nationalities and different sports."

Would he support bans forbidding riders from working with certain doctors? "Well, you'd have to write the [riders'] contracts more carefully. You could just say: If you work with him -- you're out! That kind of provision would make sense. But officially these sports doctors say that they only advise on training. How can you make something bad out of that?"

 

[whiteboytrash]

My favorite bit is this:

"Yes, sure, that makes me sick! My wife is worried every day when she brings the kids to school, that somebody is going to say something dumb to her. And it really irritates me: I, who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this and who is totally innocent, have to talk about it -- and those who have brought all this **** down on us, are hiding."

Yoou've got to like Jen's Voigts's style. And he sounds denuinely like someone who doesn't cheat.

Sounds like he's taking a dig at Ullrich too - from CN:
Voigt supports DNA bank

Jens Voigt has said he would support a UCI-wide DNA data bank which could be used for comparison purposes in future doping cases. "What might really help would be when we said: listen, on January 1, 2007, we're going to take a hair and blood sample from everyone. Every rider who has a license has to submit his genetic fingerprint. And these will be kept for 10 years -- and when there's a question, like with this Spanish affair, then a comparison will be made."

Voigt addressed the Operation Puerto doping scandal in an interview with the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung. He noted that he is not immune from doping rumors. When he doesn't ride well or when he rides well, or even the fact that he rides the complete season -- everything creates rumors. "And all I do is train very hard, I know what I'm doing, and my wife Steffi would knock my head off if I did that kind of ****."

Is he angry at his colleagues? "Yes, sure, that makes me sick! My wife is worried every day when she brings the kids to school, that somebody is going to say something dumb to her. And it really irritates me: I, who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this and who is totally innocent, have to talk about it -- and those who have brought all this **** down on us, are hiding."
?"

 

[wicklow200]

My favorite bit is this:

"Yes, sure, that makes me sick! My wife is worried every day when she brings the kids to school, that somebody is going to say something dumb to her. And it really irritates me: I, who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this and who is totally innocent, have to talk about it -- and those who have brought all this **** down on us, are hiding."

Then again, it could be his own team leader Basso that he's taking aim at also.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Then again, it could be his own team leader Basso that he's taking aim at also.

No wonder Basso is sulking and threatening to join DC ! DC would have to pay out his contract thou....

 

[Bro Deal]

No wonder Basso is sulking and threatening to join DC ! DC would have to pay out his contract thou....

I do not see why Basso would be upset with Riis. It seems like the ASO had to hold a gun to Riis' head to get him to suspend Basso. I can see Ullrich being upset with his team, but Basso?

 

[jhuskey]

You've got to like Jens Voigts's style. And he sounds genuinely like someone who doesn't cheat.

Is he taking a dig at Ullrich too?
From CN:

Voigt supports DNA bank

Jens Voigt has said he would support a UCI-wide DNA data bank which could be used for comparison purposes in future doping cases. "What might really help would be when we said: listen, on January 1, 2007, we're going to take a hair and blood sample from everyone. Every rider who has a license has to submit his genetic fingerprint. And these will be kept for 10 years -- and when there's a question, like with this Spanish affair, then a comparison will be made."

Voigt addressed the Operation Puerto doping scandal in an interview with the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung. He noted that he is not immune from doping rumors. When he doesn't ride well or when he rides well, or even the fact that he rides the complete season -- everything creates rumors. "And all I do is train very hard, I know what I'm doing, and my wife Steffi would knock my head off if I did that kind of ****."

Is he angry at his colleagues? "Yes, sure, that makes me sick! My wife is worried every day when she brings the kids to school, that somebody is going to say something dumb to her. And it really irritates me: I, who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this and who is totally innocent, have to talk about it -- and those who have brought all this **** down on us, are hiding."

Voigt admits that the newest scandal caught him by surprise. "I really thought that things had gotten better since the 1998 scandal. I really thought that they had cut out the cancer. But now it's the same or even bigger: different teams, more nationalities and different sports."

Would he support bans forbidding riders from working with certain doctors? "Well, you'd have to write the [riders'] contracts more carefully. You could just say: If you work with him -- you're out! That kind of provision would make sense. But officially these sports doctors say that they only advise on training. How can you make something bad out of that?"

Doubtful! They are or were close friends. When I use the term were I am only considering possibilty not fact as I know no reason why the had a falling out and assume they are still friendly.

 

[Bjorn P.Dal]

Voigt admits that the newest scandal caught him by surprise. "I really thought that things had gotten better since the 1998 scandal. I really thought that they had cut out the cancer. But now it's the same or even bigger: different teams, more nationalities and different sports."

deaf, dumb and blind?

 

[Bro Deal]

deaf, dumb and blind?

I do wonder about this sort of thing. You would think that after the "cancer" had been cut out but the performance level of the pros did not drop even a little, one might question just how much was really cut out.

 

[davidbod]

It seems Ullrich's lawyers have advised him not to take a DNA test. Bassos's lawyers say a DNA test would be too traumatic and not be fool proof. I don't think anyone is going to let them back into cycling unless they do take the DNA tests, and further it seems the general consensus is that they will be labelled as guilty until they take the DNA tests and prove their innocence.

It looks like this is going to go the route of Tyler Hamilton where we ultimately know they are guilty, but they claim from here to kingdom come that they are innocent. Personaly I think Tyler and Ullrich's careers are over. Basso may be able to rebound as he is younger.

Innocent until proven guilty is something I feel stongly about, but in this case they (Ullrich and Basso) have a clear fool proof way to prove their innocense and are choosing not to take it.

I think Voight has the right answer here.