Cycling - Will T-mobile Retire From the Cycling Section?

First Sergej Gontschar, then Patrik Sinkewitz and athopes he can benefit from the principal witness
the end Lorenzo Bernucci as well. Three cyclists, whoregulation which according to the present arrangement
had to leave the T-Mobile Team this year. Thewould drop his suspension down to one year. The
36-year-old Ukrainian Sergej Gontschar was releasedGerman Jörg Jaschke also wants to return into
last June 20th due to an offense against the team'shis professional career. The T-Mobile Team had
intern code of conduct. The decision was made frominstalled one of the keenest Anti-Doping-Programs just
the team-management after an independentthis year together with the Danish CSC-Team after
committee met and reviewed the information. Sergejthe incidents in 2006.
achieved two victories over the time trial at last year'sThe management of the German Telekom
Tour de France and was also entitled to wear theCorporation whose daughter T-Mobile sponsors the
yellow tricot temporary.squad since 1991, set up a meeting to verify the option
The Italian Lorenzo Bernucci, who was born in 1979 into retire from the cycling section. The existing contract
Saranza, cycled in his first years from 2002 to 2004which is valid until 2010 would be terminated. Should the
for the Belgium squad Landbouwkrediet-Colnago. AfterT-Mobile Team really retire then it could be possible
their removal he changed over to the T-Mobile Team.we soon won't see any German Team in the cycling
After he was tested positive to appetite suppressantsection anymore due to an uncertain future of the
Sibutramin the T-Mobile Team released him as well onTeam Gerolsteiner also undefined after 2008. Its
September 4th this year. Sibutramin is on the list ofmanager Holczer explained: "They are doing a
prohibited substances since 2006.consumer credit check for the intern backup. The
Even before Bernucci, the German Patrick Sinkewitzsense and aim of sponsoring is after all to sell the
was released after he confessed on July 31st, 2007bottles". If this type of advertisement doesn't help the
that he was taking the medication Testogel. SinkewitzGerolsteiner-Association to sell their product, a contract
had been cycling for the T-Mobil Team since 2006. Heextension will be doubtful.
made his confession because of the positive comeAt the moment T-Mobile consists of a team of 29
out of an A-sample which was taken from him oncyclists and is managed by the American Bob
June 8th. He passed on the B-sample and accepted aStapleton who also owns the Pro-Tour-License for the
two years suspension as well as a disqualification fromteam. He reports: „We have replaced most
the Tour de France of minimum four years.of the people in management and most of the cyclists
Sinkewitz commented that the office for bloodsuch as we installed an ample Anti-Doping-Program.
transfusions in the hospital in Freiburg was not createdFor 2008 we have optimized this route more". Until
exclusively for him. He speaks about systematicallynow there is nothing decided and we can still hope for
doping in the team even still during the Tour de Francea happy ending for the German team.
2006. With his confession the 27-years-old Sinkewitz