Ullrich may switch teams

BERLIN (AP) -- Speculation mounted in Germany Saturday that former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich may switch cycling teams after Telekom suspended his pay and contract following his ban for using amphetamines.

Bjarne Riis, a close friend of Ullrich and former teammate, said the 1997 Tour champion and four-time runner-up was welcome to join Danish team CSC-Tiscali, where he is manager.

"If Jan approaches me and says he wants to come to me, we can discuss it," said Riis, a former Telekom rider who won the Tour de France with the team in 1996.

Telekom told Ullrich Tuesday he won't get paid until his contract, which runs until 2003, is renegotiated following the German cycling federation's decision to suspend him for six months and fined him 2,000 Swiss francs (dlrs 1,400).

Ullrich tested positive for amphetamines on June 12 in an unannounced out-of-competition test while in rehab for a knee injury that had forced him to skip this year's Tour de France. Since the drugs weren't regarded as performance-enhancing, he was slapped with half the maximum suspension by the federation.

Riis said he hasn't contacted Ullrich about a switch, despite his statement two weeks ago a rider of Ullrich's quality would be welcome on any team.

"I don't want to hurt my relationship with Telekom," Riis said. "Jan needs some peace and quiet first. Nothing is happening at the moment, even if people in Germany think its easy he comes to me. But if Jan needs me, I'll be there."

CSC-Tiscali is seeking a replacement for team captain Laurent Jalabert at the end of the season since the Frenchman is retiring.

Telekom is also interested in Colombian rider Santiago Botero of the Kelme team as a possible replacement for Ullrich, at least according to one of the German team's riders.

"It's very questionable if I will ever be boss because of the planned signing of Botero," Andreas Kloeden said at the Saxony Tour.

Telekom manager Walter Godefroot said the Colombian is one of seven or eight riders the team is interested in with hopes of signing up one or two.

 

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