Ullrich, Sevilla Suspended From Tour

[Longhorn]

STRASBOURG, France — Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich was suspended by his racing team Friday amid a doping scandal in Spain, forcing him out of cycling's premier race. Oscar Sevilla, Ullrich's teammate, also was suspended by the T-Mobile team.

"They will not ride in the Tour" that starts Saturday, T-Mobile spokesman Luuc Eisenga said.

The team also suspended sporting director Rudi Pevenage, he said.

Ullrich and Sevilla were among 56 cyclists named in a Spanish probe as having contact with a doctor charged in connection with alleged doping, a Spanish radio station reported Thursday.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/shared-gen/ap/Other_Sports/CYC_Ullrich_Suspended.html

[HuckleB]

1. Armstrong retires, and we're right back to 1998.

Amazing.

[HuckleB]

2. Add Basso to the list of riders who are out.

WOW! This could make having more than one American on the podium as a very real possibility.

[Hav]

3. .

I really liked Armstrong and found him amazing, but what does one have to think of him when he is so much better than those taking drugs?
Whatever, it is a shame for the sport that you apparently have to cheat to have a chance because everyone else is doint it, too.

[HuckleB]

4. Indeed.

Alas, it would be very interesting to see the reality of all sports, should they be put under the microscope that cyclists have been under since 1998. It's impossible to point a finger at cycling while most other sports do very little by comparison, in the way of testing and investigation.

[bmbmd]

5. All the other guys knew Ullrich et al were stoked.

They couldn't believe Lance could beat all of those chemically-enhanced dudes. He did. Repeatedly. Hence, the investigations and rumors.