Kiwi unconcerned by what people might think of him
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Kiwi Julian Dean expected to figure in the results of a bunch sprint.(Image credit: Gerry McManus)
George Hincapie (BMC) and Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions(Image credit: Sirotti)
Julian Dean (GreenEdge) was diagnosed with a broken leg from his collision with a parked car.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
New Zealander sprinter Julian Dean adds to the team's talented roster.(Image credit: James Huang/Cyclingnews.com)
Julian Dean, who rode on U.S. Postal Service between 1999 and 2001, says that he was unaware of what the USADA report labels "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen."
In an interview with Fairfax NZ News, the Orica-GreenEdge rider believes that his own objectives as a sprinter and because he was not at that stage a Tour de France rider, may have had a role to play.
"I didn't really fit into that, they had a very directed team for the Tour de France and put a lot of energy into those guys," he said.
"Because I was a sprinter I would do things like the Vuelta or some of the other bigger stage races over the years, without being considered for the Tour because there wasn't much I could contribute."
Dean explained that he never received orders to dope nor was he witness to the activities so detailed in the dossier.
"It was not something that I ever came across," the 37-year-old said.
Overnight Dean’s sports director at Orica - GreenEdge, Matt White, stood down from his role within the Australian-registered team after admitting to doping while with the tainted American outfit.
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"I am sad to say that I was part of a team where doping formed part of the team's strategy, and I too was involved in that strategy," White said. "My involvement is something I am not proud of and I sincerely apologise to my fans, media, family and friends who trusted me and also to other athletes in my era that consciously chose not to dope."
Dean said that he was unconcerned by his own history with the U.S. Postal team, adamant that he did not travel the same path as some of his teammates.
"It is tough, but I don't go around worrying what other people think of me," he said.
