Klöden plays by the rules

Andreas Klöden has denied all allegations that he traveled to the Freiburg University Clinic for a blood transfusion during the 2006 Tour de France, as allegedly claimed by former teammate Patrik Sinkewitz, who has also denied making the claims.

"My whole life I have followed the rules, which have been presented to me by the UCI and the NADA," Klöden said in an interview with German television station ZDF.

"The more riders who are caught, the better it is for cycling," Klöden added. The 33-year-old praised the internal anti-doping program of his Team Astana, saying it "should be installed everywhere in sport".

Sinkewitz claimed to have traveled to the clinic after the prologue of the Tour in 2006 for an illegal blood transfusion, the day after teammates Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla, as well as directeur Sportif Rudy Pevenage were suspended by T-Mobile Team for their connection to Operación Puerto. It has been reported that Sinkewitz and/or his former girlfriend have testified that other teammates also went to the clinic for transfusions.

But Pierre Bordry, head of the French anti-doping agency AFLD criticised the internal programs used by various teams, in an interview in L'Equipe. "It is good that they do it. But it is worthless in the fight against doping. The international anti-doping code must be respected with its independent controllers and recognized laboratories."