By Shane Stokes
UCI President Pat McQuaid has reacted to Friday's news that Bjarne Riis has admitted to doping during his career, saying that the decision to own up was a brave one, but that he also hoped that the Dane would return his yellow jersey.
"My reaction is the same as the reaction to the two Germans yesterday," he told Cyclingnews on Friday evening, speaking from the Pan-American cycling championships in Caracas, Venezuela. "It is sad that this has been the case, that they have had to resort to doping during their career. However, by the same token you have got to recognise that it was a brave decision of the three, Riis included, to do this and own up.
"Zabel, for example, has been around a long time and is an icon of the sport. It was a brave decision of them to stand up and admit their involvement in doping practices when there was no requirement or no necessity; nobody was forcing them into it doing it. There is no doubt that the sport is going through difficult moments right now...it is essentially baring its soul to the world."
