Former Ullrich mentor doubts Bruyneel will remain in sport
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Rudy Pevenage has distanced himself from Rock Racing(Image credit: AFP)
Rudy Pevenage is back in the fold and will be working closely with Jan Ullrich and the rest of the Tour de France riders in the run-up to the race.(Image credit: Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews.com)
"Go for it, Vino!" Rudy Pevenage seems to say(Image credit: Mani Wollner)
Ullrich to base, do you copy? Jan Ullrich makes contact with the T-Mobile mobile before the stage start(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Jan Ullrich’s former director sportif Rudy Pévenage says he was "shocked" after reading the details in USADA’s reasoned decision report. Pévenage was considered to be Ullrich’s mentor during his career before both rider and team manager were fired from T-Mobile following after their involvement in Operación Puerto.
Pévenage previously admitted his involvement in assisting Jan Ullrich’s visits to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes in preparation for the German’s 2006 Tour bid however, his connection with the infamous doctor goes back to the days when Pévenage was racing.
"The rivalry pushed us to give it everything to try and beat him," Pévenage told L'Equipe in 2010. "With all the money he earned, Jan could not afford to be beaten. He was stressed out by the pressure and even put on weight because of that. Stress poisoned his career."
In light of USADA’s report Nieuwsblad reports Pévenage now compares his methods "petty compared to the gangsters surrounding Armstrong". In addition Pévenage believes the real change came about when Johan Bruyneel arrived.
"It surprised me how far the team of Armstrong went. It was also strange that they could use EPO and continue working while we were all strictly controlled. Everything changed with the arrival of Bruyneel.
"I had a really difficult time when Ullrich and I were pulled from the peloton," Pévenage added. "If you see that the others just continue, you ask sometimes why you are at home on the couch.
"The fate of Bruyneel is now up to the UCI. I wonder how long he can continue to deny. I would be really surprised if he still has a future in racing."
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