T-Mobile: Magenta, red, white and blue?

By Susan Westemeyer

Gerolsteiner's Hans-Michael Holczer surprised a number of reporters Tuesday at the team's presentation when he announced that was no question as to which would be the best German ProTour team in 2007: Gerolsteiner, because it is the only German ProTour team. He said that he had learned last Thursday that rival T-Mobile team is not a German team, but an American one.

He based this on the fact that the license holder for the team is High Road Sports, based in the USA and owned by USA citizen, General Manager Bob Stapleton.

Stefan Wagner, T-Mobile spokesman, denied it, telling Cyclingnews, "No, we have a German license." The UCI also continues to list T-Mobile as a German team. The team announced last fall that the license is held by Neue Strassen GmbH, based in Bonn, Germany.