Bob Stapleton, who took over managing T-Mobile’s sponsorship after the Ullrich debacle marred the start of last July’s Tour in Strasbourg, believes that DNA testing is an essential tool in the sport’s fight against doping.

“DNA testing is a flashpoint for the sport,” Stapleton said, speaking at the launch of the revamped T-Mobile team in Majorca. “Testing needs to be fair and balanced, and right now you have this uneven playing field for athletes. Some athletes have significant out-of-competition testing, there are whereabouts databases and they’re tested regularly. Others have almost no testing.

“Testing is fundamental and the athletes have to support any testing that can change the perception of the sport. DNA is highly regarded by the public and it gives you the best tools to win back public confidence.”

T-Mobile came within what one team manager described as a “hair’s breadth” of pulling out of cycling after Ullrich, the 2000 Olympic road race champion, was implicated in the Operation Puerto blood-doping investigation in Spain. Despite being an outstanding favourite for victory last year, Ullrich was suspended and took no part in the Tour.

While Ullrich continues to protest his innocence, T-Mobile have moved on, structuring a new team based on what Stapleton calls a “like-minded group of managers, athletes and sponsors”. He said: “We consciously went through a clean-out. We’ve made sweeping changes in both people and practices. We’re focused on winning, but winning in a way that people can be proud of.”

T-Mobile’s new broom was supported by Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour, an unexpected guest in Majorca. “I am here because the actions that T-Mobile took before the Tour last year took a lot of courage,” he said. “I said to them last July, ‘Wherever you hold the team presentation next season, I’ll be there to show my support.’ ”

Prudhomme, who described July’s Tour prologue in London as a “phenomenal opportunity”, has indicated that he supports DNA profiling. “I am absolutely convinced that if you overcome doping, cycling has much to gain,” he said.

Prudhomme rejected the notion that professional cyclists were unfit to be role models. “Why have people been watching the Tour for over a hundred years?” he said. “Because it’s a real lesson in courage and solidarity. Yes, there is a real issue with doping, but there’s no great difference between cyclists and other athletes.”

Stapleton believes that the Tour organisers have also shown leadership in the campaign against doping, but that the teams have to act in unison. However, unity appears a long way off and Stapleton may soon grow frustrated at the lack of solidarity among leading sponsors. Ivan Basso, the Giro d’Italia champion who was withdrawn from the Tour de France last July because of his alleged involvement in the Operation Puerto investigation, signed for the Discovery Channel team last autumn after he was cleared to resume his career by CONI, the Italian Olympic committee.

Basso’s former team, CSC, who released the Italian after the allegations, were appalled, particularly as Basso initially declined to undergo a DNA test to prove his innocence and may face further investigation. However, Basso is expected to be among the 2007 Tour’s starters in London on July 7.

Blood gains

Is DNA testing the answer to cycling’s blood-doping problem or a red herring?

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