Cycling: Innocent until proven guilty, Ullrich says

GAP, France - Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich says he is innocent of any doping allegations made against him, until proven guilty.

"As in any country subject to the rule of law, the until proven guilty standard applies not only to me, but to every other person, too," the German said in a statement.

Ullrich, who won the Tour in 1997, was suspended by T-Mobile along with team mate Oscar Sevilla and sporting director Rudy Pevenage on the eve of this year's race after being implicated in a Spanish doping scandal.

T-Mobile had given Ullrich until last Saturday to provide a written explanation after his name appeared on a list of nine Tour riders named in the investigation.

"Contrary to other reports, my lawyers have forwarded a written declaration about the allegations made against me to the managing agency of my team, the Olaf Ludwig Cycling GmbH, in due time last Thursday," the statement read.

"At the recommendation of my lawyers, I will currently release no further public explanations.

"My lawyers are in contact with the Spanish investigation authorities in order to determine, if and in what form allegations have been actually made against me."

Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and Spaniard Francisco Mancebo were among other riders withdrawn from the Tour amid the doping scandal.

The investigation came to light in May when the Spanish Civil Guard raided addresses in Madrid and Zaragoza and found large quantities of anabolic steroids, equipment used for blood transfusions and more than 100 bags of frozen blood.

- REUTERS