T-Mobile's former Sports Director and Rudy Pevenage has admitted knowing doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, the man
at the centre of a Spanish doping scheme which has rocked cycling, for many years. Pevenage was also one of the advisors of
1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich.
In an interview with Tuesday's edition of German daily newspaper Süddeutsche
Zeitung (SZ), Pevenage did not confess like many other former Telekom and T-Mobile employees did, but did not dismiss
accusations either.
"Of course I admit that I was in contact with Fuentes. But do you believe I was the only sports director who
was in contact with Fuentes? I have known him for a long time, since my active days as a cyclist," Pevenage said.
Asked if the contact started in the time that Pevevange was a neighbour of Fuentes in Calpe, Pevenage
said: "No I only had a house in Calpe for three years. There we did not talk. I had closer contact with him [Fuentes] in the
time he was a team doctor with Kelme."
Pevenage was asked why he signed Botero for Telekom, since he came from the Kelme team: "He wasn't the only
one, Valverde also knew Fuentes, he was also with Kelme."
Asked if he understands that the peloton doesn't want to see him anymore, Pevenage said: "Then you would have
to take out half the peloton. It's to simple to say that only one or two guys of the peloton knew Fuentes well. And I
heard from Stapleton (Team manager of T-Mobile) that somebody like Rolf Aldag (T-Mobile Sports Director) should have a second
chance. But others, like me, are they not getting a second chance?"
Like former T-Mobile riders Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla, Pevenage is being investigated by the state prosecution
of Bonn after German professor Britta Bannenberg filed a complaint accusing the three of fraud against T-Mobile.
Asked if he would make at least a half-confession like Rolf Aldag, Pevenage said:"What am I supposed to say?
So many people have spoken out and if I say something as well I will face court cases. What did the confessions bring until
now? Why are the Italians and Spainiards not confessing? Like I said before: when everybody says the old ones should
all go because of the sharpened code of ethics, then there won't be many left."
Pevenage is not an advisor of Ullrich anymore but does speak with Ullrich by the phone every now and then.
