"We have worked very hard with the current team management to promote
a clean cycling sport but we reached the decision to continue our efforts to rid all sports of doping by applying our resources
in other directions. Deutsche Telekom AG wants to make it clear that this action is not based on any disagreement with
or misconduct by team management”, Akhavan emphasized.
The decision wasn't a complete surprise after the T-Mobile team was
rocked by a wave of doping confessions earlier this year and the positive tests of Patrick Sinkewitz and Lorenzo Bernucci.
The scandal started after Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla were sent home before the start of last years Tour de France.
In German media it was speculated that team manager Bob Stapleton
and Deutsche Telekom had disagreements about signing George Hincapie. According to German tabloid Bild, Stapleton even hired
private detectives to find out if the sponsor knew about doping programms at the T-Mobile Team. The private detectives allegedly
visited former T-Mobile riders Jan Ullrich and Steffen Wesemann. In todays Süddeutsche Zeitung Patrick Sinkewitz confirmed that
he was also visited by the private detectives. Sinkewitz said: "They were really audacious, the stood in front of my
door and asked if they all knew at T-Mobile."
Team owner High Road Sports Inc announced that its Elite Men's and
Women's cycling teams will continue racing in 2008 after T-Mobile has ended its engagement. The teams will now be known as
'Team High Road'.
High Road Sports, Inc. holds a ProTour Team License and will seek authorization of the change in the team’s identity
and operations from the governing body, the UCI. High Road and its subsidiaries own the infrastructure of both teams.
"T-Mobile's decision to end its involvement in professional cycling is a challenge for the sport and our team. We will
review and adapt our operations, and continue to advance our leadership position in athletic success and commitment to clean
and fair sport that began during our work with T-Mobile," says Bob Stapleton of High Road.
2007 was a very successful year for both teams, with the men's ProTourTeam taking 37 victories for the season and the women
ending the season as the number one ranked team in the World by the UCI.
"We have an outstanding international roster of exciting young talent backed by proven veteran leadership for 2008," adds
Stapleton. "We will likely be the youngest team in the ProTour and believe that together, these athletes can shape the future
of the sport with their talent and commitment."
High Road Sports will use the next few weeks in intensive preparation for the 2008 racing season. "We have good options,
but plenty of work to do to begin racing in less than 60 days" notes Stapleton. The team is focused on beginning its 2008
campaign with the first Race, the Tour Down Under in Australia in January.
