July 8, 2006 РThe day after Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile won Stage 3 at the 2006 Tour de France, T-Mobile announced that it has initiated a doping investigation into team member J̦rg Ludewig.

Recently the team obtained information regarding Ludewig’s alleged doping offenses from 8 years ago. Ludewig previously rode for Domina Vacanze, Saeco, Gerolsteiner and Bayer Worringen, the team he was at during 1998, a year after he turned professional.

Ludewig joined T-Mobile for a one-year contract in 2006 and is not riding for T-Mobile at the Tour. The team feels it necessary to look further into the matter. “The suspicion alone is reason enough for us to investigate the affair,” said team manager Olaf Ludwig.

In a statement Ludewig said, “In 1998 I took medical preparations which allowed me to improve my performances. But never in my life was I doped. That year was very difficult for me, I had personal and health problems.”