November 29, 2006 – According to reports by AFP, Jan Ullrich (formerly of T-Mobile) says that he’ll be in the pro peloton in 2007. The 33-year-old German, and winner of the 1997 Tour de France, was banned from the 2006 TDF because of his implication in the ongoing Operacion Puerto doping investigation. Dropped by his T-Mobile team earlier this year, Ullrich is now apparently in negotiations to find a team for the 2007 season.

“It is an open secret that discussions with teams and sponsors are taking place, but as yet, nothing has been decided,” writes Ullrich in German on his website, www.janullrich.de. He also indicates that he is training in Austria and in Italy.

It is apparent that the Italian-based Tinkoff team is interested in acquiring Ullrich. That team, owned by Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov, recently signed American rider Tyler Hamilton, who just finished a two-year suspension for doping.

Ullrich has yet to be convicted of any wrongdoing in Operacion Puerto and Spanish authorities have not maintained any charges against him. His manager and agent, Wolfgang Strohband, declared that “(Ullrich’s ) legal situation will be cleared up and, once we’re there, we will have not the slightest problem finding a team for Jan and getting his license back.”

Ullrich also writes that: “Every beginning is heavy, that is clear. But it feels good to sit firmly again in the saddle.”