T-Mobile Team cool on Guerini verdict

By Susan Westemeyer

Giuseppe Guerini apparently doesn't have to worry about any repercussions from his T-Mobile team after his reprimand by the Italian disciplinary commission. T-Mobile press spokesman Luuc Eisenga says that the team sees the situation as non-event, barely worth commenting on. "I think that the verdict shows that Guerini didn't do anything wrong. He told me that he didn't talk directly to Simeoni, and Simeoni has expressly confirmed that to Guerini." Then why was he punished for something he didn't do? "I can't speculate on that," said Eisenga.

Does Guerini plan to appeal the ruling? "I don't think so," said Eisenga, "it's not a serious situation and reacting to it would make it bigger than it deserves to be. He didn't do anything wrong." Does the team plan to take any action against its rider? "What should the team do? I don't think it is fair that Guerini was called in this case in the first place. He didn't talk directly to Simeoni, merely expressed his thoughts to ONE other rider, and why should he not be allowed to do that?" And finally, why was Italian rider Daniele Nardello not involved in the hearing? "Probably because he rides on a Swiss license," said Eisenga meaning that the Italian commission wouldn't have any authority over him.