Berlin Six Days without Fulst

By Susan Westemeyer

Guido Fulst, winner of the Berlin Six Days race in 2004 and second in 2005, has been scratched from the 2006 race by the organizers, who said that he violated the confidentiality clauses in his contract. "Every professional athlete has to act within the confines of his contract," they stated in a press release quoted by the German press agency dpa. "Guido has violated this basic rule many times and has harmed the Berlin Six Days Race through his unprofessional conduct."

Fulst rode the Berlin race in 2004 and 2005 with Robert Bartko, and had planned to ride with him again this year. However, he was apparently told that he must ride with Leif Lampater, with whom he rode in Munich and who will be his partner in Bremen.

Fulst told Bild magazine, "It was the wish of the main sponsor Schultheiß that I not ride with Robert." The race management denies this, saying, "The sponsor is not involved in sporting decisions."