Cyclingnews ' Bjorn Haake reveals the contents of Jörg Jaksche's interview with Der Spiegel , where...
Jorg Jaksche riding for Liberty Seguros at the 2006 Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Image credit: AFP)
Cyclingnews' Bjorn Haake reveals the contents of Jörg Jaksche's interview with Der Spiegel, where the suspended Tinkoff Credit Systems rider confessed to using performance enhancing drugs and blood doping.
Jörg Jaksche appeared at his Der Spiegel interview with just a cell phone and a black plastic bag. Inside the mysterious black bag was a binder, containing documents and letters compiled by or from his lawyer, Michael Lehner, during the Operación Puerto investigation. For those who recognise Lehner's name, it's likely because he also defended Danilo Hondo and Dieter Baumann, an Olympic track and field champion.
Despite his recent admission to having used performance enhancing drugs, Jaksche still trains six hours a day, holding onto the hope that he may be allowed to race again someday. The German rider hopes that offering to be a key witness will be rewarded with a reduced sentence, which could see him return as soon as next year, according to Jaksche.
The 30 year-old's admission to Der Spiegel sent shock waves through the cycling industry. Jaksche said that the Omertà, the law of silence, works because everyone, including doctors, soigneurs, riders, and team managers, complied to the vow of silence. Even the recent wave of doping admissions couldn't break it, Jaksche said, as all riders who admitted to doping in their careers only implicated themselves, and usually to events which have long since transpired.
