Ullrich manager denies Rock Racing rumours

By Susan Westemeyer

Jan Ullrich is not negotiating with Team Rock Racing, according to his manager Wolfgang Strohband, who Friday denied rumours which appeared in the Belgian press.

Ullrich was in Las Vegas at the auto convention for his sponsor Terra-S, and Rock Racing manager Michael Ball arranged a meeting with him "because he is a big fan", Strohband told Cyclingnews. "The two got together and chatted about cycling, but there were no negotiations," he clarified.

Ullrich was the first German to win the Tour de France, in 1997. He rode for Team Telekom from 1995 – 2002, and Team Coast (later Bianchi) in 2003 before returning to T-Mobile in 2004. The team suspended him before the start of the Tour de France 2006 after he was named in Operación Puerto, and the German rider announced his retirement from the sport in February 2007.

However, rumours of his return have continued in light of the return of his Tour de France rival, Lance Armstrong.