German cyclist Patrick Sinkewitz, who now rides for the PSK Whirpool team after serving his sentence for doping, has accused his former team Quick-Step of organized doping.
In an interview for the German public television show “Frontal 21” aired on ZDF, Sinkewitz acuses Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere and team doctor Manuel Rodriguez of administering doping products from 2001 to 2005.
He said in the interview, “Personally I never paid for the banned products I suspect that Lefevere did.”
Sinkewitz was caught taking testosterone during a doping control in June 2007 and was suspended for one year. His positive result caused a major stir in cycling coming just 13 months after the Operación Puerto scandal turned the sport on it’s head. His actions all but sealed the fate of the then T-Mobile team with the communications giant pulling their cycling sponsorship.
The German cooperated with investigators, which included pointing the finger at former teammate Paolo Bettini for being one of his suppliers, although there was no evidence for the now retired Italian to be formally charged.
Now on the eve of the Tour de France, Sinkewitz is again pointing fingers, this time at his former team. He stated that he was given shots of cortisone, growth hormones and EPO by the Belgian team, and that doctors would adjust levels of EPO based on his hematocrit levels.
Quick-Step has yet to respond to the accusations, but regardless of what is said, this is bad timing for a sport that has seen nothing but turmoil around its biggest event.