I made a big mistake. There's no doubt about it. But there have been positive testing cases in the past where the offender wasn't attacked to quite the same extent, especially not by other riders.

I assumed the amount wouldn't be detectable. I also didn't feel that I had done anything wrong.

I can count off on one hand the number of times I've used testosterone gel - because it doesn't really do much.

The message I understood was this: Just don't get caught!

Of course they were saying: No doping! But as a rider, it's difficult to believe that things can really change from one day to the next.

I stayed in Hamburg a few more days, and during that time I received a visit from Rolf Aldag, the sporting director at T-Mobile. He advised me to tell the truth.

Ampoules containing cortisone, testosterone gel residues, syringes and needles, a centrifuge for measuring my blood values.But, contrary to the erroneous reports in the press, they didn't find any EPO or growth hormone.