Kjerag.com has reported that former Festina team manager has claimed that disgraced doper Richard Virenque bribed Jan Ullrich to let him win Courchevel stage in 1997.
In his new book “Tour De Vices” Roussel claims that yellow jersey holder Ullrich recieved 100,000 francs to let Virenque take the victory. In addition he claims that Virenque also tried to bribe Olano and Pantani to attack Ullrich on a stage where he was suffering, thereby giving Virenque a chance of the yellow jersey. They allegedly turned him down as he was offering too little money.

Roussel has also implied that Virenque was not alone in this bribery game and that favours and stage wins are regularly bought and sold among the professional peloton. Both Virenque and Ullrich have declined to comment any further than a complete denial and a statement that they won’t be pursuing a legal case as they ‘don’t want to sink to his level’ or give him additional publicity.