The rumour of former pro cyclist Jörg Jaksche revealing the story about his doping use earlier this year resulted in many unpleasant phone calls to the rider. Among others from Jaksches former managers. Team owner Bjarne Riis from Team CSC was one of them.

At the Play The Game Conference in Iceland Jörg Jaksche revealed, that Bjarne Riis tried threatening him to silence prior to his interview with German magazine Der Spiegel. Here he told all about a ten year long doping use within teams Telecom, Once, CSC and Liberty Seguros.

“If you talk, you will never come back in cycling, Riis told me. And stated that he would organize, that I could never come back,” Jaksche said.

Riis confirms that the conversation did take place but denies that a threat was made.

“I advised him not to involve others because nothing good could come of it. Maybe I told him that it would be hard for him to return to cycling after accusing others within the sport. But it is rubbish if he has told that it was a threat,” Bjarne Riis says.

Riis furthermore states that he did not know what Jaksche was about to reveal and that Jörg Jaksche asked him for advise on what to do.

THE PULSE will bring an exclusive interview with Jörg Jaksche on Monday.