After making a relatively modest return this autumn with the Miche team, German rider Stefan Schumacher has been working out in warm weather in order to try to be in better shape in 2011.
The former Gerolsteiner competitor was banned after the 2008 Tour de France, where he won the two time trial stages but then tested positive for CERA. He served a two year ban and returned several months ago, with his best results being seventeenth in the1.1 GP Citta di Modena and 29th in the Giro di Toscana.
Time will tell if he can return to the same sort of level as before, or if the post-ban version of the rider is going to clock up a quieter – but perhaps more believable – set of results.
For his part, Schumacher has long maintained his innocence and denies ever taking the EPO-related product. He’d like nothing better than to take a big race or two, and is training hard to get ready for the year ahead.
“I’m preparing in Gran Canaria before the new season,” he said just before Christmas on his personal website. “It is a lot of fun to be back on the bike. I’m on vacation after the season finale, with the batteries recharged. I am extremely motivated and am looking forward to the new season.
“I think I’m well on course to be in shape for the season. I have been training well at home, doing running, weight training, exercise bike, mountain bike…but to sit on the bike and do kilometres is something else. I am looking forward to it all beginning again.”
Schumacher is thought to be racing again with Team Miche in 2011. His past teams include Telekom and Gerolsteiner.