7月26日,德国电讯车队的环法英雄回到家乡,受到车迷热情的欢迎。
The T-Mobile Team celebrate in style: A day after the Tour ended in Paris T-Mobile-employees and team fans rolled out the red carpet for the lads on their return to the T-Mobile headquarters in Bonn. \"I want to say to you all: \'This is a bloody great reception\'\", said a relaxed looking Jan Ullrich to the enthusiatic fans.
Earlier, René Obermann, CEO of T-Mobile International, personally thanked the riders for their Tour exploits: \"The Team impressed with thier performance, their fighting spirit and their dynamism. Second and fourth place overall for Andreas Klöden and Jan Ullrich, third place for Erik Zabel in the battle for the green jersey, the best team award - we are more than satisfied with this showing\", said Obermann, who had also just returned from Paris.
Obermann: \"Emotional identification\"
\"The rider fascinated us for three weeks. We made a corporate decision to engage in cycling sponsorship, and the riders effortlessly converted that into an emotional identification with the public\", said Obermann, who also laid down a challenge to the Team: \"We still have a Tour de France victory in our sights. With Jan Ullrich, Andreas Klöden and Alexander Vinokourov and all the others we will be back to try again.\"
The CEO downplayed the criticism that Team manager Walter Godefroot directed at Jan Ullrich in the final Tour week: \"Godefroot has done so much for this team and has brought so much success. He is entitled to make public his criticisms from time to time. Football trainers do likewise.\"
The timing of Godefroot\'s criticims could have been better, but: \"We will continue to work with Godefroot. His position as team manager is not under review,\" emphasised Obermann. The sponsor and Team management will sit together in the coming days to formulate a plan that could bring bring T-Mobile closer to a Tour win next year.
Surprises for the riders。
The fans and T-Mobile employees saw to it that the weary riders were received in Bonn as home-coming heroes. Tired, but relieved to have survived another \"Tour from Hell\" the riders took the time to wade through the crowds to meet and greet the fans and to respond to their autograph requests .
T-Mobile had some surprises in store for every rider when they stepped on the Champs Elysees-themed stage, which was specially arranged for the occasion. Andreas Klöden and Erik Zabel were reunited with their youth trainers, while Ullrich\'s mechanic from his early cycling days was also brought to Bonn for the occasion. The fans even greeted Italian riders Giuseppe Guerini and Daniele Nardello with a hastily learned Italian ballad that they sang at the top of theri voices. Rolf Aldag was surprised by a video greeting from his hometown cycling club.
Now the riders can enjoy some quality time with their partners before their next mission in magenta.