D'hondt [former soigneur) specifically named two further Telekom riders. He claimed that Riis had a particularly high haematocrit, caused by the use of EPO. During the Tour de France 1996, which the Dane won, "Riis had a haematocrit of 64 at one time during the Tour," according to D'hondt, who further claimed that the now-CSC manager developed rheumatism because of his use of doping products.
The other Telekom rider named was Erik Zabel, who the Belgian said "did not participate" in the use of the doping substance. "Our sprinter Erik Zabel did not do it. He tried a small amount, but he was categorically against it. He said that he did not need it."