Ullrich blasts testing

But Ullrich, who retired in February 2007 after being linked to the Spanish doping scandal Operation Puerto, now believes that cycling is one of the cleanest sports in the world.

"The boys are thrown out of their beds at 6:30 in the morning. A controller comes into the room and stays with them all the time. From where I'm sitting that's inhumane," the 1997 Tour de France winner said.

"A wild stranger comes into your room and stays at your side the whole day – on the toilet, in the shower, when you're brushing your teeth – and then takes blood samples at some point. It (the response) is disproportionate.

"I firmly believe that all the riders participating in the Tour de France are clean because the examinations are so strict and capacious. That's why I can honestly say that cycling is one of the cleanest sports in the world."

Ullrich's sentiments echo those of seven-time champion Lance Armstrong who said last week he has had enough of early morning random tests.

"You can't go and pull guys out of bed at 6am. If I came to your room at six in the morning, you'd throw the furniture at me," Armstrong said.

There have been no positive tests at this year's Tour but Giro d'Italia runner-up Danilo Di Luca was provisionally suspended after testing positive for the banned blood booster CERA by the International Cycling Union on Wednesday.