Ullrich to Switzerland

"The fact that I have enjoyed success in this race in the past and that I feel at ease there also influenced my decision," Ullrich said on the T-Mobile website.

The 1997 Tour de France winner pulled out of the Giro D'Italia with just three stages left last week, citing back problems that were the result of an early-season knee injury.

T-Mobile team manager Olaf Ludwig described the June 10-18 Tour de Suisse as crucial to the German's Tour de France training.

"It will be four more race days for Jan and he will benefit from the tough Tour de Suisse parcours to sharpen his form," said Ludwig.

Ullrich has consistently been on the podium at the Tour de Suisse, finishing third in the general classifications last year and winning the race in 2004.

This year he will be accompanied by time-trial world champion Michael Rogers, who pulled out of the Giro with a tooth-ache, from which he has since recovered after receiving treatment at the University Clinic Freiburg.

Also joining Ullrich in Switzerland will be Andreas Klöden. The Tour de France runner-up missed eight weeks earlier this season after a heavy crash in training, and Ullrich has said he looks forward to Klöden playing a key role in T-Mobile's Tour de France campaign.