FRANKFURT, Germany -- The 1997 Tour de France champion, Jan Ullrich, was banned from cycling for six months Tuesday after testing positive for amphetamines.

Ullrich was given half the maximum suspension and was fined $1,400, the German cycling federation said.

Although officially six months, Ullrich's ban expires March 24 to take into account the winter offseason.

A three-person disciplinary panel decided to impose the minimum penalty because it determined that Ullrich did not take the amphetamines to enhance his performance.

Ullrich, also a four-time runner-up in the Tour de France, tested positive for amphetamines in an unannounced out-of-competition test June 12.

Ullrich admitted this month that he took "two little pills'' in a disco the night before the test but denied taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Ullrich has been sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury and was recovering from surgery when he was tested.

Peter Barth, a Frankfurt lawyer who headed the disciplinary panel, said Ullrich's explanation was credible and that he took the pills because of "mental stress.''

Officials from Ullrich's pro squad, Team Telekom, said they were uncertain about the cycling star's future.

"Right now, Jan doesn't know himself whether he will come back as a cycling professional,'' Team Telekom chief Walter Godefroot was quoted as saying in an interview with the German sports news agency SID. "Jan has often said things without following them with deeds. Let's wait and see how serious he is.''

Ullrich is on vacation in the United States.

His agent, Wolfgang Strohband, said Tuesday he and Ullrich had expected a six-moth ban and that his client would overcome the setback.

"I am absolutely convinced that he will be fully back next season,'' Strohband said. "It's not clear yet how long Jan will remain in the United States. When he comes back, the first thing will be to take care of his knee.

"But nothing has changed in his intention to win the Tour one more time.''

Ullrich had his driving license confiscated after a night of drinking in May. He lost control of his Porsche, damaged several parked bicycles and fled the scene of the accident.