The meteoric rise of the talent of the century was followed by further sporting successes, but also health setbacks, personal dramas and falls from grace. And then, last November, the Amazon documentary in which Ullrich comes to terms with his past. Former TOUR editor and author Sebastian Moll has written about Ullrich's story a book worth reading which was published in 2022. TOUR took a closer look at the book.
The book
Every sports fan believes the story of Jan Ullrich to know: First German Tour de France winner, celebrated star, sloppy talent, doped (like many professional cyclists), crashed, failed. That was it. Was that it? Sebastian Mollwho once accompanied Ullrich's career as a cycling journalist, was not left in peace by his fate. And so he set out to investigate his Biography to look for landmarks and connections that can explain why the gifted Athlete He found it so difficult to come to terms with his success and, in particular, to find a fulfilled, contented life after his active time.
Moll does a few things differently from other sports biographers in his observations, and this makes his book stand out. He treats Ullrich equally with Empathy and Critical distanceHe does not pass judgement, but describes and searches for explanations. For the latter, he looks beyond the The edge of cycling It also allows other competitive athletes and scientists from various disciplines to have their say and highlights ethical and sociological aspects of sport.
He also works on the Responsibility from Media, Fans and the entire Sports public whose behaviour contributes in no small part to the fact that competitive athletes very often have to struggle with psychological problems during and after their careers.
ConclusionMoll's examination of Jan Ullrich's career is an appreciative one, and it is not least this quality that makes this knowledgeable and detailed book so well worth reading.
The author
Book author Sebastian Moll talks about his motivation for the biography and the lessons Jan Ullrich's story can teach fans and the public.
Interview Thomas Musch
TOUR: What appealed to you about writing a biography of Jan Ullrich right now?
Sebastian Moll: I have long been concerned with the problems that many sports stars have in arriving in life after their career. When Jan Ullrich's difficulties became apparent during his mental breakdown in 2018, I thought to myself that Ullrich is actually a prime example of someone who has never managed this transition. And as a cycling journalist who has followed his career practically from the beginning, his particular fate was also very close to my heart.
TOUR: Have you spoken to Jan Ullrich himself?
Sebastian Moll: We - the publisher and I - would of course have liked to write an authorised biography and made contact right from the start. Unfortunately, this never materialised.
People have often lost sight of Jan Ullrich as a person
TOUR: Why did you write the book anyway?
Sebastian Moll: The Ullrich chapter deserves to be analysed in terms of sports history. A lot went wrong during his extreme rise and extreme fall and it was important for us to show how the various bodies failed: the sponsors, the politicians, the associations, the environment and certainly also our own guild, the media.
TOUR: What is the main lesson to be learnt from the Ullrich case?
Sebastian Moll: If I had to choose one thing, it would be to keep more distance and keep a cool head - both from the fans and the media. For better or for worse, with his victories and with his scandals, the reactions of the public in Germany were very extreme. People have often lost sight of Jan Ullrich as a person.
The book
The book Ulle - Jan Ullrich. The story of a tragic hero here to buy as a book or eBook.
