By Felix Schröder and Stefan Tabeling, dpa
Jan Ullrich was given a superstar’s welcome. Chants of “Ulle” rang out for the only German Tour de France winner – and admitted doper – as he gave an interview at the side of the road at the finish of the 14th stage of the Tour de France, near the German border.
A storm, complete with thunder and heavy rain, was raging above the 52-year-old at the finish line in Le Markstein. Yet, despite the weather, the Rostock-born cyclist was clearly enjoying the excitement around him, waving to the many German fans and posing for photos. The images were reminiscent of the old days, when he was celebrated like a pop star in Germany following his Tour victory in 1997.
Sleepless ahead of the tour visit
Twenty years after being banned for his links to the doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, he officially attended a Tour stage for the first time in a long while, having been unwelcome there for a long time. “I actually had a sleepless night yesterday,” reported the 2000 Olympic champion. He had never been to the Tour as a spectator before. “Can I get there by car, or will I even be allowed in?” he wondered.
It certainly feels good. He’s ‘still very popular’ everywhere, said Ullrich. ‘My kids and I were really impressed by how warmly I’ve been received,’ he gushed. At the start, he and his children greeted a number of professional cyclists. Some of the stars signed his son’s white cycling shoes as a memento. He said he’s friends with superstar Tadej Pogacar.
It seems that dialogue with the Tour organiser, ASO, is also becoming more frequent, after Ullrich had long been viewed with scepticism due to his history of doping. “We’re getting closer and closer,” said the former time trial world champion. “Our dream is to sit down together this winter and see what we can do,” he announced.
He once approached the ASO about a documentary. “They were absolutely against it because they didn’t know what I was planning to include in the documentary,” he said, adding: “But I think that once they’ve seen it all, they’ll realise that I love cycling and don’t mean any harm.”
Ullrich talks about depression
In doing so, he is alluding to his murky past involving doping. Ullrich had admitted to doping in a documentary in 2023, but had remained tight-lipped about the details. A year later, his book was published. He was also invited onto talk shows. Ullrich celebrated his public comeback.
He had previously made the headlines for all the wrong reasons on several occasions: his extravagant lifestyle, scandals, and his alcohol and drug addiction. Ullrich spoke of a long period of suffering. He said he had found it difficult to go public.
“It was so difficult that I ended up suffering from depression for many years,” Ullrich told ARD in Le Markstein. “I couldn’t have imagined that I would ever actually reveal this to the general public. I wanted to deal with it on my own. I kept it bottled up inside me all the time and ended up with huge problems, as everyone knows.” Coming clean was “the best thing I could have done”.
Ullrich spoke of a “dark era” in cycling, a sport that has already weathered many doping scandals. He believes that today’s generation of cyclists – who are sometimes viewed with scepticism, partly due to record times and the incredible climbing bursts of individual professionals – are clean. “There are even more tests now, and the penalties have also become harsher, which I think is a good thing. And I believe lessons have definitely been learnt from this,” emphasised the 52-year-old.
Ullrich would love to be a professional cyclist again today. “Yes, it’s tempting,” said Lance Armstrong’s former long-standing rival: “I’d certainly be tempted. I mean, if I were 20 years younger, I’d compete again.” He said he’d “trained the wrong way for loads of kilometres” back then, pointing to the aerodynamic bikes, improved kit and, above all, nutrition. He won’t be returning to the Tour route – but he’s taken a first step on the sidelines.
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