In the wake of Team Telekom, Team Gerolsteiner established itself as the second figurehead of German cycling in the early 2000s. In 2003, Hans-Michael Holzcer's team took part in the Tour de France for the first time and regularly celebrated notable successes in the classics in the years that followed. In September 2007, however, Gerolsteiner announced that it would cease its involvement at the end of the 2008 season.
What followed in 2008 was the most successful Tour de France in the team's history thanks to Bernhard Kohl and Stefan Schumacher. However, the good results did not last long: a few weeks after the Tour, both were convicted of doping. In October 2008, Gerolsteiner then announced that it would cease its support with immediate effect. It was the inglorious end of a ten-year partnership - and at the same time the end for the racing team. The team was unable to find a new sponsor. An overview of what the riders from Gerolsteiner's last Tour squad are doing today.
Stefan Schumacher
At the 2008 Tour de France, Schumacher seemed to be in the form of his life: first he won the time trial of the 4th stage in Cholet and slipped into the yellow jersey for two days, later he also won the second time trial of the Tour of France in Saint-Amand-Montrond on the 20th stage. However, the race had repercussions for him: In follow-up tests a few weeks later, he tested positive for the EPO variant Cera and was later banned for two years. His Tour stage wins were cancelled.
In 2013, Schumacher confessed to years of doping. In the same year, Schumacher and former Gerolsteiner team boss Holczer also met again in criminal court. The accusation was whether Schumacher had cheated the team out of three months' salary, as he denied doping abuse when asked before the start of the 2008 Tour - which later turned out to be a false statement. Although Schumacher was acquitted, he was subsequently branded as a professional rider.
Until the end of his career in 2017, Schumacher rode for the lower-class teams Christina Watches, Christina Jewelry and Kuwait-Cartucho as well as for Team CCC for one season. Schumacher then switched to the triathlete camp and took part in the Ironman Hawaii in 2019.
Bernhard Kohl
The Austrian was the starter for Gerolsteiner in the 2008 Tour, winning the mountain classification and finishing the tour in third place overall. This caused great euphoria, especially in his home country. But the success did not last long: like Schumacher, Kohl tested positive for the EPO variant Cera a few weeks later during follow-up tests. Unlike Schumacher, however, Kohl confessed immediately, was banned and removed from the Tour results lists.
In 2010, he then testified as a key witness in the human plasma affair involving his former manager Stefan Matschiner. Kohl never returned to cycling. Instead, the now 42-year-old opened a bike shop in Vienna, which he still runs successfully today. In 2021, he took part in the Austrian show "Dancing Stars" and in 2024 he commented on the Tour de France as an expert on Servus TV.
Robert Förster
The sprinter had his sights set on the time after his career early on and founded his first bike shop "Grupetto" with a partner in Wachau in 2002 - one year after his first professional contract with Team Nürnberger. A few years later, another branch was opened in Leipzig. As a professional, Förster was part of the peloton for 15 years, much of it with Team Gerolsteiner, and won stages at the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana and the Deutschland Tour during this time. After leaving Gerolsteiner, he continued his career with Team Milram and the US team United Healthcare.
In 2013, he suffered a momentous training crash that almost caused him to lose his leg, but fought his way back into the professional peloton until the end of his career in 2015. In the years that followed, Förster completed master craftsman school and joined his bike shops as managing director. He now runs three branches. The 46-year-old also organises local races such as the Robert Förster Cup for young cyclists and the "Leipziger Crosslights" cross-country race.
Markus Fothen
At the beginning of the 2000s, Fothen was considered one of the greatest German talents as U23 world champion in the individual time trial and finished twelfth in the Giro d'Italia at his Grand Tour debut in 2005. In the following years, however, health problems repeatedly set the now 43-year-old back. In 2008, he won a stage of the Tour de Suisse, but failed to achieve any notable results in the Tour de France.
After leaving Gerolsteiner, Fothen continued his career with Team Milram for two years and ended his career with Team NSP in 2013 due to inflammation in both knees. Born in Neuss, he has been the sporting director of the Tour de Neuss criterium since 2019. His career took him into sales: first for the company Derby Cycle, which specialises in batteries and bikes, and since 2023 as a sales representative for Münster-based bicycle safety expert Trelock.
Heinrich Haussler
The Australian remained in the professional peloton the longest from the Gerolsteiner squad at the time. He only had to end his career in April 2023 due to persistent heart problems. Haussler recorded his greatest success as a professional in 2009 with a stage win at the Tour de France. In the same year, he also came second in both the Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders, narrowly missing out on victory in a cycling monument.
In the final years of his career, Haussler earned himself a reputation as an excellent road captain, which is why the move to sporting director was an obvious one. Initially, such a position was planned at his last team Bahrain-Victorious, but Haussler then joined Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe as sporting director in June 2023.
Sven Krauß
The withdrawal of Team Gerolsteiners was also the end of Krauß' professional career. He was unable to find a new professional team for 2009 and instead joined the amateur team Halanke.de-Öschelbronn. He ended his active career completely in 2012. The two Tour de France participations in 2007 and 2008 were the highlight of his career, after which he became the sporting director of Team Bergstraße, which operated under the name Basso Bikes from 2016. Krauß is now Vice President of the Württemberg Cycling Federation.
Sebastian Lang
In his active days, the now 45-year-old was regarded as a good time trialist, who won the German championship in 2006, and a valuable helper. Lang also wore the mountain jersey for three days at the 2008 Tour de France. After leaving Gerolsteiner, he continued his career with the Belgian team Silence-Lotto until 2011. At the same time, he began a dual study programme in economics and sports management and later also studied health management. Lang has been working for the sports clinic in Erfurt since 2015 and is now the administrative manager of the surgery centre.
Ronny Scholz
In 2008, Scholz took part in his fifth and final Tour de France and ended his career with Team Milram a year later. He is still closely associated with the then Gerolsteiner team boss Hans-Michael Holczer - Scholz is his son-in-law. When the former Team Gerolsteiner offices in Herrenberg became a Specialised Concept Store in 2011, Scholz joined Holczer's company. Scholz is still Managing Director there today. Scholz also mainly looks after Holczer's junior team.
Fabian Wegmann
The 44-year-old is still very much a part of the cycling scene today. As race director for the Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Radsports (GFR) and the ASO, he is responsible for the German World Tour events Eschborn-Frankfurt and, since 2024, the Cyclassics Hamburg. In the same position, he also manages the sporting processes at the Münsterland Giro and, since 2018, the Deutschland Tour. In addition, the Münster native has been a regular TV pundit for ARD and Eurosport since the end of his career in 2016.
During his active career, Wegmann was particularly recognised as a classics rider, winning the German road championship three times and Eschborn-Frankfurt twice. His greatest success was winning the mountain classification at the Giro d'Italia 2004. He wore the German champion's jersey at the 2008 Tour de France. After his time at Gerolsteiner, Wegmann rode for Team Milram (2009 and 2010), Leopard Trek (2011), Garmin (2012 to 2013), Cult Energy (2015) and Team Stölting (2016).
