Jan Ullrich is one of the most influential figures in both German and international cycling. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of his generation. In 1997, he made history by becoming the first, and, to date, the only, German to win the Tour de France. He... Read more
Jan Ullrich is one of the most influential figures in both German and international cycling. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of his generation. In 1997, he made history by becoming the first, and, to date, the only, German to win the Tour de France. He finished second in the world’s most important cycling race a total of five times. He won the Vuelta a España in 1999, and at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney he won gold in the road race and silver in the individual time trial. He also won two world championship titles in the time trial.
His rise to fame began early: in 1993, aged just 19, he won the Amateur World Championship and was named ‘Cyclist of the Year’. In 1996, he debuted in the Tour de France as a support rider for Bjarne Riis, finishing second overall himself. Just one year later, Ullrich stood at the top of the podium in Paris. This sparked an unprecedented ‘Tour fever’ in Germany, making him a national hero and an international sporting idol. His career was marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Time and again, he fought his way back from injury to celebrate major victories, including the 2004 Tour de Suisse, as well as stage wins at the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta. In total, he wore the famous yellow jersey for 18 days, symbolising his endurance, class, and world-class status.
However, Ullrich’s career was not all glory. In 2006, shortly before the start of the Tour, he was excluded in the wake of the Spanish ‘Fuentes’ doping scandal, and his contract with T-Mobile was terminated. He retired from active competition in 2007, and in 2012 the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found him guilty of doping. During the premiere of his four-part TV documentary Jan Ullrich, Der Gejagte (Jan Ullrich, The Hunted) in November 2023, he publicly admitted for the first time that he had doped between 1996 and 2006. His career thus became a story of fame, setbacks, and resilience, from celebrated national hero to fallen champion.
After years in the headlines, Jan Ullrich has turned over a new leaf and returned to the public eye. Living in southern Germany, he is devoting himself to new pursuits. In moderated conversations, he shares the valuable insights he has gained from his extraordinary life journey. As a TV cycling expert, he captivates a wide audience with his expertise and passion for cycling. He also organises his own cycling events and appears regularly on TV shows and documentaries. In his successful podcast ‘Ulle & Rick’, he shares authentic conversations about sport, society and life with Rick Zabel. Today, Jan Ullrich is much more than just a former champion. He is a witness to his era and an ambassador for fighting spirit, responsibility, and new beginnings. After all the highs and lows, he has proven that true greatness also lies in returning with renewed strength.