After many years of silence, Jan Ullrich ventured out of cover – and got to the point: “Yes, I doped,” said the German cycling star who fell and got back up again on Wednesday evening (November 22nd, 2023).
With these four words, the 49-year-old finally cleared up his life’s lie and for the first time clearly acknowledged his doping past. “If I had told my story, I could have had many wonderful years. I didn’t have the balls. It feels really good to say it,” said Ullrich during the panel discussion on the sidelines of the presentation of the documentary series “Jan Ullrich – The Hunted” ( from November 28th/Prime Video).
And yet he was “guilty”. Systematic fraud in the Telekom team, autologous blood manipulation from 2003 – Jan Ullrich no longer wants to remain silent. “It started for me in 1996,” the only German tour champion had previously told the SID.
Comprehensive Doping in the peloton
The 90s are a different time. Doping is practiced across the board in the peloton. Epo is the preferred drug of choice in cycling; there is not yet a direct detection method. Ullrich became a professional in 1995 and quickly realized that talent alone was not enough. In the magenta jersey of the Telekom team, Ullrich takes a dangerous path.
“Knowing that you otherwise have no chance from the start was the hardest thing,” said Ullrich: “Because I’m a fair person, it was never about cheating anyone or gaining an advantage.”
Talk of “Equal opportunity”
Ullrich speaks of equal opportunities. The system works. In 1996, Ullrich came second in the Tour as a noble assistant to the Danish overall winner Bjarne Riis, and a year later the Rostock native reached the top. He is the first German to win the Tour of France. It remains his only triumph in yellow. He came second four more times, and in 2003 he almost defeated his long-term rival Lance Armstrong.
Like Armstrong, Ullrich has already expanded his doping repertoire. The latest trend? Autologous blood doping. In the summer of that year he crossed the next border for the first time. “I wanted to win and build on my successes. I had a new team at the time and Dr. Fuentes was recommended to me – that’s how I ended up there,” said Ullrich.
“Everything medically controlled”
He doesn’t have any health concerns, “because everything was medically controlled. Ultimately, it was my own blood that I had taken – something natural. Under medical supervision, I wasn’t afraid.” In 2006 the doping bubble burst. Ullrich is excluded from the Tour de France because of connections to the Spanish doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. Team T-Mobile suspends him.
“Cycling was practically everything to me. And then the ground was ripped away overnight,” said Ullrich. The crash leaves deep psychological wounds. The fact that he chooses not to speak openly about his crimes for years increases his mental suffering. Ullrich drinks, takes drugs, loses his footing.
“Stand with both feet in life again”
The crisis in his life almost kills him. He has left the low point behind him. “I am healthy, have both feet back in life and have found my center,” said Ullrich. Clearly clearing up the past proves to be a beneficial therapy. “It has become easier,” said Ullrich, who provides deep insights in the four-part documentary series.
In the future, Ullrich can also imagine an active role in professional cycling. “If I had the opportunity, I would take the chance because I’m a master in this field somewhere and I still feel good,” said Ullrich: “I simply love this sport and it will shape me throughout my life. ”