“You already feel a boost”: cycling legend Jan Ullrich talks about blood doping

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At the presentation of his new documentary ‘Jan Ullrich – the hunted’, cycling icon Jan Ullrich (49) talks about his life and career. The first part of the series is about Ullrich’s doping crash in 2006, with the Germans speaking more openly than ever before.

In 2006, the connections between Jan Ullrich and the Spanish doping doctor Eufemanio Fuentes became known. The winner of the 1997 Tour de France was fired from the T-Mobile team. In 2007, a DNA analysis showed that the blood found belonged to Fuentes Ullrich. The German ended his career.

“was a nice man”

Ullrich has always looked for excuses in the past, but admitted the treatment in 2013, saying: “For me, the cheating starts when I get an advantage. That was not the case. I wanted to guarantee equal opportunities.” Say: if everyone dops, I do too.

In the documentary, Ullrich once again expresses himself at the time and says about his then doctor Fuentes: “He was a sympathetic man. I didn’t meet him that often, but I was confident. I was told it was very safe.”

And the 49-year-old also talks about the effects of blood doping for the first time: “When you get the blood back, you notice a boost.”

The events of 2006 left Ullrich traumatized. The former professional cyclist fell deep and took refuge in an alcohol and cocaine addiction. “I’m still incredibly frustrated and still haven’t processed it. The starting point this year was 2006, I never got over that,” the German admits.

Big crash 2018

In 2018, his crash reached an all-time low. “I drink whiskey like water and take the cocaine with me. I slept three hours during that time,” he says about this phase. Nowadays, Ullrich is doing better, he is building a new professional life.

For Ullrich, the documentation is also a letting go, as he himself says. He wishes, “It would be nice if the fans and viewers could put themselves in my shoes and understand me.” (jsl)

Source : Blick