I guess we won't have Jan Ullrich to kick around anymore. He announced his retirement as a professional cyclist on Monday.
The German cyclist won the Tour de France in 1997 at the young age of 23, but forever seemed destined to ride in the shadow of Lance Armstrong after that.
There was always something — a sore knee, a bad day in the rain, drunk driving arrests, partying on ecstacy, and generally being blamed for falling too far out of shape in the winter.
With Armstrong retired in 2006, it was supposed to be Ullrich's year again. Armstrong even predicted it early on when he saw that Ullrich appeared to show up in good shape at training camp.
That early preparation in 2006 was all for naught, however, as Ullrich was one of the cyclists named as having dealings with Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who is accused of doping cyclists in the Operacion Puerto investigation. Ullrich strongly denied the links, but he and others were kept out of the 2006 Tour de France.
In spite of his denials, Ullrich was fired from his team — T-Mobile — and sent casting about for another team to join. While rival Ivan Basso, also excluded in 2006 because of Operation Puerto allegations, landed a job with Discovery Channel, Ullrich never found a home.
According to CyclingNews, Ullrich told his press conference in Hamburg, Germany:
“I could ride again immediately, I could get a license, I am fit, as fit as last year and could immediately have a team. I have seven offers, including ProTour teams.”
Ullrich says he'll continue to work in pro cycling, initially as an advisor to the Austrian Professional Continental Team Volksbank.
To say that Ullrich never regained his form and never won another Tour de France is not to say he didn't have a good career. Ullrich won gold and silver medals in the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and the 1999 Vuelta a Espana.
In addition, he was the one cyclist who worried Armstrong year in and year out at the Tour de France. Armstrong finished his career with 7 Tour victories; Ullrich finished with 1 Tour victory and five second places.
His Tour de France highlights:
Winner – 1997
2nd place – 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003
3rd place – 2005
4th place – 2004
Under-25 (white jersey) – 1996, 1997, 1998
Stage wins – 7
Other achievements:
World Time Trial Champion – 1999 and 2001
Summer Olympics Road Race – 2000
German National Road Race Champion – 1997, 2001
German National Time Trial Champion – 1995
Vuelta a Espana – 1999
Tour de Suisse – 2006
Giro d'Italia stage – 2006
Deutschland Tour – 2005
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