Jan Ullrich hopes for cycling comeback after doping confession
Jan Ullrich's confession to doping is supposed to mark the start of a new life for the badly felled cyclist. Following his public confession, the former Tour de France winner is even hoping for a return to cycling - where he has been ostracized for almost two decades now. "Maybe at some point it can be put to bed that I can do something in cycling again. Why not?" said the 49-year-old on Wednesday in Munich at the presentation of the Amazon Prime documentary "Jan Ullrich - The Hunted" (launch: November 28).
"I have so much experience and I still love the sport. It's my passion," emphasized the Rostock native and former Team Telekom star. He could not expect a change in thinking about him in the scene, but he could hope for it.
Ullrich became a pop star after his Tour triumph in Germany in 1997, but later broke down due to the pressure and expectations. Much later than most of his teammates and rivals, he now admitted to having doped. "I feel relieved," admitted the 2000 Olympic champion in Sydney.
He did not give any details about his doping offenses, nor did he want to reveal any possible backers, dealers, doctors or confidants from back then. "I can only talk about myself," he said. "I don't want to implicate anyone. I know a lot more, but I would never say it. But that's also a question of character." Doping hunters and investigators have always criticized the fact that there is a kind of vow of silence in cycling - similar to the mafia omertà.
Ullrich wants to put the whole issue of doping to rest. Regarding the danger that he might be stripped of his title in the 1997 Tour - the only one ever won by a German cyclist - he said: "I know what I have achieved. Personally, I think I deserve the title. That's for others to decide. But in my heart I am a Tour de France winner."
Former companions believe that Ullrich can turn his life around after the crash, including his alcohol and cocaine escapades. "I know Jan. As it is now, he is getting through life and is motivated. He no longer drinks and I hope it stays that way," Rudy Pevenage, Ullrich's long-time sporting director and closest confidant, told the German Press Agency.
Former team-mate Jens Heppner said: "He is now redeemed. He's worked through everything again and I hope or wish that he doesn't escalate like he did in the last few years - because I don't think he'll survive that at some point."
Despite the cycling community's long-standing ostracism, Jan Ullrich expresses hope for a return to the sport after his doping confession. His love for cycling and wealth of experience remain strong, even in the face of continued skepticism.
Ullrich's potential return to cycling, however, would not be without controversy. The doping allegations and his subsequent confession have tarnished his reputation, making it unlikely that he would be warmly welcomed back into the sport.
Source: www.dpa.com
