Jan Ullrich

[Bavarianrider]

What a sad way to end a career.

No Ullrich gets labeled as a cheater for ever, while guys like Armstrong are considered heroes by the unkowing public.

There really is no justice in life.

 

[ultimobici]

I think this 2009 quote from Ulrich regarding racing is illuminating.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ullrich-to-discuss-doping-in-a-book

"Whoever still can't put one and one together about what happened in cycling is beyond my help."

 

[Bavarianrider]

I totally agree. Team support never was the problem (except for the 1999 Vuelta, which he still won; it is in the CN archive where he is quoted that he does not know if his team which had not been set up for overall contention would be able to help him win the race), leaving aside the weak TTTs by TMO. Guys like Bölts, Guerini and even Riis have always been strong helpers. Ullrich had an obvious lack of discipline in the winter which caused him problems in the Tour. And he - for reasons I don't know - gave up his dynamic style of 1997 to this more grinding, static style. In 1997, he was able to counter attacks by guys like Pantani and Virenque. From 1998 on, he wasn't able to do that any more. In 2004 and 2005, his ability to accelerate in the mountains was completely gone. Had he kept his 1997 abilities, he would have at least followed the USP-train in the mountains, therefore not needing an exceptionally strong team for himself.

As to his "statement", it is what I expected. He has absolutely no reason to speak out about the time before 2005. And he "confessed" to a minimal account, showed some pieces of self-criticism and that's it. I am quite sure he will return as a DS one day, and I am looking forward to it.

The explanation is easy. Up to 1999 everybody used Epo and so did Ullrich of course. Though Ullrich was always one of the moderate EPo users (see Jeff D'Honts quote), there was at least something like an equality of weapons in the field. Hence Ullrich could show his real natural strength.
Telekom and good parts of the field quiet Epo to the 2000 season. You can clearly see this on how the times on certain mountains dropped.
Ullrich in 2001 was in his best shape of his life ever. But at the Tour he weas riding at Hämatokrit 42, against a Texan drugged to the max.
In 2003, blooding had spread in the field again, and Ullrich knew to be competitive ha has to use it too. And so he did. And in the Tour 2003 after an almost 2 year layoff, Ullrich showed again that with equal weapons he'll be a powerouse again.
In 2004 he realy had a bad shape, in 2005 he actually would have been really good, but those two crashes really hurt him.
In 2006 Ullrich was in his best shape since 2001, but this time he would have been equal in weapons.
Intersting is, that it seems thatUllrich propably used some sort of blood doping from 2003 onwards. But in the telephone calls that were caught by the police, it seems as if Pevenage and Fuentes talk about something knew which he headn't done before. From those calls it seems that only in 2006 Ullrich started to use the whole Fuentes programme.
Ullrich is a victim, in a clean field he would have dominated.

 

[webvan]

All good points and this makes me...sad, yes sad, that's not the way it's going to end is it? Surely Armstrong will pay for this sooner or later.

 

[Bavarianrider]

All good points and this makes me...sad, yes sad, that's not the way it's going to end is it? Surely Armstrong will pay for this sooner or later.

German media as well as sports organisations will rip Ullrich till his very last day. That's the sad thing. For them Ullrich is the big evil. Ullrich gets blamed for everything. Ullrich takes all the sins of german sports.
Everything else gets covered by the Ullrich story. Ullrich is not usefull for them anymore, he doesn't earn them money anymore. So they discredit him wherever they can.
They don't care about the truth, as least as they care about dpoing of their beloved cash cow soccer players and wintersport stars.

 

[SiAp1984]

The explanation is easy. Up to 1999 everybody used Epo and so did Ullrich of course. Though Ullrich was always one of the moderate EPo users (see Jeff D'Honts quote), there was at least something like an equality of weapons in the field. Hence Ullrich could show his real natural strength.
Telekom and good parts of the field quiet Epo to the 2000 season. You can clearly see this on how the times on certain mountains dropped.
Ullrich in 2001 was in his best shape of his life ever. But at the Tour he weas riding at Hämatokrit 42, against a Texan drugged to the max.
In 2003, blooding had spread in the field again, and Ullrich knew to be competitive ha has to use it too. And so he did. And in the Tour 2003 after an almost 2 year layoff, Ullrich showed again that with equal weapons he'll be a powerouse again.
In 2004 he realy had a bad shape, in 2005 he actually would have been really good, but those two crashes really hurt him.
In 2006 Ullrich was in his best shape since 2001, but this time he would have been equal in weapons.

Interesting thoughts. I also think that Ullrich in 2001 had a great form which would have won him any Tour except for that one, which also saw the strongest Armstrong ever (for whatever reason). And I forgot the crashes that he had in 2005, of course they really challenged him (wasn't his lung affected?).

But it doesn't explain Ullrichs change of styles. Even without considering Armstrongs incredicle spinning, guys like Leipheimer, Beloki, Basso, Valverde and even Klöden remained much more flexible in the mountains even "post-EPO". Only Ullrich turned to a pure power-based climbing. I once heard it had to do with his knee, which after his crash in 1999 at the Deutschland Tour never again became really stable, so that he had to support the knee by building up (much) more muscles t strengthen it's structure. But I do not know if this theory is of any value.

As to Ullrichs picture in the public, it became better in the last two years. I remember the TV briadcast of "Rund um den Finanzplatz Frankfurt" last year when the reporter referred to him as "der große Jan Ullrich" ("the great Jan Ullrich") in a non-ironical context, That would have been impossible arround 2007-9. He will regain his place in German cycling's history and the public attention, just as Rudy Altig ("Die rollende Apotheke", "The rolling pharmacy") did.

 

[Von Mises]

What a sad way to end a career.

No Ullrich gets labeled as a cheater for ever, while guys like Armstrong are considered heroes by the unkowing public.

There really is no justice in life.

Ullrich is a victim, in a clean field he would have dominated.

I always supported Ullrich over Armstrong, but Ullrich is not victim here. If one cheater gets caught and some other gets away, it does not make the first one victim. Victims are those who did or do not dope.

I agree that there is no point to scrutinize Ullrich more than others (though, even now he chose silence instead of coming clean), but equally ridiculous is to make him some sort of a victim.

 

[L'Etranger]

While I am with most other posters here in finding the outcome maddenlingly asymmetrical (Armstrong still untouched, Mancebo moving up to a podium spot etc.), and also in having admired Ullrich's talent and manner when he was an active rider, I have to say that for me his statement keeps him on the part-of-the-problem side of the fence and not the part-of-the-solution one. It's a pretty standard omerta-consistent statement for a convicted doper: I made a mistake, I'm sorry, I don't want to talk about it any more. He also suggests, improbably, that he only resorted to doping in the period covered by the ruling. By expressing personal remorse but not spilling any details or implicating anyone else he leaves open a future in the sport (for example as a DS).

An apology is certainly better than more denial, but I rather hoped for more from him. In a way he was right with his 2009 statement about not being able to help those who couldn't figure out what was going on, but in another sense he was wrong. A bit of Truth and Reconciliation about that era would be helpful both to have a better understanding of the results and to know about how many of those who were actively implementing doping programmes in that period are still in the sport now. I hope Jan will think again.

 

[craig1985]

Armstrong, Contador, and Ullrich a sign of the past:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bike-pure-armstrong-contador-and-ullrich-a-sign-of-the-past

 

[Neworld]

From Jan's Website

Well there we have it. A sad day for Ullrich with the irrational penalty but at least he confessed to doping. He was a calm and humble competitor with absolute powerful fluidity on the bike. I'm not sure if we'll ever see his prowess again, I hope so.

Good luck Ulle, time to relax and go hunting with Vino in the Kazak mountians.

NW

 

[Carols]

Ulle will always be a great rider IMO. So he doped, they all did....(do)

The key is just to enjoy the sport and the spectacle. Cycling is chess match played out on the road, facing obstacles and adversity, conquering or failing.

There is no need to glorify or villify, simply enjoy.........

 

[Markyboyzx6r]

Although my German is right up there with my Gaelic in understanding, even via Google Translate you can see Jan's statement has a lot of class. He put his hands up and admitted what had happened, he showed humility and he didn't talk about pre-2006. That was his call, he decided to draw a line under the past and (with regards Jan) I think the majority of cycling fans will too.

I hope Jan leaves cycling (in a professional sense) and I hope the German people learn to forgive him, they must always remember the context in which he was competing, and it's obvious Jan was not in the Pantani/Ricco/Armstrong mould. He had the talent to blow them all into the weeds, and if cycling had been clean across the board, he'd surely would have.

He seems positive, I'm sure this is (conversely) a huge weight off his shoulders and I hope he looks to the future with optimism.

An incredibly talented sportsman. He was just in the wrong sport at the wrong time.

 

[Escarabajo]

I agree with some of the posters that there was no need to confess to any drug use before 2005. He'll do it at the right time.

I am not sure if this is really bad news for Armstrong in the public's perception. Not only proves one more time that most of all the riders were doped during the time when he won the 7 titles, which indirectly puts a lot of doubt as to Armstrong being clean, but these last two decisions by Contador and Ullrich have pi$$ed a lot of people off. Not only Europeans but also many Americans are pi$$ed off that Armstrong is pretty much the only one left from the big fishes from that era that has not been touched. This could encourage some ex-riders to confess in the current USADA investigation. IMO. I hope I am not imagining things.

 

[thehog]

I agree with some of the posters that there was no need to confess to any drug use before 2005. He'll do it at the right time.

I am not sure if this is really bad news for Armstrong in the public's perception. Not only proves one more time that most of all the riders were doped during the time when he won the 7 titles, which indirectly puts a lot of doubt as to Armstrong being clean, but these last two decisions by Contador and Ullrich have pi$$ed a lot of people off. Not only Europeans but also many Americans are pi$$ed off that Armstrong is pretty much the only one left from the big fishes from that era that has not been touched. This could encourage some ex-riders to confess in the current USADA investigation. IMO. I hope I am not imagining things.

Reading between the lines on the Ullrich statement I thought interesting that he mentioned Armstrong. My impression of what Jan was trying to say was that the pressure to perform, the pressure that came with everyone wanting him to beat Lance Armstrong (who as we know doped) became immense. The eating disorder , the reckless behavior and lack of training was maybe not as a poor quality as many once thought. Perhaps it was a sign that the guy was more human in a personal context and also in a sporting context. He never pointed fingers during his career and hasn’t done so since – that’s a fairly amazing quality.

He could have easily turned around and said he was a product of what the UCI allowed. The rampant doping on USPS and other teams meant he had to engage to keep up in full knowledge that he was prop0bably better than those he was competing against.

Kudos to the guy. I don’t expect the full confession. What we got is the end. Shows he’s more of a man than most.

 

[The Plediadian]

The Ullrich decision shows how corrupt he Contador decision was. Contador gets his results vacated and credit for the time served. But Ullrich gets his results vacated but no credit. Not to mention they wrote the Contador decision to paint him in the best light possibile.

The give a convicted cheater and liar like Contador a slap on the wrist but end up wasting their time harassing Ullrich for no reason. Just a complete waste of time. They should just get rid of all drug controls if the system will be so biased.

Unfair yes, but why does it bother anyone. Ullrich was not innocent:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ullrich-visited-doctor-fuentes-24-times

Good on Jan to admit it. Unfair that he was popped as many others participated in the same activities and walked away unscathed.

 

[stainlessguy1]

I agree with some of the posters that there was no need to confess to any drug use before 2005. He'll do it at the right time.

I am not sure if this is really bad news for Armstrong in the public's perception. Not only proves one more time that most of all the riders were doped during the time when he won the 7 titles, which indirectly puts a lot of doubt as to Armstrong being clean, but these last two decisions by Contador and Ullrich have pi$$ed a lot of people off. Not only Europeans but also many Americans are pi$$ed off that Armstrong is pretty much the only one left from the big fishes from that era that has not been touched. This could encourage some ex-riders to confess in the current USADA investigation. IMO. I hope I am not imagining things.

WEll then , I guess that makes Armstrong the only cyclist in the history of cycling to have won 7 tour titles and ride totally clean while doing it and also after comming back from a horrific Cancer treatment. That must make him the best that has ever been. I guess that makes the USA the new cycling leader in the world because nobody messes with Texas . ....lol .

 

[DirtyWorks]

... But in the telephone calls that were caught by the police, it seems as if Pevenage and Fuentes talk about something knew which he headn't done before. From those calls it seems that only in 2006 Ullrich started to use the whole Fuentes programme.

Is there a link with an English translation for this?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Other than armstrong, this is about the definition of captain obvious. Of course he doped. I am glad ullrich isn't feeding the circus and simply moving on. I am so tired of the media and obsessive fandom feeding the fire of the search for dopers past. I would rather focus on today and the future (u23) than digging up the skeletons of the past.

You mean the under-23's that are learning to dope their way into the Pro peloton?

Denying the widespread use of PED's in UCI's sport does no one any good. If there isn't widespread PED use, then the UCI should be pleased to increase transparency in their anti-doping process. But, the UCI is going the other way! The UCI is actively pursuing more control and less transparency over the anti-doping process.

 

[thehog]

I always supported Ullrich over Armstrong, but Ullrich is not victim here. If one cheater gets caught and some other gets away, it does not make the first one victim. Victims are those who did or do not dope.

I agree that there is no point to scrutinize Ullrich more than others (though, even now he chose silence instead of coming clean), but equally ridiculous is to make him some sort of a victim.

To be honest the process has made the UCI look a little silly. Their statements in regards to Armstrong and the way that Ullrich has been nailed to the wall has backfired in some ways. It’s made the sport look silly. I don’t think many care about the re-adjustment of the results but having Mancebo and Basso win stages and step onto the podium is just crazy.

Just when you think the sport is getting a little more sane this sort of stuff crops up. That’s the problem with the UCI tolerance policy on doping. By allowing some more latitude than others comes back to haunt them years down the line.

 

[Markyboyzx6r]

Reading between the lines on the Ullrich statement I thought interesting that he mentioned Armstrong. My impression of what Jan was trying to say was that the pressure to perform, the pressure that came with everyone wanting him to beat Lance Armstrong (who as we know doped) became immense. The eating disorder , the reckless behavior and lack of training was maybe not as a poor quality as many once thought. Perhaps it was a sign that the guy was more human in a personal context and also in a sporting context. He never pointed fingers during his career and hasn’t done so since – that’s a fairly amazing quality.

He could have easily turned around and said he was a product of what the UCI allowed. The rampant doping on USPS and other teams meant he had to engage to keep up in full knowledge that he was prop0bably better than those he was competing against.

Kudos to the guy. I don’t expect the full confession. What we got is the end. Shows he’s more of a man than most.

Excellent post as usual, Hog. I was trying to say the same thing, only less eloquently. If he's bitter, he doesn't show it - and if there is a thundering silence from Armstrong on the sanction Jan received it will be because the last thing he will want will be for Jan to break his silence. Is there anybody left from that era apart from Armstrong who has not yet been discredited?

 

[webvan]

Armstrong=biggest doper ever, he's been discredited more than anyone else, it's just that the powers that be never went after him. The tipping point was when he was allowed to come back after the 6 EPO positives made public just after the 2005 TDF, business is business I guess. Jan, yep I guess there's no point for him to go through more abuse by spilling the beans.

 

[The Plediadian]

Armstrong=biggest doper ever, he's been discredited more than anyone else, it's just that the powers that be never went after him. The tipping point was when he was allowed to come back after the 6 EPO positives made public just after the 2005 TDF, business is business I guess. Jan, yep I guess there's no point for him to go through more abuse by spilling the beans.

Armstrong the biggest doper ever, a mighty tall claim there. Have you ever seen Hamiltons' handwritten doping schedule, have you ever watched Pantani, or Team Kelme?

 

[webvan]

Let's say he's the one who made the most out of doping and Jan is probably the one who lost the most, all these stolen victories and the infamy of the ban.

 

[The Plediadian]

Let's say he's the one who made the most out of doping and Jan is probably the one who lost the most, all these stolen victories and the infamy of the ban.

What is ironic is Armstrong has done more for US cycling than any other cyclist or person.
On the other hand Ullrich has hurt German cycling more than any other person. Excuse me, the prosecutors and the German press have hurt German cycling more than anyone.
Jans' a nice guy and Armstrong is a villain.

Really hard to figure out.

 

[Benotti69]

What is ironic is Armstrong has done more for US cycling than any other cyclist or person.

I bet most Amercian cyclists wouldn't have followed the sport if they knew of the hypocrisy of his doping after stating he would never dope after his cancer

The sport was growing after the popularity of LeMond.

On the other hand Ullrich has hurt German cycling more than any other person. Excuse me, the prosecutors and the German press have hurt German cycling more than anyone.

I think Kohl, Sienkweiz and the whole T-Mobile debacle contributed. Wouldn't it be so convenient to dump the blame all on Jan Ullrich's shoulders.

Jans' a nice guy and Armstrong is a villain.

Really hard to figure out.

No not really. It has to do with character and personality. One has good ones the other doesn't.