Ulrich calls it a career
February 27th, 2007 by Ricky Blayney
News reports today suggest that 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich has decided to retire from professional cycling at the age of 33. Announcing his decision at a press conference today it appears Jan has got fed up with the press surrounding his career and has called it a day. He will however stay within the sport taking on a management role within Austrian outfit, Team Volksbank.
Ulrich said, “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. It has taken months until I was sure what I wanted, what would make me happy. Today, I want to officially announce that I will stay involved in cycling, but not as an active rider”. He went on to claim, “I have never cheated,” but he didn’t address the issue of doping and whether or not he was ever involved with Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, though in past occasions he has always denied any involvement with Fuentes.
Questions will now be raised over whether Jan did indeed grow tired of the riding side of the sport or whether the Fuentes case is putting so much heat on him that he needed to bail out and not risk riding another year in the spotlight of it all. Just last week Ullrich’s attorney was denied the right to withhold a DNA test taken by Ullrich when being investigated for fraud and it looks like it’ll be used in the Puerto case.
I’d imagine in due course we’ll all find out the truth as that investigation continues.
As for the cycling side of Ullrich. That will always be missed. One of the most talented riders of all time he won the TDF for the first time at only 23 years of age. Back then most believed he could go on to dominate the sport for the next ten years, but that was before Lance Armstrong came back. Even during them Armstrong years it was Ullrich who possessed all the talent, but it was sometimes the complete lack of commitment that let him down. Still from time to time that great talent shown through - In 2000 he won Olympic Gold and in 2003 destroyed Lance Armstrong in one of the Tour time-trials. His last victory of note came in the 2006 Tour of Switzerland.
It’s the end of an era and one of the last “old guard” to retire as cycling moves into it’s era.
...........................................................................................................................................................................