In Mallorca
Jan Ullrich is back: German cycling legend takes part in races again
This is how cycling fans know him: Jan Ullrich during a stage of the Tour de France in July 2004
© Peter Delong / AP
After health problems, Jan Ullrich was quiet for a long time. This coming weekend, the former German cycling star will again be at the start of an everyone’s race.
Former German cycling star Jan Ullrich is back in the saddle. After photos with Lance Armstrong were published at the end of September, the only German Tour de France winner will contest a race for the first time on Sunday. As the “Mallorca Zeitung” reports, the 47-year-old will take part in the Mallorca 312 road race. A spokeswoman for the race therefore confirmed participation, but left it open whether the 1997 Tour winner will complete the entire 312 kilometers or get off the bike beforehand. The Jedermann Race also offers circuits over 167 and 227 kilometers. “He will have to decide for himself, that is definitely the challenge,” the spokeswoman told the newspaper.
In addition to Ullrich, other prominent ex-cyclists will also be competing on the Balearic island. Among others, the former world champion Oscar Freire, the tour winner Alberto Contador and Ullrich’s former competitor Joseba Beloki will be there. A total of around 5000 participants are expected at the event, which the spokeswoman referred to more as a fiesta than a race. If you want to pedal together with Ullrich and Co., you can also register for the event at short notice.
Ullrich and Armstrong: rivals became friends
After retiring from his career in 2006, Ulllrich made the headlines again and again because of health problems and had withdrawn from the public eye for the past three years. At the end of September, his former long-term rival Lance Armstrong published joint photos from an event on Mallorca. “It is impossible for me (and millions of others) to put into words what it means to see this man back and healthy,” wrote Armstrong under the photos on Instagram. “I am proud of you and you should know that I love you and will always support you”. Armstrong, who was deprived of all seven Tour de France victories after a doping scandal, posted another picture on Twitter. “Who says rivals can’t be friends,” asked Armstrong.
The former German cycling star reported back to Instagram for the first time in a long time at the beginning of October and announced further information on a new beginning. His most recent photo, published a week ago, shows him on his bike on the Albula Pass in Switzerland.
Sources: Mallorca Newspaper, Instagram