Winner of the Tour in 1997 (2nd in 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2003), Jan Ullrich was a key figure in cycling in the 1990s and 2000s. Gifted, adored in Germany, the child of the GDR went through the torments of the lead of cycling.
A child prodigy, he was promised the record of victories on the Tour, before being swept away by business and scandals (he admitted in 2013 to having doped) during his career and after.
The German will be, according to Le Soir, at the heart of a documentary (in four episodes) on Amazon Prime Video.
“
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about me, positive and negative.
It's time to tell my story, my whole story, how I went from hunter to target.
I would like to take you on a journey through my life.
With all the turbulence, setbacks and challenges
, ”explains the former Telekom team rider in a statement quoted by the Belgian newspaper.
Jan Ullrich, throughout his career (and well beyond) made headlines (he announced his retirement in 2007).
Injuries, excessive weight gain, alcohol, depression, car accident, divorce, fights, rehab… littered his life as a runner and as a man.
Pariah, he was not welcome during the big start of the Tour de France from Düsseldorf in 2017. The months that followed this episode, his relatives feared to see him finish like Marco Pantani.
Glory and disappointment...
He who was amateur world champion (1993), Olympic champion (2000), world time trial champion (1999, 2001), winner of the Tour of Spain (1999), remains as the only German winner of the Tour de France and the rival of Lance Armstrong (in 2018, the American had visited his former opponent who was going through a very bad patch).
His life, made of shadows and light, will parade along an awaited documentary.
According to the press release, quoted by Le Soir, Jan Ullrich (48) wants to “
entrust himself in a complete, honest and exclusive documentary series.
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