In 1997 Germany is in a cycling frenzy. Jan Ullrich enchants the entire nation with his furious ride in the Tour de France. For the star, success is both a blessing and a curse. An ARD documentary works on the life of the only German winner.
Former German cycling star Jan Ullrich commented on the ARD documentary on the occasion of his victory in the 1997 Tour de France. “Of course I looked at them too and it aroused great emotions in me,” said Ullrich in an Instagram post. “I know I’ve had a very intense life with all the ups and downs. Of course it arouses great emotions, you can certainly imagine that.”
The multi-part documentary and an accompanying podcast deal intensively with the life of the only German winner. Only Ullrich himself does not have a say, he should not be allowed to do this due to an exclusive contract. Numerous companions such as his former rival Lance Armstrong are interviewed for this.
The story of the 1997 Tour summer comes from a different cycling world than the one in which the 2022 Tour begins on Friday in Copenhagen. A time when professional cyclists were still unreservedly idolized. In which a 23-year-old sent a whole country into hysteria. “It was almost like 1954 when Germany became soccer world champion,” recalled reporter legend Herbert Watterott. Ullrich came to the 1998 tour as a big favorite, also got the yellow jersey, but lost it to Pantani after a terrible slump on the Galibier – Ullrich should never wear the maillot jaune again.
After his involuntary career end due to the 2006 tour exclusion, Ullrich often got into trouble in his private life. In Switzerland he caused a traffic accident under the influence of alcohol, on Mallorca he clashed with his neighbor Till Schweiger. Then there was the separation from his wife. Ullrich has been living in Merdingen in Baden-Württemberg for several years and is said to be on the right track.
