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Jan Ullrich at the presentation of his documentary in Munich
Photo: Christian Kolbert / dpa
Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich spoke about his doping history, among other things, at the presentation of a new documentary in Munich. Of his big crash five years ago, he said that it had come to this point because he "couldn't stand his past."
"Five years ago I had my huge crash, it was really a matter of life and death, I lost almost everything, including almost my life," Ullrich said. The documentary »Jan Ullrich – The Hunted«, which can be seen on Amazon Prime Video from 28 November, is about doping, alcohol and other drugs.
Coming to terms with his past has caused him huge problems. "It was incredibly hard. There were many tears and sleepless nights, I suddenly had panic attacks."
In the past, Ullrich had denied doping allegations with the sentence: "I have never cheated on anyone." In the meantime, however, he has hinted at a comprehensive doping confession. "It was wrong that I didn't cheat on anyone. For me, it was trimmed for my opponents, but of course the fans are also part of it," he said in the documentary.
Ullrich's Tour victory in 1997 triggered a cycling boom in Germany. In 2006, the Sydney Olympic champion was suspended by his team shortly before the start of the Tour of France because he had links to doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) banned Ullrich for two years in 2012.
vgl/dpa