Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was

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This is a gripping account of how unbearable expectation, mental and physical fragility, the effects of a complicated childhood, a morally corrupt sport and one individual - Lance Armstrong - can conspire to reroute destiny. I stopped (drinking) alcohol and stopped drugs three years ago. Now I live very healthy, my girlfriend cooks very healthy for me. This brought me to a good shape and a good feeling.” Perhaps Friebe’s greatest achievement is capturing the elusive cyclist, and explaining his mystery, without breaking it. Even though he discusses the less attractive details of Ullrich, you never lose a sense of connectedness with ‘Der Jan’. And perhaps that’s the core of this book. It is both a fine work of journalism, but also respectful. Beautiful writing, well researched and brilliantly balanced. I think Daniel wrestled with this one, I'm glad he did. Both Ullrich and Armstrong were embroiled in doping scandals in the final years of their careers: and eventually banned and publicly shamed. Ullrich was caught up in the Operation Puerto blood doping investigation in Spain, while Armstrong eventually confessed to doping throughout his career after a USADA investigation and his seven Tour de France victories were wiped from the records books.

Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was PEZ Bookshelf: Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was

Could it have been reversed in Ullrich’s favour, if the same ‘assistance’ was available?, this book appears to suggest it was a possibility. Think of Tyler Hamilton’s The Secret Race, Thomas Dekker’s The Descent, or Racing Through The Dark, The Fall and Rise of David Millar, only what sets Ullrich’s story apart is the level and extent of sabotage and self-destruction that he piled on to his undeniably innate talent, starting with his piling on the weight in the off-season. MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window) Audible. The problem with this book is that Ulrich is the archetypical one dimensional sportsman. Everyone agrees he’s a nice guy but he has zero personality, no interests, not even cycling, no drive, motivation, curiosity, empathy, self awareness or it appears intelligence. Led from pillar to post, he fell into doping because everyone else was doing it and one can’t help feel sympathy for someone who appears unsuited for almost any adult life, let alone the pressures of professional sport at an extremely turbulent time. He very much comes across as the victim of circumstances and his own inability to cope. The German says he has been training hard over the past year after recovering from a troubled periodIt is not easy as a journalist to talk about a character like Ullrich without it being understood as an apology for his past. Having compassion towards him does not free him from his sins as a cyclist, but a hand is extended to him so that he can return to life as a person. That’s a path that he has begun to rebuild with his family, whom he had abandoned for years, to continue with cycling and, as I understand, to finish with an improved public opinion. It is in Mallorca where Ullrich found redemption from his past life. He was saved, filled with calm and returned to the quiet corner.

Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was - Goodreads

Ullirch and Armstrong went riding together in Mallorca, with the Texan posting photographs and video on his social media. Armstrong, who recently turned 50, claimed he suffered, while Ullrich joked he had only been riding for a few weeks. It’s just a terrible situation. Jan was in that era, that cesspool that we were all in, and he got caught, we all got caught, and the reason I went to see him is I love him," Armstrong says in the documentary, struggling to compose himself.Pevenage recently released his autobiography, which discussed his involvement with Ullrich and his doping, with friends of the former Team Telekom rider apparently calling him up to verbally abuse him over the book. Given this period of cycling history it naturally plays out against Ullrich’s complete and utter denial of having anything whatsoever to do with doping, nor did his Team Telekom, later T-Mobile, other than giving that sense the only crime in doping was getting caught. Lance Armstrong flew to Europe in August of 2018 to try to help Ullrich after he was arrested and then admitted to a psychiatric hospital. I loved finding out in the book that Fuentes (the dodgy doctor of Operación Puerto fame) used the Hotel Diana (now Senator) in my neighbourhood for blood transfusions for many of his cyclists, including dozens of times for Ullrich. It's a small world! In the recent ESPN documentary on Lance Armstrong, the Texan reveals he travelled to Mallorca to visit Ullrich in 2018 and help the rider he describes as "the most important person in my life".

Jan Ullrich : The Best There Never Was - Google Books Jan Ullrich : The Best There Never Was - Google Books

But realistically neither Ullrich or Pantani ( another rider who followed a similar fall from grace as Ullrich, ending in graver circumstances) could compete with the Armstrong phenomena whom, either on the bike or off of it, was always going to be the preferred cash cow of the TDF. Who could blame the organisers with the financial clout and resources of the USA and his celebrity status after surviving cancer.Perfect for any cycling fan, but also for those who are interested in the complexity and fragility that often accompanies the most gifted, but also the experiences that shapes them. Growing up watching tour de France in 90s & 00s was always fascinated watching ullrich . Similar facts about him as most cyclists of that period. Interesting portrayal of his life. For me thought some chapters I found heavy going so two stars where others more like 4 stars so I gave 3 stars overall. A fortnight out from the start of the 2022 Tour de France in Copenhagen, Friebe’s substantial-sized work is neatly timed — also coming as it does now 25 years after Ullrich became the first and last German to win the Tour, his victory margin in 1997 of nine minutes and nine seconds not surpassed since. Nor indeed was Ullrich’s own career high. Tyler Hamilton’s drugs confession: the Fuentes passage has all the drama of the tell-all autobiographies, and familiar grappling with moral complexities. Daniel Friebe, as a host of the Cycling Podcast, is one of the most interesting spoken-word commentators on cycling and this lives up to that. Comparisons are with some of the best cycle sport books:

Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was by Daniel Friebe - WHSmith

After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories. The criminal trial for the murder of cyclist Moriah Wilson that has gripped the nation and cycling world alike gets underway in Austin, Texas, today. I watch all the cycling races," he tells me. "My favourite riders are Peter Sagan, Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe and Tadej Pogacar. But above them all there is Miguel Indurain. He is my hero”.Friebe’s own ghost-written Cavendish autobiographies. There the achievement was to give an authentic voice - sometimes it really sounded like a Cav interview recounting a sprint finish. Here it’s more complex: a revealing and sympathetic portrait of a man who does not articulate well, and did not speak to the author at all. From the outset Friebe makes clear he’s not out to condemn or to judge Ullrich, his search more for the truth and maybe even some reconciliation, to understand why in Germany today Ullrich is still viewed with some sympathy or else pity, or how so many promising things went so horribly wrong. You drastically changed my life. You challenged me as a man,” Armstrong said in the podcast, recognising the importance of their former rivalry and now of their friendship. The German was admitted to hospital in Mexico a couple of weeks ago, with reports suggesting he had relapsed in his drug and alcohol addiction Ullrich admitted that he had lost sight of what helped him feel good, with only a better lifestyle, a new relationship and regular cycling helping him move on from his addiction problems.