In a significant turn of events, Jan Ullrich, the renowned German cyclist, has finally admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his career.
This revelation comes ahead of a new documentary about his life, marking an end to his 17-year-long denial of doping allegations.
Ullrich, who dramatically fell from grace in 2006 amidst Operation Puerto, a significant doping scandal, opened up in an interview with Stern magazine.
He acknowledged doping, reflecting on the prevalent mindset in cycling at the time: "Yes, I doped myself. Back then, the attitude was that if you didn’t do it, how could you even survive the race (Tour de France)?
Without help, the widespread belief was that it was like going into a gunfight armed only with a knife."
The documentary, titled "The Hunted," scheduled for release on November 28 in Germany on Amazon Prime, delves into Ullrich's tumultuous career and life.
It promises to offer an in-depth look at the cyclist who once won the Tour de France in 1997 but spent much of the 2000s overshadowed by Lance Armstrong.
In 2006, Ullrich's career nosedived when he was implicated in Operation Puerto along with other top cyclists, connected to doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.
However, it wasn't until 2013 that Ullrich partially conceded to having received treatments from Fuentes, insisting that he only did what everyone else was doing.
Reflecting on his decisions during the scandal, Ullrich regrets not being more forthcoming. He reveals that in 2006, his lawyers advised him to either expose everything and everyone involved or remain silent.
He chose the latter, a decision he now regrets, acknowledging that speaking up would have been difficult initially but would have made life easier thereafter.
The release date of "The Hunted" in Denmark is yet to be announced. This documentary is expected to shed new light on Ullrich's career and the complex world of professional cycling, which has been plagued by doping scandals.
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