Last Sunday (10), during the official trailer for the documentary “The Hunted”, which will be available on Amazon Prime in November, Jan Ullrich reflected on the victories and defeats in his career, especially after being accused of doping on the Tour of France in 1997.
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During the screening of the film, the former athlete reports that in 2018 he faced many challenges, reporting that he was between life and death after excessive consumption of illicit drugs and moving away from his children. As a way of dealing with the situation, Jan Ullrich said that making the documentary helped him find inner peace.
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“Five years ago, I had a big accident and it was a matter of life and death. I lost almost everything, almost my life. I fought to get out of this situation with the help of friends, experts and, of course, my family. Many tears were shed, I had sleepless nights, I had panic attacks, but I managed to lift a weight from my shoulders”, said the cyclist.
In a dark moment in his life, his old competition rival, Lance Armstrong, was one of the great friends who helped the athlete get his life on track. While isolating himself in Mallorca, southern Germany, the American structured and took care of a new recovery routine.
When asked about having practiced doping during sports competitions, the athlete stated: “It would be wrong to say that I didn’t deceive anyone. I was referring to my opponents, but of course, there were also the fans. I hope that everyone who sees the documentary can put themselves in my shoes a little. Today I feel lighter and I am at peace with my past.”
The accusations against the athlete came to light in the 90s, when there were some reports in the German media, stating that Jan Ullrich had received blood transfusions and had used Erythropoietin (EPO). Some time later, after investigations, the athlete was banned from the sport.
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