Road Bike Racing - Ullrich positive for amphetamines

I read today, on 3 different sites that
Jan tested positive for amphetamines during a
out of competition sample.
Ok, he's not riding any tours/races this year
so what gives?
quick weight loss after too much Strudel and wurst?
what the hell was he thinking.
And before anyone responds about rumor
innuendo etc. this is confirmed by Team Telekom.
really depressing.

Marty

Stimulants prescribed for depression that he wanted to keep secret?

I don't know,
The team didn't seem surprized, Godefroot confirmed
the result of the A sample, and said they didn't know
result of B sample.
Amphetamines don't treat depression, antidepressants
do.
then there's the French rider (name slips me, must be
a senior moment) who took Steroids to treat bronchitis,
prescibed by doctor, and noted in his medical log.
UCI says its ok, France says its not, no TdF for him.
This is as bad as, if not worse than, the Vaughters debacle
last TdF.
Yeah the whole thing is a witch hunt, and god forgive
you if you're caught in their sights. The only one who
I know whose come out clean (so far) is Lance. He basically
told them to piss off and it seems to have worked (for now)

Marty

Originally posted by lotek
.
Ok, he's not riding any tours/races this year
so what gives?


Marty

i think he "was" planning on riding the vuelta and to start training again this past week after being off the bike for his knee...but oh well, that might not be the plan now :D

I was thinking (and it was mentioned in cyclingnews.com) that it might very well be that he was taking appetite suppressants, like Dexatrim or something. Ullrich might be worried about gaining weight, now thathe's off the bike for a while. Like all cyclists he knows everyone gets tested several times a year whether or not they are in competition and he can't be THAT stupid to pop pills for fun.

His argument is that it was an out of competition positive thus shouldn't count. Godefroot stated that he wasn't even training let alone racing so how could it be performance enhancing. I argue that at this time of year when you see your contemporaries building up for the race which was your season target and you are unable to even train. Well thats bound to have an effect on you. Especially somebody as fragile mentally as Ullrich. I think he will propably end up with a suspended suspension

Ullrich does strike me as one of those incredibly high strung types, sort of fragile, super intense-I get the impression lots of cycists are like that. One wonders why someone like that would take pep-ups, which is why I suspect it's for weight, not for fun. I'm kind of a high-strung, intense person and speed is the last thing in the world that appeals to me. Telekom doesn't HAVE to fire him, anyways. It would be counterproductive, since it's the last thing they OR Ullrich need. I think some f these high-maintainence types need to learn to deal with pressure a bit better, of course I should talk...

Poor Ullrich. As everyone has probably heard by now, Jan Ullrich outed himself today as having taken drugs for the same reasons most people do, but not for reasons of improving his racing. He was apparently drinking (if not drunk) in a bar on 11 June, when somebody slipped him some pills. Perhaps he was frustrated, perhaps he was looking for a fun time, but he gulped them down. Oops.

I don’t see any reason not to believe his story. I also, personally don’t judge him morally for taking drugs—that’s his business. But, I have to say it was an awfully stupid thing to do. I have said before in this forum that I think Ullrich has not yet quite grown up. Maybe he was too good, too young. Coddled because of his talent, he just hasn’t made the turn to being truly adult about his training nor his life in general.

I think the interesting question now is whether he will really make good on his promise to turn his life around and make a comeback. This year’s events might be the Ullrich equivalent of Armstrong’s struggle against cancer—a shattering experience that results in incredible will-power. But, I am a bit skeptical because Ullrich’s troubles don’t measure up to the existential crisis which comes with facing a life threatening illness. We’ll see what happens next year. The proof will be in the pudding.

It’s not a question of moral judgment here, it’s a question of wisdom. If I were earning 2 million Euro a year for racing a bike, I wouldn’t swallow 2 little white pills given to me by a stranger. It’s just a dopey thing to do!

Cheers,
Jamie

Sad though it is, I can see it happening.
He's out of the Tour, Knee problems,
He's been raked over the coals for his
little drinking debacle (rightfully so) so
he's a little depressed, and figures what the hell
I'm not competing.
sad.
Jamie, I agree that this could be the proverbial
hitting bottom for Jan. Sure its not the same
as having cancer, but in terms of career similiar no?
we shall see, but I believe we are going to see a
new, focused Jan next season.

Marty

I was hoping that would happen this season- i predicted he'd lose 25 pounds and be a mean cycling machine! I think his injury really depressed him, especially having to miss the tour. But he missed it in 1999 and came back. Aside from Armstrong, tons of guys have come back from equally horrible injuries- being shot, nearly dying, horrible crashes, etc. Ullrich is kind of like one of those high strung child prodigy types who peaks early and has to deal with the pressure or they turn to drugs and bimbos. Ullrich isn't the first to have to come back, he sure won't be the last.

It's honestly not my fault! I posted on this (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4246) forum earlier about my diet of seaweed and ants' milk that was supposed to make me lose weight. Nobody told me about Amphetamines then!!!

Ullrich is stupid ! If I were him, I would try my best to get back in the business as soon as possible and wouldn´t spend my nights in some stylish discos in munich drinking alcohol and consuming drugs.
In recent months he didn´t lead a life that´s worth to be called a life of a pro. He even got to be known as "Party-Ulle".
I´m very disappointed from him.
It´s now time for Ullrich to think about his attitude towards professional sports. He should take his sport much more serious, e.g. like Lance Armstrong does, or otherwise should retire.:mad:

He should take his sport much more serious, e.g. like Lance Armstrong does
or much closer to home like Erik Zabel does.
occurs to me he has the same work ethic,
sense of responsibility and commitment to
the sport.

Marty

I think Ullrich is just as good as armstrong, maybe even better, but armstrong is willing to give up everything for his sport, and Ullrich has a bit more trouble denying himself things like babes and all those german chocolates. I think he's put huge amounts of pressure on himself and getting injured was kind of the last straw- I think he's just cracked a little. Also, Ullrich has nothing to keep him grounded- Armstrong and Zabel are married with kids and ullirch is living like a teenager. There's nothing to keep him in line, mind you marriage and kids are not guarantee that you won't still do dumb thinkgs and it doesn't make you mature, as we all know from people who get married. Ullrich should marry some blond dominatrix named inga who whups him with a riding crop when he gets out of line!

Originally posted by lotek

or much closer to home like Erik Zabel does.
occurs to me he has the same work ethic,
sense of responsibility and commitment to
the sport.
I don't know... Armstrong is grimly determined about the sport. You get the feeling that he takes it very, very seriously. It's his job and he does it well. Zabel is serious enough about cycling, but he also obviously loves the sport for its own sake. He smiles more than anyone else in the peloton and always seems happy on his bike. You get the feeling that there's nothing else he'd rather do than ride his bike [which I can respect and understand].

In fact, I can't think of two racers who are more diferent than Armstrong and Zabel. Armstrong trains for one big race of the year, while Zabel races everything from January to December. I sometimes get the feeling that Walter and Rudy are always on the phone to him, saying "Erik, take it easy, you don't have to race all the time!" Zabel does it for love.

I can't think of two racers who are more diferent than Armstrong and Zabel.
I don't disagree with this statement, they are very different
riders (although seeing pics of Lance with wife and kids before
prologue showed us a very different Lance).
In "Its not about the bike" LA talks about being
fueled by anger, and I believe he still is. And Yes Zabel
does smile alot more than anyone else in peloton.
My point is that both of them (for whatever reason) put
a huge effort into training and that Jan could learn alot
from either one.
If Jan were to equal the effort, I don't think there is anyone
who could beat him.
Just my $.02

Marty

I agree totally- in fact there was an article in the recent TDF supplement from Velonews about Ullrich, and his manager believes that while Ullrich has more talent, armstrong is more driven. Let's face it, we all know people who aren't terribly good at something who succeed because they are ruthlessly driven and will stop at nothing. I don't mean LA is like that, what I mean is that being really driven is what makes the difference. Let's remember that Ullrich has had victories that LA hasn't- he's won two olympic medals, the tour of spain (which LA never does), time trial champ twice. But he does lack that ruthless discipline- not everyone is willing to give it all up.