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Jan Ullrich

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What to expect

Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was is the first biography of Jan Ullrich, arguably the most naturally talented cyclist of his generation, and also one of the most controversial champions of the Tour de France.

In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world by obliterating his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves throughout the world of cycling and invited headlines such as L’Équipe’s ‘The New Giant’. He went on to become Germany’s first ever Tour winner, storming to victory in that edition by almost ten minutes, a result that was greeted as an era-defining changing of the guard. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling. He was soon also voted Germany’s most popular sportsperson of all time, and his rivalry with Lance Armstrong defined the most controversial years of the Tour de France.

Now, Daniel Friebe – who has covered twenty-one editions of the Tour de France – has gone in search of the man who was said in 1997 would go on to dominate his sport for a generation, but never quite managed it.

Just what did happen to the best who never was?

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.

Daniel Friebe takes us from the legacy of East Germany’s drugs programme to the pinnacle of pro cycling and asks: what price can you give sporting immortality?

Critics Review

Magnificent
Matt Dickinson, The Times
A superlative biography as well as social and sporting history
Observer
One of the best books about cycling
The Irish Times
One of the best cycling books there ever was. So well written and such deep research
Edward Pickering, editor of Rouleur and author of The Ronde: inside the World's Toughest Bike Race
'Masterpiece' is arguably an over-used word, but if ever a book was deserving of such a description, this is probably it - The Washing Machine Post
A well-researched biography . . . painting a consistent picture of this all-too-human character from Rostock
Cycling Plus
Richly researched and sympathetically written . . . extensive, thoughtful
TLS
This biography peels back the layers of not just a legendary cyclist, but an interesting character
Cycling Weekly
A fascinating illustration of a richly gifted but deeply flawed character
MSN Ireland
Terrific . . . comprehensive
Best of 2022, Cycling Plus

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