Jan Ullrich after a serious accident: “The driver overlooked me”

A training trip for the former Tour-de France star Jan Ullrich (51) ended in the hospital on Friday. The ex-bike professional crashed in his hometown of Merdingen in Baden-Württemberg after a driver had taken the right of way. Now the 51-year-old came out of the hospital and.

“I wanted to turn a little ründchen, let my legs fall a bit,” reports Ullrich about the fateful day. “Shortly before my home I come on the main street – a driver comes, wants to turn, want to turn, overlooked me and is fully head -on into the left side.”

The former bike star estimates that at the time of the crash he was at a speed of about 25 to 30 km/h. “You try to make yourself stiff and tense somehow – and then I was already there,” recalls Ullrich. People from the surrounding houses immediately rush to provide help. The driver just didn’t see him and was also in shock, Ullrich continued.

Particularly dramatic: his girlfriend Elizabeth (41), of all things, came across the scene of the accident just a few minutes after the accident. At his sight, she “fully freaked out,” reports the ex-bike professional. The two got to know each other in Mallorca in 2018.

The diagnosis is serious: broken collarbone, which was operated on on Monday, several broken ribs and a sunken lung wing. In particular, the condition of his lungs initially worried the doctors. “They had a bit of panic there. But now everything is okay again,” Ullrich said on Wednesday from the hospital in Freiburg.

Nevertheless, the 51-year-old has to deal with severe pain. In the podcast, Ullrich also speaks openly about a sensitive topic: his past with drug use, which led to a low point in 2018. When asked by ex-bike racing driver Rick Zabel (31), whether he had to be careful because of his addiction history in pain relievers and medication, Ullrich replies: “This was addressed. This was taken into account.” The dosage is controlled accordingly.

Despite his serious accident, the “Jan Ullrich Cycling Festival” planned for the coming weekend (May 17/18) will take place in Bad Dürrheim/Baden-Württemberg. His former US rival Lance Armstrong (53) will also take part. He will be able to participate and be on site – but not on the bike, Ullrich now announces.