German Cycling – Erik Zabel Goes, Jan Ullrich Comes?

It is official now! After speculations about Zabel‘s possible career end the 38-year-old German professional cyclist announced officially his retirement. Zabel started as an amateur in 1987 when the only 17-year-old boy instantly celebrated his first triumph at the junior World Cup. With his team he came fourth at the men’s team pursuit competition. Back then he started for the German Democratic Republic. Two years later he was admitted as a member of the national team and was one of the best cyclists.

After the turnaround he switched to one of the first clubs which managed an amateur team semi professional, the RC Olympia Dortmund. Under the direction of Hennes Juckermann Zabel started for the first time at road races and finished the German National Cycling Championship 1991 at place two. With this victory the doors to the all-German national team were opened.

He achieved his last big victory as an amateur at the Olympic Summer Games 1992 in Barcelona when he finished a 194 kilometers long road race in fourth position. At the same race the septuplicate Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong just reached place fourteen. As a result the back then famous German professional team Telekom took notice of the 23-year-old newcomer and signed him on.

Since begin of his 16-year career Zabel could celebrate several victories. The German Cycling Federation keeps a national position table since 2000 which Zabel leads ever since. With a total of over 200 victories, of these six green jerseys of the Tour de France, Zabel is considered the most successful active professional cyclist of the world.

On October 3rd 2008, the 19th Day of German Unity, Zabel will attend his last race in Germany. It will be the one-day race from the Münsterland Giro which takes place since 2006. On an international basis Zabel will say good bye around one week later at the Paris Tour which he won in 1994, 2003 and 2005.

At the end of his great career Zabel gives his thanks to his team and fans who supplied him with backing and support even in difficult times. “I had a lot of fun this year and I was able to drive with the international competition at eye level. I don’t know if that would be possible another season so I think it is a perfect moment to retire.” Team-Manager Gerry van Gerwen said: „With Erik Zabel not only the Team Milram loses a significant athlete but the entire cycle sector. We want to say thank you for the great teamwork in the past three years.“

While we have to say good bye to one of our professional cyclist we can hope for the return of another one. After the US-American cyclist Lance Armstrong announced his return for the coming season, Jan Ullrich is thinking about doing the same. In an interview with the German online magazine stern.de Ullrich said: “The past two years were pretty hard for me and my family but this is now the past. I am very happy and satisfied with my current life. A comeback is not part of it yet. But nobody can look in the future so: Never say never. We will see what the future brings.”

Will we be able to see another duel of the old rivals at the Tour de France 2009? We are waiting anxiously!