A far cry from his past triumphs, Jan Ullrich narrowly avoided death in late 2022. Initially admitted to a Mexican hospital in December, then transferred to a Swiss medical facility, the 1997 Tour de France victor declared he “cheated death.” He discussed his recent health struggles in a Friday interview with German publication Bild.
During a flight from Cuba to Germany, Ullrich experienced a medical emergency, leading to his hospitalization in Mexico. German media outlets subsequently reported a relapse linked to alcohol dependency. “It’s accurate that I was hospitalized,” he confirmed. “I suffered severe thrombosis and sepsis. However, my addiction is a thing of the past,” the 48-year-old former cyclist asserted. “A drug test, administered at the start of my treatment, yielded a negative result.”
Substance Abuse
This wasn’t Ullrich’s first brush with mortality. In a podcast conversation last September with ex-rival Lance Armstrong, he revealed a near-fatal incident in 2018 stemming from alcohol and drug misuse. “I followed a similar path to Marco Pantani; I almost perished,” the German stated, referencing the Italian cyclist who died in 2004.
“Lance Armstrong was among the first to visit me in the hospital. His support meant a great deal; I’m immensely grateful,” Ullrich stated, mentioning the Texan’s multiple hospital visits during his stay in Mexico. “I’ve sustained significant damage to three or four intervertebral discs,” the former champion explained, detailing his ailments. “My height has shrunk from 1.83m to 1.81m.”
