Latest news with #JanUllrich
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
From The Peloton To The Boardroom: What Pro Cycling Taught Me About Tech Leadership
Founder and CEO at andagon Holding GmbH & aqua cloud with over 25 years in IT strategy, digital transformation and AI-powered solutions. In the late 1990s, I was racing across the world in the colors of the German National Cycling Team, shoulder to shoulder with the world's best athletes. Among them was Jan Ullrich—Olympic gold medalist, Tour de France champion and a generational talent who dominated our sport. Competing in his shadow taught me something profound: Sometimes, no matter how hard you train, how disciplined you are or how much you want it, you can still come in second. That lesson has shaped my journey more than any podium ever could. Because leadership isn't about where you place—it's about how you respond. The values I learned through sports—discipline, mental toughness and humility—have become the foundation of how I lead and build companies. For fellow entrepreneurs, especially those navigating setbacks or uncertainty, I hope my story serves as a blueprint for channeling competitive spirit into sustained, values-driven business growth. The parallels between elite sport and entrepreneurship are well-documented. A McKinsey article titled The CEO as Elite Athlete outlines how top-performing executives mirror athletes in their routines, stress management and mental resilience. But for me, these aren't just similarities—they're the bedrock. In cycling, every second counts. You learn to conserve energy strategically, endure pain with grace and lead when it matters most. These principles directly inform my leadership style. Here's how you can apply this mindset to your business: • Train your discipline daily. Start each morning with a consistent routine that includes reflection or exercise. It builds mental stamina. • Control your effort allocation. Just like in a race, know when to sprint and when to conserve. Prioritize your team's energy toward projects with long-term ROI. • Build a resilience muscle. Regularly step into discomfort—whether it's a difficult client call or a bold product decision. Mental toughness grows with repetition. Racing against Jan Ullrich during his meteoric rise was both a blessing and a humbling truth. I realized I might not become the world's top cyclist, but that didn't mean I couldn't lead in a different arena. That realization was the spark that led me to tech. I wasn't built to follow someone else's playbook—I was meant to design my own. If you're navigating your own 'second place' moment, ask yourself: Am I truly fulfilled by this path, or am I staying because it's familiar? Where could my unique talents shine brighter—even if it means starting from scratch? These questions helped me see that pivoting wasn't failure—it was strategy. Over the past 25 years, I've founded and grown several companies under the andagon umbrella, including aqua cloud, an AI-powered quality assurance platform. Our clients include Google, IBM and German government agencies—organizations that don't compromise on quality. Our edge isn't just technological—it's cultural. To build a high-trust, high-performance team: • Invest in tenure. Retention starts with values. Many on my leadership team have been with me for over 20 years because we lead with loyalty and openness. • Choose principles over perks. People don't stay because of free snacks. They stay when they feel respected, heard and trusted to grow. • Treat clients like partners. Whether it's a small startup or a global giant, make your clients' success your shared mission. By designing a culture that mirrors the trust and teamwork of a pro cycling team, you build something truly sustainable. In an age where speed often trumps strategy, I've stayed rooted in something timeless: disciplined craftsmanship. We don't chase the next trend—we build enduring infrastructure. When making big decisions, I ask: • Will this move stand the test of time? • Does this align with our core promise of quality and reliability? • Would we still be proud of this five years from now? Use these filters to avoid reactive decision making and ground your business in substance, not just velocity. Behind everything I've built is my family. My wife and business partner, Yana, and I have led companies and raised children side by side for over 20 years. This integration of life and work has given us stability and shared purpose. Leadership is not a solo act—it's a relay. Whether you're leading a family or a business, surround yourself with people who share your values and will carry the baton forward. To apply this in your own journey: • Build your inner circle intentionally. Prioritize people who challenge and support you equally. • Define success beyond titles. For me, success is continuity, not headlines. • Set non-negotiables. Whether it's family dinner or daily focus time, protect the anchors in your life. If there's one thing my journey has taught me, it's this: The finish line is not where the story ends—it's where the next phase begins. Whether you're leading a startup or sprinting for gold, your greatest asset isn't your talent—it's your principles. Hold them close, train them daily and lead with them always. Want to identify your own guiding principles? Try this 15-minute exercise: 1. Write down your top five most meaningful professional decisions. 2. Ask yourself: What values were guiding me in each of those moments? 3. Circle the values that appear repeatedly—these are your core. Use these values as your compass in moments of uncertainty. Because in both sport and business, it's not just about how fast you go—it's about where you're headed. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Tour de France winner issues health update after being hit by car while training
Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich was taken to hospital for his injuries after being hit by a car while cycling on Friday and had to cancel television appearances for the Giro d'Italia Former Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich has revealed he will be well enough to appear at his cycling festival at the weekend after being hospitalised. The 51-year-old shared a picture of himself in a hospital bed offering a thumbs up after being hit by a car while training. The 1997 winner appears to be in good spirits on the road to recovery despite being forced to miss the beginning of the Giro d'Italia. Ullrich was expected to participate in Eurosport's Velo Club programme for start of the grand tour, but had to cancel his appearance due to the accident. The German rider suffered a broken collarbone, bruises and abrasions after being hit by a car on Friday. Ullrich, who earned an Olympic gold medal in 2000, at the weekend confirmed the incident took place. The self-admitted doper took to social media to allay fears over his condition."Dear cycling fans, yes it's true, I was hit by a car yesterday while training", Ullrich said on his Instagram story. The cyclist offered thanks to his supporters for "your many wonderful messages and wishes for recovery". "Such wishes were said to have 'really made him very happy'. "See you next weekend at the latest!" added Ullrich with positivity ahead of an event named after himself. Lance Armstrong's rival confirmed he would be making the trip to the Jan Ullrich Cycling Festival in Bad Dürrheim in the Black Forest on May 17 and 18. Ullrich also announced that he will discuss his accident on his podcast Ulle & Rick. Ullrich's career was marred when he was implicated in the blood doping ring run by infamous Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and sanctioned for cheating. It was 2013 before Ullrich admitted any wrongdoing. After moving to Mallorca with his family two years later, Ullrich ultimately spiralled into addiction issues "The mix of whiskey and cocaine made my heart colder," he said in 2023. "It brings up all the evil qualities in you. It turns you into a monster in a very short time. If you no longer have a heart, you are no longer human." Ullrich was drinking up to two bottles of whiskey a day and taking cocaine. Armstrong offered some support to his former rival who got back on his bike to help aid his recovery.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Bradley Wiggins: ‘Lance Armstrong helped me overcome cocaine addiction'
Bradley Wiggins revealed that his son feared he may find him dead after the British cycling legend turned into a 'functioning cocaine addict' following his retirement. Wiggins, who won the 2012 Tour de France alongside five Olympic gold medals, retired in 2016 but fell into debt and addiction, eventually being declared bankrupt last year despite building an estimated fortune of £13m. And the 45-year-old, whose autobiography, The Chain, will be published later this year, opened up on his family's fears that he could lose his life to his addiction, adding that he is 'lucky to be here'. 'There were times my son thought I was going to be found dead in the morning,' Wiggins told the Observer. 'I was a functioning addict. People wouldn't realise. I was high most of the time for many years. 'I was doing s***loads of cocaine. I had a really bad problem. My kids were going to put me in rehab. I was walking a tightrope,' he added. Wiggins also revealed that he was helped by fellow former cyclist Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his own Tour de France titles after a doping scandal that he confessed to. The American has also helped former rival Jan Ullrich with his own addiction and mental health problems. '[Lance] worried about me for a long time,' Wiggins said. 'They'd try and get hold of me, but couldn't find where I was. They wouldn't hear from me for days on end. 'I can talk about these things candidly now. There was an element of me living a lie, in not talking about it,' added the Briton, explaining that 'my proclivity to addiction was easing the pain that I lived with.' Wiggins explained that he was able to quit his addiction without the need for external help around a year ago. His son Ben, 20, currently rides for UCI team Hagens Berman Jayco and became a junior world champion in the Madison event in 2023.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Tour de France winner Ullrich hopes his sons become pros, too
Former Tuor de France champion Jan Ullrich has expressed hope that his sons will follow in his footsteps, embark on a professional cycling career and compete at the famous French race. "Fingers crossed. They are also riding. They haven't reached the age yet to be professionals but they are emerging. A few more years then they will strike," Ullrich said at a fitness fair in Cologne. Ullrich has three sons with his ex-wife, born in 2007, 2011 and 2012. The younger two, Toni and Benno, are registered cyclists at the regional association in the stae of Baden-Württemberg. Looking at the current generation of German cyclists, Ullrich spoke highly of Florian Lipowitz who came second at the recent Paris-Nice stage race. Ullrich said he hopes that Lipowitz will also ride a strong Tour de France in July. "He can do mountains, he can do time trials, he can position himself at the front," Ullrich said. "Those are very good results, I see him high up in the overall classification together with Georg Steinhauser." Now 51, Ullrich is the only German to win the Tour de France, in 1997. He is also an Olympic road race champion, won two time trial world titles and the Vuelta a Espana. His career ended in 2006 in connection with doping allegations. He officially admitted to substance abuse during his career many years later. Ullrich is currently preparing for a reunion with long-time American rival Lance Armstrong at a cycling event he organizes in Germany. Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour titles retroactively after confessing to doping, helped Ullrich when the German was suffering from alcohol and drugs problems, and they have become close friends.
