Jan Ullrich (born December 2, 1973, in Rostock, East Germany) is a German former professional roa bicycle racer. In 1997, he was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to achieve five second place finishes, along with a fourth place (2004) and a third place finish (2005). In 2006, Ullrich was barred from competing in the Tour de France amid speculation of having doped. In late February 2007, he announced his retirement at a press conference. Many consider Ullrich one of the most talented riders of all time, possessing great power with a soft, athletic style. Despite, or perhaps because of this talent, critics consider Ullrich to be "lazy" as he was notorious for allowing himself to get out of shape during the off season.