Just when cycling is still reeling from the effects of Lance Armstrong's admission of using performance-enhancing drugs, another former Tour de France champion has come clean. This time, it is 1997 winner Jan Ullrich who received treatments for blood-doping from Spanish physician Eufemiano Fuentes.

In a recent interview with a German magazine, Ullrich finally admitted the allegations of doping that kept him banned in joining the Tour de France and brought charges against him by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, he was not sure whether he received more than blood doping from Fuentes because he only relies on his doctor's diagnosis.

In the CAS ruling that was handed down on February 2012, Fuentes' blood doping schemes have been exposed in a string of transactions dubbed as Operation Puerto. From here, it was found out that Ullrich and the Spanish physician have been at it for a long time. Because of this decision, his third place finish during the 2005 Tour de France was stripped.

Since Ullrich hanged up his bike and cleats in 2007, he neither contested the ruling nor admitted that he was part of the scandal. But now that the admission is done, International Olympic Committee Vice-President Thomas Bach said that Ullrich's recent actions came years too late. Aside from the chance of admitting years ago, his revelation jeopardizes the sport that has been rocked by scandals like this.

From this, Bach wouldn't refute that people might look at all professional cyclists as illegal substance users. Meanwhile, German Cycling Federation President Rudolf Scharping agrees with Bach and that this could harm the sport's popularity in the country. However, Ullrich added that during his time, almost all competitors took the same substances which make all of them still on equal ground.

Also, Ullrich was fully aware that he was doing something wrong and contradicts Armstrong's earlier statement that doping is a way of life in the sport. After the admission, Ullrich only wants to go on with life. However, he would still have to answer inquiries from the national anti-doping agency of his country. The agency would like to coordinate with the champion cyclist to gain more details to improve their work.

During Armstrong's stretch of even Tour de France victories, Ullrich was the runner-up in three of them. Aside from that, he is also a gold and silver medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Jan Ullrich is also the champion of the 1999 Vuelta a Espana, the 1997 HEW Cyclassics and the World Time Trial Championships in 1999 and 2001.

Because of his blood doping means, he was stripped of the 2006 Tour de Suisse title. Also taken away is a runner-up finish at the 2005 Deutschland Tour and third place finishes in both the Tour de France and Tour de Suisse of the same year. In 2006, he established the Jan Ullrich Collection bicycles in partnership with Ghost Bikes.