Olaf Ludwig's Last Race

Olaf Ludwig wins his farewell race

36-year old Olaf Ludwig, leader of the Team Telekom, won his last race. At his farewell gala in Gera (East Germany), Ludwig won in a sprint finish ahead of Dschamolidin Abdushaparov (Russia) and his team mate Erik Zabel, watched by a jubilating crowd of 21000 fans. The race took part exactly on the same course where Ludwig rode his first race 23 years ago in the age of 13.

Before the wall came down in 1989, Ludwig had been one of the best cyclists in the eastern bloc: He won the peace tour (in those times also called the "84th Tour de France of the east") twice - with 33 stage wins. One of his major opponents in these times had been Dschamolidin Abduschaparov. In the dress of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), Ludwig was silver medalist in the Olympic Games road race 1980 and gold medal winner in 1988.

In the 90's, as a pro, he was as successful as before. Olaf Ludwig won 57 pro races, including some world cup races; he was stage winner in the Tour de France, won the green jersey in the Tour 1994 and the world cup in 1992.

In the next weeks, he'll just ride some six day races; for the future, Olaf Ludwig is planning to work as a manager or a consultant.

Dedication from Kai Uwe Bohn

GERA, Germany, Olaf Ludwig's farewell race

Circuit race, 60 km:

 1. Olaf Ludwig (Ger)                  1.17.59
 2. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb)
 3. Erik Zabel (Ger)
 4. Bruno Risi (Sch)
 5. Andreas Wartenberg (Ger)
 6. Mario Kummer (Ger)
 7. Jan Schaffrath (Ger)
 8. Maik Landsmann (Ger)              all s.t.
 9. Sergej Ouslamine (Rus)              + 0.04
10. Michael Muller (Ger)                + 1.02