28 Facts About Erik Zabel

Erik Zabel is a German former professional road bicycle racer who raced most of his career with Telekom.

Erik Zabel was one of the few road cyclists of recent times who raced all year, including track cycling in winter.

Erik Zabel grew up in East Berlin, in the borough Marzahn.

Erik Zabel was second at the first national road championship of re-unified Germany in 1991, first at the regional championship of North Rhine-Westphalia and was included in the amateur German team for the World Championship in August.

Erik Zabel was fined 3000 Swiss francs and lost 50 points.

Erik Zabel took over the green jersey in the 10th stage and wore it until the end of the Tour.

Erik Zabel was the only sprinter in a group of forty to make it to the finish and easily won the sprint.

Erik Zabel won his third green jersey in the Tour de France, however this time without a stage victory.

Erik Zabel won the important German semi-classic Rund um den Henninger Turm in Frankfurt and won his fourth consecutive green jersey, equalling Sean Kelly's record, again without winning a stage.

Erik Zabel won the points classification in the Tour de France a sixth consecutive time, winning three stages furthermore.

One memorable victory in securing the green jersey was in the 2001 Tour de France, when his competition with Australian Stuart O'Grady lasted from the first week until the final stage in Paris, where Erik Zabel's better placing took the green jersey off O'Grady's shoulders.

Erik Zabel won one stage victory, his twelfth in total, but was ultimately beaten by Australian Robbie McEwen in the final points classification.

Erik Zabel won the points classification in the Vuelta a Espana instead, without winning a stage.

Erik Zabel won two stages in the Vuelta and again won the points classification of the race.

Erik Zabel ended the year as number two on the world ranking behind Paolo Bettini.

Erik Zabel looked secure to win the sprint, but lifted his arms to celebrate too early and was ultimately foiled by Oscar Freire.

Erik Zabel was third in the points classification of the Tour de France and first in the Vuelta points classification, but despite numerous second and third places, he didn't win a stage.

In 2005 Erik Zabel became the first to win Rund um den Henninger-Turm in Frankfurt a third time, in his first win on the season.

Erik Zabel rode the Vuelta, but was unable to win a stage or the points classification despite multiple second places behind Alessandro Petacchi, and played no role in the World Championship in Madrid.

At 35, Erik Zabel left his team Telekom after 13 years, and signed on for the Italian-German team Milram in 2006, where he teamed up with Alessandro Petacchi.

Erik Zabel was again captain in the team selection for the Tour de France, after Alessandro Petacchi had been suspended for a positive salbutamol test.

Erik Zabel wore the green jersey one day, was twice second and once third in a stage, but was third once more in the final points classification.

In September 2008 Erik Zabel stated he would retire the following month after 16 years as a professional cyclist with 209 professional road victories and many more podium finishes.

Erik Zabel told at a press conference he experimented with it for a week and stopped due to side effects.

Erik Zabel apologized for lying about using EPO in the past.

Erik Zabel's confession was triggered by accusations by former Team Telekom masseur Jef d'Hont and the confessions of Bert Dietz, Udo Bolts and Christian Henn, all former members of Team Telekom.

Erik Zabel's name was on the list of doping tests published by the French Senate on 24 July 2013 that were collected during the 1998 Tour de France and found positive for EPO when retested in 2004.

Erik Zabel told the German publication that he actually used the substance between 1996 and 2003, as well as other banned products and methods.