Jan Ullrich retires

Former Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich retired from cycling on Monday amid continuing investigations of his alleged role in a Spanish doping scandal.

The 33-year-old German, who won the Tour in 1997 and was runner-up five times to Lance Armstrong, said he will stay in the sport as a consultant for the Austrian-based Volksbank team. 8220;I am ending my active career,8221; Ullrich said.

He criticised the way he had been treated by cycling officials in Germany and Switzerland and by the German media. 8220;I feel like a serious criminal although I have nothing to reproach myself for,8221; he said.