A German bicycle racer, currently the only real serious threat to Lance Armstrong in his attempt to win the Tour de France.
He is part of the Deutsche Telekom team, and the unquestioned leader when it comes to the Tour.
He's won the Tour in 1997, the Tour of Spain in 1999, and the Olympic Road Race in 2000. He is also the current (2001) German Road Champion.
His racing style is similar to that of Lance Armstrong. He is a strong time trialist that is able to take care of himself on the hills. In the past, his descending abilities were not quite up to standard.
He's been frequently attacked by bicycle racing observers for not being in shape at the beginning of the season. But his results, including second place in the Tour in 1998 and 2000, demonstrate that he has consistently been a top performer in stage races.