Born: Rostock, Germany, December 2nd 1973

Height: 1.83 metres

In-form weight: 73 kilograms

Maximum Lung capacity: 6.8 litres.

Background: "Discovered" by long-term coach Peter Becker at 12 years of age, he joined the East German Dynamo cycling school. Became world amateur champion at 19 years of age, turned professional with Telecom two years later in 1995.

Major successes: Tour de France 1997, Tour of Spain 1999, World championship TT 1999, Olympic road race 2000.

Other highlights: Runner-up Tour de France, 1996, 1998, 2000; Runner-up Olympic time trial 2000; German road race champion 1997, 2001.