Ullrich and teammates training in South Africa

The winter in Europe is not showing any signs of ending, so the pro cyclists are being forced to flee the continent in search of friendly weather. T-Mobile's Jan Ullrich had planned to make his usual long training stay in Tuscany, Italy, but has chosen instead to fly to Cape Town, South Africa.

"Currently, winter has Italy in its grip. The snowfall and the freezing cold make it impossible to train efficiently. The risk of catching a cold is much too high," said Ullrich, who hopes "to do a more focused and intense training under the South African sun."

Ullrich is being joined by teammates Giuseppe Guerini, Mathias Kessler, and Andreas Klöden, as well as Directeur Sportif Rudy Pevenage and physiotherapist Birgit Krohme.

It has still not yet been decided when and where Ullrich will make his season racing debut. "For the time being, I will continue to work and stay focused on building up my form," he said.