Ullrich riding for charity in South Africa

By Susan Westemeyer

Jan Ullrich was back on the bike on Sunday, March 11, riding a charity race in South Africa. He rode the Cape Argus Pick'n'Pay Cycle Tour with 40,000 other cyclists, a total of 110 kilometres in three hours and 33 minutes, and apparently enjoyed every minute of it. "It was a wonderful race, wonderful conditions," he told the Cape Times newspaper.

Ullrich was participating in a new program called Race4Change, which celebrities ride to raise money for various South African charities.

Ullrich will be raising money for the Imibala Charity, which supports disadvantaged children in grade school, and the Starfish Foundation, which helps children orphaned by AIDS. The public was encouraged to pledge money for his ride.

"I don't know how much money I've raised for the funds, but I hope that it's a lot," he said. "It's something that I hold close to my heart, particularly raising money for children."