Olaf Pollack

German track and road cyclist Olaf Pollack was a member of the 4,000 metres pursuit team that won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, setting a new world record (3:59.710). He also finished sixth in the Madison, partnering Guido Fulst. Four years later at Athens, Pollack was fifth in the Madison with Roger Kluge. In this event, he won the bronze medal at the 1999 World Championships and a silver medal in 2008. With the pursuit team, Pollack won the gold medal in 1994 and 1999. In 1998 he won the European Championships in the omnium event.

Pollack started his sports career as an artistic gymnast from 1976-83 before turning to track and road cycling. He later participated in one Tour de France and four Giro d’Italia as a road cyclist. As a track cyclist Pollack also participated in several six-day-races. He was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award for his cycling successes.

In August 2009, an eye problem ended Pollack’s cycling career, but a month later it became known that he had failed a doping test. In 2009 he was suspended by the German Cycling Federation and immediately retired. Therefore, Pollack’s only two German national titles in 2009 were annulled. By profession, Pollack became sports director with Team Stuttgart and of the Cottbus Nights track event.