the next two years saw the international breakthrough of the team. godefroot brought in danish rider bjarne riis, the third place finisher of the 1995 tour and he went on to win the 1996 tour de france, with the then 22-year old german support rider jan ullrich finishing in second place. in addition, zabel won the first of six green jerseys for winning the points competition. bolts won the clásica de san sebastián and wesemann won his second and the first of four wins with the telekom team of the famous stage race the peace race.