During the 1990s he was one of the most successful cyclists in the world, winning the 1996 and 1997 Vuelta a España, taking second place in the 1995 and the 1999 Tour de France.

[1] Zülle then approached Manolo Saiz, but was rebuffed because, among reasons, he did not contract riders who wore earrings.

Zülle spoke only Swiss-German when he joined but at the end of the Vuelta a España he answered journalists in Spanish.

The team was banned from the 1998 Tour de France amid doping allegations which later became known as the Festina affair.

Following financial problems for his employer, Team Coast, Zülle transferred to Phonak on 27 March 2003 in a rare mid-season switch.