When Motorola ended its sponsorship at the end of the 1996 season he joined the French Cofidis team with a few fellow Motorola teammates, including Lance Armstrong.
Da Motorola sluttede deres sponsorat for holdet i slutningen af 1996-sæsonen skiftede Julich til det franske hold Cofidis med et par andre Motorola-holdkammerater, deriblandt Lance Armstrong.