Devil

Yeah, because if he beats him this year it won't REALLY matter. Nobody is actually racing this year, it's more like a three week bike tour vacation. Good call.

roadwarrior

puhhhleassseee....you know exactly what I mean.

The record's been set. It's up to somebody else to start anew.

Case closed.

He had his chance....on Alpe D'Huez, and then stayed in bed on a rainy time trial with the whole enchalada on the line.

Get over it.

BTW...pretty big stretch from Ullrich to "nobody's racing this year." That made me laugh...thanks.

Devil

There's no denying that Ullrich has had his chances to win in the past and he failed. But he's also succeeded. And if he wins this year it DOES really matter.

cedo

About the photo of Ullrich.
Yes, Ullrich is notorious for putting on a few pounds.
But I also read that he has an extraordinarily powerful diaphragm that allows him to pull air into his lungs like a vacuum. That photo, which we have seen many times, caught him at the moment when his muscle was maximally extended. The pic makes him look fatter than he actually is.
At least, that's what someone else posted last year.

Devil

You're right about that, although you can tell he is overweight in that picture without looking at his stomach. His face is very chubby.

lotek 

Jan is a dissapointment to me. We hear repeatedly how
he has the most raw power, has the most raw talent
ad nauseum, he never does anything with it.
Jan's decisions, and Rudy Pevanage's misdirection
have prevented jan from beating lance.
He will not only have lance to watch but Vino as
stated before, Vino has as much as said he is
going for the win. With a split team I can't
see either coming out on top.

Marty

timmhaan

[totally useless gossip]

he just broke up with his girlfriend of 11 years...

[/totally useless gossip]

roadgator

^^^ well if thats not motivation, i dont know what is.

Devil

I don't know about you guys, but at the end of July I'm hoping we'll all be seeing this:

The_Convert

i don't, wouldn't he get DQ'ed if he rode a bike with no TT?
lol

Guest

I thought dood was married?

/gossip

Koffee

jkoman

Yep...Ullrich never does anything...what a crappy palmares.

There are many reasons why the Europeans appreciate cycling so much more than us...ONE of those reasons is that they have more respect and appreciation of the efforts all the pro cyclists give and how truly difficult it is to even get a contract to ride in the peloton. Lance is a more driven and better TDF rider than Ullrich...no question, but Ullrich is a phenominal athlete with a great career and many great wins. He is one of my favorite riders...makes me remember the way that the french loved Poulidor even though he got beat by Anquetil and Merckx.

I choose to believe that IF Ullrich were to win this year it would be as a result of great perserverance and talent. Despite this being the end of LA's career, a win by anyone at any time in the TDF is a monmumental triumph....GO ULLI!!!

2Rodies

The sad thing about this years tour is the fact that Basso will be too burned out to be a factor. Riis' disicion to do the the Giro/Tour double is going to leave Basso to depleated to really matter in July. Looking at his TT form at the Giro it looks like he's covered his only weakness and is a true tour contender.

The problem for Jan is going to be his team. Discovery is the only team in the Tour that is focused on one thing and that is to get their team leader to the top of the podium in Paris. All the other teams, included T-Mobil, are there to win stages in hopes of winning the GC not the other way round. For better or worse (all of this depends on your perspective) Postal/Discouvery have gone to the Tour and gambled that their man will win the GC battle. So far it has worked flawlessly, perhaps it's because they are a US based team and the tour is the only race that matters here.

Joyka

He always looks too bulky to me.

wabbit

But jan was in great shape at the tour de suisse, and then got sick just in time for the tour. That's just bum luck. No matter what, if you have a cold or something it screws you up. Lance just never seems to get sick at the tour, except when he was REALLY sick.

I think it's true, if jan wins everyone will think it was something flukey. But say lance isn't 100%. Even lance at 80 percent is still an obstacle to victory,so it's not like Jan will be just gifted a win. Just because he hasn't won the tour over lance doesn't mean he's some loser, let's not forget all the other things he's done in his career.

gcasillo

I don't like the T-Mobile team. They are flush with talent, but they don't seem to mesh. Can you have three GC contenders on one team working together and be successful?

Love it or hate it, Lance has defined how you race the Tour by making sure all his team members ride solely for him. Unless you see Vino burying himself to pace Jan up the Cols, it just isn't going to happen.

Devil

Three? I really don't think Klöden will be in contention this year, if he even rides at all. He is having SERIOUS problems with his form. Right now, he's worse than Beloki. I hope he isn't ill.

Serpico

are you talking protour? Cunego won't be a factor in tdf until he learns how to tt.

Landis and Mayo? I don't think so.

Klodi, Basso, Vino and Jan are Lance's competition, and maybe some standout we haven't mentioned.

I'm pulling for Jan. As an American I support Lance, but if he wins I want it to be a fight. Last year was a cakewalk, very boring.

thanks for the link, great to hear RE: Jan

Gustaf

Coming to a tour near you:

Serpico

godefroot sucks btw, seriously.

disloyal biatch who talks **** about his own rider in the press. Sorry, this guy really steams me.

read below to see how bad Godefroot sucks

Godefroot talks trash about a cyclist on his team

gRRRRRR, I can't stand this guy! Definitely valid criticisms (if they're true), but you don't bring your dirty laundry out in the press like that!

oneradtec

Hey guys...how about Botero? The man can time trial like an animal. He has been off form in recent years...but didn't he look great in the Tour de Romandierecently?

I don't count out Levi Leipheimer for a top 5. He's not spectacular at any one facet of the racing....but he climbs well enough not to get dropped and usually finishes near the leaders...and he usually does a better than average time trial. Day in and day out this kind of consistency will get you a top 10. If he comes in really really good then Levi could get a top 5 with some luck.

Floyd Landis could be the dark horse here.

I hope Beloki gets his form back in time for July. I honestly believe that he would have won the year he broke his leg.

I hope my man Mercado wins the king of the mountains. That guy has alot of potential. Already has stage wins in the Tour, Dauphine, and Vuelta at a very young age. He could be another Heras...and maybe win the Vuelta one day.

Moochers_Dad

thanks, i thought it would be amusing.

for the record, the first photo I posted was not altered. And I realize he's taking in air; but I've seen other photos of him breathing in when he's in top form and he's heavier in that photo. It was obvious he wasn't going to be able to loose the last amount needed to be a threat in the mountains.

Honestly, he looked so great on the last day of the tour that I thought he was going to do well in the Olympics.

Considering Lance regards Jan as such a strong rider; nothing would be greater than to see Jan beat him after five tries. It really would be a great fight, and story that we'd all remember... for as long as we can remember things.

Devil

Botero can definitely make some waves in the Tour if he keeps his form up. He is a very good time trialist and former KoM winner at the Tour. Another guy to watch out for is Vladimir Karpets, I think he can get top ten this year.

Moochers Dad - I'm picking nits here, but Jan has only lost to Lance in the Tour four times, not five. 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004

Moochers_Dad

I was going to ask someone to correct me if I got it wrong; but then I assumed someone would anyway. You nit-picking m.f.

I read a great article about Ullrich and how he's basically pushed around by sponsors and team management. I think it was in Cycle Sport last year, post tour.

Cycliste

It's funny you make this comparison, I have always been fascinated by "Poupou's" popularity, that remains intact to this day (in France I must say ) despite the fact he never wan a tour nor wore the yellow jersey once. Poulidor was very strong at climbing and indurance, but not much of a strategist, reported even as selfish and a maverick by his peloton's fellows, while Anquetil and Merckx successfully combined "head and legs".

Harsh comparison for Ulrich I find, but IMO he has somehow also been doomed for having to face exceptional champions. Makes you think that appreciation should be more spread throughout the peloton, and... what about the "red lantern" ?