roadwarrior

read it here

Not only is he not going to CSC, but Coast can't even pay their current riders. Wherever that rumor about his signing with them came from was smokin' sumthun...cause the Coast rumors have been around for a while. They have riders who were not paid for last season...

Ole Jan would still be at the Big T if he could control himself...

orguasch

problem with Jan , he seems to be lost, and he can't control himself, he should go for another sport,

roadbuzz

Maybe he could form a new team with Marco Pantani?

I don't get it. After the last year, I think Jan needs to prove something before he will be able to command the really big bucks.

Jan Ullrich

Why would they? When they can spend all that money on me and win the tour! Why would they bother with all the other lamers?

dragracer

One question.......how much is a "euro" in dollars? Just wondering how much 18,000 euros is. Doesn't sound like a lot if euro is close to the same as a dollar.

ChiefCatchacold

I think it is close to the dollar, but look again, it's 180,000.

There is another update about Coast and Frank Hoj. link

dragracer

Oh silly me.....you're right!! I guess even for a gazillionaire that would be a pretty good chunk of change!!

roadwarrior

Sounds like a lot of hocus-pocus to me. Invoice your employer to get paid?

Bottom line is that if they don't have the dough, they are through AND UCI will pay the riders out of the bond Coast had to put up to race.

I am suprised that UCI has not told them to take a hike. But I guess even these guys are entitled to due process.

Really nice, screwing over your riders..

jmlee

One Euro will buy you, as of this very moment almost $1.05 (1:1.0483 to be exact). If you are planning a European vacation, I'd get to the bank and buy some Euros. The dollar has been falling, thanks to the tanking economy and the fear of war in Irak. (Who, me, casting blame? Nooooooo.)

Although it certainly looks like Coast has been rather egregious in not paying its boys, they say in their defense that the payouts were pegged to performance that the riders didn't attain. Although I have read countless articles in German and English on this in the last several days, I would hold my judgment on the whole issue until UCI (and the German courts) actually makes its (their) ruling.

Contrary to what the Cyclingnews article says, the CSC offer still stands (it's just not nearly as handsome as the Coast offer). I saw the same quotation from Riis in the German press about a week ago. But, the full quote made it clear that Riis's offer was still there, he just wasn't willing to continue to invest his time and energy into swaying Ullrich or digging for sponsors. If Coast doesn't make the GS-1, my guess is that Ullrich will go with CSC.

As I said in another post, I just want to see this settled so that we can get away from the pathetic soap-opera that Ullrich has been for the last year and back to the drama on the road.

I think it could go either way with Herrn Ullrich. He could do well, he could also flop. But, I am going to withhold my judgment here, too.

Cheers,
Jamie

roadwarrior

So...Coast, a team with riders who have not been paid for last year's work sign Strudelboy..

Coast signs Jan

And he is injured...

Jan not quite right

What stinks about this? And how long before the unpaid riders go to the UCI and shut Coast down.

Jan, buddy....wait till the check clears before heading to the grocery

ChipRGW

More on this topic

roadbuzz

I'll probably be eating crow in July, but I just don't see Jan doing as well as in the past. Obviously, some other well known pros have come back from major setbacks to win major tours. Time will tell.

bac

I'm with you, Roadbuzz. My heart wants Jan to return to his past form, and bring a level of competition (to @ least the TdF) that we haven't seen for a few years. However, my mind says no.

As you stated, though - time will tell. I hope that my heart is smarter than my mind this time!!

wabbit

The thing is, you just never know. Something tells me that Jan wouldn't have signed anything if he felt he wasn't going to be able to hack it- not necessarily winning the tour, but able to produce at all. BUt I still think he should have gone to CSC. However, you just never know what may happen. We could all end up being surprised.

jmlee

The proof will be in the pudding. But, I just read an interview with J.U. in Der Spiegel. I was struck by a more mature tone in his words. He made it clear that he needed to build back up slowly and carefully. He avoided a direct statement about the TdF this year, but made clear that he would be a contender in 2004.

For those who read German, you'll find the review here:
https://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,230822,00.html

Cheers,
Jamie

wabbit

That's the impression I've gotten lately. He probably decided not to pressure himself about the tour which is what got him into trouble in the first place! I hope he does the tour, though, even if he doesn't win it, with the goal of stage wins and doing well in the GC.

Piratello

I think, Jan really has the possibilities and the potential to come back big again in 2004.
He will surely try to win one stage at the TDF this year and maybe a good Vuelta performance - and thatīs it for 2003.
In fact, Iīm anxious and curious to what Ullrich will make.
I would really grant him a great comeback !

rscic

Jan is a great talent---if it were not for Armstrong Jan would be a 4 time winner of the TdF. The press presents him as less than dedicated to training. However, he trained so hard last year he injured his knee. I think his statement that he will be a 2004 contender is wise and accurate. The Vuelta in Sept. may be a good race for him to point to for this year, depending on how quickly his training progresses. To come back from a setback is often what a rider needs as he feels he has something to prove. we all know another rider who had a setback (in his case life threatening) whose career has turned out pretty good.