USAZorro

With Levi flying the coop, what will they do? Promote from within? Pick up a new leader from another team?
Who are the likely transfers?

robow

I read that being a German team that they are going to be putting a lot of emphasis on their young man Fothen who almost obtained the white jersey, I think he had it for like 13 days. They feel he is their future. He only finished a couple of places behind Levi in GC.

BryE

Gerolsteiner also has Stefan Schumacher, who won several stages in the Giro this year (his first Grand Tour) and also wore pink for several days. I don't think he was at le Tour this year, but there seem to be high expectations for him as a young rider.

Edit: I just found Schumacher's age on the Gerolsteiner website: he's only 22. I'd say he's got a bit of time to mature as a rider.

-VELOCITY-

What exactly is the pink jersey for?

BryE

The pink jersey in the Giro denotes the overall leader - it's exactly the same as the yellow jersey in the Tour de France (or the gold jersey in the Vuelta a Espana, for that matter).

robow

Gerolsteiner looks back
The Tour is over, long live the Tour...as soon as the 2006 edition is over, Gerolsteiner's team manager Hans-Michael Holczer is starting to think about the Tour 2007. Levi Leipheimer, who rode a comparatively weak Tour, barely figures in the team's wrap-up, but that may also have something to do with his departure to Discovery. "Markus Fothen has shown that he is the man for the future," declared Holczer.

Fothen, who narrowly missed winning the white jersey for the best young rider, was the main character in Gerolsteiner's Tour review. "It shows that we have good young riders in Germany. And especially Markus," said Holczer. "Markus just needs to get experience with the Grand Tours." And to accomplish that, "At his own request, he will ride the Vuelta a España."

Fabian Wegmann wore the mountain jersey for one day, Fothen the white jersey for 13 days, and Fothen finished 15th overall, two places behind Levi Leipheimer. Despite Leipheimer being the best on GC, both he and Totschnig did not live up to expectations.

erader

they may pick up ullrich once he proves his innocence .

ed rader

ed073

Schumacher and Fothen being groomed at Gerolsteiner.

gpelpel

They are a German team and, I think, they want to stay with mostly German riders. Luckily for them they might have a winner with Fothen. Leipheimer was probably first hired to help promote the brand in the US. It might not have worked as expected. Do you buy Gerolsteiner sparkinlg water over Calistoga, Crystal Geysers or other US brands? Our local Trader's Joe used to carry the brand but for the price of a 1 litter German water you can get 1.5 liter of the US brands with little taste or quality difference.

ed073

that's why Specialized is the bike sponsor. They're more interested in US sales than Gerolsteiner.

Duffy

I hear they are talking with Euro.

C_Heath

They can let Ullrich ride as a Domestique!

:O