Curtis L. Russell wrote:

On 30 Jun 2006 16:35:05 GMT, William Asher wrote:

But of course all that speculation about Armstrong blowing out the
dopers as a final "Texas-style-finger-in-the-air-hat-waving-whooping
salute" to the French is just that, speculation. It deflects from who
really benefits. Stop focussing on virtual wins from past Tours and
Giros. Both Ullrich and Basso now can claim a virtual Tour win from
this year (in Basso's case, a split actual-virtual double, or maybe a
actual-virtual- virtual if he claims he was planning on riding the
Vuelta (or even the unprecedented triple virtual if he gets stripped
of the Giro)). Those virtual wins are going to look great on their
resumes.

Is there a reason you are leaving out the WCs? There is simply no
reason not to go for a triple virtual.

I think Ullrich can easily claim the triple virtual.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...


I am assuming Hincapie and Boonen will be DQ'd by then and they will claim
the WC virtual. The GC guys never ride the worlds anymore unless they have
something to prove, which this year they don't since they already won their
virtual grand tours (although we still have to see who would have been the
favorite for the Vuelta and gets that virtual). Boonen stands the most to
gain by getting DQ'd since he can claim a virtual double-double of winning
P-R and WC in the same year two years in a row, except he didn't win P-R
this year but can claim he might have if he hadn't ridden so hard the week
before. I am a little unclear about how you do the virtual win assignment
so I may have that a bit mixed up. Also, keep in mind that if Boonen gets
a 2-yr suspension he can then get a four-year virtual double, which I don't
think has been done before, or since, so that is a huge incentive for him.

In a lot of ways, this is sort of like watching one of those over-the-top-
rope battle royales in pro-wrestling with guys flying out of the ring left
and right, except the winner won't get to meet the current champion in a
strap-on cage match during Wrestlemania XXLXIXLXIBFD, the guys involved are
a lot smaller, and the nicknames are things like "Paco" instead of
"Superfly."

--
Bill Asher