T-Mobile Punch

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C

"Bill C" a écrit dans le message de
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C


What evidence do you have that Kloden is in decent form?

You know T-Mobile well. Can you draw me an orgchart? I've never been able to
figurte out who calls the shots. Godefroot, Pevenage, Kummer, Ullrich? At
least Gabby's no longer in the picture

If Vino weren't such a pro (as well as a friend of Jan's), I'd question him
putting a lot into getting Jan to the top step when he must be thinking that
T-Mobile has hired Rogers to be Jan's protegé; and he is obviously on the
market.

T-Mobile always looks good on paper. To me, they haven't shown that they can
translate that to the race.

I agree though. Shouod be fun to watch.

trg wrote:
"Bill C" a =E9crit dans le message de
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C


What evidence do you have that Kloden is in decent form?
I'm going on the fact that he's usually pretty good about peaking and
the team thinks he'll be on for the start of the Tour:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?W1A522F4B

'Vino' in shape for Le Tour
Vinokourov did his homework well with regards to the big Loop. Van Looy
has no doubt, Andreas Kl=F6den will do the same: "Kl=F6den is not at the
top of his game yet, but he's getting there. If he efficiently uses the
time remaining to the Tour, Kl=F6di will be in top shape at the starting
line in Fromentine."

"Our Spanish mountain specialists Oscar Sevilla and Paco Lara also
confirmed their good form. I was very pleased by our young gun. I was
surprised how Kohl held his own at the mountain alongside the best
riders in the world," van Looy praised the 23-year-old Austrian, who
was the second-best magenta rider in 27th overall.




You know T-Mobile well. Can you draw me an orgchart? I've never been able=
to
figurte out who calls the shots. Godefroot, Pevenage, Kummer, Ullrich? At
least Gabby's no longer in the picture

I'm not sure that T-Mobile knows what the org chart is either. It's a
little better this year, but not a whole lot that I can see. Jan's
personal people haven't always been on the same page as the team and
that's caused some of the past friction, hostility, and confusion.


If Vino weren't such a pro (as well as a friend of Jan's), I'd question h=
im
putting a lot into getting Jan to the top step when he must be thinking t=
hat
T-Mobile has hired Rogers to be Jan's proteg=E9; and he is obviously on t=
he
market.

Yeah, I don't think Vino stays, but I think he'll try to be there
working with Jan, but I'm not sure that he'll bury himself for Jan. Jan
has seemed to have one really bad day every Tour recently and I think
Vino is their insurance in case that happens again.

T-Mobile always looks good on paper. To me, they haven't shown that they =
can
translate that to the race.

I'm hoping that by leaving Erik home and focusing on nothing but the
GC they'l get it together but you have to really wonder about a lot of
their strategy in the past. I'm really pretty much out of the loop with
them now. We still keep in touch with the people running the US
Military cycling team which is based out of Sembach Ge. and keep an eye
on Queidersbach, and RSC Kaiserslautern which my kids used to ride for,
but not being there we haven't kept in touch as much and my son's not
racing now due to some personal problems he's had. He did have an
invitation to go back and race for RSC Kaiserslautern during the
summers, but right now we're happy his life is going pretty well
without worrying about racing.

I agree though. Shouod be fun to watch.

Yep, I think it's going to be a real crap shoot with the possibility of
spectacular meltdowns from both T-Mobile and Lance.=20
Bill C

"Bill C" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.

My guess is that T-Mobile is going to have too many cooks this year as they
did last.

Tom Kunich wrote:
"Bill C" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.

My guess is that T-Mobile is going to have too many cooks this year as they
did last.

Wouldn't surprise me at all Tom, especially if Jan is a little bit
off, but not bad enough to force a switch of leaders. If Jan and Vino
are arguing over who's going to work for who, then they're both off the
podium. The Vino to Discovery rumor really adds to the possible soap
opera. Can you see it if Lance and Vino get away on a climb and work
together to the finish and bury Jan in the process, then Vino goes to
Discovery?
I'm glad that Cunego is going to miss the Tour too. He can reload for
the Vuelta or worlds.
Gonna be some serious fun to watch this year, and you KNOW we'll be
buried in Lance Mania coverage.
Bill C

Word is that Vino is going to Cofidis???

Patricio Carlos wrote:

Word is that Vino is going to Cofidis???

They already have Dmitri Fofonov on their roster, a fellow Kazakh. I
wouldn't be surprised if they trained together or knew each other as
juniors...

-Sonarrat.

"Bill C" a écrit dans le message de
oups.com...


trg wrote:
"Bill C" a écrit dans le message de
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C


What evidence do you have that Kloden is in decent form?
| I'm going on the fact that he's usually pretty good about peaking and
| the team thinks he'll be on for the start of the Tour:

I have great doubts about Kloden. IMO he is FAR from ready. I watched him in
the Dauphiné. He fell off as soon as the road went upwards. I think T-Mobile
is "dissasembling" (That means not telling the truth - GWB )

I also don't understand why they kept Paco Lara off the team. He seems to be
going pretty well.

"Bill C" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C


I agree that it is going to be fun to watch. I think that the situation is
perfect for T-Mobile. Send Vino off the front and watch how Discovery
reacts. If they don't chase Vino gets a big time gap and becomes a valid GC
contender. If they do chase they keep sending him and watch Discovery burn
lots of matches. If Kloden has any form it only gets more interesting. In
my mind Discovery is going to have to set a blistering pace everyday, once
it starts to go uphill, hoping that no real GC threat has the legs to go
for a break.

"Frank Drackman" a écrit dans le message de
...

"Bill C" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8256.0.html
The 1,2,3 of Ulrich, Vino, and Kloden all of whom look to be in decent
form is going to make this one a lot of fun especially since the team
has decided to put all it's focus on the GC and it sounds like they are
going to try and be agressive about it.
For the first time they'll be totally focused on a single goal, and if
any of the three are close I'm pretty sure the other 2 would ride
themselves into the ground them. I just hope that it doesn't develop
into a split, or a problem deciding who to work for. That's the only
problem that I can see coming up if they are all strong.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year.
Bill C


I agree that it is going to be fun to watch. I think that the situation
is
perfect for T-Mobile. Send Vino off the front and watch how Discovery
reacts. If they don't chase Vino gets a big time gap and becomes a valid
GC
contender. If they do chase they keep sending him and watch Discovery
burn
lots of matches. If Kloden has any form it only gets more interesting.
In
my mind Discovery is going to have to set a blistering pace everyday, once
it starts to go uphill, hoping that no real GC threat has the legs to go
for a break.

Two can play that game.
Substitute "Discovery" for "T-Mobile", Popovich for Vino, Savoldelli for
Kloden and it works just as well. Oh yeah, add Azevedo into the mix.

Plus, there's always another little Frenchy without GC aspirations whose
team's fondest wish would be to chase down all breaks so they can hang on to
the jersey for as long as possible, capture the fancy of the French public,
thereby assuring their sponsorship for next year. Look for a break with one
of those guys in it to get away early, especially without Fassa chasing for
Petachi.