lol @ Ullrich

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=5297

After a prolonged silence which fuelled rumours of further troubles in his
Tour de France build-up, Jan Ullrich declared today that he was satisfied
and reassured by a four-week stint of "intensive training". Ullrich has
reportedly spent much of the past month in his now customary training haven
in the Metallifere hills of Tuscany.

Speaking on his website just over a month since his last competitive outing
at Flèche Wallonne, Ullrich confirmed his intention to return to racing at
the TEAG Hainleite race in Germany on Saturday. The 30-year-old 'Kaiser'
will then line up at the Tour of Germany on May 31, two days later.

"After such a long break from racing I know that I can't expect miracles,"
Ullrich said of his comeback.

The German appeared keen to set the record straight on his impromptu
sabbatical in May. In a statement clearly designed both to hit back at his
critics and to reassure his supporters, Ullrich claimed: "I didn't embark on
a training blitz in May because I lacked fitness: in fact, after so many
weeks of hard work early in the year I had a very good base.

"In the first few real competitive tests I just realised that I lacked a bit
of race rhythm. I've improved that now," Ullrich concluded.

The ever-sympathetic German tabloid 'Bild' made a different appraisal of
Ullrich's form this spring: "Too fat, too slow," was their withering
verdict.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...y04/may25news2

Ullrich hits the Alps
T-Mobile's leader for the Tour de France, Jan Ullrich, has taken a page from
the Lance Armstrong handbook and set up camp in the Alps for some tests on
the major climbs of this year's race. In particular, Ullrich has been
training on the slopes of Alpe d'Huez, scene of what should be a crucial
individual time trial this year. Having finished second in the Tour on five
occasions (three behind Armstrong), Ullrich is still in search of his second
overall victory after 1997.

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing," Ullrich said in an interview with Bunte. "This summer
I once again have a big goal."

It's been another lacklustre spring for the German, who has once more
confounded the critics with a slow start to the year and apparent excess
weight. Nonetheless, Ullrich continues to train and insists that his
preparations for the Tour are on track.

"My hard training in the past few weeks has been done completely with the
Tour de France in mind," he explained. "I've been working harder and harder,
which I need to do in order to win the Tour, and I can feel that my form is
coming."

"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message ...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

If my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon...

"Andrew" wrote in message
m...
"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message
...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

After a prolonged silence which fuelled rumours of further troubles in his
Tour de France build-up, Jan Ullrich declared today that he was satisfied
and reassured by a four-week stint of "intensive training". Ullrich has
reportedly spent much of the past month in his now customary training haven
in the Metallifere hills of Tuscany.

Don't sell him short. In the past Jan has shown the ability to
make great progress in a short period of time. Especially when
unencumbered by those pesky dope testers.

He'll be roarin' in July. Count on it.

Bob Schwartz

Brian P wrote:
If my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon...

Voiure Balais? Is her her name Souza?

"Andrew" wrote in message
m...

"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message

...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

"Andrew" wrote in message
m...
"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message
...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

I dunno - I think it's easier to admire those that choose to go out on top
(e.g., Connie Carpenter) than those who practice what Armstrong has said
he'd do, i.e., that if he hadn't won number five (or was it number four?) he
would have just quit racing.

Andy Coggan

On Wed, 26 May 2004 15:27:07 GMT, "Andy Coggan"
wrote:

"Andrew" wrote in message
om...
"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message
...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

I dunno - I think it's easier to admire those that choose to go out on top
(e.g., Connie Carpenter) than those who practice what Armstrong has said
he'd do, i.e., that if he hadn't won number five (or was it number four?) he
would have just quit racing.

Andy Coggan


So when would you have suggested to Lance that he quit? AFter win
number 1 or 2 or 3 or ...... The problem with the going out on top
argument is that you often don't really know what you've got left.
The sad cases, for many of us, I think are those who go on long after
their best days are long past( think boxers e.g.). Even then the
choice obviously goes to the athlete regardless of what we may wish
they would do.

"jev" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 26 May 2004 15:27:07 GMT, "Andy Coggan"
wrote:

"Andrew" wrote in message
om...
"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message
...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

I dunno - I think it's easier to admire those that choose to go out on top
(e.g., Connie Carpenter) than those who practice what Armstrong has said
he'd do, i.e., that if he hadn't won number five (or was it number four?) he
would have just quit racing.

Andy Coggan


So when would you have suggested to Lance that he quit? AFter win
number 1 or 2 or 3 or ...... The problem with the going out on top
argument is that you often don't really know what you've got left.
The sad cases, for many of us, I think are those who go on long after
their best days are long past( think boxers e.g.). Even then the
choice obviously goes to the athlete regardless of what we may wish
they would do.

Hmm, what Lance has said in the past week conflicts with this. Lance said if he
hadn't won #5, he would have "had a cold beer and come back next year."

-Sonarrat.

jev wrote in message . ..
On Wed, 26 May 2004 15:27:07 GMT, "Andy Coggan"
wrote:

"Andrew" wrote in message
om...
"{Tech439} CKuhn" wrote in message
...

"If I would have won last year and not finished second, I probably would
have stopped racing,"

The heart of a champion.

I dunno - I think it's easier to admire those that choose to go out on top
(e.g., Connie Carpenter) than those who practice what Armstrong has said
he'd do, i.e., that if he hadn't won number five (or was it number four?) he
would have just quit racing.

Andy Coggan


So when would you have suggested to Lance that he quit? AFter win
number 1 or 2 or 3 or ...... The problem with the going out on top
argument is that you often don't really know what you've got left.
The sad cases, for many of us, I think are those who go on long after
their best days are long past( think boxers e.g.). Even then the
choice obviously goes to the athlete regardless of what we may wish
they would do.


Sure, but Jan's a bit young yet to be thinking that way. It sounds
more like he's got a motivational problem when it comes to training
and racing.

Sometimes a change of scenery helps, as in the recent example of
Julich, he recognized in an interview (Cycle Sport?) that he's not
likely to ever reapeat his podium finish in the TdF, but working with
Riis he's found he enjoys racing again.

Could be the biggest mistake Ullrich has made (extacy incident aside)
is going back to Telekom rather than moving on to CSC.