lol @ Ullrich

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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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

The heart of a champion.

Quoted message said:

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 [email hidden]

Brian P said:

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

Voiure Balais? Is her her name Souza?

Quoted message said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

The heart of a champion.

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"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

Andy Coggan said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy Coggan said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

>
> "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 <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Andy Coggan said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
> "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.

"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"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

Well, there is a certain inevitability in all sports, that
some day the next big thing will come along and wash over
you like a wave. Like how Armstrong winning his first tour
must have appeared to the other contenders. Do you cling to
the hope that you can eke out a few more glorious victories
or call it a day?

Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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.

I read some time ago that athletes aren't tested during
training periods in the US? Is that true?

--

dAve

Dave said:

Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

I read some time ago that athletes aren't tested during
training periods in the US? Is that true?

Well, Carl will tell you about being available for testing
at any time. But you are correct, US athletes for the most
part are not tested during training periods.

If Barry Bonds was fat and sucked during spring training,
I'm sure he could take a month off during the season for
'intensive training' and no one would think anything of it.

Bob Schwartz [email hidden]

Jan will be ready in July.

Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

US athletes for the most part are not tested during
training periods.

a bit of an unfair advantage then, wouldn't you say? 🙂

--
dAve

"Bob Schwartz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

After a prolonged silence which fuelled rumours of
further troubles in

his

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Tour de France build-up, Jan Ullrich declared today that
he was

satisfied

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

I think you are right. The two strongest riders this
year will be he and Armstong, IMHO. It's certainly
reassuring to hear Ullrich speak confidently about
himself as he has recently.

Dave

[quote="Quoted message"]Originally posted by Dave [/i]
[quote="Quoted message"][B]Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]> wrote in message >>news:<[email hidden]>...

US athletes for the most part are not tested during
training periods.[/quote]

a bit of an unfair advantage then, wouldn't you say? 🙂

--
dAve [/quote]

Its what US sports are all about, and it's why we love them

Dave said:

Bob Schwartz <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

US athletes for the most part are not tested during
training periods.

Quoted message said:

a bit of an unfair advantage then, wouldn't you say? 🙂

Not at all. The field is level. Ullrich is not tested during
training periods.

Bob Schwartz [email hidden]

Unless, of course, he trains in nightclubs.

"jev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy Coggan said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

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

would

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> 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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

would have just quit racing.

Andy Coggan

So when would you have suggested to Lance that he quit?

It's not when, but why.

Andy Coggan

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]..> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"jev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy Coggan said:

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
> "{Tech439} CKuhn" <[email hidden]> wrote in
> message
news:<[email hidden]>...
> >
> > "If I would have won last year and not finished
> > second, I probably

would

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> > 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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(e.g., Connie Carpenter) than those who practice what
Armstrong has

said

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

he'd do, i.e., that if he hadn't won number five (or
was it number

four?) he

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

hadn't won #5, he would have "had a cold beer and come
back next year."

-Sonarrat.

So why read anything more into Ullrich's equally-
offhand comment?

Andy Coggan

In article <[email hidden]>,

Andy Coggan said:

Quoted message said:

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."

So why read anything more into Ullrich's equally-offhand
comment?

I didn't. I'm not even sure I believe it, hindsight can be
20/20 but the emotions don't make the frame. He would have
stuck around to try again, I'm sure.

-Sonarrat.