I know he is probably done as a contender to win anything but he did do pretty well for Heras in the Vuelta. We all would certainly be surprised at this point if he was able to regain form. He did start all three GTs last year so maybe....
I just have to say that I wish he could come back. He was a really fun rider to watch. Always under the radar a bit until 2003 when he showed on Alpe D'Huez that he might have been a real contender for victory... then the crash.
All of this talk about up and coming riders, whether Basso has arrived, can Ullrich win again, I am there with it, but I must admit that I check the results every time he races just to see if there are signs of his return to form. Just doesn't seem fair that a guy with that much form and guts lost his chance permanently on that melted road into Gap on that fateful day.
Joseba has never been the same rider since his accident in 2003. I was watching the tour 2001 and 2002 this week and it was really great to see how he was able to keep up on the climbs with Lance.
barnstorm said:
I know he is probably done as a contender to win anything but he did do pretty well for Heras in the Vuelta. We all would certainly be surprised at this point if he was able to regain form. He did start all three GTs last year so maybe....
I just have to say that I wish he could come back. He was a really fun rider to watch. Always under the radar a bit until 2003 when he showed on Alpe D'Huez that he might have been a real contender for victory... then the crash.
All of this talk about up and coming riders, whether Basso has arrived, can Ullrich win again, I am there with it, but I must admit that I check the results every time he races just to see if there are signs of his return to form. Just doesn't seem fair that a guy with that much form and guts lost his chance permanently on that melted road into Gap on that fateful day.
I know he is probably done as a contender to win anything but he did do pretty well for Heras in the Vuelta. We all would certainly be surprised at this point if he was able to regain form. He did start all three GTs last year so maybe....
I just have to say that I wish he could come back. He was a really fun rider to watch. Always under the radar a bit until 2003 when he showed on Alpe D'Huez that he might have been a real contender for victory... then the crash.
All of this talk about up and coming riders, whether Basso has arrived, can Ullrich win again, I am there with it, but I must admit that I check the results every time he races just to see if there are signs of his return to form. Just doesn't seem fair that a guy with that much form and guts lost his chance permanently on that melted road into Gap on that fateful day.
Agreed. I think that it is a terrible shame to see a great rider like that lose everything to a bad injury. Joseba was a tough tough climber who never ever gave in.
Injuries like that can have as much impact mentally as they do physically. I wince when I play my Eurosport tape and I see his fall.
I watched him closely during the TDF and Vuelta and he looks a shadow of the rider he was pre-crash. It's a terrible pity.
Agreed. I think that it is a terrible shame to see a great rider like that lose everything to a bad injury. Joseba was a tough tough climber who never ever gave in.
Injuries like that can have as much impact mentally as they do physically. I wince when I play my Eurosport tape and I see his fall.
I watched him closely during the TDF and Vuelta and he looks a shadow of the rider he was pre-crash. It's a terrible pity.
Yes, a terrible shame.
Last year someone on these forums analysed his speeds going downhill in either the 2005 Vuelta or Tour. Can't remember exactly, but the point was he was going almost as quickly uphill as he went downhill!! So he would get up a hill with the leading bunch, but would come down with the stragglers.
He'll get over that somewhat over time. Im hoping last year got it out of his system and he can give us some moments in 2006
