As I watch the USPS team this year, I begin to wonder whether the other teams have untapped potential. The combined efforts of Postal riders in the mountains is rather amazing. It is common knowledge that they have been training on the mountains of the Tour de France before this year's tour. Many days they would just ride up and down all day.
I wonder if the other teams would improve greatly if they adopted a similar approach. For example, when I watch a guy like Floyd Landis leading the charge through the mountains today with Lance at his wheel, I notice Ullrich, Basso, Kloden--the other tour contenders--have no opportunity to mount an impressive attack. And Floyd was not lagging on the uphill time trial up l'Alpe d'Huez the day before to rest up. He posted a respectable time there too. And it's not just Landis. Hincapie, Azevedo, Noval, Ekimov--they have an impressive list of support riders. But it seems that when they go elsewhere (ie, change teams), they don't do nearly as well.
I wonder if the mountain training would bring the other teams up to USPS level. Is that the key to USPS training--the mountains?