Armstrong: "Back Next Year" - Ullrich:"Next Years Mine"!

[Keith]

From http://www.velonews.com/tour2003/details/articles/4697.2.html

"In any case, Armstrong will return hoping to achieve what no other rider has done.

"I'll be back next year, and I'm not coming back to be second, but hopefully to come back to the
level I was in the first four Tours. Because this was not acceptable," he said.

Not acceptable, hehe...Come on Lance stop playing the "underdog" as Krissie would say.

Since he's broken the 32nd year rule, he might as well break the 6th tour rule! Doesn't seem like
Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say: "I believe the next
years will be mine."!

[Stephen Ferguso]

> Doesn't seem like Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say: "I
> believe the next years will be mine."!
>

Why can't Ullrich get any stronger next year? By his own admission he didn't think he would be able
to compete for the overall this year (which might have been all blag with the benefit of hindsight).

Whichever way you look at it, this was Ullrich's comeback year and age is on his side . He knows now
that he can rattle Armstrong and I think that he'll cmeback stronger still next year.

F.

[Sm]

Fair call I guess considering the toll that it might be taking on LA's body. Ullrich will win the
TdF in the future as long as he doesnt go 'tripping' too much in the off season! ;-)

The fact is that I think JU doesnt have the same level of commitment from his team as LA. LA has
built HIS team as well as the years schedule around the TdF.

Its a big chance to take to build your whole year around 3 weeks if your man has never won the
race before.

"Keith" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message news:9uv5ivgl5u96pid1qt4dbrumc7hjup4ug8@4ax.com...
> From http://www.velonews.com/tour2003/details/articles/4697.2.html
>
> "In any case, Armstrong will return hoping to achieve what no other rider has done.
>
> "I'll be back next year, and I'm not coming back to be second, but hopefully to come back to the
> level I was in the first four Tours. Because this was not acceptable," he said.
>
> Not acceptable, hehe...Come on Lance stop playing the "underdog" as Krissie would say.
>
> Since he's broken the 32nd year rule, he might as well break the 6th tour rule! Doesn't seem like
> Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say: "I believe the next
> years will be mine."!

[Tom Kunich]

"Stephen Ferguson" <boro.bandit@clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1059259062.61785.0@echo.uk.clara.net...
> > Doesn't seem like Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say:
> > "I believe the next years
will be
> > mine."!
> >
>
> Why can't Ullrich get any stronger next year? By his own admission
he
> didn't think he would be able to compete for the overall this year
(which
> might have been all blag with the benefit of hindsight).
>
> Whichever way you look at it, this was Ullrich's comeback year and
age
> is on his side . He knows now that he can rattle Armstrong and I
think that
> he'll cmeback stronger still next year.

Jan can and will be stronger next year than he was this. However, Lance was pretty punk for the
first two weeks of the Tour. And they are both on the very highest levels of power that humans can
produce. Lance as a slight advantage on the climbs and Jan has a very slight advantage in the TT's
when he is completely optimal. The problem is that Jan won't be optimal next year because he will be
relaxing too much after this almost Tour.

And Lance will be secretly more worried about Beloki and Hamilton than Jan regardless of
what he says.

[Stephen Ferguso]

> The fact is that I think JU doesnt have the same level of commitment from his team as LA. LA has
> built HIS team as well as the years schedule
around
> the TdF.

But remember that Bianchi was a team cobbled together after the Coast farce. Imagine how much
stronger they would have been in the mountains with Beltran and Zuelle riding for Jan.

F.

[Keith]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 23:37:42 +0100, "Stephen Ferguson" <boro.bandit@clara.co.uk> wrote:

>> Doesn't seem like Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say:
>> "I believe the next years will be mine."!
>>
>
>Why can't Ullrich get any stronger next year?

Other than the Alpe d'Huex stage, he seemed to me to be as strong as in 1997, the year he won. He
certainly finished the tour in tip top shape. The fact is I don't think he can beat Armstrong if
he's in a good shape.

>By his own admission he didn't think he would be able to compete for the overall this year (which
>might have been all blag with the benefit of hindsight).

oh really ;-)

>Whichever way you look at it, this was Ullrich's comeback year and age is on his side . He knows
>now that he can rattle Armstrong and I think that he'll cmeback stronger still next year.

>
>F.

[Keith]

>Fair call I guess considering the toll that it might be taking on LA's body. Ullrich will win the
>TdF in the future as long as he doesnt go 'tripping' too much in the off season! ;-)
>
>The fact is that I think JU doesnt have the same level of commitment from his team as LA. LA has
>built HIS team as well as the years schedule around the TdF.

Jan just needs some better climbers. Casero and Plazza just can't compete with Lance's "Spanish"
mercenaries.

>
>Its a big chance to take to build your whole year around 3 weeks if your man has never won the
>race before.

I take it you're not referring to Ullrich right? 1 win and 5 seconds is not too shabby!

[Keith]

>Jan can and will be stronger next year than he was this. However, Lance was pretty punk for the
>first two weeks of the Tour. And they are both on the very highest levels of power that humans can
>produce. Lance as a slight advantage on the climbs and Jan has a very slight advantage in the TT's
>when he is completely optimal.

They are indeed very close and in a "good" year Arsmtrong would probably be better in the climbs.

>The problem is that Jan won't be optimal next year because he will be relaxing too much after this
>almost Tour.
>
>And Lance will be secretly more worried about Beloki and Hamilton than Jan regardless of
>what he says.

ah...Beloki ?! Hamilton maybe, but Beloki, come on.

[Mark Scardiglia]

What's the deal with the Postal Service and whether or not it will sponsor the team again? Any
determinations been made there?

In article <qj16ivo77d9fv2m2rbfa8oq4hspd7g1fod@4ax.com>, nospam@nospam.com says...
> >Fair call I guess considering the toll that it might be taking on LA's body. Ullrich will win the
> >TdF in the future as long as he doesnt go 'tripping' too much in the off season! ;-)
> >
> >The fact is that I think JU doesnt have the same level of commitment from his team as LA. LA has
> >built HIS team as well as the years schedule around the TdF.
>
> Jan just needs some better climbers. Casero and Plazza just can't compete with Lance's "Spanish"
> mercenaries.
>
> >
> >Its a big chance to take to build your whole year around 3 weeks if your man has never won the
> >race before.
>
> I take it you're not referring to Ullrich right? 1 win and 5 seconds is not too shabby!

[Zeno]

IMO, Jan's biggest challenge this coming year will be the one he has always faced and usually lost
out to: not falling off the strudel wagon and doing regular, productive workouts.

If he gets depressed over losing a close one, reverts to type and drowns himself under a mountain of
marzipan & Dortmunder Union, this might have been his last hurrah instead of the first step of of
his comeback.

I hope not. I would hope he learned his lesson, but he suffers from a nasty addiction. No matter
what he says today, he will still have to face a long winter without the comforts he loves.

zeno

Stephen Ferguson wrote:
>>Doesn't seem like Ullrich can get any stronger than he was this year so who knows...He did say: "I
>>believe the next years will be mine."!
>>
>
>
> Why can't Ullrich get any stronger next year? By his own admission he didn't think he would be
> able to compete for the overall this year (which might have been all blag with the benefit of
> hindsight).
>
> Whichever way you look at it, this was Ullrich's comeback year and age is on his side . He knows
> now that he can rattle Armstrong and I think that he'll cmeback stronger still next year.
>
> F.

[Anonymous]

>Jan can and will be stronger next year than he was this.

"Can" is the operative word.

>The problem is that Jan won't be optimal next year because he will be relaxing too much after this
>almost Tour.

You can say that again. It all boils down to Jan's desire to work hard. Who knows how he'll run
next year.

I met a guy last year who was a former confidante of Jan's, having worked for him on the Telekom
team. He told me Jan was very serious and determined to make a good showing at the TdF. I just
nodded my head and said I hoped he was. Let's hope next year too.

Doug

[Nick Burns]

"TritonRider" <tritonrider@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030726221211.21545.00000908@mb-m07.aol.com...
> He's still got to find a team too. I can't see him staying with Bianchi. Bianchi was a last minute
> save. He is going to need a strong team for next year. I don't see them putting up the money, or
> having the support riders available to hire. The Postal team has been built over years into a fine
> machine to support Lance, and they do an incredible job. Bill C

Before the "Coast Fiasco", Bianchi had planned to take over as title sponsor in 2004. I have not
since heard anything about any change for next year.