1999 TdF, What if?

Ok, we go back to 1999, the first Tour de France won by Lance Armstrong with an overall lead of about 7 minutes over Alex Zülle. Now, let's add the following three premises:

1. Zülle is not cut by the wind in that early stage in which he lost 6 minutes to LA.

2. Marco Pantani is not expelled from the Giro y arrives at the Tour de France in good shape just like the previous year when he won.

3. Jan Ullrich does not have knee injury and can participate in the Tour de France in good shape.

Question: Does Lance Armstrong still win the 1999 Tour de France? What is your podium choice?

Ully injury was a real blow for the 1999 Tour de France.
Look how well Ully rode the Vuelta in 1999 : he was superb





I didn't expect Zulle to challenge especially after all that messing around the previous season with Festina.


I'm not sure that the 1999 route would have suited Pantani :


And remember LA had a great 1998 Vuelta.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Jiménez rode past ulrich and olano like they were standing still

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Steve
CyclingForums.com

I really don't think there's any "what if's" to be had.

When you win the prologue, both time trials and dismantle the field in no uncertain terms on the first big mountain stage, it's a bit like asking "has a herring ever eaten a shark?"

Just for the sake of seeing some carnage:

Pwned

Thanks for the videos.

It is nice to see, at 3:36 on the first one Indurain giving the trophy to Ullrich.

Regarding Angliru- it is probably the toughest climb in the World. Do a search on google and see the profile, slopes at 22-24%!!! Contador crushed them all last year.

I don't think it would have made much difference....but while we're exploring 'premises', lets add a 4th. Imagine if tests for EPO & HGH had been developed back then. Woulda changed the world!

Certainly, Armstrong, Ullrich, Pantani, Zulle and many others would have tested positive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pwned?????
Without the 6 minutes Zulle lost on an early flat stage due to wind, he would have finished only about 1:30 minutes behind Armstrong in the General classification.

Add Pantani and Ullrich who were better that Zulle (in shape) to it and things are not that clear.
Have you asked yourself why did Armstrong bonked in the 2000 Tour de France? Becuase Pantani attacked with many, many kilometers to go. Armtrong went after him and cracked, while Ullrich took advantage of the situation and came from behind. And that was with Pantani in worst shape than he was in 1998-1999.

Bravo Sopas, It is of course a hypothetical, but Pantani in 1999 was stronger than in 1998, and the 2000 version did not have the strength physically to compete for the gc. Though as the 2000 tour went on and all riders tired, and it became necessary to go deep into reserves, his superb stamina would give us another grand performance at Courcheval. After which there was the failed attack at Morzine. But there was certainly some excitement there as well. I read later that Armstrongs team had failed at first to realize that Pantani was in the escape group. "Pantani has attacked!" "Pantani has attacked!" when minutes later they saw he was no longer in the peloton.