Should Jan retire?

musette

There's no shame in winning the TdF only after LA retires. So what if whoever wins couldn't win whilst LA was around -- they still will have won next year? I never understood, for example, why Savoldelli got such criticism for winning his prior Giro under a depleted set of competitors for various reasons. Who cares who his competitors were, so long as they were either beaten or unable to continue participation in the Giro?

Everybody knows LA will have the unparallelled TdF record of 7 wins. It's no shame to lose to somebody like that.

sopas

Yes but the difference here is that LA is retiring undefeated. When Indurain retired this debate was not open because Indurain was defeated on his last TdF, and therefore nobody dared to say the Ullrich's Victory in 1997 was because of Indurain's absence. But next year whoever wins will be subject of critics. If Ullrich had managed to defeat LA and win the TdF this year, (which is not possible anymore), then another victory of Ullrich next year would rise no comments. But again, LA is leaving the sport undefeated!! and it doesn't seem to me that he is retiring because he can't win again.

strummer_fan

I think one of Ullrich's problems is that because of having to face LA in the TDF, he has for several years, tried to concentrate on the tour. Few early season races, few late season races, just a focus on the tour.

Jan is in great shape right now. He should ride the Vuelta this year, and next year do some classics, as well as the Giro and the TDF.

He is a strong rider, who still has amazing power. He should expand his racing programme beyond July and bring home some wins for T-Mobile.

musette

It doesn't matter whether LA is retiring because he can no longer ride, or because of his actual reasons. Anybody winning after a SEVEN-CONSECUTIVE winner who either decides to leave for other reasons, or who decides he can't ride any more effectively, and who retires with the yellow jersey win in his last year, will always have the same perception problems if they rode with him for some years and was unable to defeat him.

Maybe Valverde and Cunego and Popo wouldn't have those problems. But JU, Basso, etc. will have the perception problems. But that is life and they will just have to live with that perception, should they be able to win in 06.
.

tinks

Why should he retire? Lance Armstrong is not the be all and end all of the sport.

Ullrich is still a mighty fine rider and he's still competitive and if he still enjoys what he does why consider retirement?

limerickman

Agreed.




Certain posters here think that LA is the be all and end all of the sport :

Sorry, I better re-write that : certain posters think that his career from
1999-now is.

azdroptop

Didn't Jan say that winning a tour de France with out LA wouldn't be winning at all?

The guy is a great rider and I don't think he should retire. In a way I think Lance messed him up mentally by stating each year that Jan is his greatest competition. That has to wear on you especially when everyone else starts to repeat it and believe it even though you really haven't shown it in the past couple of years. 03 LA was out of form and still won. Last year he completely dominated (Ullrich came in out of shape) this year., despite the Team being a little so so, LA has dominated JA again. Unfortunately for him I don't see him beating Basso at this point, but who knows. Out of curiosity, how was JA competition in 93 besides MI.

limerickman

1993 : LA quit the TDF after stage 9 :
LA also quit the TDF in 1994.
LA managed to complete the 1995 TDF in 36th place : finishing 1hr 30mins behind Miguel Indurain.
LA quit the 1996 TDF too.

thebluetrain

For LA the word is "quit". For any other rider it would be "abandon". Right Lim?

limerickman

Sorry, I typed "quit" because its easier (and faster) to type than the word abandon.

thebluetrain

Just messing with you.

sonicman

An atlethe usually retires when:

- He´s "old" for the sport he practices
- He suffers a major injury that costs his career
- He´s involved in a big scandal (not just doping)
- Other reasons

I don´t think Ullrich should retire because he´s not old and badly injuried, and is not in trouble anymore.

janiejones

Why? He is still one of the best. He's going to come in at number 3 or 4 in this tour - that means there is 185 riders behind him.

tcklyde

Would love to see Jan try a couple of other races besides TdS, Murica, TdF.

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Harry