Ullrich in Discovery?

Amstrong approached him about joining Discovery. If I remember correctly it was about a year ago at a social function.
My memory is **** ,but I will try and recall exactly.
Jan has a lot of legal issues to deal with before he can move forward.

I don't think either Basso or Ullrich are going to be "on the market" for about four years.

Andrija said:

Now when T-Mobile sacked him, he just has to prove innocence (maybe Armstrong's lawyers will help him) and is free to go where ever he wants. Disco would be happy to hire him and I think he would be too.
I'm very interested to hear WBT's opinion.

P.S.
Basso is also going to be on the market, am I right?

P.P.S.
This is very serious thread.

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Not in a million years. I can't see it.

Remember, Discovery is an American team with American sponsors like Trek. Even setting aside the drug allegations, Ulrich has been the enemy all those years when Lance was the man and the Discovery fan base was being built. I can't see sponsors like Trek being happy about having Ulrich as their premier spokesman. It's about selling bikes as much as winning tours. Ulrich just has way too much baggage to be an effective cycling spokesman and poster boy in the US.

Discovery will want either an American face, or at least some sort of charismatic English-speaking face as a team leader who can press the flesh and sell bikes as well as win races. Their failure to cultivate Landis as Lance's heir apparent was an incredibly foolish mistake. That's the price they are paying for making the past couple years all about Lance.

If they are smart, they'll do whatever it takes to recruit Landis. WHATEVER it takes. Lance as part-owner just needs to swallow his pride and suck up to Landis. The ought to recruit BOTH Landis and his pal Zabriski. Otherwise Discovery looks to be a mediocre team for the next few years and will fade from interest if they don't have any of the top Americans. As of now they don't even have any of the top 5 Americans.

jhuskey said:

Amstrong approached him about joining Discovery. If I remember correctly it was about a year ago at a social function.
My memory is **** ,but I will try and recall exactly.
Jan has a lot of legal issues to deal with before he can move forward.

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They (disco) used to say he wasn´t "professional" enough.

Maybee their opinion changed after he get caught.

acpinto said:

They (disco) used to say he wasn´t "professional" enough.

Maybee their opinion changed after he get caught.

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No, this happened before but I agree it may be a good while before he marketable,if ever.
All I know for sure is that Jan is at home and conferring with his attorneys.

texasdiver said:

Not in a million years. I can't see it.
I can't see sponsors like Trek being happy about having Ulrich as their premier spokesman. It's about selling bikes as much as winning tours. Ulrich just has way too much baggage to be an effective cycling spokesman and poster boy in the US.

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There's a world out there beyond America. Trek's stated goal is to conquer the Chinese market and establish a factory there. The Chinese aren't averse to a spot of medical intervention in the pursuit of winning.

Andrija said:

Do you mean 2 + 2 years for each or...?

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Yeah, the 2 year ban then additional 2 year ban from ProTour teams...

texasdiver said:

Not in a million years. I can't see it.

Remember, Discovery is an American team with American sponsors like Trek. Even setting aside the drug allegations, Ulrich has been the enemy all those years when Lance was the man and the Discovery fan base was being built.

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Thats a rather stupid idea. They were competitors, not enemies. it isn't war. And I don't think Ullrich said anything nasty about Dr Evil Ferrari. So why would they be enemies.

texasdiver said:

Discovery will want either an American face, or at least some sort of charismatic English-speaking face as a team leader who can press the flesh and sell bikes as well as win races. Their failure to cultivate Landis as Lance's heir apparent was an incredibly foolish mistake. That's the price they are paying for making the past couple years all about Lance.

If they are smart, they'll do whatever it takes to recruit Landis. WHATEVER it takes. Lance as part-owner just needs to swallow his pride and suck up to Landis. The ought to recruit BOTH Landis and his pal Zabriski. Otherwise Discovery looks to be a mediocre team for the next few years and will fade from interest if they don't have any of the top Americans. As of now they don't even have any of the top 5 Americans.

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But your other points are sound. Anyway I think Ullrich might be a year or two old for them as a leader.

tcklyde said:

I don't think either Basso or Ullrich are going to be "on the market" for about four years.

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Please let us all know why.

As far as I can see they haven't been found to have done anything against the rules so far.

In reality,to my knowledge, Jan was only going to be involved with racing about one more season after this one and possibly not as the GC rider.
He has business interests he wants to pursue and will need to clear his name to make these plans work.
Of course that is not the only reason to clear ones name, but finances do come into play.
I hope for the best.

wicklow200 said:

Please let us all know why.

As far as I can see they haven't been found to have done anything against the rules so far.

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Oh, please.

jhuskey said:

In reality,to my knowledge, Jan was only going to be involved with racing about one more season after this one and possibly not as the GC rider.
He has business interests he wants to pursue and will need to clear his name to make these plans work.
Of course that is not the only reason to clear ones name, but finances do come into play.
I hope for the best.

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He was planning to ride (and win!) the Giro 2007. I think now he will stop racing no matters what comes out of the Fuentes case.

Edit: About the Giro: it's what i heard again and again in the "scene".

texasdiver said:

Not in a million years. I can't see it.

Remember, Discovery is an American team with American sponsors like Trek.

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and only one american rider.

If they are smart, they'll do whatever it takes to recruit Landis. WHATEVER it takes. Lance as part-owner just needs to swallow his pride and suck up to Landis. The ought to recruit BOTH Landis and his pal Zabriski. Otherwise Discovery looks to be a mediocre team for the next few years and will fade from interest if they don't have any of the top Americans. As of now they don't even have any of the top 5 Americans.

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absolutely. lance just needs to suck it up and realize that as far as cycling goes, FL is the story. he's also the current/future state of american cycling and that he would make an incredible marketing tool for disco.

Most americans have very short memories. (I can't even remember who won the NCAA bball tournament.) If FL wins, he will be the general public media darling for a week or so; then fade. Almost all americans have no clue or interest in bicycle racing (they can't sit in a chair and watch it be decided in 4 hours). I suspect most americans can't name one homey in the tour this year. If FL wins (and he should) this tour will be a blip on american screens but FL will be a legend in Europe. I think he'd be better off on a european team but americans love winners and DC may do anything to get his services. BUT the real question is WHY does DC put so much $ into cycling, to garner business in the US or Europe? DC will build a team around what suits their financial interests the best.

Not to slam LA but I grew tired of him winning the tour every year. The TdF lacked drama. It was not a question of who would win but when would LA claim the maillot jaune. Was LA that balanced as a racer, other than winning the tour, worlds once, Fleche, and some mini tour stage wins? (other grand tours, classics?) Is this even fair with the specialization of riders now? I guess it would have been nice to see him in other grand tours but he focused on the TdF b/c thats the only race americans know (or have even heard about) and I suspect winning that race cemented him forever in the TdF and fed his ego?

This is not to slam americans, I was born and raised here and it was really nice to have a tour with real daily drama.

cyclingheroes said:

He was planning to ride (and win!) the Giro 2007. I think now he will stop racing no matters what comes out of the Fuentes case.

Edit: About the Giro: it's what i heard again and again in the "scene".

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I was pretty much referring to the TDF, but yes I think he will not race again.
However, as I understand, no final plans had been laid as far as retirement,so you just never know and the new cards have been dealt.
I like an aire of mystery.
If he is cleared,fan will cheer and others will question. Sound familiar?
Damn,this tour has been a love/hate experience for me.

e-doc said:

Most americans have very short memories. (I can't even remember who won the NCAA bball tournament.)

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For shame. The state of Florida is home to both the college and NBA trophies.

T-Mobile wouldn't have canned Germany's most prominent athlete unless they had some pretty solid reasons to do so. Corporate sponsorships are all about PR and money. Dumping Jan is bad PR, unless keeping him would have been worse.

Floyd and the Z-Man on the same team would be too fun. That much irreverence in the same location could seriously unsettle the civilized world.

All rejected to Discovery?
I dont think so...and let's be prepared to say byebye to Basso and Ullrich, very unlicky way to get (maybe) caught, if so it'll be clear that anti-doping controls DURING races are waste of money.