Ullrich to Discovery?

[jhuskey]

Nice one, i only have a picture with an autograph of Jan (TDF 2004 in the Alpes, took it myself) and some on a poster of a charity mountain timetrial that i organized. I will get you that pic with Kessler autograph in January (with Astana jersey), i will make some new pics for his website (i won't fly to the team presentation, it's in Astana)

But back to the topic:

Prudhomme was asked (in the German magazin Tour of November 2006) if Jan would ever ride the Tour again. He answered that he couldn't say anything about the ongoing investigation...

It's not much but at least he didn't say no.

It's now or never as you know.There is no time left to think about the training.
If Jan is to race next year he must start traininh hard now and not look back.
I don't know that is his intention.

 

[foxvi]

Mine has never left my wall. I hope to hear a little more this week.

I am lucky enough to have a signed Bianchi jersey and not the dreaded TMO. I went to the olympics in 2004 and asked Ulle to sign it just before the MRR (with me in it!!) and off course being the gent he is he did! It was so hot that day I had to take the Bianchi jersey off and buy a little t-shirt coz I was worried I would sweat too much and lose the autograph!! I got the Bianchi jersey home and hand washed it gently and is now on my wall as well!!

 

[foxvi]

You probebly have something else on your mind but ....


Wolfgang Strohband (Ullrich manager) announced today that Jan will go to Tuscany for a training camp. German media are speculating that he will go to an Italian team (or better, a team with Italian license). Sportdirektors will be: Olaf Ludwig, Mario Kummer and George Totschnig. The source is a Belgian pro who didn't want to say his name, so at the moment i regard the news as unconfirmed. The only confirmed news is that Jan goes to Tuscany (training camp) and that there are several team wanting to sign him (both confirmed by Strohband).

I didn't mention it but i thought immediatly that Totschnig (who was a domestique in Jan's 1997 Tour team) was the man behind the Austrian license story. Totsch had a yellow jersey with an autograph of Jan hanging on the wall during his retirement press conference last week and defended him a couple of times openly (which isn't easy in Geman media) since June 30

I know JU is a big mate with Totschnig and he has given alot of vocal support for JU along with Kloden, and you may remember when he won his stage at the tour in 2005, there are some great photos of JU congratulating him.

 

[foxvi]

You probebly have something else on your mind but ....


Wolfgang Strohband (Ullrich manager) announced today that Jan will go to Tuscany for a training camp. German media are speculating that he will go to an Italian team (or better, a team with Italian license). Sportdirektors will be: Olaf Ludwig, Mario Kummer and George Totschnig. The source is a Belgian pro who didn't want to say his name, so at the moment i regard the news as unconfirmed. The only confirmed news is that Jan goes to Tuscany (training camp) and that there are several team wanting to sign him (both confirmed by Strohband).

I didn't mention it but i thought immediatly that Totschnig (who was a domestique in Jan's 1997 Tour team) was the man behind the Austrian license story. Totsch had a yellow jersey with an autograph of Jan hanging on the wall during his retirement press conference last week and defended him a couple of times openly (which isn't easy in Geman media) since June 30

Just had a thought about the above rumour - does Ludwig still have his pro tour licence, if he does there could be some truth in the story.

 

[limerickman]

Foxvi, JH : you lucky buggers with your signed jerseys!!

Always rated Georg Totschnig as a rider : remember well his great debut ride in the TDF 1997.
Both Georg and Peter Luttenburger were great Austrian climbers.
(Luttenburger's 1996 TDF debut was superb).
Georg and Jan are good buddies.

Good to read that Ully is on the bike at least.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Just had a thought about the above rumour - does Ludwig still have his pro tour licence, if he does there could be some truth in the story.

Yes, TM requested (and will get, the uCI already announced this) for their own license. Ludwig's license actually belongs to Godefroot but Ludwig has the right to use it untill 2008.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Foxvi, JH : you lucky buggers with your signed jerseys!!

Hé i had 10 jerseys that where signed by Jan... I sold them all at an aucktion for a charity project. Ok, it was the reason Jan signed them, he supported a charity project i organized for kids in a childrens home, we bought bikes from the money (we also had signed jerseys from Zabel, McEwen, Basso, Boogerd and lots of other riders) and i pedaled with the kids from Dortmund to the Tour final in Paris in 2005.

So... i don't have any signed jerseys anymore

 

[foxvi]

Yes, TM requested (and will get, the uCI already announced this) for their own license. Ludwig's license actually belongs to Godefroot but Ludwig has the right to use it untill 2008.

So maybe a link up with an italian professional team like, Panaria or A&Sapone with Ludwig's pro licence - and I also read Bianchi have split from Liquigas so they may also be looking for a team to sponsor - this rumor does seem to have legs? But who knows - maybe Rudy will tell all on the 30th when he goes on german TV.

 

[limerickman]

Hé i had 10 jerseys that where signed by Jan... I sold them all at an aucktion for a charity project. Ok, it was the reason Jan signed them, he supported a charity project i organized for kids in a childrens home, we bought bikes from the money (we also had signed jerseys from Zabel, McEwen, Basso, Boogerd and lots of other riders) and i pedaled with the kids from Dortmund to the Tour final in Paris in 2005.

So... i don't have any signed jerseys anymore

Well doen GH - and well done JU too!

That's no mean distance to cycle either : Dortmund to Paris.
Good on ya.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Yeah it was a nice ride, we took the Ardennes route, some nice LBL- hills in it.


News from the Ullrich front: Totschnig said today it would be nice to have Jan as a neighbour and in Austrians "Neue" there was a letter from the Spanish court published (from October 4) which said that Ullrich is not a suspect (which isn't new) but most of all that the Swiss cycling federation and the UCI are not allowed to use court documents for disciplinary action against Ullrich.

Other news (a lot has happened today, i am still sorting it all out... well there goes my holiday..): McQuaid is not invited to the annual Tour de France route announcement on Thursday and McQuaid today finally admited the UCI can't use the court documets in all cases against the riders.

 

[limerickman]

Yeah it was a nice ride, we took the Ardennes route, some nice LBL- hills in it.


News from the Ullrich front: Totschnig said today it would be nice to have Jan as a neighbour and in Austrians "Neue" there was a letter from the Spanish court published (from October 4) which said that Ullrich is not a suspect (which isn't new) but most of all that the Swiss cycling federation and the UCI are not allowed to use court documents for disciplinary action against Ullrich.

Other news (a lot has happened today, i am still sorting it all out... well there goes my holiday..): McQuaid is not invited to the annual Tour de France route announcement on Thursday and McQuaid today finally admited the UCI can't use the court documets in all cases against the riders.

Thanks for this.

Additional news on the McQuaid front : there are muttering at federation level
about McQuaids stewardship at the UCI Presidents office concerning the UCI's stance on OP.

I'll PM you with the details.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Thanks for this.

Additional news on the McQuaid front : there are muttering at federation level
about McQuaids stewardship at the UCI Presidents office concerning the UCI's stance on OP.

I'll PM you with the details.

Awww... can't we all know ?

Could it be that McQuaid tried to talk tough on OP without researching the facts and not actually doing anything ?

 

[jhuskey]

Yeah it was a nice ride, we took the Ardennes route, some nice LBL- hills in it.


News from the Ullrich front: Totschnig said today it would be nice to have Jan as a neighbour and in Austrians "Neue" there was a letter from the Spanish court published (from October 4) which said that Ullrich is not a suspect (which isn't new) but most of all that the Swiss cycling federation and the UCI are not allowed to use court documents for disciplinary action against Ullrich.

Other news (a lot has happened today, i am still sorting it all out... well there goes my holiday..): McQuaid is not invited to the annual Tour de France route announcement on Thursday and McQuaid today finally admited the UCI can't use the court documets in all cases against the riders.

I am hearing the same thing about the Austrian license other than that Jan may buy an Alp house in Switzerland.
It is next to the one in the photo I sent you.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Awww... can't we all know ?

Could it be that McQuaid tried to talk tough on OP without researching the facts and not actually doing anything ?

Full scale war broke out: interviews with Leblanc (stating..i'm saying this as a private person..), The UCI attacking ASO for not joining the fight against doping. McQuaid not invited to the annual announcement of the Tour route. Five Spanish riders who filed law suit against the code of conduct. Prudhomme saying that he can't say anything about the state of the investigation whether Ullrich will be allowed to start at the Tour. etc. etc. etc. news is still coming in...

 

[poulidor]

The UCI attacking ASO for not joining the fight against doping..

Union of Comics International

 

[limerickman]

Awww... can't we all know ?

Could it be that McQuaid tried to talk tough on OP without researching the facts and not actually doing anything ?

Delegates to the cycling federation here have been unhappy with McQuaids tenure as UCI President.
Part of it has to do with his stewardship of OP.

When the 1998 TDF arrived here - the Festina scandal broke.
At the time McQuaid said that there was no doping problem in cycling.
Our goverment however took a different view - to the extent that it decided that this country would not allow any support or allow the holding of international cycling events unless and until the UCI cleaned up it's act.

McQuaid lobbied hard for our national federation to back him in his bid for the UCI presidency.
He told us that it was his intention to clean up the sport.
In addition, he said that he wanted to see international events being held here in Ireland but that he was mindful that trust has to earned as regards doping and that it was his intention to tackle this head on if he got the top job.

With the ensuing scandals (Landis and OP), delegates here are not happy that a sport which should be cleaning up it's act, isn't.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Union of Comics International

Yeah your right it's hilarious but it's what they did. From the UCI press release (24.10.2006):

"ASO’s refusal

The UCI would like to state also that a proposal of collaboration in terms of anti-doping fight, which was recently addressed to ASO, Tour de France organiser, was firmly refused. The UCI deeply regrets this.



Leaving aside all the differences which persist on the UCI ProTour, the intention of the UCI involved allowing the organizers of the biggest cycling race to participate in the development of the anti-doping strategy which will be put into place at the beginning of the next season.



Doping is a common problem to all parties involved in cycling, and the UCI, given the mission conferred by its institutional role, would like to broaden the discussion with all its stakeholders as it has always done it in the past.



ASO’s decision, along with their decision not to invite the President of the UCI to the presentation of the 2007 Tour de France on Thursday, constitutes an additional proof of the will of its leaders to refuse their solidarity to the cycling family, in the most difficult circumstances.



The UCI can only take note of this attitude and express its strong disagreement with the people responsible for this decision."

 

[whiteboytrash]

g-zus is it full scale war.... in my mind ASO have done more on doping than the UCI with the UCI having more power to do more.... why didn't the UCI ever learn and there still not getting the message.... maybe ASO and side with WADA and set up their own doping for the Tour ? To my mind if the UCI weren't around anymore you wouldn't really notice.... they don't do a hell of a lot.... have to agree with you Lim... McQuaid on OP was a disaster.. a lot of hot air and nothing getting done... he kept blaming everyone else, the federations, the Spanish police, the riders, the paperwork but never the UCI... he even had the gall to suggest that the UCI tipped off the Spanish police ! This is 3 years after Jesus Marzino told the UCI about Fuentes and he still did nothing !

Delegates to the cycling federation here have been unhappy with McQuaids tenure as UCI President.
Part of it has to do with his stewardship of OP.

When the 1998 TDF arrived here - the Festina scandal broke.
At the time McQuaid said that there was no doping problem in cycling.
Our goverment however took a different view - to the extent that it decided that this country would not allow any support or allow the holding of international cycling events unless and until the UCI cleaned up it's act.

McQuaid lobbied hard for our national federation to back him in his bid for the UCI presidency.
He told us that it was his intention to clean up the sport.
In addition, he said that he wanted to see international events being held here in Ireland but that he was mindful that trust has to earned as regards doping and that it was his intention to tackle this head on if he got the top job.

With the ensuing scandals (Landis and OP), delegates here are not happy that a sport which should be cleaning up it's act, isn't.

 

[limerickman]

g-zus is it full scale war.... in my mind ASO have done more on doping than the UCI with the UCI having more power to do more.... why didn't the UCI ever learn and there still not getting the message.... maybe ASO and side with WADA and set up their own doping for the Tour ? To my mind if the UCI weren't around anymore you wouldn't really notice.... they don't do a hell of a lot.... have to agree with you Lim... McQuaid on OP was a disaster.. a lot of hot air and nothing getting done... he kept blaming everyone else, the federations, the Spanish police, the riders, the paperwork but never the UCI... he even had the gall to suggest that the UCI tipped off the Spanish police ! This is 3 years after Jesus Marzino told the UCI about Fuentes and he still did nothing !

Agree 100%.

Putting on my parochial hat - when he was nominated by the federation here to go forward for election for the UCI job, he lobbied in part on the stance that he said he'd take regarding the doping war.
This policy is two-fold.

One - if he was seen to take a tough stance it may persuade the goverment here to lift is't embargo with regard to professional cycling events.
Two - he suggested that he would do thngs differently to Verbruggen if elected.

Being brutally honest - the federation members want to see international cycling being staged here (they may want to see a clean sport also but it's the international races staged here which takes precedence) and if McQuaid was seen to act decisively in the UCI role - then petitioning at goverment level could go ahead to lift the embargo.
OP and Landis - and crucially McQuaids response to it - appear to have persuaded some delegates that McQuaid won't (can't?) deliver and that the embargo will stay.

Personally I never bought the line that McQuaid would (could) reform anything at the UCI - and said so at the time here.

 

[whiteboytrash]

The UCI have no friends left... now they have to ask there arch enemy for help... WADA !

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/24/sports/EU_SPT_CYC_UCI_Doping.php

Agree 100%.

Putting on my parochial hat - when he was nominated by the federation here to go forward for election for the UCI job, he lobbied in part on the stance that he said he'd take regarding the doping war.
This policy is two-fold.

One - if he was seen to take a tough stance it may persuade the goverment here to lift is't embargo with regard to professional cycling events.
Two - he suggested that he would do thngs differently to Verbruggen if elected.

Being brutally honest - the federation members want to see international cycling being staged here (they may want to see a clean sport also but it's the international races staged here which takes precedence) and if McQuaid was seen to act decisively in the UCI role - then petitioning at goverment level could go ahead to lift the embargo.
OP and Landis - and crucially McQuaids response to it - appear to have persuaded some delegates that McQuaid won't (can't?) deliver and that the embargo will stay.

Personally I never bought the line that McQuaid would (could) reform anything at the UCI - and said so at the time here.