Bore de France???

[marv800]

Am I the only person to notice that this years Tour seems to lack any spirit or drama? Don't get me wrong, I love seeing Lance moving up in the GC and his opponents dropping off (and out), but short of the Indurain days of the Snore de France this seems quite sleepy. Certainly last years tour was a little over the top, but when there is more excitement in the flat stages than the mountains we have a problem. I suppose it's due to the superbe conditioning of the Blue Train, but I wouldn't mind some more action. Perhaps Ullrich and Kloden could get into an all-out brawling fistfight for the team leaders position. Maybe the Phonak team could gather for a mountaintop ressurection ceremony for Tugboat. Or team AGR2 could ride commando style.

Whatever it is, we neeeeeeed some action!!!

 

[Brunswick_kate]

Really? Personally, I found Thomas Voekler's performance awe-inspiring.

 

[belfast-biker]

Maybe the Phonak team could gather for a mountaintop ressurection ceremony for Tugboat.

Yeah, that's not tacky at all.

Imbecile.

Whatever it is, we neeeeeeed some action!!!

Go to a nightclub, but take off the "I'm an idiot" t-shirt. That'll improve your chances.

 

[Ullefan]

I just don't understand what has happened to Jan, is he sick? This isn't like him, he can't be too old. They plan their whole year around Jan and the tour and this is what comes of it. This isn't pathetic, it's a complete shambles. Whoever directs Jan needs to be replaced very quickly. This is worse than Tyler hamilton, at least he has reasons for his lack of performance. There is no reason for this, he won the tour de suisse, he was apparentely having the best June of all time, and when the tour comes, he dies out with a wimper. He's not even overweight, came into the tour very slim, but it looks like this is the 2000 tour. Words can't describe how I'm feeling for myself and for him, its a sad story, that he is such a talent but it is Basso who can keep pace with lance, but Jan can't! He can't even keep up with Kloden?!!! Jan do the right thing and leave T-mobile, go to Gerolsteiner, I'm sure they will do a better job. Arghhhhh......

 

[Jakebrake]

While they may plan their whole year around Jan and the Tour, I kind of wonder if maybe Jan isn't planning his whole year around the Tour. While he may have had a good June, I don't think he did that well in the Spring. And while he may be slimmer, he did shed that weight right before the Tour, so I don't think that helped at all. I'm disappointed in him as well, I was hoping he would have made repeat performance of last year. I'm not sure the fault can be laid at the feet of T-Mobile, I question his motivation and desire.

 

[gntlmn]

I just don't understand what has happened to Jan, is he sick? This isn't like him, he can't be too old. They plan their whole year around Jan and the tour and this is what comes of it. This isn't pathetic, it's a complete shambles. Whoever directs Jan needs to be replaced very quickly. This is worse than Tyler hamilton, at least he has reasons for his lack of performance. There is no reason for this, he won the tour de suisse, he was apparentely having the best June of all time, and when the tour comes, he dies out with a wimper. He's not even overweight, came into the tour very slim, but it looks like this is the 2000 tour. Words can't describe how I'm feeling for myself and for him, its a sad story, that he is such a talent but it is Basso who can keep pace with lance, but Jan can't! He can't even keep up with Kloden?!!! Jan do the right thing and leave T-mobile, go to Gerolsteiner, I'm sure they will do a better job. Arghhhhh......

If you were a boxer, and you constantly had to go up and down weight categories, eventually you will lose, like Roy Jones did against Tarver when Roy didn't respect the impact that a 25 lb weight loss will have on his strength and stamina.

I think Jan is ignoring the impact of off seasonal weight gain and subsequent loss year in and year out. He would probably be stronger if he kept his weight in a narrower range during the offseason. Sure, it's nice to have a break, but it's hard on your body to go that far. He seems to do it year after year. It gets harder to cope with this as you get older. I suspect that if Jan wants to continue to be a Tour contender, he will have to stay in better shape in the off season and not play such dramatic catch up in the spring and early summer.

 

[Ullefan]

How can you not blame T-mobile?! Jan does whatever they tell him to. Get him the right coach, get him a knowledgeable sports doctor to tell him what shedding weight right before the tour would do to him, he's done this so many times before, I thought he learned that when he was serving his ban, but he'll never learn, and if he does, it'll be too late.