If Lance doesn't ride, who wins 2005 TdF???

[patch70]

I have no proof of how so don't ask for it, but I am going to say that Ullrich will win in 05. Yeah, I know I am a little biased but I really think he will. I don't care if I am wrong and lets be honest, chances are I will be. But as I have said before, I think last the 04 TdF was a real wake up call for him. Before the only competition he had was LA. I mean how many times has he been second to him. But this year he was 4th. Surely he must have woken up to the fact that he needs to put in extra work and get out of that mental block he has. The guy earns enough money that he could easily get a sports psychologist to help him with that. Unless he already has one. But I honestly think he can do it. He is at the time in his career where he can't just wait for LA to retire. Jan said he has a couple of years left and in that time he wants to win the TdF. So coming 4th and not even getting on the podium must trigger something in his brain that will make him win surley. If he dosn't win next year without LA, then Id say he didn't deserve it.


As for LA not sure what he is doing next year, I bet he is enjoying playing with us about it!! And his compeditors aswell!!

Agree with what you say although after this year, I am a little unsure how good the T-Mobile management is. I think they really need to improve their game for Jan to be a more likely winner. In particular, they need to have better communication between Godefroot & Jan (and also Pevenage).

 

[sportzgurl]

Agree with what you say although after this year, I am a little unsure how good the T-Mobile management is. I think they really need to improve their game for Jan to be a more likely winner. In particular, they need to have better communication between Godefroot & Jan (and also Pevenage).

Yup. Its great that Jan is so loyal to Pevenage, but there must come a point where he has to think of himself. Having Pevenage around can't be good for Jans relationship with any of the T-Mobile management. And how well does he actually advise Jan? Or train him or whatever he does. Seems to me that Jans money could be better spent. And as for Godefroot etc, I wonder what they are doing manageing such a high profile sports team. They obviously havn't got much of a clue about how to handle their riders.

Then again T-Mobile did was the best team In TdF this year so they can't be that bad. It just must be Jan they have issues with!!

 

[sportzgurl]

Why does Tyler Hamilton have so many votes on the pole above? Is there a chance he will be racing next season????

 

[patch70]

Why does Tyler Hamilton have so many votes on the pole above? Is there a chance he will be racing next season????

I think it is a case of 'watch this space'. Any hearing about the blood doping will not be until at least January '05.
The number of votes for him probably reflects the nationalities of the people placing the votes more than anything!

 

[Virenque]

I think most of people who voted for Tyler did it before he was cought..

 

[sportzgurl]

I think most of people who voted for Tyler did it before he was cought..

Yeah, good point. I didn't think of that!! lol

 

[patch70]

Yup. Its great that Jan is so loyal to Pevenage
<snip>
Then again T-Mobile did was the best team In TdF this year so they can't be that bad. It just must be Jan they have issues with!!

From-
http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2004/interviews/?id=rudy_pevenage04

Explained Pevenage, "Our goal is to begin preparing for next season sooner than last year. The groundwork in the years of '97 or '98 were very good, as well as in 2003, where it was perfect. A similar shape-up is our target now."

His contribution is to accompany Ullrich at the T-Mobile organised training camps and elsewhere, coaching and providing mental support on a personal level. However, this proved to be difficult in 2004, bearing in mind that he was tolerated by T-Mobile's management, but not admitted within the team's inner circle.

Asked if these circumstances were to improve in view of next season, Pevenage didn't think so. "The situation will be similar to this year," he said.

"Jan tried to talk to T-Mobile to have me closer to the team again, but without success. The only thing that will change is that I will be able to ride in the team car during time trials, which is important for Jan's morale. But not at the Tour," he added.

One can imagine the effect the situation has on T-Mobile's management and Walter Godefroot.

The latter was quoted in a German daily newspaper about a week ago, saying that Ullrich's stated need for Pevenage implied the team's coaching was unsatisfactorily to the rider. This continuing power struggle weighs down on everybody, and it begs the question of how much it actually influenced Ullrich's performance in 2004.

Well, he's starting training earlier so that is a start. But given the Godefroot/Pevenage situation is not changing, I'll make the prediction now that he won't win the '05 Tour. Hope I am wrong though.

 

[sportzgurl]

From-
http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2004/interviews/?id=rudy_pevenage04

Explained Pevenage, "Our goal is to begin preparing for next season sooner than last year. The groundwork in the years of '97 or '98 were very good, as well as in 2003, where it was perfect. A similar shape-up is our target now."

His contribution is to accompany Ullrich at the T-Mobile organised training camps and elsewhere, coaching and providing mental support on a personal level. However, this proved to be difficult in 2004, bearing in mind that he was tolerated by T-Mobile's management, but not admitted within the team's inner circle.

Asked if these circumstances were to improve in view of next season, Pevenage didn't think so. "The situation will be similar to this year," he said.

"Jan tried to talk to T-Mobile to have me closer to the team again, but without success. The only thing that will change is that I will be able to ride in the team car during time trials, which is important for Jan's morale. But not at the Tour," he added.

One can imagine the effect the situation has on T-Mobile's management and Walter Godefroot.

The latter was quoted in a German daily newspaper about a week ago, saying that Ullrich's stated need for Pevenage implied the team's coaching was unsatisfactorily to the rider. This continuing power struggle weighs down on everybody, and it begs the question of how much it actually influenced Ullrich's performance in 2004.

Well, he's starting training earlier so that is a start. But given the Godefroot/Pevenage situation is not changing, I'll make the prediction now that he won't win the '05 Tour. Hope I am wrong though.

Yeah, and I say he will win. I hope I am right. But the more we look at it the longer the odds get. They act like 5 year olds don't they!! Fancy not letting Pevenage ride in the team car during a TT. And then changing it so he can but not during the Tour. OMG, grow up!! Whats Pevenage going to do that is so bad??? God, he might accidently encourage Jan, OH that would be terrible!! Jan might win!! OH NO!!

 

[Fixey]

Yeah, and I say he will win. I hope I am right. But the more we look at it the longer the odds get. They act like 5 year olds don't they!! Fancy not letting Pevenage ride in the team car during a TT. And then changing it so he can but not during the Tour. OMG, grow up!! Whats Pevenage going to do that is so bad??? God, he might accidently encourage Jan, OH that would be terrible!! Jan might win!! OH NO!!

Just heard from a friend on "team discovery" all be it second hand.....LA has every intension of riding 2005......thank god for that

 

[Fixey]

I have to lough at the poll rsults, US posters have LL and TH at the top which is bloody funny really...2 guys who have no chance, at the top because US posters dont know there bum from there anckle when it comes to cycling....in general anyhow

 

[tcklyde]

i can't believe Levi got so many votes. A top 10 finish I can see, but golly, the guy is not a stellar TTer and finished over 20 minutes off the lead this year. And Gerolsteiner looks to be an okay team next year. But really, it's not even clear the he'll be the team leader.

But don't blame Americans for screwing up the poll. If any American is smart enough to even know who Levi is, they're smart enough to know that he's not going to be winning the Tour next year or any.

I know there are plenty of "Lance rules!" American fans out there who don't know much about professional cycling. But those people aren't going to be voting for Levi Leipheimer, especially since he's been mostly on teams with no American connection.

 

[tcklyde]

Just heard from a friend on "team discovery" all be it second hand.....LA has every intension of riding 2005......thank god for that

Discovery surely wants LA to ride another Tour, but the best argument I've heard that LA doesn't ride is that he'll do classics and maybe the Vuelta and the hour record this year and then go for one last triumphant return in 2006. On Letterman last week he said that he would definitely ride the Tour again. I'm guessing he would like to make a play for the hour record.

But I also think he would have prefered to race the Giro to the Vuelta and that his potential legal troubles in Italy making that a no go, will ride the Tour again.

 

[JohnO]

Lance will ride in 2005, and he will win. He's just playing head games with the other riders. The man leaves no stone unturned.

 

[Virenque]

Exactly! Can`t imagine Lance not participating in TdF! Would he really let off the biggest race in the world especially as he`s still the favourite!

 

[trow]

I would like to Ullrich then Basso win if Lance does not ride in 2005. But I do not believe this will happen. To much to loose for Armstrong and his sponsors, I believe this is just some sort of media hype. Who would give up that kind of money and the chance of winning 7 TDF straight. Dissapointed in Hamilton.

 

[sportzgurl]

I have to lough at the poll rsults, US posters have LL and TH at the top which is bloody funny really...2 guys who have no chance, at the top because US posters dont know there bum from there anckle when it comes to cycling....in general anyhow

Hehe yeah I agree. Although somebody said that the reason TH was rated high was because they voted before his positives, But as for LL??? Im not sure. I just don't think he is good enough overall. But I could be wrong.

 

[pineapple]

Can you believe 106 people voted for Leipheimer and only 16 for Vinokourov?

Just because Vino missed the Tour last year doesn't mean he's a worse rider than was!

Is it because there are a lot of Americans voting?

 

[meehs]

Can you believe 106 people voted for Leipheimer and only 16 for Vinokourov?

Just because Vino missed the Tour last year doesn't mean he's a worse rider than was!

Is it because there are a lot of Americans voting?

I am an American and I still can't possibly see how one could pick Leipheimer to win the TdF! Maybe Levi's friends and family frequent this site?

 

[Le Fougere]

Totally agreed there... I voted for Kloeden, (oe = o umlaut) who might not really be the best choice, but he did have a hell of a year this year. But surely if it wouldn't be him, there's no way it would be Leipheimer! Nothing against Levi, but damn... Basso, Vino, I can understand... But LL?

 

[NRW77]

It seems to me totally impossible to predict the effect that Lance's potential absence would have on the tour. If the other teams don't have to focus on riding against him and Postal in general, it will really change the dynamics of the race. I can imagine a scenario where the race is a lot more wide-open and a greater number of teams feel they have a better-than-usual chance of actually placing high on the GC which would, in turn, alter their strategy.

Just another punter's opinion.

NW