Laz <
[email protected]> wrote:
> Despite his enormous natural ability, Jan has not the discpline to
> develop his talent. He is lazy. Riis knows it, that is why he's on
> T-Mobile and not on CSC.
No Ulrich is with T-Mobile because he wanted to bring Penevage,
and Stenhauser with him (while maintaining his high salery).
Riis didn't allow him to bring any of them, he knows both of them from
his time at Telekom and thinks that especially Penevage is one of the
reasons for Ulrich's lack of success. It appears that Goodefrot has
the same point of viiew as Penevage has been banned form T-Mobile.
This year Riis didn't even want Ulrich - properbly because he knows that
Ulrich can't to make the necesary sacrifices.
However Ulrich still visits Riis in Italy and calls him when he's in
trouble. Ulrich knows that he finnished second in 96, won in 97 and
limeted his loses in 98 because of Riis. Since Ulrich and Riis parted
every season has been a disaster.
Even Godefrot somehow knows it. In 99 after Ulrich faild to start in TDF
Godefrot, Bölts and Telekom's managetment wanted to bring Riis in as Ulrichs
special advisor, Ulrich was supposed to live and train with Riis all
winther - Penevage oposed from the begining, but in the end Riis demanded
to be 100% in charge when it came to team selection (ment NO Zabel and no green
jersy), and tactics durring TDF as well. Of course Goodefrot couldn't accept
it as it would put Riis in control of Telekom (which is owned by
Goodefrot).
Instead Riis bought back his stocks in "Danish Professional Cycling
Team" (now "Riis Professional Cycling"), which he initiad (while still
active) in 96 along with former rideres and local buisnessmen from his
homecity, Herning. In 99 the team got a wildcard but the riders where
burned out in Juli and the sponsers was about to leave because of the
lousy debut in TDF. Allong with Riis came a new and bigger sponsor and
Riis pursuaded Jalabert to sign. - the rest is history.
No doubt that Ulrich should have signed with Riis 2003 and agreed to
whatever terms and sallery Riis could offer. But Ulrich was pursuaded
by Penevage to sign with Coast/Bianchi because they offered Penevage a
position and almost 5 times the sallery Riis could. I really think
Ulrich regrets his choise and now its too late for him to join Riis
and win TDF once more.
--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen
<http://blog.reippuert.dk>
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