running up the score

<BEGIN RANT> I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that "getting in shape" will
be enough for Ullrich to challange in the TDF. While it's true that Jan may not have been at his
best in the two ass whippings Lance gave him, what makes people think that Lance didn't have more
left in the tank? I'll give Jan credit for attempting to attack the last time they went head to
head, but we saw how futile that was. If anybody is going to beat Lance in the next two years, it's
not going to be someone who is content to sit on his wheel each stage and coast into Paris.

-T

<END RANT

 

"Tom Schulenburg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> <BEGIN RANT> I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that "getting in shape" will
> be enough for Ullrich to challange in the TDF. While it's true that Jan may not have been at his
> best in the two ass whippings Lance gave him, what makes people think that Lance didn't have more
> left in the tank?

Jan dropped Armstrong on the Joux-Plane in 2000.

 

"Amit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Tom Schulenburg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > <BEGIN RANT> I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that "getting
in
> > shape" will be enough for Ullrich to challange in the TDF. While it's
true
> > that Jan may not have been at his best in the two ass whippings Lance
gave
> > him, what makes people think that Lance didn't have more left in the
tank?
>
> Jan dropped Armstrong on the Joux-Plane in 2000.

You are correct. But I think this had more to do with Armstrong failing to properly hydrate / eat
during the race, than a head to head match with both of them at there best. Jan still finished more
than 6 minutes back in the race. In any case, I think Lance learned from that and takes a much more
cautious, if not "boring" aproach to the mountain stages. I would be curious to see how Lance would
perform if he was forced to attack in the last mountain stages, rather than defend. I'm sure Lance
plans on winning the stage to L'Alpe d'Huez, but a big loss here could cause some panic.

-T

 

"ArtS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 17:08:28 +0000, Amit wrote:
>
> > "Tom Schulenburg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> >> <BEGIN RANT> I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that "getting
in
> >> shape" will be enough for Ullrich to challange in the TDF. While it's
true
> >> that Jan may not have been at his best in the two ass whippings Lance
gave
> >> him, what makes people think that Lance didn't have more left in the
tank?
> >
> > Jan dropped Armstrong on the Joux-Plane in 2000.
>
> And Zulle dropped him in the last mountain top finish in 1999. When Armstrong is on he is soooo
> much faster than everyone else. Seemed odd to see him struggle just a few days later both years,
> 99 and 00.

I'd hardly call picking up 9 seconds (Stage 15?) when you're down by more than 7 minutes
"Dropping" someone.

-T