Ullrich looks very strong

[Timbenz]

I've been impressed so far with how powerfully Ullrich is riding. There's not just his prologue
performance to consider, but also his riding in the first few flat stages. On these recent stages he
has seemingly effortlessly rode near the front of group, even taking wind on his face when he
doesn't need to. Today he looked like his top twenty finish didn't even cause him to break a sweat.

 

[Shrek]

True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a minute to the better climbers.
And since LA is one of those better climbers, Jan will not be able to take the time back in the ITT.
He needs a big push from his team in the TTT gaining more than a minute or 2 on Once and Postal to
win this thing.

BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too many small climbers for
this course...

TimBenz <[email protected]> wrote:

>I've been impressed so far with how powerfully Ullrich is riding. There's not just his prologue
>performance to consider, but also his riding in the first few flat stages. On these recent stages
>he has seemingly effortlessly rode near the front of group, even taking wind on his face when he
>doesn't need to. Today he looked like his top twenty finish didn't even cause him to break a sweat.

 

[David Ryan]

TimBenz wrote:
>
> I've been impressed so far with how powerfully Ullrich is riding. There's not just his prologue
> performance to consider, but also his riding in the first few flat stages. On these recent
> stages he has seemingly effortlessly rode near the front of group, even taking wind on his face
> when he doesn't need to. Today he looked like his top twenty finish didn't even cause him to
> break a sweat.

It is an interesting contrast in psyops. Ullrich has always ridden to intimidate. Armstrong has
always tried to look vulnerable, at least since '98.

 

[Kurgan Gringion]

"Shrek" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a
minute to
> the better climbers.

<snip>

1997 TdF, back when Ullrich took cycling seriously. No one climbed better, not even those
little guys.

 

[Mike Jacoubowsk]

> BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too
many
> small climbers for this course...

Those "small climbers" looked to have pretty big hearts in today's team time trial...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Shrek" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a
minute to
> the better climbers. And since LA is one of those better climbers, Jan
will not
> be able to take the time back in the ITT. He needs a big push from his
team in
> the TTT gaining more than a minute or 2 on Once and Postal to win this
thing.
>
> BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too
many
> small climbers for this course...
>
> TimBenz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I've been impressed so far with how powerfully Ullrich is riding. There's not just his prologue
> >performance to consider, but also his riding in the first few flat stages. On these recent stages
> >he has seemingly
effortlessly
> >rode near the front of group, even taking wind on his face when he
doesn't
> >need to. Today he looked like his top twenty finish didn't even cause him to break a sweat.

 

[G]

Team Bianchi just finished 3rd in the TTT, 43 sec behind Postal, not really close, but according to
cyclingnews.com, Ulrich was taking double turns. The man's on fire! It could be a great Tour.

GK

Kurgan Gringioni <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Shrek" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a
> minute to
> > the better climbers.
>
> <snip>
>
>
> 1997 TdF, back when Ullrich took cycling seriously. No one climbed better, not even those
> little guys.

 

[Evan Bigall]

> BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too many small climbers
> for this course...

Postal won the TTT by 30 sec over ONCE and put 43 sec into Ullrich's Bianchi team.

Paris is a long ways a way, but it's looking like someone will need to put a pump into Lance's
spokes to keep him from winning. Certainly don't need to worry about the strength of his team.

Evan www.whereisevan.com

 

[Nick Burns]

This could be like the 1985 Tour all over again. You have a climber that beat the team captain in
the only ITT so far and on that strength (along with the team of course) he is now in yellow. How
will he lose it? Will the team have to order him back?

"Evan Bigall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too
many
> > small climbers for this course...
>
> Postal won the TTT by 30 sec over ONCE and put 43 sec into Ullrich's Bianchi team.
>
> Paris is a long ways a way, but it's looking like someone will need to put a pump into Lance's
> spokes to keep him from winning. Certainly don't need to worry about the strength of his team.
>
> Evan www.whereisevan.com

 

[Tom Schulenburg]

"Nick Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> This could be like the 1985 Tour all over again. You have a climber that beat the team captain in
> the only ITT so far and on that strength (along with the team of course) he is now in yellow. How
> will he lose it? Will
the
> team have to order him back?
>

No need to. Lance will beat him in the ITT, if not before that.

-T

 

[Timbenz]

David Ryan <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> It is an interesting contrast in psyops. Ullrich has always ridden to intimidate. Armstrong has
> always tried to look vulnerable, at least since '98.

Funny you should say that. I was thinking something similar this morning when Armstrong gave his
typically downbeat comments after the TTT. While he was smiling, he also said the TTT was hard as
hell, etc. etc. He certainly didn't aggressively play up his own strength, or that of his team.

While Ullrich is trying to downplay his own plans this year, I'm really curious whether Armstrong is
playing games, or if he is finding it harder this year. As I posted a month or so back, while he won
the Daupine, I'm convinced he won it on heart, desire, and suffering, and not on form. Mayo looked
much better throughout, attacking Armstrong at will, and even dropping him once.

Going to be some great mountain stages ahead ....

 

[Nick Burns]

"Tom Schulenburg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Nick Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > This could be like the 1985 Tour all over again. You have a climber that beat the team captain
> > in the only ITT so far and on that strength (along with the team of course) he is now in yellow.
> > How will he lose it? Will
> the
> > team have to order him back?
> >
>
> No need to. Lance will beat him in the ITT, if not before that.

I can dream...

> -T

 

[Carl Sundquist]

"g" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:1fxur9j.1vwjs6c1red7t8N%[email protected]...
> Team Bianchi just finished 3rd in the TTT, 43 sec behind Postal, not really close, but according
> to cyclingnews.com, Ulrich was taking double turns. The man's on fire! It could be a great Tour.
>

Even more impressive when you think how depleted the squad is compared to the beginning of the year.

 

[Precious Pup]

Shrek wrote:
>
> True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a minute to the better
> climbers. And since LA is one of those better climbers, Jan will not be able to take the time back
> in the ITT. He needs a big push from his team in the TTT gaining more than a minute or 2 on Once
> and Postal to win this thing.

How can you know until they go uphill? It ain't over until the fat master sings.

> BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too many small climbers
> for this course...

Funny in retrospect.

 

[Roger Ramjet]

Basing that on Ullrich Tour D Swiss. I climbed well, but still lost time. He cannot accelerate with
the Armstrong and Pantanis. This has been proven, time and time again.

BTW Ullrich was in pretty darn good form in 2001 when he lost lots of time to LA in the Cols. I
think at best he is in 2001 form considering his knee injury and lack of racing. Time will tell if
he can last 3 weeks at this pace and if he can climb. I think he knows he has no chance of putting
time into Joseba and LA in the mountains so is trying to make up for it during the time trials and
other stages. This of course is total ******** if Beloki and LA do not climb as well as they have in
the past and Ullrich has a darn good shot at winning this.

"Precious Pup" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Shrek wrote:
> >
> > True, but when the road goes vertical, he will loose 30 seconds to a
minute to
> > the better climbers. And since LA is one of those better climbers, Jan
will not
> > be able to take the time back in the ITT. He needs a big push from his
team in
> > the TTT gaining more than a minute or 2 on Once and Postal to win this
thing.
>
>
> How can you know until they go uphill? It ain't over until the fat master
sings.
>
>
>
> > BTW I think USPS is not going to do a good time trial because they have too
many
> > small climbers for this course...
>
>
> Funny in retrospect.

 

[patch70]

>This could be like the 1985 Tour all over again. You have a climber that beat the team captain in the only ITT so far and on that strength (along with the team of course) he is now in yellow. How will he lose it? Will the team have to order him back?

V.H. Pena does not consider himself a climber. He says he is a TT specialist.
Either way, Lance will pass him soon.