Rumours about Ullrich

[lnomalley]

so the rumour mill is in full effect... something about Discovery in talks, as we speak, about picking up a new ginger haired german dude from a magenta clad team. Just a rumour.... it doesn't make sense to me personally.. but it's from a fairly credible source (and that's all i'm saying).

crap.. how do you spell rumor? rumour?

[Serpico]

sweet!

I love Jan, but he continually lets me down--he looks pretty svelte this year, btw

wow


Reuters: Armstrong predicts Ullrich will win 2006 Tour easily (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2006-01-19T104542Z_01_L19467688_RTRUKOC_0_UK-CYCLING-ARMSTRONG.xml)



http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/news/jan06/t-mobile_pres/IMG_0189.jpg

[93legendti]

Didn't the season start already--usually that ends transfer talk, unless a team goes under. I'd love to see Ulrich on a team with a DS who knows what he is doing; knows how to use a team and knows how to get the most out of Jan's immense talent. Alas, I fear Jan will stay where he is and struggle to finish in the top 5. IMHO, this Tour will be one of "new" faces in the top 5: Popyvitch (spell?), Cadel Evans, Hincapie, Kloden (was he suspended for drugs?) Valverde, Zabriskie and of course Basso (not a "new" face, but I have questions about his killer instinct and nerves).

[Climb01742]

jan's talent + lance's training program + discipline of johan-led team would be a sweet combo. imagine if jan had gone to csc with bjarne. but a strong DS has never been on jan's must-have list, it seems.

[Grant McLean]

jan's talent + lance's training program + discipline of johan-led team would be a sweet combo. imagine if jan had gone to csc with bjarne. but a strong DS has never been on jan's must-have list, it seems.

and give up those sweet pink bikes?
(dripping with sarcasm...)

-g

[coylifut]

there's no way that Ulrich wins the tour with that hair.

[Grant McLean]

there's no way that Ulrich wins the tour with that hair.

Bet he gets more tail than Sinatra

(sorry E-man)

-g

[Argos]

No wonder his training is always suffering, he's moonlighting on a TV show...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/news/jan06/t-mobile_pres/IMG_0189.jpg

http://www.nbc.com/Surface/images/bios/carter_jenkins.jpg

[GoJavs]

quote...Kloden (was he suspended for drugs?)...unquote

93Legend, where did you read that?

[lnomalley]

i must say that i find this rumour i'm reporting to be dodgy.. but it's from very inside and it's supposed to be on the table today. i can't imagine t-mobile selling the contract of their star rider....

but it's compelling if not unfounded.... we'll see this week.

[1centaur]

This rumor, if it has any credibility, may say more about Disco's lack of a credible podium threat than Ulrich's likelihood of moving. He would be leaving his guru that he just got back on T-Mobile, he would have the German fans mad at him (cutting future endorsement dollars), and he would be leaving his German teammates in the lurch, possibly leading to loss of sponsorship and definitely lower paychecks at the Tour. I think he's always had a greater need to be liked than, say, Lance, but it would take a "this is just business" mentality to make the switch. 1% chance.

[manet]

jaw line getting more prominent

[Frustration]

I love the line from the Reuters story:


"All our team plannings and strategy in the past years concentrated entirely on how to neutralise Ullrich. Fortunately it always worked," the American said.


Plannings and Strategy my a$$...

The meeting went like this:

Armstrong: "OK Guys, watch Ulli pop like a cork once we wittle the bunch down in the hills"

Team (including Johan and coach Charmi...): "UMKAY!"

Why does everyone (including Lance) make it seem like Johan or Trek or CTS did anything but tag along and watch the guy pedal like everyone else... I'm just wondering how long they'll get to milk that cow before everyone realizes CTS and Trek and the blue train are serving up soy....

[93legendti]

quote...Kloden (was he suspended for drugs?)...unquote

93Legend, where did you read that?


I didn't read it any where. I remember some one on the team geting busted last year, thought maybe it was Kloden...maybe it was Hondo?

[yeehawfactor]

i don't think armstrong saying ullrich will win easily is anything more than mind games. he's not going against ullrich anymore, but his team his, and the more pressure on ullrich the better

[Fixed]

bro he ain't leavin that german team and I think he wins t.d.f. this year cheers :beer:

[GoJavs]

I didn't read it any where. I remember some one on the team geting busted last year, thought maybe it was Kloden...maybe it was Hondo?


Nope. Hondo was with Gerolsteiner when he got busted. :)

[soulspinner]

I must say he looks rather lean for this time of year. Maybe he realizes how few chances he has left to get one more. Basso-issimo

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . who WAS with T-Mobile once upon a time, and he is in deep doo-doo.

As for the rumor, this makes absolutely no sense. Centaur is right. Jan finally got rid of Godefroot and got his man Pevenage in the driver's seat. The Crazy Kazakh is gone to Liberty, and for once it looks like there could really be a team united behind Jan.

Jan fly the coop? No way, no how.

BBD

[GoJavs]

[QUOTE=BumbleBeeDave]. . . who WAS with T-Mobile once upon a time, and he is in deep doo-doo. UNQUOTE

He sure is. And so is Roberto Heras who WAS with USPS...! :)

[93legendti]

[QUOTE=BumbleBeeDave]. . . who WAS with T-Mobile once upon a time, and he is in deep doo-doo. UNQUOTE

He sure is. And so is Roberto Heras who WAS with USPS...! :)


AND Kelme!:)!!!

[GoJavs]

[QUOTE=GoJavs]


AND Kelme!:)!!!

----

Every team is vulnerable to doping stories. Some (Phonak?) of course more than others.

As far as Jan, it'd be nice to see him win one before the new generation takes over....