Merckx critical of Ullrich

[tekxtc]

"Although Jan Ullrich maintains that he is right on target for his
Tour de France plans, there are concerns that he is taking things a little too easy at this time of year. In today's Rund um Köln, Ullrich could only manage 64th place at 5'41 down from the winner, a far cry from his 52 km solo effort to win last year.

Ullrich joked afterwards that, "In 2003 I was an outsider and I was only able to win because the others didn't recognise me in my Coast jersey. However, it's a long time to the Tour and I'm on the right track."

Five time Tour winner Eddy Merckx, who is never afraid to speak his mind, told DPA, "It seems that Jan has again not worked hard enough in his previous preparation and is still too much overweight. Sure, he has still over two months, but to beat Lance Armstrong in the Tour will be harder than 2003." "

I agree with Eddy time is getting shorrt for Jan. On the otherhand I will be interesting see what kind of shape Armstrong is in after training in the US. Personally I think Lance is taking a big risk by training in the US and eliminating the Dauphine Libre from his schedule. There is the slight chance that this could open the tdf for a outsider to win.

[vladzmina]

IIRC, Lemond was born with only one kidney. How much does a kidney weigh?

[vladzmina]

Is this another 'virtual' TdF win?

[CDJunkie]

"Lance Armstrong has decided to ride in this year's Dauphine Libere race as he prepares to go for a record-equalling sixth Tour de France title.

[VeeChan]

Ergo for Lance it's just drugs.

[tekxtc]

I just feel that Lance should stick to what has worked for him in the past.

[tekxtc]

I was just watching the Fleche Wallone and it appears that Ullrich did not finish. This seems to confirm that Ullrich's form is off at this point. So unless Ullrich starts to act fast his chances of winning the tdf will be over.

[VeeChan]

He's also a great deal older than his real Tour form when Riis won. At that time Jan was a Greg LeMond slight figure who could walk away from everyone on the hills and who had to be restrained from winning the Tour from his own team mate Riis.

Since then, each year Jan has shown progressively greater and greater power but his size has neutralized that advantage each year. A great deal of this is just natural to aging. Lance himself is nowhere near the body build he had in '99 and a great deal closer to his form of '96.

You can't fool mother nature for too long.

[linkletter]

If it had not been for that stupid french spectator who hit him in the stomach, Merckx would have won 6 times.

[tekxtc]

I seriously doubt Lance will be able to have custody of his kids. How can a judge possibly consider giving him custody when he is on the road so much. In any case it's hard to find a better case to let the wife have custody.