TOUR DE FRANCE: It's Ullrich's last shot to conquer Armstrong

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 7/1/5 | Dan Giesin

[SmithL]

Time is running out for Jan Ullrich.

For the past six years, the German cyclist has been the foil of Lance Armstrong, finishing second to the Texan three times and fourth once on his sport's grandest stage, the Tour de France.

As Ullrich sees it, this is his last great chance, not to win the Tour for a second time -- at 31 he still has a couple more good racing years left in his legs -- but to get the better of his nemesis Armstrong, who plans to retire from professional cycling on July 24, the day the three-week-long Tour de France ends in Paris.

"Lance has dominated the Tour for the last six years, and whoever beats him is going to be the greatest," Ullrich was quoted recently in Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "A true sportsman always wants to beat the best. This year's duel will be the most exciting because this is his last Tour.

"He's dominated the race ... and broken the records of the century. That's my motivation -- this is the last chance. ... I can't afford to squander any more chances."

Realistically, Ullrich, whose future looked limitless when he won the Tour for the first -- and only -- time in 1997 at the age of 23, has a great shot at preventing Armstrong from entering Paris wearing the maillot jaune, the race leader's yellow jersey, for a seventh consecutive year.

[SmithL]

Deja vu:

An American beats the Germans,

in France,

again.

[Eurotwit]

They will both be foiled by Basso...

And Hushovd will win the Green jersey..

Yes, I have has a couple of Aquavitae's :-)

Cheers.

[nutmeg]

Tour de France ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my Tour de France 2005 list.

[Aeronaut]

Hey Nutmeg. Please keep me on. I can't wait for #7.

[Aeronaut]

Lance has dominated the Tour for the last six years, and whoever beats him is going to be the greatest...

Wishful thinking Jan. Lance will be the greatest until someone wins eight in a row. You will be a footnote.

[nutmeg]

You're ON. ;-)

I can't wait for #7 either... can't believe a year has gone by so quickly!

GO LANCE

[jimtorr]

Ping me for the Tour, please.

[nutmeg]

Wishful thinking Jan. Lance will be the greatest until someone wins eight in a row. You will be a footnote.

Yep. As with last year's Tour, I just hope and pray there's no sabotage or attacks on Lance en route. I'll be on pins and needles (as usual) when those "fans" close in on the riders in the mountains.

[MotleyGirl70]

Tour de France ping.

[Cagey]

Hahahaha!

That gives new meaning to "pedaling in circles".

[nutmeg]

I've added you to my Tour de France 2005 list. Thanks for your interest!

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Could you please add me to your Tour de Lance -- oops, I meant Tour de France -- ping list? Thanks!

Go Lance!!

[Crispy]

What time does this start in the US? Is it after midnight here, like 1 or 2 in the morning? If so, I may have to stay up to watch it live.

[leilani]

"They will both be foiled by Basso..."

I really enjoyed watching him last year and I think he does have a great future. I especially hope he livens things up the next few weeks, however I still want our boy to win this last one.

But after Lance retires to Malibu with The Skanky One(and shortly thereafter gets dumped for somebody who's more happenin' than a newly retired cyclist),all bets are off. Judging from his spirited run in TDF 04, I think you may be right that Basso's gonna be the one to beat the next couple of years.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

ARMSTRONG'S SECRET PLAN: Smash the opposition's faces into the back of their team cars.

Ullrich and Pereiro crash

T-Mobile captain Jan Ullrich has crashed into the rear window of the team car being driven by directeur sportif Mario Kummer on Friday during motor training. Ullrich slid into the back of the car which had hit the brakes hard on a slippery section of road. He suffered cuts and scratches, also one minor cut to his face, as the window broke on impact, but team doctor Lothar Heinrich said, "They are just surface wounds. They don't need to be stitched." Ullrich also confirmed, "I'm fine, it's not that bad."

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

You can sleep in. They race in the afternoons (CET).
OLN coverage starts 11:30 EDT http://www.olntv.com/ .
Also web audio at http://www.eurosport.com/ if you don't get OLN.

[Crispy]

Great, thanks for the info. Better get to bed soon so I don't miss it.

[SunkenCiv]

Armstrong Goes Out in Style
Champion powers to time trial victory
By Joe 'Lindsey, Contributing Writer
July 23, 2005
http://www.tourdefrancenews.com/tourdefrance/experts/columns/0,5976,s1-12835-661,00.html

Never before had Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) arrived at the Tour de France without a win in the leadup. And never before had Armstrong won a Tour without taking at least one individual stage. There isn’t much to be done about the former, but Armstrong today took out his 25th stage win (including team time trials) of the Tour with a convincing win in the final time trial. In so doing, he cemented an unprecedented seventh straight Tour de France win, and will retire after Sunday’s 21st stage as the winningest Tour rider in history (although the record for stage wins is held by Eddy Merckx, with 34).

[SunkenCiv]

Armstrong’s Competition Falters
No significant challenge to Lance
By Cyril 'Guimard, Team Strategy Columnist
July 23, 2005
http://www.tourdefrancenews.com/tourdefrance/experts/columns/0,5976,s1-12851-527-expert,00.html

Even Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso could use some help. After the first time check at 17 kilometers, Basso was actually ahead of Armstrong by seven seconds, and Ullrich was only 10 seconds behind Lance. But both lost enormous time to Armstrong on the middle section, where there was a long, sinuous descent.

Basso lost a minute 25 seconds! He must have a mental block because if you are leading for the first 17 kilometers, clearly you are riding very strongly. There is no reason to lose so much time.