Well a few people are probably going to lose their status as team leader after their porr showing in this year's Tour, usually older riders facing up and comers.

T-Mobile's horrible DS is publically throwing Jan Ullrich under the bus to save his job.

Liberty Suguros cannot be happy either.

Rabobank didn't do any work for Levi this year.

I will put up a poll as well (vote early and often!).

So who gets demoted or sacked, or "encouraged" to retire (cough, cough Cippolini).

~ Rabobank - Levi's #11 placing shows his team needs better discipline to pull for their leader. I would say he shouldn't be changed unless Rabo has a better man for the job.

~ T-Mob - Unless Jan can show a REAL commitment for the rest of the year until next July, Kloden is the obvious choice for leader. Then you have to remember Vino is still there as well.

~ Mario's toast. Next.

~ As for some of the other teams, I think it just comes down to whether they want to seriously commit to winning the Yellow jersey/GC, or scatter around for single stage wins, Green & KOM jerseys, etc.

levi was 9th this year and 8th two years ago. i think teams would rather get a stage win then 10th on gc in general? so he will probably remain their gc guy but without to much support

Jan Ullrich - still one of the best bets as team leader for the tour
Roberto Heras - had a poor race but could redeem himselt in spain
Mario Cippolini - he is done?
Levi Leipheimer - see above post
Gilberto Simoni - done at seaco, but will be valuable somewhere else.

Leipheimer won't the team leader on Discovery, obviously. Maybe his deal will be that he gets to be the team leader in the Vuelta. Sounds like Discovery will sign Popovych to be either their leader in the Giro, if Armstrong rides the TdF in '05, or to help Armstrong if Lance chooses the Giro.

Cipo is going to retire.

Heras is obviously not the man for the TdF, but Liberty doesn't have anyone else to step into that role. Is Liberty going to be a top team under the new format?

T-Mobile's DS, Godefroot, was horrible and incompetent at the TdF. Ullrich would make less money if he went elsewhere but he might have a better chance of winning.

The Ullrich - T-mobile implosion continues:

Ullrich not happy with Godefroot
T-Mobile's Jan Ullrich said he has to speak with his team manager about comments questioning his commitment.

T-Mobile manager Walter Godefroot had criticized Ullrich, saying the 1997 Tour de France winner "cycled to live", while six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong "lives for cycling" after the German failed to gain a top-two finish at the Tour for the first time in his career.

"I cannot let that go," Ullrich said late on Monday on a television talk show. "You should ask the people who I work with and not someone like Walter Godefroot who I speak to on the telephone twice a year -- if at all."

Ullrich said he was extremely angry about Godefroot's comments but would try to talk to him at the HEW Cyclassics event in Hamburg next week.

"I will clear up what he said. If he says it to my face I will take the appropriate steps," Ullrich said, without specifying what those might be.


http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/6688.0.html

levi was 9th this year

Oops! My mistake.

"I will clear up what he said. If he says it to my face I will take the appropriate steps," Ullrich said, without specifying what those might be.

Good. I'd like to see Jan finally getting some 'fight' in his blood.

T-Mobile manager Walter Godefroot had criticized Ullrich, saying the 1997 Tour de France winner "cycled to live", while six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong "lives for cycling" after the German failed to gain a top-two finish at the Tour for the first time in his career.

He's right!

He's right!

He's is also trying to deflect the blame for the absysmal job he has done the last several year despite having one of the strongest teams, biggest budgets and many star riders in their prime. Hell he personally killed off the career of Julich and Botero with his imcompetance. Jan comes back, and poof he is slower and worse prepared now too. Leaving Tour of Austria winner Cadel Evans at home? The rather poor TTT? How happy can Zabel be with the poor support he is getting?

T-mobile needs a new DS, otherwise they will continue to spin their wheels while other better run teams like CSC and Discovery continue increase their wins over the boys in Pink and Black.