Looks pretty good to me. I don't see the extra baggage he is claimed to have.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/jun04/tourdesuisse04/stage5/image01.jpg

Looks pretty good to me. I don't see the extra baggage he is claimed to have.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/jun04/tourdesuisse04/stage5/image01.jpg

I think this is just a perpetuated myth that people say out of habit rather than actual observations. I think I see striations in that there quad, like a body builder at competition time, you don't get those without a real low body fat percentage. BTW, some teammates of mine were in Spain early in the year and took pictures with Ullrich and even then he looked quite slim to me.

OTOH, I see Bruyneel is now saying after the Ventoux TT that Armstrong might be too heavy and have some weight to lose, rather than the previous statements out his camp that they felt last year he was too light at the tour and was therefore coming into this year's tour heavier.

I think this is just a perpetuated myth that people say out of habit rather than actual observations. I think I see striations in that there quad, like a body builder at competition time, you don't get those without a real low body fat percentage. .

I agree with you about all the talk concerning Ullrich early in the season. He never looked heavy to me, but then again all I saw were pictures. His results early in the season didn't match his slim look though; but, as usual, he is coming right when he needs to. His legs are always ripped and always have been. He, and Giovanni Lombardi have the best legs in the peleton, wished mine looked even remotely like theirs. (So does my wife!) :) I leave July 11th for France and am staying to the finish on the Champs , can't wait to see some unbelieveable racing!

Lance is going to have his work cut out for him this year (again) Ullrich either finishes first or second in this tour any way you slice it.

With the book and all his adversaries doing so well, Lance is going to be under tremendous pressure again this year. The only way he overcomes it, is, if Cheryl sings to him at night to sooth him.

-Nik

please enlighten me.....what are "striations"?

the lines in his muscles indicating no fat between his skin and muscle bellies - "striations" - in this pic Jan looks VERY lean dare I say leaner than Lance by a percentage point or 2.

What a TDF this will be.

-Nik

the lines in his muscles indicating no fat between his skin and muscle bellies - "striations" - in this pic Jan looks VERY lean dare I say leaner than Lance by a percentage point or 2.

What a TDF this will be.

-Nik

Not quite, but similar. Striations, rather than being good definition between different muscles, like you see on that last shot of Ullrich, are actually being able to see the structure of an individual muscle through the skin. Like in on this bodybuilders chest:

http://www.flexonline.com/mro/final_men_bb/pages/ddd0109.html

Since the talk has been always that Ulle is supposed to "peak" in the second part pf the TdF ... isn't he on top of his game too early ?

If I just guess for a second and chech the latest results I would say that at this time Lance might be not there yet while Jan is. So would that mean that Jan will be somewhat passed his prime 3 weeks from now when the mountains start ? Just wondering if anyone feels that way.

He certainly looks good though... Oh Boy... This tour looks epic already !

Since the talk has been always that Ulle is supposed to "peak" in the second part pf the TdF ... isn't he on top of his game too early ?

If I just guess for a second and chech the latest results I would say that at this time Lance might be not there yet while Jan is. So would that mean that Jan will be somewhat passed his prime 3 weeks from now when the mountains start ? Just wondering if anyone feels that way.

He certainly looks good though... Oh Boy... This tour looks epic already !

Nah, if Ullrich was at his peak he would have ridden all those other guys at the TdS off his wheel on the climbs, rather than conceding some time to a few others. Plus, I think Ullrich has always shown that it takes him a while to find his form and then he maintains it for quite some time (right now, i'd put money on him being the Olympic TT winner). So, I wouldn't worry about him peaking too early. Armstrong on the other hand (prior to last year) always burns very brightly in the month or so before the tour and then at the tour, and then his form drops off dramatically. The real question for me is if last year and so for this year were flukes and Armstrong can still achieve that super hot form, or if age, etc. have caught up with him and he can no longer achieve what he once could. The answer is still probably a month away. Add to the mix that Mayo may be arriving as a guy who can ride with Armstrong and Ullrich, even when they're at their best, and it should be a thrilling tour.

...Like in on this bodybuilders chest:

http://www.flexonline.com/mro/final_men_bb/pages/ddd0109.html

OMG, I think I'm going to puke!

I'd still love to know how a guy goes from dropping out of pro races because he cannot keep pace with the peleton to winning a race like the TdS in five weeks...

I'd still love to know how a guy goes from dropping out of pro races because he cannot keep pace with the peleton to winning a race like the TdS in five weeks...

I don't think that Ullrich dropped out because he couldn't hack the pace at LBL. I'll bet he was under strict instructions by his coaches not to go into the red zone for too long. My own coach has said to me that if i am in a low priority race early in the season and the pace gets too intense for too long, I should drop out. As I get closer to my peak, that is when I should be trying to hang on. LBL was months away from the tour...No point in ullrich burning himself out so early. It was probably just a training ride for him to get used to race pace. I wouldn't be surprised if after he dropped out, he went and did another 100km on his own.

I don't think that Ullrich dropped out because he couldn't hack the pace at LBL. I'll bet he was under strict instructions by his coaches not to go into the red zone for too long. My own coach has said to me that if i am in a low priority race early in the season and the pace gets too intense for too long, I should drop out. As I get closer to my peak, that is when I should be trying to hang on. LBL was months away from the tour...No point in ullrich burning himself out so early. It was probably just a training ride for him to get used to race pace. I wouldn't be surprised if after he dropped out, he went and did another 100km on his own.

I completely see and understand what you're saying. I just remember reading somewhere that he dropped out of the Fleche Wellone because he couldn't keep pace with the field.

I'd still love to know how a guy goes from dropping out of pro races because he cannot keep pace with the peleton to winning a race like the TdS in five weeks...


hummmm. that guy just won the tour the suisse, not just the overall, he won the points classification and two stages...

would you still love to know how?

I believe I recall the same sort of chatter regarding the possibilities of Lance losing in the last 3 or 4 years as well...

I hope to see a good race, but from what I have seen of Lance, he has probably worked harder this year than any other.

He will win this tour, and then perhaps "retire" to become the world's preeminent Iron Man Triathlete...

I hope to see a good race, but from what I have seen of Lance, he has probably worked harder this year than any other.

Wow, you personally saw Lance, like in person. Like Wow. I know he has been hard at work this year. He has to work hard to pimp up on Sandra Bullock and Sheryl Crow. I wonder what is it like to have sex with one ball. HaHaHaHa. * no offense to any testicular cancer patients *

OMG, I think I'm going to puke!

Aren't performance enhancing drugs a wonderful thing?

I believe I recall the same sort of chatter regarding the possibilities of Lance losing in the last 3 or 4 years as well...

I hope to see a good race, but from what I have seen of Lance, he has probably worked harder this year than any other.

He will win this tour, and then perhaps "retire" to become the world's preeminent Iron Man Triathlete...

What cycling are you following? Sure there was the possibility, much more so last year than in the previous years when he dominated the build up stage races and the tour. Last year he wasn't dominant in either. He hasn't shown any dominance this year, and actually looked more vulnerable than ever at the Dauphine. He might still win, he's probably still the favorite, but it is far from a sure thing. And he's not retiring unless he changes his mind. (I wouldn't be surprised if the The Discovery Channel deal was hinged on him continuing to race). What makes you think he's worker harder this year?

and that is a good thing. Last year LA worked too hard...started the DL underweight and worked too hard to win it. By Tour time, he was overcooked.

All the mountain difficulties are in the last week (give or take a day)...start the Tour undercooked and ride into shape. JU is following the same plan.

Yes, he has done his homework. Yes, he has his base. Yes, he has progressed well in his race days. Yes, he is on track following the master plan. But, it's not like he has trained at his 100% much more often...I'd suggest that this year, he has stayed under 100% much more than last year. Save the legs for when they are really needed.

looks considerably more fit than past years at this time IMHO. I am not sure If I have seem him this lean since he was a young buck and won the TDF in 97. Lance will need to put time into JU whenever he can cus he is going to need for that 80k ITT. My guess is Ullrich takes that by over a minute perhaps more.

-Nik

if i was in Lance's situation, i would be terrified. i wouldn't be able to sleep at night, simply knowing that Ullrich is looking as good as he is. Ullrich is scary this year.

Ullrich will be a threat in TTs, Mayo and Hamilton will be threats in the mountains, and the whole Phonak team will be a threat on the flats......Lance, I hope you're ready and willing to suffer horribly to get your 6th win.

hey lance? don't f**k up. ullrich will eat you alive if you make any mistakes this year.

Wow, you personally saw Lance, like in person. Like Wow. I know he has been hard at work this year. He has to work hard to pimp up on Sandra Bullock and Sheryl Crow. I wonder what is it like to have sex with one ball. HaHaHaHa. * no offense to any testicular cancer patients *

You're an idiot.

yes Jan looks great but once again this whole "Jan's gonna kill him in the ITT" is poorly based speculation. Yep Jan beat him last year, I'm not even going into the reasons why as I'm no LA apologist / superfan. But...by statistics LA has beaten Jan in more TT's than Jan has beaten LA. So even if Jan wins the ITT it is doubtful that he will put enough time into LA that he may have lost or will lose in the Mtn TT or regular Mtn stages. I hope the Kaiser hammers and as stated by some of his TdS competitors 'turns the big ring on the climbs' and makes this a great race. I still think Tyler is as much a threat as any, Basso a dark horse but I think E.E. will let Mayo down.

is not about the end of the ITT, it's about the beginning. He may pull back 5 minutes on Mayo, Heras and such, but how much time is he down after the mountains. He may be so far back that he does not have a chance to win or even podium. But if so, I bet he still rides to win the stage.

I hope he is competitive and forces the race to the end. I hope he stays close when the angles start to fly. But, I don't see any place where he will have an advantage to pull some time back on them except the ITT. Even though there are 6 mountain road stages, only 2 finish at the top. If JU was an excellent descender, maybe could try on stage 15, 17 or 18 to crest with the leaders and attack on the descents to the finish. But, what are the chances of that. Simoni or Armstrong on the other hand...

Jan always takes heat from the press about his early season condition. Make no mistake about it, he will peak in the second week of the tour as all the contenders will. The photo on this link has all of my female co-workers buying German phrase books...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/jun04/tourdesuisse04/?id=stage9/image21

downhills aren't his forte. this Tour IMHO is the least advantageous to him of any of the top favorites, an uphill TT, lots of climbing (some very steep) and some downhill runs to the line. I don't see any places where he really has an advantage over his lighter competition.

I'd still love to know how a guy goes from dropping out of pro races because he cannot keep pace with the peleton to winning a race like the TdS in five weeks...


people have said the same thing about Armstrong. Now that's a guy that could never even come close to cracking the top 20 at any major Tour, let alone the grandaddy of them all, then has cancer and wins 5 straight. Interesting indeed.