Going for #7

[Smoke]

"..and he's chasing Ullrich like a donkey going after a strawberry."

Great start to the Circus. It's already another for the history books.

[Ninja]

hahahaha, I would love to see the look on jan's face when lance blew pass him.

[biopace]

After Ullrich's freaky crash a couple of days ago, I'm not surprised he's off his game a bit.

Well done, Lance!

What a change from the past - four Americans in the top 6!

[wallyjames]

It's down to Lance and Vinoukourov already. Barring accidents or illness, no one else will get close. Lance has 50 sec advantage already and Vino's team is too divided to help him significantly. Sure a lot can happen between now and Paris but it's very likely Lance will win lucky 7.

Perfect day for Lance. Major blows in time and headspace to his opponents but avoids the burden of defending yellow. I would say him and Bruyneel planned it exactly like this. He'll be in yellow day 4 after the TTT, that will be soon enough.

Vinoukourov +0:51

Landis +0:59
Ullrich +1:06
Leipheimer +1:11
Basso +1:24
Kloden +1:58
Rogers +1:51
Beloki +2:02
Heras +2:18

With gaps like this after day one, expect to see a lot of these 'top contenders' concede and abandon in the next 2 weeks. I can't think of any other Tour stage that was so decisive yet so short.

[pete@nsmb.com]

I think it won't be so easy as that, and I think (and hope) that Armstrong will feel more pressure from more angles this year than any other. Quite a few guys have started training for this one race and taken a page out of his book, and while I think he's the favourite, I also think he'll have to fend off a bunch of other threats, not just Ullrich, in order to win.

Seeing him ride past der Jan on the TT was nutty. I can't bring myself to entirely cheer for Lance, but I can't cheer against him, either.

[Smoke]

Bets on what day Ullrich pulls the plug?

Pool maybe?

[Ninja]

5th day..... 10 bucks

[ShoreIH]

I dont see lance winning this one. But I am probably wrong.

[biopace]

Keep in mind Ullrich's crash on Friday. He only lost a minute or so the day after going through the back of a car windo at 60km/h. Not bad in my books. Just wait till he gets his legs back.

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/v4/l0/s18/e7203/sport_lng0_spo18_evt7203_sto737849.shtml

The 2005 Tour de France starts Saturday. But for Jan Ullrich, the race nearly ended Friday, the German bulleting head first through the rear window of his team car in a freak training accident. Ullrich was "very, very lucky" to escape unscathed, said T-Mobile's team doctor Lothar Heinrich.



ROUTE: Stage 1
Ride on Rogers!

On a reconnaissance ride for Saturday's 19km time-trial between Fromentine and the island of Noirmoutier in the Vendee region of northwestern France, Ullrich Friday was motor pacing behind his team car when a truck inadvertently cutoff the T-Mobile procession in a round-about.

Head down and just inches behind the car driven by T-Mobile team director Mario Kummer, Ullrich had no time to react. At 60 kmh, the German 1997 Tour de France champion collided head first with the back of the car, exploding the vehicle's rear window.

Ullrich suffered minor cuts to his neck, glass shards reportedly missing his jugular by "two millimetres," Lothar Heinrich, T-Mobile's team doctor, said in French sports daily L'Equipe.

"If that had happened, with the amount of blood [Ullrich] would have lost, he would not have been fit to take the start of the Tour de France on Saturday."

"Jan was very, very lucky."

Whether it's a bit of bluff or not, Ullrich and his team insist that the 31-year-old German is "100 percent fine" after Friday's freaky training crash.

And if Ullrich is indeed in top condition, Saturday's 19-km could smile on the German -- and lead him to the first yellow jersey of the 2005 Tour de France.

"For me, this [time-trial] course is perfect," Ullrich said. "It's all about power and that's my strength."

[Wayne P]

For Chris Carmichael to say that Lance will put more time on everyone this year than in previous years is a bold statement. I believe it.

One stage and he has almost a minute over his nearest rivals. Crazy. How can you not cheer for him and way he rides?

Vino will be in second as I predicted earlier. Jan will probably find his wheels in the final stages, but I wouldn't doubt that he drops out.

I hope to see Lance try something new, like go for a break on a flat stage. God knows he can do it. If Vino does, Lance has to join him.

Discovery looks strong.

[sanrensho]

Bets on what day Ullrich pulls the plug?

Ullrich will finish. While not the consummate professional as far as preparation and laying off the extra streudel in the off-season, he isn't a quitter.

Mayo, on the other hand...

[butler]

did anyone see bobby julich's chainrings?i think biopace is coming back.

[wallyjames]

I'm guessing Mayo will make it through the Pyrenees but be gone by the Alps.

Saw a piece with Julich where he says those chainrings are worth 3 sec/km on a climb and 1 sec/km in a TT. Sure are funny lookin, even more ovalised than the old biopace rings.

[biopace]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tech/probikes/julich_csc_cervelo/dsc00678tn.jpg

As far as I know, Julich just has a bad biomechanical pedalstroke.

And personally, I think that no matter what condition Ullrich is in, he'd rather kill himself than quit on his final chance to beat Lance in the Tour. He's a good rider and a proud rider, not a quitter. Whether or not he can win is another matter.

[Smoke]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tech/probikes/julich_csc_cervelo/dsc00678tn.jpg

As far as I know, Julich just has a bad biomechanical pedalstroke.

And personally, I think that no matter what condition Ullrich is in, he'd rather kill himself than quit on his final chance to beat Lance in the Tour. He's a good rider and a proud rider, not a quitter. Whether or not he can win is another matter.

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

He's gone on Thursday.

[Uncle Duke]

did anyone see bobby julich's chainrings?i think biopace is coming back.


thas exactly what i said when i saw that..