Ullrich tears up TT course at Giro

[bluegoose]

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/9890.0.html

Like they mentioned in the article, its somewhat rare for der Kaiser to perform so well this early in the season. Perhaps a sign of things to come.

Incidentally, his average speed for the 50 K flat course was about 51 kph, roughly equal to 31.62 mph.

[creekster]

Any chance that any of those guys can make up several minutes on Basso? Seems pretty unlikley. It should be fun to see. Danielson is doing pretty well, really, but I am not sure he will be bale to be a Grand Tour winner. A top ten guy clearly, but not a winner.

[bluegoose]

I agree with you on Danielson. A nice rider, but doesn't seem to be developing into a grand tour winner. He will likely find himself on the podium eventually, but it will at least be a year or two.

I doubt if anyone will be able to make up the time on Basso. He looks a little too strong and appears to actually want to win this one, unlike Ullrich.

I think its going to be fun to follow the big tours this year without Lance. More drama, knowing its a wide open field and anyone's to win.

[creekster]

I find basso's approach a little curious. He does seem to want this one. It has been a while since someone won both the TdF and the Giro in the same year (remember Simoni a few years ago bragging about how he was oging to win the TdF and then getting totaly dropped more than a few times when the pace and the road turned up?). In fact, I think Pantani was the last guy to do it (I could be wrong; too lazy to double-check) and he was probabyl helped by some of his chemical friends. So given that this is the year Basso could really put a mark on the Tour, I thouhgt he might not be going after the Giro with such purpose. OTOH, he is Italian and this is his country and his race, so what the heck. Should be fun to watch how this plays out.