Ullrich and Zabriskie

[creekster]

Who would have thought that Ullrich would now be looking as good as ever for the TdF and that David Z might not even make the CSC team? Ullrich has looked strong in the Tour de Suisse and looks ready to at least make some noise at`the TdF even if he doesn't wion it. No more struedel boy jokes from me. Zabriskie, whose bike handling skills have alwaysa beeen a little suspect and whose value is lessened in the absence of a team time trial in the Grand Boucl;e this year, may not even be on the CSC team. CSC will announcs after the Tour de Suisse. My guess is that Z is in trouble on this one. Btw, the Tour de Suisse ends on Sunday witrh a ITT; don't be surprised to se Jan the Man on the podium and maybe at the top step.

[bluegoose]

Good point regarding Zabriskie. I hadn't even considered the idea that he may not even be invited to le tour. But from a "team" standpoint, I suppose he doesn't really serve much purpose to their overall goal of getting Basso to the top of the podium. he may be able to get them a stage win in the ITT, but I doubt that they really care that much about that.

Ullrich sure is looking good at the Suisse tour. I wouldn't be surprised to see him pull off the CG with a strong TT this weekend. I still think it is too close to the start of the tour for him to be working so hard for a relatively insignificant win here. IMO, this leaves him minimal time for rest and tapering before July 1.

[creekster]

Good point regarding Zabriskie. I hadn't even considered the idea that he may not even be invited to le tour. But from a "team" standpoint, I suppose he doesn't really serve much purpose to their overall goal of getting Basso to the top of the podium. he may be able to get them a stage win in the ITT, but I doubt that they really care that much about that.

Ullrich sure is looking good at the Suisse tour. I wouldn't be surprised to see him pull off the CG with a strong TT this weekend. I still think it is too close to the start of the tour for him to be working so hard for a relatively insignificant win here. IMO, this leaves him minimal time for rest and tapering before July 1.

The guy that won the stage a couple of days agoi said something like Ullrich was just sitting on and could have taken the stage any time he wanted to. This was not a temamate, either. So maybe Ullrich is not going all out, maybe without LA sitting on his shoulders he is back to the heady days of '97 (has it been that long since he first won the TdF?).

Besides LA won the TdSuisse a few years ago and then won the Tdf as well, so it can be done. OTOH, given Jan's recent past, you very well could be right. It's not as thogh Jan has shown himself to be a training monster who can ride through it all. We'll see what happens, but I bet Basso is watching the Swiss Alps carefully riught now.

[creekster]

Imagine if you are David Z. You wear the Maillot Jaune last year, you kick butt in a couple of ITTs at the Dauphine, and then you are dumped and not even picked to be on the team that goes to the TdF. That would really be upsetting, i would think.

[bluegoose]

Very impressive ride for Ullrich in the ITT this weekend at the tour de Suisse. He's looking very strong heading into le tour in a couple of weeks. We'll see how his team is looking as a whole. I don't think the loss of Vinokourov from T Mobile was a bad thing. He really only wore the jersey, not really helping out the team at all last year.

And it looks like Zabriskie made it on the squad after all. I think its a good move. He's definitely earned it by riding hard this spring.

[creekster]

Very impressive ride for Ullrich in the ITT this weekend at the tour de Suisse. He's looking very strong heading into le tour in a couple of weeks. We'll see how his team is looking as a whole. I don't think the loss of Vinokourov from T Mobile was a bad thing. He really only wore the jersey, not really helping out the team at all last year.

And it looks like Zabriskie made it on the squad after all. I think its a good move. He's definitely earned it by riding hard this spring.


Ullrich looked good. Wonder if Basso is worried?

I am glad for Z also. I suspect thast picking him was a reward and an atttemp to solidify his commitment for the future.