I'm not a pro team expert by any means, but it seems like there's no way T-Mobile can keep Kloeden, Ullrich, and Vinokourov all in one team.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

       I'm wundering if he will retire. Even though he is young, he's kind of old school; party all winter and get into shape when the tour rolls around. LA has changed the tour in the same way that Tiger Woods changed golf. You now will have to train hard all year and the young guys are willing to do that to get to the top. I don't think Jan is willing to do that and where does that leave him?

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

I'd be willing to bet that Jan won't make any decision until he finds out what Lance is going to do next year. If Lance takes a year away from the Tour, as he apparently has said he might like to do, then I think Jan will try to have a go at it.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Had the Tour started with the Alps rather than the Pyrennees, we'd have a different order on GC after that first guy.......is he from Texas?

Ullrich proved that he continues to be very strong in both the climbs and the ITTs. He also shows that his form comes along after a day of climbing. With the Alps, he can get away with powering along in a big gear. With the Pyrenees, he needs a bit more finesse, but if they come second, his level is a notch or two higher.

Klodi is an excellent rider. But, despite this year's result not showing it, I believe Jan is better.

Jan does need to get away from Rudy Pevenage. I'm not sure what the deal is, but associating with someone who empowers you with a plan that doesn't work is a sure sign of self defeatism. Godefort is a good DS. Keeping a stable of highly talented riders together working successfully isn't an easy task. Pevenage would have caused disruption. Maybe Jan should start working with Carmichael.

Just my 2 pesos worth.

Rocketboy

I was reading a cycling magazine

they listed Tmobiles budget as being over 18 million while the majority of the other teams coming in at 8-9 million... what the F... kinda like my baseball team the mets or the red sox... spend tons of money and little results... hat the yankees but when they spend money they get results.

I agree, if LA skips his bid for 7, then Jan will be in it to win it - no doubt he will get serious about that. If T Mobile has a problem with his quest, he will look elsewhere, to another team.

If LA goes for 7 then Jan will ride for 2nd again.

My best guess is that Lance will do the Giro and possibly the Vuelta, looking for wins at either to complete his career goals. Or he will retire and take Al Troutwig's spot commenting with Bob Roll.

Of course I have no idea, just speculation on my part.

I doubt Kloeden will be given the leadership even if Jan leaves.

Kloeden has been very inconsistent over the years and this has been a problem in the team.
If Jan stays, he will remain the leader, and if he leaves, Vino will likely become the new leader.

with the move over to the "pro tour" format that is being made next year, each team has to compete in all the grand tours in order to maintain its spot within division i teams(or whatever level it will be called). because of that, teams are going to need to keep more "stars" on the roster in order to have solid showings in the giro, tdf, and vuelta. thus, i think t-mob will have to at least try to keep those 3 guys on the squad. i've heard that postal/discovery has approached popovych to join the team next year for that specific reason(better performances throughout the grand tours).

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f/k/a mclamb6

good point. I had forgotten about the pro tour starting in 2005 (and all these nice races that are likely going to disappear...)

You ever hear the old adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"?

;)