leipheimer rejoined his american roots? i didnt know that. No
disrespect to the guy, but he was never a world beater was he....then
again, 2 years ago we werent all tripping ourselves up over the
potential of that Landis fella either, were we?

unfortuneatly all the REAL potential guys tend to do THEMSELVES in and
hit the self destruct button, leaving us with these false idols like
Landis, Heras, Ullrich, Basso(?) etc

people like Vandenbrouke, Millar, Kloden etc, promise much, but for
one reason or another fail to come up with the goods.

I so wish I'd been able to follow the careers of Kelly and Hinault
through the 80's, Icouldnt care if they were clean or not, but theres
nothing to suggest either way and the rides and races they won were
awesome.
Hinaults victory at Liege in the snow....kelly's descent of the Poggio
to win Milan-san remo (i DO remember that one, but that was at
twilight of his career)

great stuff!

--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Green"
<sayandy40@...> wrote:
>
> Vino lived up to his reputation with the Vuelta, I was so pleased for
> him. He may not be out of the woods yet with debates now going on
> about who owns his contract, and who will get to ride the tour. The
> tour organisers will want him there, but if he is forced to ride to a
> discredited team under Saiz..........
>
> On another point, I wonder what Liephiemer thinks of Basso joining
> Discovery? I doubt he joined to be Ivan's super domestique. --- In
> roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, mickymallen <no_reply@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Thankfully Ullrich is at the twilight of his career so I dont think
> it
> > will be any big shakes him missing out. I felt sorry for him during
> > the Lance reign cos I would have loved to have seen him win one more
> > tour. Doubt that will ever happen now.
> > Unfortunately though, Basso has years ahead of him and so could
> > potentially be 'a new lance' for Discovery....leaving us fans and
> the
> > peloton, press etc forever tarnishing him with Puerto brush. these
> > allegations will follow him forever.
> > Name one thing Ben Johnson was famous for? Breaking 100m world
> record?
> > Or being banned afterwards?
> >
> > Landis will fall into this catergory too. I just hope they nullify
> his
> > victory in the Tour because its so obvious he's guilty.
> >
> > Biggest victim in 2006 in my opionion is poor Vino - all fit and
> > raring to go in the Tour after missing last years through
> injury...and
> > his team gets pulled on the eve of it
> >
> > hats off to a fine Veulta win! THATS the way to answer critics and
> > fight back, cant see Jan doing the same...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Green"
> > <sayandy40@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Now that operation Peutro appears to be collapsing it is possible
> to
> > > interpret the fallout in many different ways. My hunch is that
> only
> > > since it collapsed have Ullrich and Basso really come out
> > > fighting.Niehter have in my view behaved in a credible way since
> > > being banned if they are innocent. If you are Jan Ullrich on the
> eve
> > > of your last chance of the tour, and falsly accused of doping
> what
> > > would you do. Launch the legal action from hell or slink off home
> and
> > > wait to be sacked?
> > >
> > > MY gues is that sadly the accused are all guilty but will escape
> > > because the investigation will go wrong, and the follow up action
> > > will be lost in a blur of inconsitency between the national
> > > federations. --- In
> roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "SueW"
> > > <gswidemark@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Did anyone else find Ulrich's articles to be a bit confusing?
> > > >
> > > > In the diary on his website he reprinted an article which
> intimates
> > > that he could countersue both T-mobile for firing him illegally
> and
> > > the Operation Puerta boys but Ulrich states maganimously that
> > > he "just wants to end things peacefully" and ride again.
> > > >
> > > > In the article on cycling heros, he acts as if he's with a team
> and
> > > all is just fine and Operation Puerta never happened.
> > > >
> > > > I have my own suspicions.... if Operation Puerta was a fake,
> what
> > > was behind it? Because it cleared the stage for the American
> Floyd
> > > Landis to win, by eliminating all the guys who could have beaten
> > > him. Kind of coincidental only I don't really believe in
> > > coincidence. I think some money could have exchanged hands. It
> sure
> > > won't be the first time. But if there were some skullduggery on
> the
> > > part of the Discovery Team, it backfired when their great white
> hope,
> > > Landis, was caught using testosterone.
> > > >
> > > > Back to the article on Ulrich's website, he states he doesn't
> know
> > > which team he will be riding with but he's confident of a
> positive
> > > outcome.
> > > >
> > > > Very confusing situation all around...
> > > >
> > > > If Basso rides for Discovery team, is he going to be another
> Lance
> > > Armstrong for the Americans? And will the Americans be able to
> look
> > > to him as the "great white hope" as they did Floyd Landis?
> > > >
> > > > At last reading, Landis was still protesting that he did not do
> it
> > > (even though he was just about caught with a smoking gun).
> > > >
> > > > I guess time will tell... :)
> > > >
> > > > Sue
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > >
> >
>