What might have been
March 5th, 2007 |
From the March 2003 issue of ProCycling magazine:
“Money wasn’t the issue,” he insists. “I was interested in Bjarne because of his ideas and his view of cycling. But if I’d had Bjarne as director then I wouldn’t have worked with Rudy Pevenage anymore.” Ullrich, close to agreeing a deal, claims that he discussed CSC buying some more riders to support him. He and the tall Dane discussed names and Ullrich sought assurances from Riis that the cash to buy in the talent would be in place before he finally signed.
Ullrich, in what may have been his strongest showing since winning in 1997, finished 2nd in the Tour de France in 2003. The top CSC rider? Tyler Hamilton in 4th place. CSC had the firepower to support Ullrich if he had chosen to race with Riis’ squad.
Instead he signed with Team Coast, which went bankrupt and morphed into Bianchi. At the end of the season, having not been paid for months, Ullrich once again signed with T-Mobile. Ullrich continued to work with Pevenage, whose links with Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes seems to have ended Ullrich’s racing career.
Not to say that by riding for CSC Ullrich could have had a trouble free life. CSC rider Ivan Basso was also linked to Dr. Fuentes. Basso however, is still racing.
It is interesting to think what might have been had Ullrich ridden for CSC. With the right guidance Ullrich could have really given Lance a run for his money in 2004 and 2005.
I guess we’ll never know now…life blows.
