Ullrich anounces retirement

[Richard (Apples)]

BERLIN, Feb 26, 2007 (AFP) - As a physical and sporting
phenomenon, Jan Ullrich had few rivals in the world of cycling.
But the 33-year-old German, who announced his retirement Monday
after months spent denying being linked to an alleged doping
scandal, will perhaps be remembered for ultimately failing to reach
his full potential.

[Jim B]

Maybe his fallibility was something to sympathise with.

Given the widespread doping, I still have respect for him as an athlete.

The look on his face in his epic battles with LA still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He's dug deeper than most of us could ever contemplate.

I just feel sorry for the way his career has fizzled out, whilst other probable dopers such as Cipollini were feted as heroes on their departure.

[Stu Merckx Man]

[quote] The look on his face in his epic battles with LA still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck

[-Adam-]

sean, i think you hit the nail on the head there.

i too doubt that he ever wanted 'it' enough, on cyclingnews.com theres a picture of hi on alpe'd'huez in 1997, now i know that was 10 years ago. but the thing that really struck me was just how lean and powerfull he looks.

if he'd really wanted to, i think he would have done 8 tours de france.

trouble is, black forest gateau is easier. thats why i will always remember him as the guy who nearly (but should and could have) stopped lance.

lance however, was the real star. arrogant though he may be, he worked his ass off 365 days per year. and the result, he was untouchable. even in '05 when he had to stop at the local post office everyday to collect his pension

[adrian]

So Jan has a brother called Jan?

[John Czernobay]

Your right guys, they think they can handle it. Even with nouveau baking techniques of only using two folds of filo pastry around your applestrudel, it's still the same . It's catches up with them in the end.

See you Saturday .