Der Kaiser

[editor's note, by chris] Promoted from the diaries... here we go again...

Have to admit that todays news from Riis concerning Ullrich's form has me happy. I would like to see one of the young guns take the Tour this year and am personally pulling for Basso or Popovich. From Cycling News...

Riis calls Ullrich's form "catastrophic"
According to Danish newspaper BT, CSC team director Bjarne Riis has said that Jan Ullrich's current level of fitness was a "absolutely catastrophic". The Dane, who ended the reign of Miguel Indurain at the Tour de France 1996, as his then-teammate Ullrich placed second one year prior to his own Tour de France victory, criticised the German's attitude towards his sport after seeing him in Tuscany.

"It's clear that he doesn't like to ride a bike, which is why I can't understand why he wants to be a cyclist," Riis was quoted as saying. "It's a waste of talent. He has to wake up soon. I believe in him less and less." While admitting that Ullrich remained inside the circle of favourites for this year's Tour de France, the CSC director also added that his own Ivan Basso was "way ahead" in terms of form.