Pro Cycling News – Ullrich's Weight, VeloNews Slacks Off

According to the T-Mobile webpage, the “christmas goose is getting fat”. The Magenta Train is also reporting that Big Jan has already slimmed down to his ideal race weight (76kg). But have a look-see at this pic from T-Mobile’s recent South African training camp. Ullrich, the curly-haired chap on the left, does seem a bit pudgy, no? Especially when compared to this shot from a Floyd Landis interview at Daily Peloton. Obviously, a weeks or two of Tour de France will slim you down like no other, but still, I feel like that shot from camp looks a little rotund for 76kg (Not that I think Jan is fat or anything. Point of the story is that T-Mobile is lying. I’m probably tipping the scales at around 76kg right now and I’m 5’8″/173cm). And where are your helmets, boys? Do you want all the little German Fahrradkinder to think not wearing a helmet is cool?

Meanwhile, VeloNews has been running this series of “in case you forgot” stories, like this AFP piece and today’s Top 15 retirements of 2005 (ps – fire your online copy editor). It kinda makes me wonder where the hustle is from those guys. Where are my EuroFile stories telling me that CSC has already named its ’06 Giro squad or that Christophe Moreau is raring to go with Ag2r next season? (It seems he wasn’t coddled enough at Credit Agricole, but he is excited to work with Mancebo and the Tour still gives him shivers). Sure, it’s tough to get Danilo DiLuca interviews (apparently winning Fleche-Wallone was “easy”…) or to sample different riders’ favorite trainer music (the best is saved for last). I mean, even ProCycling (not that they’re bad; they just tend not to update their webpage so often) has got news coming out its ears, about Dick Pound’s Ahabian quest to bring down one of the biggest names in sport and Johan Bruyneel’s assertion that the White Whale could still win another Tour (or two).