Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

Jan Ullrich now has Eddy Merckx picking him to succeed in France come July. Merckx made a few comments on the “Man with the new coif” while assiting at the Doh International GP. Merckx particularly likes the fact that “Der Kaiser” has decided to add the Giro D’Italia as part of his training schedule leading up to the Tour. Merckx himself won the Tour five times and thinks that a rider like Jan Ullrich needs a few races to get into form. “The Giro will allow Ullrich to come into excellent form for the Tour” says the Cannibal.

Eddy does offer some criticism to Jan and others: “in the last sven years he concentrated solely on the Tour, but he is a rider that needs many more miles of racing in his legs in order to perform well at the Tour”

Well said Eddy, that was always odd how Jan was in great form at the end of July, August and September while Lance was sitting back going to talk shows and parades. Will the 8th time be a charm for “Der Kaiser”?
http://it.sports.yahoo.com/29012006/8/tour-2006-mercks-l-anno-ullrich.html