The battles we never got to see

[Granville57]

Basso vs. Ullrich, TdF 2006

Jan went on to comfortably win at the Tour of Suisse, and we were all set for a mighty battle between the seemingly unbeatable climber Basso and an Ullrich that we hadn't seen in such great shape in years. Could've been one of the best Tours if it wasn't for Puerto.

Ullrich vs the Peloton 2006 TdF.
I remember when Jan said to reporters, "I'm going home in the best shape of my life."
The entire T-Mobile team was primed for that Tour, and Jan was the undisputed leader going in. After having to reorganize themselves, they still managed to put Klodi on the podium, and took 1st and 2nd in the final iTT with Serguei Gonchar and Klöden respectively. Ullrich would've been unstoppable.

I don't have to look too far back for the most stinging disappointment (only because it's still so fresh): 2011 TdF
We missed out on seeing Evans vs Wiggins vs Vino vs Samu vs Contador vs Horner/ Klöden/Levi/Jani if had fate turned a different hand. I mention the last four together because that particular internal battle would've provided some nice entertainment all its own.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Ullrich vs the Peloton 2006 TdF.
I remember when Jan said to reporters, "I'm going home in the best shape of my life."
The entire T-Mobile team was primed for that Tour, and Jan was the undisputed leader going in. After having to reorganize themselves, they still managed to put Klodi on the podium, and took 1st and 2nd in the final iTT with Serguei Gonchar and Klöden respectively. Ullrich would've been unstoppable.

I don't have to look too far back for the most stinging disappointment (only because it's still so fresh): 2011 TdF
We missed out on seeing Evans vs Wiggins vs Vino vs Samu vs Contador vs Horner/ Klöden/Levi/Jani if had fate turned a different hand. I mention the last four together because that particular internal battle would've provided some nice entertainment all its own.

2006 ? Really ?
It would have a been a ****ing boring edition, Basso outTTed easily, but great to watch and somehow satisfying for the hardcore Ullists.
Anyway, and even for Ulle, it would have been nothing more but the Tour that der Jan won, after Lance was finally retired.

Instead of that, we got one of the most ridiculous winners and editions.
Floyd's show was quiet good, and Jens winning THAT stage.
Thats all I remember after the shock.
About the rest of the magenta-boys....well....I was a little bit ashamed...to be honest. Doesn't belong here, ok, but they were pimped so much, man....even the blue and the black boys shook their heads.

About 2011, yes, with all, or just some of the Shacks left, it would have been a different race. Ok, same winner I guess, but less work for him.
This race missed a lot of responsibility, especially in the mountains.
I was especially sad for Klöden, because had a very good season.
Healthy, lucky, crashfree, successfull.......but **** happens(ed).

It was just a question of time, and then it really happened. A lot of Galgenhumor in German forums. It just was like making another check off on the list of contenders and RS riders.
2011 turned out to be a good editon anyway. But could have been even better.

 

[greenedge]

I still think the 06 edition was good. It might have been better with Sastre working for Basso/ Kloden working for Ulrich so it could be a battle royal but Sastre animated the race quite well.

Also Floyd would have definitely challenged and Oscar would not have gained as much time.

 

[the3verB]

Tour 2006
Basso vs Ullrich vs Landis

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Tour 2006
Basso vs Ullrich vs Landis

No Vino or Mancebo?

 

[will10]

About the rest of the magenta-boys....well....I was a little bit ashamed...to be honest. Doesn't belong here, ok, but they were pimped so much, man....even the blue and the black boys shook their heads.

1 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) T-Mobile 1.01.43.60 (50.54 km/h)
2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 1.00.62
3 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.04.27
4 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile 1.23.87
5 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Francaise Des Jeux 1.33.48
6 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile 1.38.65
7 Marcus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.41.77
8 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile 1.43.26
9 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 1.43.90
10 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 1.44.41
11 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 1.49.39
12 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 1.51.68
13 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 1.56.59
14 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile 2.02.77
15 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 2.03.46
16 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) T-Mobile 2.04.61


It sure was something

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Andy Shleck before Chaingate occurred Vs Contador. That event scarred him for the rest of that TDF, where he could not drop Contador but for a second it looked as if Contador had cracked.

No way was Contador anywhere near cracking.

He was, as others have mentioned, boxed in and not in a good position to respond. However, if you look at the footage, it still only took 3 seconds from Andy dropped his chain untill Alberto was up there.

Now of course Contador won some very important seconds here and it would indeed have been very interesting if he hadn't.

 

[El Pistolero]

No way was Contador anywhere near cracking.

He was, as others have mentioned, boxed in and not in a good position to respond. However, if you look at the footage, it still only took 3 seconds from Andy dropped his chain untill Alberto was up there.

Now of course Contador won some very important seconds here and it would indeed have been very interesting if he hadn't.

Just like it would have been interesting if Contador hadn't lost more then a minute at stage 3 because of a crash and mechanical problems

Contador won, with or without chain gate. Andy lost the Tour in the prologue.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Just like it would have been interesting if Contador hadn't lost more then a minute at stage 3 because of a crash and mechanical problems

Contador won, with or without chain gate. Andy lost the Tour in the prologue.

No, that actually wouldn't have made it more interesting

I do, however, completely agree with what your implying.

 

[Granville57]

....even the blue and the black boys shook their heads.

1 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) T-Mobile 1.01.43.60 (50.54 km/h)
2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 1.00.62
3 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.04.27
4 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile 1.23.87
5 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Francaise Des Jeux 1.33.48
6 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile 1.38.65
7 Marcus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.41.77
8 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile 1.43.26
9 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 1.43.90
10 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 1.44.41
11 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 1.49.39
12 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 1.51.68
13 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 1.56.59
14 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile 2.02.77
15 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 2.03.46
16 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) T-Mobile 2.04.61


It sure was something

That's what I'm sayin'!

Let's not forget the Final GC for the 2006 TdF

1 Floyd Landis
2 Oscar Pereiro
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile
4 Carlos Sastre
5 Cadel Evans
10 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile
23 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile
26 Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) T-Mobile
27 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) T-Mobile

And that lineup was put together as support squad for perhaps the finest Jan we ever would've seen. If we're straying deeper into the purely hypothetical, then I would've loved to have seen that Ullrich, with that team up against whatever year could be determined to be Postal or Disco's strongest. That would've been a show—especially with a long TTT thrown in!

 

[scullster46]

2006 ? Really ?
It would have a been a ****ing boring edition, Basso outTTed easily, but great to watch and somehow satisfying for the hardcore Ullists.
Anyway, and even for Ulle, it would have been nothing more but the Tour that der Jan won, after Lance was finally retired.

I don't think it would be boring at all with Basso in it. It would be a really good battle between the best climber and the best time trialist. If Basso goes into that Tour with similar form to the Giro, the battle would have been epic

 

[42x16ss]

I don't think it would be boring at all with Basso in it. It would be a really good battle between the best climber and the best time trialist. If Basso goes into that Tour with similar form to the Giro, the battle would have been epic

+1

If Basso had recovered from the Giro (and I suspect he had courtesy of Op Puerto/Clinic stuff) he would have had an awesome support team too with Sastre, Schleck, Voigt, Julich, Sorenson and Arveson as his main artillery.

These guys would have certainly given the T Mobile guys a run for their money!

 

[Echoes]

Ryszard Szurkowski vs Eddy Merckx

It DID happen.

 

[Cobblestoned]

I don't think it would be boring at all with Basso in it. It would be a really good battle between the best climber and the best time trialist. If Basso goes into that Tour with similar form to the Giro, the battle would have been epic

You are free to think whatever you want.
It's more of a hope that a rider shining so bright in Giro can keep his stellar performance up to/through le Tour.

Jan did it right, Basso chose the Giro to shine.

Perhaps a stellar Basso could have taken max. 2-3 minutes (and even that is very "optimistic") out of Ullrich in the mountains, to then loose 5-6 minutes in the TTs.
Wow, really epic.

 

[greenedge]

And that lineup was put together as support squad for perhaps the finest Jan we ever would've seen. If we're straying deeper into the purely hypothetical, then I would've loved to have seen that Ullrich, with that team up against whatever year could be determined to be Postal or Disco's strongest. That would've been a show—especially with a long TTT thrown in!

Either 01 or 04 for Discovery/ USPS

 

[Big Doopie]

Gustav-Adolf "Täve" Schur vs Louison Bobet
Ryszard Szurkowski vs Eddy Merckx
Sergej Suchorutchenkov vs Bernard Hinault

i wonder how many people here know of what you speak.

nice memory.

 

[Big Doopie]

The conclusion of Ocana vs Merckx if Ocana hadn't crashed out in 1973.

you mean 1971.

in 1973 ocana would have destroyed merckx had merckx shown up.

destroyed.

 

[Echoes]

In 1973 Merckx destroyed Ocaña everywhere they met but Montjuich. Destroyed !

And I insist battles between Szurkowski and Merckx DID happen.

 

[will10]

- Cancellara vs. Boonen, Flanders & Roubaix 2012

 

[Red Rick]

Van Hummel vs Cavendish on the zoncolan

 

[El Pistolero]

you mean 1971.

in 1973 ocana would have destroyed merckx had merckx shown up.

destroyed.

You mean like in the Vuelta a Espana 1973?

Or the Tour de France 1972? And I mean before he dropped out

 

[markene2]

Ricco vs Contador: Giro 2011

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Vino vs the whole freakin world Tdf 06....

 

[Gregory]

Heras vs Simoni in their peak form, competing for the GC of a Grand Tour, which they would be seriously targeting as their main goal of the season. Two very similarly gifted cyclists. They rode in the same races many times, but it either Simoni going for the GC in the Giro and Heras for the stages, or the reverse at the Vuelta.

 

[Morbius]

Tourmalet 2010 with Contador needing to attack rather than defend