Tour de France 2006
T-Mobile
Jan Ullrich Interview
Jan Ullrich
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Tour de France 2006
July 1st, Strasbourg
This year's Tour de France 3,639 km route from Strasbourg to the Champs-Elysees includes 18 climbs and stops-off in all three Benelux countries, Spain, as well as paying a flying visit to Germany.
The 93rd edition of the famous race, which runs from July 1st to 23rd, will include stages hosted in Luxembourg (Esch-sur-Alzette), the Netherlands (Valkenburg), Belgium (Huy), giving the earlier part of the race a strong Ardennes Classics flavour. Spain also features, with a Pyrenean summit finish in Pla-de-Beret - the first stage finish in Spain since 1996.
Route that suits climbers
With five pure mountain stages, including three summit finishes, this year's Tour will suit the climbers. The race could be decided in the third week when the riders tackle the Alpe d'Huez on July 18 before a finish at the top of La Toussuire ski resort the following day. "We can expect a dramatic third week," the race's deputy director Christian Prudhomme said.
"We are returning to the climbs of legend like the Galibier, the Izoard and the Alpe d'Huez. But we will visit some new stage finishes like the Val d'Aran in the Pyrenees or the Toussuire in the Alps."
Team time trial axed
The team time trial has been eliminated this year, but T-Mobile's Jan Ullrich will be looking to take advantage of the individual time trials that feature. "There will be three time trials (115 km in total) including the seven-kilometre prologue. The courses of these stages will suit specialists," Prudhomme said.
The first time trial comes at the end of the opening week while the second, on the eve of the final stage in Paris, could prove decisive. "If you ask me my wish, I would like to see the last time trial decide the winner," Prudhomme said. "It would be a change from what we have had over the last seven years."
Strasbourg beat a number of candidates, including London, to host the opening stage and was chosen to coincide with the 2006 World Cup finals in nearby Germany.
Stages
These 20 stages have the following profiles:
Distinctive aspects of the race
The Majestic Alpe d'Huez is Back!
The 2006 Tour de France will feature the famous Alpe d'Huez on the 15th stage.
The climb up Alpe d'Huez is 14km at an average gradient of 8% with 21 hairpin bends marked with panels honouring the winners of each stage that has finished there. Having finished there for the 22nd time in 2002 the authorities have had to start again at the bottom with a double panel honouring Fausto Coppi and Lance Armstrong.
As the most legandary climb in recent Tour history, the Alpe has been the scene of chaotic crowds in the past 10 years. In 1999 Giuseppe Guerini won the stage despite being knocked off his bike by an over-enthusiastic spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph (the photographer sought out Guerini later to apologize.) The 2004 Tour de France route featured an individual time trial up Alpe d'Huez, which became a chaotic scene crowded with nearly a million fans, some of whom could not resist pushing their favorite rider toward the top. Lance Armstrong won the stage, but his time was one second slower than the record set by the late, great Marco Pantani of 37 minutes, 35 seconds.
The major climbs:
Fastest Alpe d'Huez ascents:
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T-Mobile names five to Tour team
Jan Ullrich toward a second Tour win
T-Mobile has named five of its nine riders for the 2006 Tour de France, with Jan Ullrich captaining the squad. In a press release Monday, Olaf Ludwig, T-Mobile sporting director, annouced the 4 riders alongside Jan:
"The team is absolutely top class," said Ullrich. "Finally, after many years we have again assembled a team that's fully to my liking. We work well together, and I feel that we've already made more progress than last year."
Ullrich, whose lone Tour victory came in 1997, is one of the favorites to win this year's edition July 1-23.
Jan Ullrich Interview
Mallorca, January 15th 2006
“This year I’ll have another shot at it,” a clearly relaxed Jan Ullrich said at Saturday’s T-Mobile Team presentation on Mallorca. Jan's current fitness, the team spirit and his main rivals at the 2006 Tour de France: those were some of the talking points for the estimated 220 media representatives at the Robinson Club in Cala d’Or.
Jan, the Mallorca training camp kicks off the new season for you. What’s your current condition?
Jan Ullrich: I am in good shape and I’m healthy. I got through the winter well this year. I worked hard. I’d say, let the season begin!
The T-Mobile Team has undergone something of a facelift. What’s your first impression?
Ullrich: The team is absolutely top class. Finally, after many years we have again assembled a team that's fully to my liking. We work well together and I fell that we've already made more progress than last year.
Rudy Pevenage’s return to T-Mobile as sporting manager must have been to your liking as well…
Ullrich: That’s right. I’ve been advocating this for years. He’s very important to me. The set-up couldn’t be better. To me, Rudy is the best sporting manager.
What’s your goal for 2006?
Ullrich: This year I’ll have another shot at the Tour. I’m not getting any younger and won’t have many more chances to win it.
Will it be easier to win the Tour in first year of the post-Armstrong era?
Ullrich: I think it will rather be more difficult. There’s no team to control the bunch the way Armstrong’s team did in the past few years. So things will be more hectic in the peloton.
Are you under even more pressure this year?
Ullrich: The pressure won't be any greater than it has been in the past. I’ve been living with it for years. I take it as it comes.
Who are your biggest rivals?
Ullrich: Ivan Basso, Alexander Vinokourov and the Spanish riders are forces to be reckoned with. But certainly there will be one or two more surprises.
Before hitting the mountains how much time do you need to take out of Basso in the time trial?
Ullrich: If I want to win the Tour, I have to at least follow Basso’s wheel in the mountains. But provided my raining goes to plan and I'm not chasing my form again in spring, then I can be stronger in the mountains than in the previous years.
Give us an idea about your race program before the Tour…
Ullrich: I plan to start racing in March. There’s no fixed date. I will start racing, when am up to it.
Will you race the Giro d’Italia this year?
Ullrich: The Giro is an option. However, if I do race in Italy, then it would be only as preparation. I would certainly not be going out to win the Giro.
Your contract expires this year. Have you thought about your future already?
Ullrich: No. I am fully focused on the Tour. Everything else is still a long way off. I will decide about my future only after the Tour. It will be a spontaneous decision.
Jan, thanks for your time!
Jan Ullrich
Tour de France winner 1997
| Facts |
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Career Highlights |
| Date of birth: 2 December 1973 |
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2nd overall Deutschland Tour 2005 |
| Place of birth: Rostock |
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stage win Deutschland Tour 2005 |
| Height: 183 cm |
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3rd overall Tour de France 2005 |
| Weight: 73 kg |
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stage 2nd place Tour de France 2005 |
| Residence: Scherzingen, Switzerland |
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3rd overall Tour de Suisse 2005 |
| Marital status: Single, 1 child |
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stage win Tour de Suisse 2005 |
| Turned pro: 1995 |
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2 stage wins Tour de Suisse 2004 |
| Tour starts: 8 |
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winner Tour de Suisse 2004 |
| Giro starts: 2 |
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2nd overall Tour de France 2003 |
| Vuelta starts: 1 |
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stage win Tour de France 2003 |
| Former teams: Team Telekom, Coast, Bianchi |
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2nd overall Tour de France 2001 |
| With T-Mobile Team since: 2004 |
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German Champion (road racing) 2001 |
| Preferences: Grand Tours, time trial |
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World Champion (ITT) 2001 |
| Sporting goal: Tour de France |
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2nd overall Tour de France 2000 |
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Olympic Champion (road racing) 2000 |
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2nd place Olympic Games (ITT) 2000 |
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winner Vuelta 1999 |
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World Champion (ITT) 1999 |
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3 stage wins Tour de France 1998 |
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2nd overall Tour de France 1998 |
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winner Tour de France 1997 |
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2 stage wins Tour de France 1997 |
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German Champion (road racing) 1997 |
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2nd overall Tour de France 1996 |
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Amateur World Champion 1993 |
Cycling Links
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