Route de France pro log -- Verpatzter start for Ullrich

The account below reads much better if you pull a hooded sweatshirt over your head and speak like Yoda. This comes to us courtesy of Sueddeutsche.de.

Bitter pill for the t-mobile-driver equal at the beginning of the 92. France round travel: Title defender Lance Armstrong pulled in the individual time driving loosely on him past.

Ambitiously like always and in the express speed at challenger Ullrich past: Lance Armstrong.

During its large adversary Lance Armstrong with 19 km time driving from Fromentine to Noirmoutier behind surprise winner David Zabriskie (the USA) is enough second, achieved the t-mobile-captain clearly struck only as twelfth the goal.

The maximum penalty took the 31-Jaehrige, as it the US American well 3 km before end of the 1. Stage overhauled, after this had made up for the one minute of starting default of the German on only 16 km.

Armstrong had in 20:53 minutes in the long run two seconds arrears on its victorious compatriot, but 1:06 minutes projection/lead on Ullrich (21:59), which had hit on day before the prelude time driving in training on the car of its sporty leader Mario grief and beside a cut at the neck also bruises of it had carried. "muscles already" Ullrich hurt, said something.

"it is not so crucially that I overhauled January, many more important is that very good running succeeded to me.” Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong showed up highly contently. "that is a super start. It is not so crucially that I overhauled January, many more important is that very good running succeeded, explained to me "the sixfold route winner. The fact that not it, but Zabriskie will go on Sunday in the yellow leotard on the second stage took the 33 years old captain team of the Discovery Channel calmly: "so our crew does not have to work."

For a positive result from view of t-mobile Ullrichs team colleague Alexander Winokurow provided. The Kasache drove into 21:44 minutes on the third place and showed up accordingly contently: "the arrears ran to the point are good in the framework for me. Me it was before clear that I will lose something on the absolute specialists ", so route third of 2003.

Strong running showed also the citizen of Berlin Jens Voigt, which became as best Germans in 21:55 minutes figure eight. "this result shows me that my form is responding much. If I hold back myself in the next days something, I can perhaps play trumps in the second or third week ", said to the 33-Jaehrige, which has already seven season victories on the account.

Hmmm, yes, another tour you shall win, think I. Yes.