Take Tue(-sday)

I could've been a contender...
Although July is still a little over two months away, the early front runner in the long line of Tour de France successors appears to be another American, Floyd Landis. In 2006 he has won the overall title for the inaugural Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice (The Race to the Sun), and now the Tour de Georgia.

I had the good fortune of meeting Landis in Chicago last year as he was in town to help promote former US Postal Service teammate, Robbie Ventura's, venture into the world of athletic coaching services, VisionQuest. In his introduction of Landis, Ventura marveled at the untapped levels of fitness that Landis possessed. It is readily apparent, to those that have followed his early season form in the time trials and in the mountains, that Floyd Landis has translated that fitness potential into potential Tour protagonist.


Invincible
With his Ardennes Classics double of La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Alejandro Valverde has all of Spain talking Miguel Indurain. Some Spanish publications have gone so far as to suggest that the similarities to the early part of "Big Mig's"cycling career so startlingly coincide with Valverde's that a Tour de France victory this year is more than mere speculation. With his recent display of form, it is certainly a possibility.

In 2005, Danilo DiLuca came very close to parlaying his Ardennes double into the Giro d'Italia overall (eventually won by Paolo Salvodelli). But given the route of this year's TDF, Alejandro "Invincible" Valverde's hopes will come down to the discipline Big Mig dominated, the Individual Time Trial. Interestingly enough, Valverde (who hasn't had much prior success in this discipline) placed second in today's Tour of Romandie ITT, 0.01 seconds down to Paolo Salvodelli. Be prepared, the siesta and fiesta may be a bit longer and louder this July.

Raring for Romandie
I would have posted this earlier, but with all the delays to the beginning of his season, it only seemed wise not to print that Jan Ullrich had indeed finally turned a pedal in anger until the race officially got underway. And yes, it has been confirmed he did make it to the start line for the ITT. Unfortunately for Jan, he may want to return to his training regimen as he rode to 90th place among the 165 participants.