# Animosity Between Julich and Armstrong



## [email protected] (Mar 22, 2005)

Why does their seem to be so much animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich? It seems that Julich is a little bitter from having the torch passed to him in 98, and then bobbling it when Armstrong came back. He is also one of the few American Pro cyclist of the age that isn’t a part of the post cancer Armstrong story. Julich seems to go to teams that rival Armstrong, ie Telekom with Kevin Livingston and CSC. What is the truth about their relationship?


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## MaRider (Mar 21, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> Why does their seem to be so much animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich? It seems that Julich is a little bitter from having the torch passed to him in 98, and then bobbling it when Armstrong came back. He is also one of the few American Pro cyclist of the age that isn’t a part of the post cancer Armstrong story. Julich seems to go to teams that rival Armstrong, ie Telekom with Kevin Livingston and CSC. What is the truth about their relationship?


After placing third in 1998, many "pundits" predicted Julich as the winner of 1999 TdF. Go to your library and look through 1999 bicycling magazines. The front pages read something like:
FRONT COVER:
"Will Julich be this years next Tour winner?"
Page 37: 
"In other news: Lance Armstrong fully recovered from cancer, plans to finish the Tour".

How would you feel if you were Julich and squandered your best years?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

not sure if i'm really seeing it. maybe you're reading a little too much into it? what team could he go to that doesn't compete with armstrong?


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## patchito (Jun 30, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> Why does their seem to be so much animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich? It seems that Julich is a little bitter from having the torch passed to him in 98, and then bobbling it when Armstrong came back. He is also one of the few American Pro cyclist of the age that isn’t a part of the post cancer Armstrong story. Julich seems to go to teams that rival Armstrong, ie Telekom with Kevin Livingston and CSC. What is the truth about their relationship?


I haven't heard that there was any animosity there. I swear, sometimes you guys yuck up the gossip like a bunch of sorority girls.

I personally think the riff between Lemond and Armstrong has more entertainment value. Anyone read the Lance interview in Playboy last month. It was actually pretty good. At one point he was asked if he was going to stay active and fit after retirement. He answered in the affirmative, and added that he was too much of a fitness junkie to let himself get fat and out of shape "like some people....*_cough, cough_...Lemond.._cough cough_*" It was pretty funny.


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*Heard Julich speak a few months ago...*

Julich took a break this spring and came back to the states to train around Lake Tahoe and Reno. He spoke at the movie premier of the documentary <a href=http://www.prothemovie.com/>PRO</a> back in April. Julich just seemed pretty pumped up about his wins earlier this year at Paris Nice and Criterium International. He spoke pretty highly of Bjarne Riis and the whole crew at CSC. I didn't really sense any animosity when Armstrong was mentioned. This guy just seems happy to have found his legs and confidence again. 

The only thing that I picked up on during his talk with the audience as that he felt that he could be a contender at the TdF. Recently, in the hype leading up to the Tour I read another interview where he talks about being a support rider for Basso. It must be a blow to know that you've had a great spring only to be relegated to being a domestique for Basso. I suspect that if Basso blows the first climbing stages then Riis will turn Julich loose to hunt for stage wins and possibly a high placing on the GC...


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

Animosity Between _____________________________________and Armstrong.
(insert your favorite pro cyclist's name above)

Point:

When a rider like Armstrong has dominated the sport for so long, there will be a number of angry bridesmaids.


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## jumphress (Jul 15, 2003)

*Man, ya'll have short memories*

When Bobby made the podium in '98, he was riding for Cofidis, the team that Lance feels dumped him when he was diagnosed with cancer (The true story behind their parting of ways is a little more complicated.) Remember that that was the year of the Festina affair, so the field was thinned out a bit. BTW, Cofidis had a strong team that year with three riders in the top ten.

I would imagine that it is the Cofidis thing.

John


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## Alpedhuez55 (Jun 29, 2005)

patchito said:


> Anyone read the Lance interview in Playboy last month. It was actually pretty good. At one point he was asked if he was going to stay active and fit after retirement. He answered in the affirmative, and added that he was too much of a fitness junkie to let himself get fat and out of shape "like some people....*_cough, cough_...Lemond.._cough cough_*" It was pretty funny.


Playboy has articles and interviews? Who'd a thunk it!!! 

Actually in Lemond's defense, he did have a muscle disease that might make it hard for him to keep his cycling physique. He does look old for his age though. He just turned 45 last week. 

It is hard to beleive that it has been 19 years since he won his first tour. Makes you feel kind of old.


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## [email protected] (Mar 22, 2005)

patchito said:


> I haven't heard that there was any animosity there. I swear, sometimes you guys yuck up the gossip like a bunch of sorority girls.
> 
> I personally think the riff between Lemond and Armstrong has more entertainment value. Anyone read the Lance interview in Playboy last month. It was actually pretty good. At one point he was asked if he was going to stay active and fit after retirement. He answered in the affirmative, and added that he was too much of a fitness junkie to let himself get fat and out of shape "like some people....*_cough, cough_...Lemond.._cough cough_*" It was pretty funny.


I rode with Lemond about three years ago. I didn't think he had let himself go. He was still strong. I haven't seen him lately, but as of three years ago, he could still ride in my opinion.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

The only time I've ever heard of animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich is when someone asks why there is so much animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich. I don't know where this comes from. If true, it hasn't been carried out in public.

CN: Bobby, you were here at the race where Lance Armstrong announced his retirement...you have been a big rival of Lances since you were both junior riders in the late 1980's. What's your appreciation of Lance? 

BJ: I would say we were dangerously close to being really good friends, but we never quite made it that far. I definitely respect him as an athlete and a cancer survivor and I hope he continues to promote cycling as he has in the past seven, eight years.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*That should set the record straight.*



mohair_chair said:


> The only time I've ever heard of animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich is when someone asks why there is so much animosity between Lance Armstrong and Bobby Julich. I don't know where this comes from. If true, it hasn't been carried out in public.
> 
> CN: Bobby, you were here at the race where Lance Armstrong announced his retirement...you have been a big rival of Lances since you were both junior riders in the late 1980's. What's your appreciation of Lance?
> 
> BJ: I would say we were dangerously close to being really good friends, but we never quite made it that far. I definitely respect him as an athlete and a cancer survivor and I hope he continues to promote cycling as he has in the past seven, eight years.


Thanks for the recall.


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## Utah CragHopper (May 9, 2003)

jumphress said:


> When Bobby made the podium in '98, he was riding for Cofidis, the team that Lance feels dumped him


I think it goes back a lot further than that. In the early 90s when LA turned pro Julich was still an amateur. At one of the Tour de Trump/Duponts I remember getting the distinct impression that Armstrong viewed Julich as a rival for the limelight.

This was similar to when Armstrong gave up triathlon and a young Miles Stewart started getting accolades as the new young phenom. Even though Armstrong had abandoned tris, he showed up at a race all mad and arrogant about being replaced by the aussie.

I tend to think the Lemond vs. Armstrong rivalry as its similar roots. Two glory hounds who like the adulation of the press and exist in a small sport (for the U.S.) are bound to view each others as a threat.


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

From what I hear, it stems from the time in the early 90's when they were both riding for the U.S. National Team. Just as Postal and now Discovery revolve around Armstrong, so too did the National Team; remember this was the self-admitedly immature Armstrong. That caused a lot of resentment among the other riders such as Julich. John Lieswyn has written a little about this period and more has been implied or talked about privately.


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## wirespeed (Jul 4, 2005)

Look at all that hatred.


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