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Glenwood cyclist left off Tour de France squad

Joelle MilholmGlenwood Springs correspondentAspen, CO Colorado
Post Independent/Kara K. Pearson
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With few big names entering the 2007 Tour de France, the race lost another Friday – Bobby Julich.Julich, a Glenwood Springs High School graduate, wasn’t in the lineup Team CSC announced Friday. “I was not selected because on Team CSC we have many great riders and my results this year have not allowed me to make the cut,” Julich said Friday in a e-mail to the Post Independent. “I respect my team and teammates enough to accept this decision and I know that they will have a great Tour.” Julich started his professional career in 1992 and has raced in the Tour de France nine times, starting in 1997. He didn’t compete in the 2003 Tour.”I will be 36 in November, and I always knew that this would happen one day so I am taking it all in stride,” Julich said.CSC, the Denmark-based team, selected nine riders – Carlos Sastre, Fränk Schleck, Jens Voigt, Stuart O’Grady, Fabian Cancellara, Inigo Cuesta, Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie – to its lineup. Vande Velde and Zabriskie are the only Americans on Team CSC.”As always, it’s been a very difficult decision. It may sound like a cliché, but again this year we have had the luxury in the fact that we have so many strong riders, who would be able to do well in Tour de France,” CSC’s sport director, Kim Andersen, said in a statement on CSC’s website.

On June 15, illness forced Julich was forced to withdraw from the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré during the fifth stage.”Of course me having to stop the Dauphine with stomach troubles hurt my selection, but I am professional enough to know that you have to take care of your health first,” Julich said. Julich was back on the bike Sunday, helping Team CSC win the ProTour Team Time Trial in Denmark.”I felt the power come back into the legs and was able to anchor the team,” he said. “Two weeks ago, I felt so bad that I didn’t want to do the Tour and suffer for three weeks, and not help the team. But now that I feel great, I have to admit that I am a bit bummed at the moment.”Julich finished third in the 1998 Tour, becoming the second American to stand on the podium after Greg LeMond won three Tour titles in the ’80s. Since 1998, Lance Armstrong has won seven Tour titles, and Floyd Landis won the race last year. However, his title is now jeopardy because of drug allegations.Julich won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic time trial, and has raced to 19 professional stage and event victories in his career. In 2005, Julich notched another highlight, becoming the first American to win the Paris-Nice. The same year, he recorded wins in the Critérium International and Eneco Tour of Benelux.Julich crashed in the Stage 7 time trial in the 2006 Tour de France, suffering a wrist injury that forced him to drop out of the race. During the 2006 race and after, Julich provided insights to the Tour through a dairy on espn.com. Even though he won’t race, Julich said he still plans on watching the Tour.”Watching the Tour on TV is difficult, but first and foremost, I am a fan of cycling and of course will follow it every day,” he said.

He’ll even be doing a video blog featuring race commentary.”I was planning on doing a video blog from the Tour for a new all sport website called Athleteinyou.com and will continue to do so, even though I will not be in the race myself,” he said.Bobby Julich’s Tour de France history1997: Julich’s first Tour, he finished 17th.1998: Took third in the Tour, becoming the third American ever to stand on the podium. Now there are four with Floyd Landis’ 2007 win, which is being contested.1999: Crashed in a time trial, fracturing elbow and breaking two ribs.2000: Took 48th.2001: Took 18th.



2002: Took 37th.2003: Did not race2004: Took 40th.2005: Took 17th.2006: Crashed in a time trail, broke wrist and suffered road rash on hip, ribs and elbow.Other career highlightsIn 2005 became the first American to win the Paris-Nice.Won an Olympic bronze medal in the 2004 time-trial event at the Sydney Games.Has recorded 19 stage and event victories.