Merckx on Ullrich, Armstrong, and Disney World

SPIEGEL ONLINE | Interview with Eddy Merckx: "Armstrong is Damned to Victory

The German news magazine Der Spiegel talked to Tour 5-time winner Eddy "The Cannibal" Merckx about the 2005 Tour, Ullrich vs. Armstrong, and where Armstrong will rank on his retirement at the end of next week.

Sample:

SPIEGEL: The T-Mobile team, even without Zabel, is full of elite riders. Supporting Ullrich is Andreas Kloeden -- who was second in 2004 -- and Alexandre Vinokourov -- who was third in 2003. Armstrong has to pay attention to all of them and has to chase down every attack. Couldn't they wear him down if they take turns being aggressive?

Merckx: No. If Vinokourov beats Armstrong by three minutes one day and then loses them again the next day because Kloeden goes on the attack, it doesn't bother Armstrong at all. In the end, it all comes down to Ullrich beating Armstrong in the mountains in a man to man battle. That is difficult enough.