Having Ullrich on Tail Will Not Trouble Riis

The Tour de France begins today with defending champion Bjarne Riis facing a potential challenge from his own Telekom teammate, Jan Ullrich.

Riis, of Denmark, finished first and Ullrich, of Germany, finished second last year.

Since Riis is the team leader, his teammates--including Ullrich--are expected to work for him with the overall victory important.

“Ullrich is not an opponent,” Riis said. “He is a teammate. We will ride together and try to win.”

Ullrich downplays his chance to win cycling’s most prestigious race.

“My role will not change this year,” he said. “It’s clear this is nothing between us even if others want to try to oppose us.”

The race begins with a short time trial around Rouen, the hometown of the late Jacques Anquetil, a five-time winner. Anquetil won his first tour 40 years ago.

Another five-time winner, Miguel Indurain, is not competing this year after winning from 1991-95 before faltering last year.

Indurain replaced Greg LeMond as the Tour’s top rider after LeMond won for the third time in 1990. He has been out of the sport for three years after a muscular disorder was diagnosed.

Indurain retired Jan. 2, saying he had dedicated enough time to professional cycling.

That leaves this year’s Tour a wide-open race, despite Riis.

A challenge for the eventual champion could come from Abraham Olano from Spain, who was billed as Indurain’s successor. Indurain thought so highly of Olano that Indurain worked to protect Olano’s lead at the 1995 World Championships.

The French have their hopes on Laurent Jalabert, ranked No. 1, and Richard Virenque, the top climber of last year’s Tour and third overall.

Other top contenders include Yevgeny Berzin of Russia, who beat Indurain at the Tour of Italy one year; Ivan Gotti of Italy, this year’s Tour of Italy winner, and Peter Luttenberger of Austria.

When the cyclists cross the finish line on the Champs Elysees in Paris, they will have completed 21 stages and about 2,455 miles.