Popovych officially signs with Discovery

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/aug04/aug03news

He has shown a lot of promise so far with 2 high finishes in the Giro already and he's still only 24. I only really pay close attention to the Tour, the Vuelta, and WC races, so I was hoping to hear some comments from people who have seen him race.

Is he a possible LT successor to Lance? Is he a good TT?

On another note, Eastern Europe seems to be producing some good talent recently with Popovych, Karpets, and Menchov, among others.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/aug04/aug03news

He has shown a lot of promise so far with 2 high finishes in the Giro already and he's still only 24. I only really pay close attention to the Tour, the Vuelta, and WC races, so I was hoping to hear some comments from people who have seen him race.

Is he a possible LT successor to Lance? Is he a good TT?

I always expected the Postal/Discovery team to try and sign another US rider for their team to be the leader like Leipheimer.

Discovery signed Axel Merckx (and some Brit) for next season as well today. Solid complimentary rider there.

I always expected the Postal/Discovery team to try and sign another US rider for their team to be the leader like Leipheimer.

Leipheimer is not good enough to win the Tour de France and Discovery would be stupid to sign him as someone expected to be team leader if they have aspirations of winning.

Popovych as a really good ryder, he's been around for a long time and really is an elite talent who's just starting to fill in his potential. The added 'preparation' (sorry couldn't resist) of signing for a big name team in stead of Landbouwkrediet Colnago is only going to help him get better.

He's a potential guy for the podium of the TDF, I don't think he's good enough to win it actually, but that's anyone's guess at the moment (just a hunch of mine). He's a real Time Trail Specialist (former World Juniors champ IIRC) and he's very good (and will only improve) in the mountains too.
Look for an Azevedo like performance of him in next year's TDF, riding his butt of for Lance and still finishing top 10-15.


I'm also very happy for Axel Merckx, he's one of the greatest guys in the peloton and he's a very good friend (former teammates and training partners) of Lance's. If anyone deserves to be a bit more in the spotlight it's Axel :handclap:.
It must be tough doing the same thing as your father when your father is universally acknowledged as the best ever, trying to carve out your own name, but he's managed to do it with style!

Also, Discovery added a nice element to their classics team who could really help Hincapie in the cobble classics: british rider Roger Hammond.

With Axel and Roger, the classics squad of Dirk De Mol might finally be able to win themselves a big prize after being decent but not great for years.