It may have been his first Tour but it's put him on the cycling map and increased his contract value immensely.Even if he gets nothing but publicity from these jerseys it's probably worth it.
A hero indeed.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Welcome to Hoogerland
It may have been his first Tour but it's put him on the cycling map and increased his contract value immensely.Even if he gets nothing but publicity from these jerseys it's probably worth it.
A hero indeed.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
La Bella Macchina
Following my new found obsession with all things Rapha I couldn't help but notice this little gem:
A limited edition of 200 espresso machines from Rocket Espresso Milano have been created for Rapha. Costing the same as very good frameset they even (!) come with a quote from Fausto Coppi, "OGGI CI DAREMO UNA BOTTA".
Cost: €1700; at current exchange 1,940 Euro, $2,780 (incl. shipping and duty outside EU).
Friday, July 29, 2011
Over the shoulder syndrome
From elcyclista.com:
O.T.S.S Or Over the Shoulder Syndrome: The first acute symptoms were spotted at the Tour of Switzerland, and obviously got worse from there. Both the Schleck brothers have a severe case of it, and need a cure quick. Ironically the first day Andy didn’t look over his shoulder going up the Izoard, was the day that he made his biggest impression on the race. Sometimes tactically naive, and more concerned with where each other was the Schleck brothers gave everyone the opportunity to recompose and follow everything they did (just my humble opinion). When you have the legs the finish line is straight ahead. It maybe says more about a lack of confidence in their own ability than anything else.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Last TdF Post for 2011
Just when you thought you were completely over the 2011 Tour de France along comes a great series of photo's covering the three glorious weeks.
I've added my favourite and Don's favourite just to whet you appetite:
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Blazin' Saddles Tour Awards 2011
From Yahoo UK Sports via Don:
Now the dust has settled on the Champs and FDJ have stopped attacking, Blazin' Saddles takes you through its official post-Tour awards.
Nice-guys-finish-first award: Cadel Evans won the Tour fair and square - he was the most consistent individual, the strongest mentally and, contrary to previous form, one of the most aggressive going forward. What's more, he's just a normal, fragile, shy guy who likes dogs and doesn't like being hampered by the media. Chapeau, Cadel.
The podium's-not-big-enough award: Tommy Voeckler encapsulated the spirit of the Tour with his remarkable 10-day ride in yellow - that he missed out on a podium place at the expense of a rider who did very little to put a smile on anyone's face is rather sad. It's safe to say Voeckler will never match the highs of this year's race, which is why he deserved more than just memories.
Justice-is-done award: Voeckler's team-mate Pierre Rolland taking victory on Alpe d'Huez after a selfless three weeks riding for his leader.
Must-be-more-like-the-Klitschkos award: Frank and Andy Schleck - come on guys, become individuals and race like champions and then maybe Saddles will stop calling you Frandy...
Stand-over-Jens-your-time-is-up award: Although there were some jokes about Jens Voigt knocking the Port de Lers climb out twice after he crashed on the Pyrenean descent, the time has come for the peloton to adopt a new hard man. And the obvious choice, after surviving a high-speed run-in with barbed wire and riding on with 33 stitches in his legs and backside, has to be Johnny Hoogerland. A star has been born.
Back-to-the-drawing-board award: Despite their excellent tactics the day Andy stormed the Galibier, Leopard Trek were found out during the Tour and are clearly hampered by having two brothers as their combined leaders. If only one of them could time trial... Bjarne Riis also has a lot of work to do at Saxo Bank, whichever way Alberto Contador's CAS hearing goes.
Best nickname: After securing yellow on the penultimate day, Evans earned the moniker 'Kangourroudoudou' from the French press, combining two facets of the Australian's personality - kangaroos and cuddly toys (or 'doudous' as they say in France).
Best-world-champion-since-Cadel-Evans award: Thor Hushovd, who won not one but two stages featuring big climbs.
Best-blog-headline award: 'Forlorn on the Fourth of July', 'Bak to the Future Pate II' and 'Bubbles for Cuddles' came near, but the best was 'Voeck 'n Roll'.
Best-country award: The host nation played a massive role in this extraordinary Tour, the Isle of Cavendish delivered everything it promised; but the prize must go to Norway, whose two representatives notched two stages apiece. Not bad for a small country often covered by snow.
Worst-Driving Award: While the motorbike which snagged Nicky Sorensen would usually have romped this category, there was, staggeringly, a worse incident involving a petrol-powered vehicle, namely the cretinous car swerve which floored Juan Antonio Flecha and sent Johnny Hoogerland sprawling into a barbed wire fence. If Saddles had his way, the driver of the France TV car would lose her licence for life.
The man-bites-dog award for getting equal: Germany's Tony Martin put his neck on the line (yes, a particularly large line it was too) when he almost ploughed into the back of a near-stationary Sky support car during the individual time trial. Martin's last-ditch avoidance was something to behold.
Best-tweeter-in-the-peloton award: Fabian Cancellara kept us entertained with his often incomprehensible tweets, delivered in the Swiss maestro's inimitable 'Fabianese' method of communication. But the winner has to be Mark Cavendish, who filled our timelines with tales of runny farts, room sharing with Bernie Eisel and the pains of mountain climbing. Oh, and the odd rant against rivals and race commissaires.
Worst-interview-technique award: He may have won the Tour fair and square, but Cadel Evans is always about as comfortable as a jagged stone sofa during his media appearances, which are often bookended with a shrill laugh so nervous it could have its own Seinfeld-style sitcom.
The must-have-accessory award for next year: Frandy could do with some mirrors fitted on to their handlebars to avoid getting cricks in their necks. Failing that, how about a tandem?
Making-men-come-out-of-the-closet award: Hushovd when beating his chest in celebration after riding down the back of a mountain faster than Jan Ullrich at the sound of an ice cream van.
No-more-Mr-Nice-Guy award: Next year - if he gets the chance - Saddles suggests Jurgen van de Walle concentrates more on himself and getting through the first week than looking after the wellbeing of his fellow riders in the peloton. The Belgian hit (or rather, hipped) the deck via a sleeping policeman in stage one after warning the bunch of some impending road furniture, becoming the first rider to quit the race for the second successive year.
Best-punch-of-the-year award: Alberto Contador's right hook into the face of that nutter in a green nurse uniform while riding up to Alpe d'Huez certainly won the Spaniard a lot of respect from fans all round the world.
Worst-punch-of-the-year award: Contador punching the sky when he crossed the line at Mur-de-Bretagne after wrongly thinking he'd pipped Evans for the stage four victory.
The hardly-as-good-as-Geox award: Sauj-Sojasun, whose inclusion deprived us of seeing more favourites crash out in the first week, namely Carlos Sastre and Denis Menchov.
Maybe-skip-the-Giro-next-year award: Gadret, Kiryienka, Contador, Dupont... the list goes on and on.
See-you-at-the-Vuelta award: The close season suddenly takes a new shape for the likes of Wiggins, Van den Broeck, Brajkovic, Kern, Gesink and others who withdrew or failed to shine owing to injury.
Concentrate-on-the-Classics award: Tom Boonen - face it, Tommeke, this Tour malarkey isn't really working out too well for you any longer, is it?
Most-ominous-start-to-one's-Tour-career award: Andre Greipel, who crashed in the neutral zone before the opening stage had even got under way. Still, he did win one stage, making him by default one-fifth the rider that old foe Cavendish is.
Stick-to-making-vodka award: An all-Russian team at the Tour, really? Well, Katusha, it kind of backfired. The team's only positive was a dope test from Alexandre Kolobnev, whose punishment on returning to his homeland was a knighthood from President Medvedev for 'services to the motherland'.
Lonely-rider award: Euskaltel's Gorka Verdugo, the only rider in the peloton whose wheel Cadel Evans will never follow.
Send-him-to-the-Guillotine award for treachery: David Moncoutie, who put himself before la patrie when - heaven forbid - trying to chase a stage win at the expense of compatriot Jeremy Roy.
The Duracell Bunny award for most indefatigable rider: It's that man Roy again, who broke clear at virtually every occasion. He never won a stage, but he did pick up the prize for most aggressive rider.
Best-team award: Garmin-Cervelo may have picked up the official prize, while HTC may have notched six stage wins owing to a combination of its train, Cavendish's legs and Martin's ITT ability, but the prize must go to Europcar, a team which almost folded last winter, but delivered France's only stage victory, France's only yellow jersey, France's highest-placed rider, plus France's first white jersey in more than 20 years.
Yes-we-were-really-there-,-honest award: Robert Gesink, Damiano Cunego, Ivan Basso, Yuri Trofimov and Alessandro Petacchi.
The at-least-I-rode-well-on-the-one-day-that-mattered award: Tyler Farrar, who became the first American to win on Independence Day, before seemingly taking on a sprinting internship with Alessandro Petacchi.
The 'Bunker' award: So good was Pierre Rolland's sandbagging of Samuel Sanchez on his way up to Alpe d'Huez, the Spaniard actually came and congratulated him at the finish.
The sequence-ending award: Jelle Vanendert's win atop Plateau de Beille brings an end to the times you'll hear commentators say, 'whoever wins on Plateau de Beille goes on to win the Tour in Paris'.
The Jerome Coppel award for one to look out for in the future: Pierre Rolland, who delivered France's only win on the biggest of stages - all after 10 days in stellar service of Thomas Voeckler. Saddles just hopes we're not spending future Tours simply looking out for him, as we seem to be doing for Coppel...
The apt-piece-of-commentary award: Irishman Sean Kelly describing Alessandro Petacchi's third-place finish in Montpellier as "turd".
Now the dust has settled on the Champs and FDJ have stopped attacking, Blazin' Saddles takes you through its official post-Tour awards.
Nice-guys-finish-first award: Cadel Evans won the Tour fair and square - he was the most consistent individual, the strongest mentally and, contrary to previous form, one of the most aggressive going forward. What's more, he's just a normal, fragile, shy guy who likes dogs and doesn't like being hampered by the media. Chapeau, Cadel.
The podium's-not-big-enough award: Tommy Voeckler encapsulated the spirit of the Tour with his remarkable 10-day ride in yellow - that he missed out on a podium place at the expense of a rider who did very little to put a smile on anyone's face is rather sad. It's safe to say Voeckler will never match the highs of this year's race, which is why he deserved more than just memories.
Justice-is-done award: Voeckler's team-mate Pierre Rolland taking victory on Alpe d'Huez after a selfless three weeks riding for his leader.
Must-be-more-like-the-Klitschkos award: Frank and Andy Schleck - come on guys, become individuals and race like champions and then maybe Saddles will stop calling you Frandy...
Stand-over-Jens-your-time-is-up award: Although there were some jokes about Jens Voigt knocking the Port de Lers climb out twice after he crashed on the Pyrenean descent, the time has come for the peloton to adopt a new hard man. And the obvious choice, after surviving a high-speed run-in with barbed wire and riding on with 33 stitches in his legs and backside, has to be Johnny Hoogerland. A star has been born.
Back-to-the-drawing-board award: Despite their excellent tactics the day Andy stormed the Galibier, Leopard Trek were found out during the Tour and are clearly hampered by having two brothers as their combined leaders. If only one of them could time trial... Bjarne Riis also has a lot of work to do at Saxo Bank, whichever way Alberto Contador's CAS hearing goes.
Best nickname: After securing yellow on the penultimate day, Evans earned the moniker 'Kangourroudoudou' from the French press, combining two facets of the Australian's personality - kangaroos and cuddly toys (or 'doudous' as they say in France).
Best-world-champion-since-Cadel-Evans award: Thor Hushovd, who won not one but two stages featuring big climbs.
Best-blog-headline award: 'Forlorn on the Fourth of July', 'Bak to the Future Pate II' and 'Bubbles for Cuddles' came near, but the best was 'Voeck 'n Roll'.
Best-country award: The host nation played a massive role in this extraordinary Tour, the Isle of Cavendish delivered everything it promised; but the prize must go to Norway, whose two representatives notched two stages apiece. Not bad for a small country often covered by snow.
Worst-Driving Award: While the motorbike which snagged Nicky Sorensen would usually have romped this category, there was, staggeringly, a worse incident involving a petrol-powered vehicle, namely the cretinous car swerve which floored Juan Antonio Flecha and sent Johnny Hoogerland sprawling into a barbed wire fence. If Saddles had his way, the driver of the France TV car would lose her licence for life.
The man-bites-dog award for getting equal: Germany's Tony Martin put his neck on the line (yes, a particularly large line it was too) when he almost ploughed into the back of a near-stationary Sky support car during the individual time trial. Martin's last-ditch avoidance was something to behold.
Best-tweeter-in-the-peloton award: Fabian Cancellara kept us entertained with his often incomprehensible tweets, delivered in the Swiss maestro's inimitable 'Fabianese' method of communication. But the winner has to be Mark Cavendish, who filled our timelines with tales of runny farts, room sharing with Bernie Eisel and the pains of mountain climbing. Oh, and the odd rant against rivals and race commissaires.
Worst-interview-technique award: He may have won the Tour fair and square, but Cadel Evans is always about as comfortable as a jagged stone sofa during his media appearances, which are often bookended with a shrill laugh so nervous it could have its own Seinfeld-style sitcom.
The must-have-accessory award for next year: Frandy could do with some mirrors fitted on to their handlebars to avoid getting cricks in their necks. Failing that, how about a tandem?
Making-men-come-out-of-the-closet award: Hushovd when beating his chest in celebration after riding down the back of a mountain faster than Jan Ullrich at the sound of an ice cream van.
No-more-Mr-Nice-Guy award: Next year - if he gets the chance - Saddles suggests Jurgen van de Walle concentrates more on himself and getting through the first week than looking after the wellbeing of his fellow riders in the peloton. The Belgian hit (or rather, hipped) the deck via a sleeping policeman in stage one after warning the bunch of some impending road furniture, becoming the first rider to quit the race for the second successive year.
Best-punch-of-the-year award: Alberto Contador's right hook into the face of that nutter in a green nurse uniform while riding up to Alpe d'Huez certainly won the Spaniard a lot of respect from fans all round the world.
Worst-punch-of-the-year award: Contador punching the sky when he crossed the line at Mur-de-Bretagne after wrongly thinking he'd pipped Evans for the stage four victory.
The hardly-as-good-as-Geox award: Sauj-Sojasun, whose inclusion deprived us of seeing more favourites crash out in the first week, namely Carlos Sastre and Denis Menchov.
Maybe-skip-the-Giro-next-year award: Gadret, Kiryienka, Contador, Dupont... the list goes on and on.
See-you-at-the-Vuelta award: The close season suddenly takes a new shape for the likes of Wiggins, Van den Broeck, Brajkovic, Kern, Gesink and others who withdrew or failed to shine owing to injury.
Concentrate-on-the-Classics award: Tom Boonen - face it, Tommeke, this Tour malarkey isn't really working out too well for you any longer, is it?
Most-ominous-start-to-one's-Tour-career award: Andre Greipel, who crashed in the neutral zone before the opening stage had even got under way. Still, he did win one stage, making him by default one-fifth the rider that old foe Cavendish is.
Stick-to-making-vodka award: An all-Russian team at the Tour, really? Well, Katusha, it kind of backfired. The team's only positive was a dope test from Alexandre Kolobnev, whose punishment on returning to his homeland was a knighthood from President Medvedev for 'services to the motherland'.
Lonely-rider award: Euskaltel's Gorka Verdugo, the only rider in the peloton whose wheel Cadel Evans will never follow.
Send-him-to-the-Guillotine award for treachery: David Moncoutie, who put himself before la patrie when - heaven forbid - trying to chase a stage win at the expense of compatriot Jeremy Roy.
The Duracell Bunny award for most indefatigable rider: It's that man Roy again, who broke clear at virtually every occasion. He never won a stage, but he did pick up the prize for most aggressive rider.
Best-team award: Garmin-Cervelo may have picked up the official prize, while HTC may have notched six stage wins owing to a combination of its train, Cavendish's legs and Martin's ITT ability, but the prize must go to Europcar, a team which almost folded last winter, but delivered France's only stage victory, France's only yellow jersey, France's highest-placed rider, plus France's first white jersey in more than 20 years.
Yes-we-were-really-there-,-honest award: Robert Gesink, Damiano Cunego, Ivan Basso, Yuri Trofimov and Alessandro Petacchi.
The at-least-I-rode-well-on-the-one-day-that-mattered award: Tyler Farrar, who became the first American to win on Independence Day, before seemingly taking on a sprinting internship with Alessandro Petacchi.
The 'Bunker' award: So good was Pierre Rolland's sandbagging of Samuel Sanchez on his way up to Alpe d'Huez, the Spaniard actually came and congratulated him at the finish.
The sequence-ending award: Jelle Vanendert's win atop Plateau de Beille brings an end to the times you'll hear commentators say, 'whoever wins on Plateau de Beille goes on to win the Tour in Paris'.
The Jerome Coppel award for one to look out for in the future: Pierre Rolland, who delivered France's only win on the biggest of stages - all after 10 days in stellar service of Thomas Voeckler. Saddles just hopes we're not spending future Tours simply looking out for him, as we seem to be doing for Coppel...
The apt-piece-of-commentary award: Irishman Sean Kelly describing Alessandro Petacchi's third-place finish in Montpellier as "turd".
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Eccentricities
Out of Crikey today comes this hidden gem amongst the Cadel euphoria...
Even before his switch from mountain biking after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Australian cycling scene was abuzz with his potential in the road pro ranks. While attending a gala cycling dinner in January 2000 at Crown Casino I garnered how socially awkward or ill at ease he appeared at such a back-slapping ceremony. One of his mentor’s told me at the time he was something of a loner among the cycling fraternity and fellow riders considered him "eccentric". In what way I asked? "Well for a start he likes to wear a cravat."
Even before his switch from mountain biking after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Australian cycling scene was abuzz with his potential in the road pro ranks. While attending a gala cycling dinner in January 2000 at Crown Casino I garnered how socially awkward or ill at ease he appeared at such a back-slapping ceremony. One of his mentor’s told me at the time he was something of a loner among the cycling fraternity and fellow riders considered him "eccentric". In what way I asked? "Well for a start he likes to wear a cravat."
Hardman
From BigRingRiding...
YOU DON’T QUIT THE TOUR BECAUSE OF A THICK LIP”
THE BEAST FROM THE NORTH EAST, LAURENS TEN DAM.
THE BEAST FROM THE NORTH EAST, LAURENS TEN DAM.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
TdF Final Stage
Some wise words from Adrian...
So, let's see if I've got this right. Andy does a great ride, but doesn't get yellow. Because Cadel for the first time in le Tour stamped himself all over it. I don't mean this year, I mean any year.Two years ago with a bunch that won't can't work he would have done the racing equivalent of pouting, shrugged and settled that it couldn't happen. Not last night. This time he didn't just bite the bullet he loaded a howitzer and shouldered arms and dragged everyone up with him. Close to two minutes he took back. If I were a Schleck I'd be anxious, yeah Andy stayed away but as it went on and up the gap was starting to tumble.
Meanwhile Tommy V, resplendent in yellow is riding true to character.Soft pedaling to then attack the breakaway (Flecha's damning about him not even pausing as he was hit by the car) each day playing the same game about how he will be dropped, hiding in the bunch. The team doing just enough before someone else takes over. Where's Hinault in all this? He needs to badger him out. Voeckler has spent all his time and energy simply wanting to stay in yellow each day, rather than actually trying to win the race. Maybe swap a turn, or sacrifice a team mate to claw back time from Andy, but no, follow the wheels. Accidental bloody yellow.
Tonight? Assume Frank will go for it, Voeckler will do even more to make sure he manages to ride around France without getting a suntan.But really, no bloody idea. But I reckon Cadel has shown he is the best and most consistent but Jesus, I hope he takes it up to Andy today because he must be buttered.
So, let's see if I've got this right. Andy does a great ride, but doesn't get yellow. Because Cadel for the first time in le Tour stamped himself all over it. I don't mean this year, I mean any year.Two years ago with a bunch that won't can't work he would have done the racing equivalent of pouting, shrugged and settled that it couldn't happen. Not last night. This time he didn't just bite the bullet he loaded a howitzer and shouldered arms and dragged everyone up with him. Close to two minutes he took back. If I were a Schleck I'd be anxious, yeah Andy stayed away but as it went on and up the gap was starting to tumble.
Meanwhile Tommy V, resplendent in yellow is riding true to character.Soft pedaling to then attack the breakaway (Flecha's damning about him not even pausing as he was hit by the car) each day playing the same game about how he will be dropped, hiding in the bunch. The team doing just enough before someone else takes over. Where's Hinault in all this? He needs to badger him out. Voeckler has spent all his time and energy simply wanting to stay in yellow each day, rather than actually trying to win the race. Maybe swap a turn, or sacrifice a team mate to claw back time from Andy, but no, follow the wheels. Accidental bloody yellow.
Tonight? Assume Frank will go for it, Voeckler will do even more to make sure he manages to ride around France without getting a suntan.But really, no bloody idea. But I reckon Cadel has shown he is the best and most consistent but Jesus, I hope he takes it up to Andy today because he must be buttered.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
"Frankly," said Frank, "we did not expect an attack. It's well played. Bjarne (Riis) is behind this. He knows we don't like the bad weather and the descent. Congratulations to them, it's a nice one."
The idea of attacking four kilometres from the summit of a potentially decisive climb is new to the Schlecks, who are keener to throw down the hammer in the closing 500m of uphill tests, picking up two-second advantages piecemeal.
Both brothers could not keep up with the pace of Saxo Bank's Alberto Contador on the Col de Manse, and when BMC's Cadel Evans set a blistering pace down the narrow descent to La Rochette, the vertiginous Schlecks were found out.
Younger Schleck, Andy, was particularly aggrieved at having lost more than a minute in such an unfair manner.
"People don't want a race that is decided in a downhill," he harrumphed at the finish in Gap, forgetting that it had been Contador's series of uphill attacks that had really done for his chances. "It was a dangerous finish. I was not feeling great when he attacked and I did a bad descent. But is this really what people want to see? A finish like this should not be allowed. We have families waiting for us at home. Do the public want a fair race or a race which ends in hospital?" he added, on a day which saw no hospitalisations.
Schleck's whining was not so much a question of sour grapes as a whole sour vineyard.Maybe he thinks that if he complains enough, race director Christian Prudhomme - in the same way that he altered the green jersey competition to suit Mark Cavendish - will see the light and come up with a Tour of 21 summit finishes and no downhill whatsoever, thereby gifting Andy a probable 42-second overall win.
As it is, Schleck Junior has seen his advantage over a resurgent Contador whittled down to just 39 seconds - the same advantage that the Spaniard beat him by last year in Paris.
Worrying news for Andy is his admission that he "knew Contador would attack" and yet failed to do anything about it. Hardly form of a potential Tour champion.
The Schlecks' failure to take significant time gains from their main rivals in the Pyrenees could well be about to come back and haunt them. All of a sudden, being stoked about a two-second gain seems somewhat laughable.
Worrying news for Andy is his admission that he "knew Contador would attack" and yet failed to do anything about it. Hardly form of a potential Tour champion.
The Schlecks' failure to take significant time gains from their main rivals in the Pyrenees could well be about to come back and haunt them. All of a sudden, being stoked about a two-second gain seems somewhat laughable.
Laughable, too, are the Schlecks' tactics and PR machine. With both brothers pretty much admitting they don't like wet downhills on the eve of another stage which features a similar downhill finish - which could well be wet - it is an open invitation for further attacks.
"The gap (time lost today) means nothing. I'm in great shape, I can affirm that. I have showed it and I will continue to show it," poker-faced Andy at about the same time that Rupert Murdoch was attacked by a custard pie.
"The gap (time lost today) means nothing. I'm in great shape, I can affirm that. I have showed it and I will continue to show it," poker-faced Andy at about the same time that Rupert Murdoch was attacked by a custard pie.
"The Tour is not over, it has just started. Today's episode is not a tragedy. We will stay on our path," he schoolteacher-ed in that inimitable way of his, before adding, tellingly: "We need to gain time."
Saddles has not checked up on the reaction of Leotard manager Bryan Nygaard, but no doubt it will be steeped in spin, something along the lines of: "Yet again both Andy and Frank showed they are in the form of their life. The way they managed to complete that demanding descent in such treacherous conditions without falling was incredible.
"It was tactical to let Evans and Contador ride on ahead - we believe they will tire themselves out before the big mountains. As for Sanchez, we're not underestimating him so much as forgetting he's around."
"It was tactical to let Evans and Contador ride on ahead - we believe they will tire themselves out before the big mountains. As for Sanchez, we're not underestimating him so much as forgetting he's around."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
TdF Stage 18
A thrilling stage awaits us all on Thursday night. RedKitePrayer as always has the clearest insight:What has surprised me is how many journalists, bloggers and friends have complained of uninteresting and negative racing. Perhaps I was watching a different race. What I saw on stage 14 looked like the sixth round of a ten-round title fight. Each of those attacks would have crumpled mortal riders. Watching for who might attack next and when the attack did come watching for who was slow to respond kept me leaning into the TV and breathless.
We have four mountain stages left. The first two end with descents (yay, I like descents), while the final two end atop hors categorie climbs. Tomorrow’s stage into Gap is one where a breakaway with no-name riders might, finally, work. We’re bound to see some fireworks on the climb to Sestrieres, but it’s unlikely to result in any significant shakeup to the GC. Would could be interesting, though, is the steep descent off of the Cote de Pramartino with less than a half kilometer of flat to the finish. I wouldn’t be surprised if Voeckler punched it on the descent.
Some race fans won’t like it, but the big moves that decide the race will happen on the Galibier on their way to Serre Chevalier. The riders can’t afford to wait for l’Alpe d’Huez to try to blow the race apart. The Col Agnel is, based on my experience, steep enough that many domestiques will be rendered useless long before the race reaches the foot of the Col d’Izoard.
A word on stage 19: It’s as classic a mountain stage as can be devised. Begin the day with a downhill warmup to the foot of the Col du Telegraphe. After 12km of climbing, give them a brief (4km) descent to recover before throwing them at one of the most feared climbs in cycling, the 18km up to the Col du Galibier. Don’t expect a break including any favorites to go there, though. The descent from the top of the Galibier to the foot of l’Alpe d’Huez is nearly 50km and except for the upper portion of the Galibier, it’s not a technical descent; a group can haul ass (that’s a technical term) for le Bourg d’Oisans.
We can forgive the riders if they seem a bit conservative, even tentative. While the stage 14 attacks can’t be called timid, the responses in most cases were an only-as-much-as-necessary effort to keep the opposition in check. With the race this tight, one wrong move could dock you six spots on GC.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Rapha stuff
Inspired by the Rapha oversocks on this morning's ride...as seen on the top picture... I'm happy to present the Rapha cravat.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tour de Force
A great reward for staying up last night to see Cadel hold off the newly vegetarian Spaniard in a uphill, headwind sprint to the line in Stage 4. For those of us lucky enough to still have our body clocks on something like Euro time it's not too hard to watch the whole stage live.
The best pictorial coverage of the Tour that I've found is from:
Interesting background bits and pieces, great photo's and he's travelling with Wade Wallace so CyclingTips gives another dimension to the coverage also.
If you can't stay up to watch it's the next best imagery available.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Cycling Philosophy
1) To get back in shape implies that you once were in shape
2) It’s not a training ride if you are not training for something. It’s a ride. Rides are great and wonderful and infinitely better than training by all definitions.
From: http://www.embrocationmagazine.com/online/disclosure
2) It’s not a training ride if you are not training for something. It’s a ride. Rides are great and wonderful and infinitely better than training by all definitions.
From: http://www.embrocationmagazine.com/online/disclosure
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