End o'the week

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Welcome to my World!

Good ideas all! Or, carry a Glock 33 compact chassis...

In case any of you are headed to Flanders and need to know where to climbs are along the route. Pic courtesy of Lay-O-Pard Trek. I guess the red lines indicate exactly where their Madones failed along the route. I keed...I keed...

Good Thursday ride last night. Good group and plenty of work. I actually pushed a little bit last night, just to see what would happen. I feel a couple of small twinges of discomfort, but I could still push. Didn't put it anywhere near the PainCave, but it was a nice barometer of where I stand 4 short weeks after surgery. I'm perfectly fine with my current state of being.

I think I'm nearly ready to do a review of the 2011 Ridley Helium as well. One word for now? Sublime...

Saturday morning, Palmetto Velo is doing their group/training ride. 0930 from Cycle Center. 55 miles through Lower Richland. Should be a steady affair, and the plan, according to Meat, is to keep everyone together in an effort to have a nice, big group ride to foster a bit of camaraderie and fun in the Columbia cycling community. Be there!

And an aside...
For all of you folks here in the lovely Southeast, don't complain so loudly about the Springtime pollen and wind. We could all be in the Northeast, or Front Range, shoveling our cars out of the driveway. Instead, we have the hard decision whether to take armwarmers...just in case it gets 'chilly'.

TNWC #2

Good turnout for Round @ tonight. It was breezy, but beautiful and the pollen was bearable, if you're a honeybee. It seemed the pace was fast, but pretty steady. I say seemed as I only jumped in for about 5 laps of the 45 + 2...completely against Doctor's orders. It did feel good to go fast and open up the lungs and legs. I think I'm doing just fine considering surgery was 4 weeks ago today!
Back to the TNWC...
As happens when the wind is blowing at all, it came down to a bunch gallop, with MW outkicking BCobb at the line. The margin of victory was thin...borderline anorexic.

The group could have been way larger, and hopefully, those who were conspicuous by their absence will make appearances throughout the Summer. I know everyone has their own agenda(s), but coming out and participating in the practice race makes EVERYONE better, and serves to strengthen the riding community in Columbia.

To those who came out tonight, thank you, and I hope to see you next Tuesday!

Now for two Specialized pics that make me happy:

Cav's Venge @ MSR...not that it helped him.

And if you gotta have a custom painted Shiv, this isn't a bad livery to choose....

Thursday night @ the gate...6:15pm

Peace!

MSR 2011

From the base of the Poggio through the finish...so the last 10km.
DOG, I love Euro bike racing!





Brilliant...just GD brilliant!

Went out with the group this morning and turned off. It was a really good group, but I just can't go with that pace right now. 30-35kmh...fine, I'm comfortable. Anything more than that for an extended period and my chest starts to hurt. Longest ride since surgery though (2 hours), so I'm pleased.
TVH had a Campag 11 speed pulley eject on the run out of the Fort. We found the pulley and the bushing, but the bolt was nowhere to be seen. His ride was over. Thankfully, he got home just fine. He should kick his mechanic (not me!) square in the ass. There's no excuse for that to happen...NONE!
Cash had a shift cable break, so he was stuck in the 11, with either the 53 or the 39 to switch things up. He finished the ride though, when most would have turned for home.

The Saturday ride will be at 9 (for the time being) from the traffic circle at The Fort. It'll get moved up to 8 when the temps reach further into the red.

It's beautiful outside people! Go play!

Namaste!

Share this...

Please share this article/link with your non-cycling family and friends, as well as those who think folks like us may be touched in the head. It's proof that a bicycle can, and will, save your life!!!

83 year old Japanese woman outrides tsunami....

Oh, and your Specialized Tarmac just got rendered obsolete. May I introduce, the Venge...



And a great post from Michael Barry about love for the bicycle...

TNWC #1

A grand total of 9 showed last night. Of course, the wind was blowing, and the rain was imminent. It turned to 8 immediately after the neutral lap, as your author is not allowed to ride at any speed, or effort, over a conversational pace. As the 'race' progressed, it was easy to see who's been training. It came down to GW (he needs a nickname), JayC, and Der Kaiser at the end. As was stated earlier, the rain was inbound, so at the first sign of drops, I bailed and headed to HQ. Although this coincided with the '2 to go' call, I figured the three of them were all bright enough to figure it out.
Hopefully, there will be actual attendance next week.
I really enjoyed the fact that the shite that I blew/swept into the gutter on the inside of Turn 1 had all blown back into the street. Needless to say, I'll go back out before Round 2 for another go at that corner.

For me, it was just nice to get back on the bike. I really don't care if it was all at <30kmh! AND, it was the maiden voyage of the new Helium. I really didn't ride it hard enough, nor long enough, to be able to write a review, but I will say that it's definitely stiffer than the old version.
Rode it again this morning for nearly two hours with CR. Nice ride, even though the weather is Portland-ish today. Just kind of spun around out into WeCo and came home.
I still feel like some sort of fitness is lurking...it's just the trauma of the procedures I had done is nowhere near healed. Who cares? I've said it before, and I'll say it again (and again), no pro teams are watching, so I'm just gonna ride and smile!

2011 Nokere-Koerse



Steegmans is Flemish for "come around me...if you can..."!!

Peace!

It's a Trap!

Look...it's a hipster trap. I'm willing to bet we could easily bag the limit in Five Points.


Tirreno Stg 6

Update

Tirreno Stg 5



Another stellar finish...Gilbert is on form, eh?

PN Stage 8



Voeckler is class, period!

I skipped the circuit race today and cleaned up the yard. It's the first time I've done ANY sort of physical activity since surgery, and it felt pretty good to get the blood going and HR up.
I'll be out at the crit course in the morning to clean.
Even if you don't come out to race, come out to watch and/or say goodbye to Ken Oglesby. The Army, in their finite wisdom, has decided they need our friend Ken to go to Iraq...again! He's leaving for some supplementary training in Georgia and Texas in about 10 days, then off to Iraq until this time next year. I believe this is his third trip to that sandy shitbox in the Middle East.

On a completely separate note, I love Ebay.
Backstory:
I found a pair of 9 speed shifters in my building, and seeing as 9 speed is seldom used among the cognoscenti, I decided to throw them onto the 'bay. Started the auction 5 days ago at $1 American dollar with no reserve...what good were they doing me? I expected $50-ish bucks. Add a Ben Franklin to that estimate and we have our sale price. Unreal...

See you guys Tuesday night!

Saturday

PN Stage 7


Hey, Movistar dude, don't look around at the line! Of course, he almost made it across on his stomach...

Tirreno Stage 4...great finish...just fucking brilliant!




Went out to Blythewood for the Crit(s) today. Beautiful day, great course, big fields! Days like today restore one's faith in bike racing. Here's a link to the pics I shot today. If anyone wants the original (BIG) files, sent me a note with your email address and I'll send them to you!

Dy-no-mite...

J.J. "Kid Dy-no-mite" Haedo took it out today. Garmin needs to work on the leadout a bit. ThorSmash went a bit early, and Farrar acted like he'd forgotten how to bomb it into a corner. Leaving a gap that big through the last corner killed his sprint. It's hard to close a gap, much less a gap that's rolling at 60+ kmh, then have any kick left to sprint. ThorSmash shouldn't have to look around to find Farrar...

The TT happened in Paris Nice today. Tony "Completely not a German name" Martin won pretty handily, and looked like a slobbering Springer Spaniel while doing so.



As for me, 72 more long hours until I can put my big, pasty self on the bike...

See you folks tomorrow in the 'wood...

(see below)

Tirreno Stage 2



Farrar led out by the rainbow jersey! Nice!

Paris-Nice Stage 5



Great finish! The descent and run into the line were damn fine racing!

Don't forget...

The Blythewood races are this weekend. Good races on a closed course...
And the TNWC goes off next Tuesday @ 6:30...

Peace

Paris Nice Stage 4

Voeckler, roughly translated, means ROCKSTAR!



Great finish!

Tirreno-Adriatico started today with a TTT. Looks like Lay-O-Pard needs to get some horsepower for the flat land. Spartacus tore the legs off his own team...

The Damned Things

I missed this show in Charlotte two weeks ago...it was the same day as my surgery. I should have rescheduled...

Paris Nice Stage 3

Nice finish! Betting the Liquigas mechanic is going to be spending some QT in the truck tonight, regluing tubulars!

Stelvio

This is the best picture of the Stelvio for a couple of reasons. It truly shows the scale of the undertaking, should one choose to ride it...
...AND, the only car in the shot is a freaking Dodge Challenger R/T!

Good show by Hendy today @ Paris-Nice as well.



I remember several years ago, he was in town with HealthNet, and did the TNWC in his small chainring, as he was prepping for track Worlds...
Not today though! That was BIG ring! Or, as the Frenchie announcer said, "Facile...tres facile..."

Oh yeah, the TNWC kicks off next Tuesday..the 15th...@ 6:30pm. May have to cut it a bit short because of the newness of the time change, but it'll go off. It would be nice if people actually showed up this year...
I'll be out Wednesday morning to clean the corners...safety first!

2011 Strada Bianche finish

That finish section up into Piazza di Campo in Siena was BRUTAL.

It's alive...ALIVE!

Channeling my best Doctor Frankenstein (you know how to pronounce it), I slapped the new 2011 Ridley Helium together today.

I think it turned out pretty well, considering I put my trusty old 7800 Dura Ace on it. Hey, the stuff isn't terribly long in the tooth, and it works like a champ, so there's really no reason to buy a new group, other than sheer vanity of course! That being said, SRAM Red would look pretty dope on the frame. Even with the 'old' 7800, heavy-ish Mavic brakes, and a boat anchor Flite Ti Gel saddle, it tipped out @ 16.23 pounds. It could easily be taken deep into the 15s without a lot of difficulty.
It's a totally different design than my old (if 2008 is OLD) Helium. The front half of the frame is pretty similar, but once the downtube gets BIG and SQUARE where it meets the BB shell, all similarities end. As shown in the BB photo, the cluster is meaty...waaaay meatier than the old frame. I'm guessing this one will be stiff, even for my beefcake.
I tried to get a picture of the new seatstays, but none of them really properly illustrated the design. They are about 1cm thick...flattened out, and 3cm wide. They're almost airfoil-ish.
I'm willing to bet that this new frame rides a bit stiffer than the old one, and it was no Cadillac.
The chainstays are far larger than the old frame as well, and seem to have a bi-axial sort of orientation going on. The rear drops are also carbon with stainless inserts...kinda trick.

Unfortunately, a ride report won't be available for a while, seeing as I'm not allowed to ride for a few more days, and even then, not with any sort of anger.

Oh, and the Strada Bianche went off in Italy today. One of the best races on the schedule, yet in garnered ZERO TV coverage...even within Italy! WTF? Hey Versus, you schmoes, are you listening?
Peruse the photos in the above link. Makes you want to go ride, eh?

Happy Weekend!

Maybe there's something...

...to the radio ban in the Euro races. Yesterday's GP Samyn was pretty brilliant. The Dogs had to race with their senses, rather than the DS screaming in their ear. Just watch...
Dudes looked wrecked after crossing the line...




Brown Santa has my new Helium right now, which means I'll be hanging around the house today, because as sure as shit, the very moment I leave, the UPS truck will hit the driveway. Not that I can do anything other than build the thing, and then stare at it for the next week...

Sniper is as Sniper does...

The video above is proof that innate badassness is lifelong! He had a Black Card before there was such a thing as a Card-Carrying Badass!



Like the bumper sticker says, 'God Bless our Troops...especially the Snipers'!!!

Spring done sprung...

Boom Boom was dressed like he was out for a training ride during the Omloop...and he very well may have been. When he makes that face, he hurts...and you die...

And how about Flecha? I know Langeveld won, and it was a great finish, but Flecha chased across, in what can only be described as abysmal weather. Here's a fun activity. Save the above pic. Import it into some sort of editing software. Now drop the color saturation to zero.
Almost looks better in black and white, eh?

And big up to CJ Sutton for taking out the sprint in KBK. Good on ya mate!

So the NAHBS went on in Austin last weekend. Lots of hella cool stuff from people who are, in fact, artists. From perusing the myriad photos available from the show, there seems to be a trend towards usable bicycles, things you drool over and want to actually own. Of course, there's always one that proves that builders sometimes have more time and money than orders...I'm talking to you Calfee...

Now, let's move on to the picture below. I know I've been critical of Sachs in the past, and those opinions stand. The 'muddy' bikes he showed in Austin sort of bother me in a different way. It's the aesthetic of the thing. The weren't ridden into the condition shown in the photograph.
The muddy was created, and then applied to the bicycles...kind of like when automobile companies fake the mud on their trucks for TV ads.

I've ridden my CX bike in every condition available to me here in South Cackalackey, including more types of mud than I can describe in this post. I can tell you, with a LARGE degree a certainty, that mud doesn't not affix itself, nor stay affixed to, a bicycle in the manner illustrated above. There's no need for a CSI: NAHBS-style breakdown of how it was done. I hope that you, fair readers, can figure that out for yourselves.
I appreciate the idea, but the execution was sorely lacking. Next time, fly Junk and me in and we'll fuck them up properly!


6 days post-op:
-feeling a bit more human
-showered for the 2nd time since surgery, so definitely smelling more human
-shaved face and legs for first time in a week...looking less homeless. It did look like someone sheared a small goat in the tub though...
-still waiting on the new Ridley (decision was made to keep it)
-Post Op appointment tomorrow
-Urge to ride is slowly returning. One more week, then I'll be on the Greenway! (rollseyes and shuffles away....)

Namaste!

Back amomgst the living...almost...

2011 K-B-K Final 6 kilometers...



2011 Het Nieuwsblad
Part one



Part two



Didn't the weather just look lovely over there? And one ponders why Gorgeous George is punishing the locals in the Greenville Spring Series? Hmmm, 75 degrees and sunny in South Carolina, versus the 30s and wind in Belgium....not a hard choice to make at the end of one's career, eh?

As for your intrepid writer here, convalesing is hard work. I took two Oxycodones last night @ 830 and woke up this morning @ 0915. A pharma-induced sleep will, in fact, make you wake up stiff and sore. I'm guessing I didn't roll around much last night, as my neck is JACKED today. I'm getting better by small percentages every day. I'm beginning to run into the mind/body conundrum now, 5 days post-op. I'll have moments during my day where the mind says, "Hey Jackleg, let's go outside and play...". These moments are quickly followed by an hour of the sickest I've ever felt, and being forced to lie flat and shallow breathing. The body is winning at this point...

I did get out to Harbor Freight Tools this morning. I bought a digital gram scale to weigh parts before putting them on Ebay, as every time I list something, some dickface sends me a note to see what it weighs. Doesn't matter what it is...could be a fucking brick, yet people want to know. The wife reminded me that I now have controlled substances AND a scale in the house. 2/3 of the way to a felony!!!

Hopefully, the Helium will make an appearance next week and I can get to work on it. Seriously batting around the idea of putting SRAM on it...idle hands...idle hands....

Awang update

UCI World Cup 2011 - Awang's Splinter Update from British Cycling on Vimeo.

And so it begins...

Now, I know we've already had so big pro races this season, but the TRUE season starts Saturday with Het Nieuwsblad (old Het Volk) on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne Sunday. I know where I'll be both mornings this weekend...

Of course, I have ZERO choice in the matter....

Surgery went as well as can be expected when you get three procedures rolled into one 2 hour session in the O.R.! The night after surgery was something out of a horror movie. Nothing gets your attention quite as much as vomiting up your own blood. Funny thing? I felt better after selling the family Buick.
I feel like a short bus has been backed through my esophagus, parked there for a while, and then towed out by a Zamboni. To say my upper GI tract is sore could be considered the understatement of the decade. Everything causes shooting pains. The only position that doesn't illicit little-girl-squeals is sitting upright at an approximate 60 degree angle. Thank whoever pulls the strings upstairs that I haven't sneezed...yet...

I've eaten nothing but Jello and applesauce, and warm tea. I would straight choke someone out for Five Guys.

Looks like ZERO bike for at least two weeks...and then only rolling around for a couple of weeks after that. No matter, as I don't have a road bike anyway. Maybe I'll find a SS townie bike in the next week....

Update over...time for a pain pill...

Occupado

Nys finishes off the season with the overall GvA title. Looked like a fun course...



A bit of La Course en Tete for your head. It seems a bit more pure than today...



Merckx on the boards...

I'll in incommunicado for a couple of days (at least). My surgery is tomorrow morning @ 0900 @ LexMed. If you don't hear anything, that's good gnus. If the next post is a guest post by my lovely wife, then it will likely include news of my demise, and time/location of a memorial service.

Peace...

You want HARD?

Here's HARD...
Azizulhasni Awang from Malaysia took home the bronze in the Keirin on Saturday in Mancester. The news reports said he finished with a 'splinter' in his leg from the last turn shunt. I'm no expert, but I do know that a 'splinter' is something very small, that lodges under your skin. That is a big GD shard of the Mancester track that traveled THROUGH his calf. The word impaled comes to mind! Wonder if that stung?
It looks like every picture you've seen of post-hurricane damage! You know the one...!
Oh, and "Ipu Keparat" is how you scream MFer in Malay...

Here's the race and crash...



Oh, and Chris Hoy is a BEAST! 70+ kmh across the line. That's 43mph in American money!

A dilemmer

Yeah, I know...
Anyway, my dilemmer is a peculiar one. As has been written on this oh-so-entertaining website, I have a new Ridley Helium coming. It's pretty bad ass, obviously, will be nigh on 16 pounds, and fit me well, as have all of my previous Ridleys.
I've also had discussions with the fine folks at Hampsten, Steve Hampsten if we're dropping names, about getting a custom steel frame built. Not just any generic steel either. We're talking a tig-welded Columbus Max tubeset, and custom paint based on the famous Molteni Merckx bikes of yore. The plan would be to build it with 7900, or maybe go balls deep and hang Di2 on it. Weight? Around 18.5 pounds. The ride? Sublime... My Molteni Merckx frame is one that I never should have let go. There was no pressing need to sell it, I just sort of...did. Worst part...I just looked, and I don't think I even have a photo of the damn thing!

I'm torn people! On this morning's ride, PD and I talked about the dilemmer, and the discussion only lead to muddier water. Dammit!

Oh, and as an aside, here's the proper fitment of a skinsuit, as modeled by Victoria Pendleton...
And on that note...

Armstrong retirement 3.0

So LA has hung it up again. To be honest, as divisive as he's been, throughout his career, he will be missed by the peloton. There is no other patron lurking in the bunch. Sure, there are guys who are looked at with reverence, like Jens Voigt, Fabian Cancellara and a few others, but none demand the respect that Lance has over the years.
Now, I'm well aware that there are pros that look at LA with a jaundiced eye, for myriad reasons, but when he spoke, even they listened.
Is he a hero? To some, yes. Is he an asshole? Most likely. Will he be missed? Yep.

Reason for retirement? I'm going to opine here for a moment...
I'm sure he'll say the rigors of training, traveling and being away from his 5 children, which I'm quite sure is partially true. My belief is that he's feeling the heat from the Novitsky investigation and has realized that the battle is probably best fought out of the limelight that follows European cycling.

Don't look for a synopsis of the investigation, or doping, as I really don't give a damn about either. EVERY rider in the bunch was doped to the gills in the Lance Armstrong era. Am I naive enough to think that he didn't dope? Of course not. I think he just did it better than the others. The playing field was level. Oh, and don't forget, he's never tested positive. Rumor, innuendo, and Floyd Landis' crazy rantings aside, there's been ZERO hard evidence of a positive.

I just hope he doesn't turn into a joke, a la LeMond. Some are treating him as such already, but one must remember, before you start calling him a doper, a cheater, or a liar, every hero of past generations was on the AvGas of the time. Hell, Merckx even got caught, MORE THAN ONCE, and he's still thought of as the greatest cyclist of all-time.

Distance and time usually lead to clearer perspective. This will be the case with Lance. The people who are Lance haters now have more than likely adopted this attitude because it's the popular thing to do. I wish I had a time machine to see how they were acting while watching LA shatter everyone during his first few wins. What's the bet they were Lance fans back then? If they say they weren't, they're liars!

The things Armstrong have done for cycling, and charity, far outweigh his alleged 'crimes'. Get over it people...

New Day...Happy Day

So, as I eluded to yesterday, the Ridley was in the stand, being torn down. Why? Well, to put it succinctly, it's broken.
Sunday afternoon, I was doing the weekly lick and rub, and noticed a very bothersome crack that ran up the seat tube. Seeing as I've ridden that bike about 6 times this winter, it was shocking news to me!
I took it to CC, so they could handle the warranty through QBP. Unfortunately, the shop is not a Ridley dealer, and even though they buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of product from QBP every year, thus, they could not handle the warranty. I was told that I had to go through Glory Cycles. Well, after the stuff that's happened with them lately, and the fact that I'm loyal to old friends, I choose not to turn down that road. Somehow, I knew the whole process would get fucked up somewhere along the way.
Instead, I called Ward Bates @ Winter Park Cycles in Orlando. I've known Ward for a decade, and knew he'd handle it properly, and with all due haste. In less than 24 hours, photos and emails were sent to the powers that be at both Ridley and QBP, and my new Ridley Helium is on it's way. THAT'S how you get shit done! If you have $ to spend, want high end stuff, and actual expertise to go along with it, call the guys @ Winter Park. All they do is high-end, and they do it well!
Time to order some new bits...sweeeeeet! Old parts will go on for now, though I may be forced to pull the trigger on a new group very soon.

For now, I'm riding the CX bike for everything. It's outlived 3 carbon frames...maybe I should take that as a hint...

Now, on to the rest of the show...

Broke out a quick 50km on the Salsa this morning in the sunshine. So nice...

F you Alberto! F you! WTF? I hope you get raw meat thrown at you in the near future. I don't know what outcome people really expected here either. Did anyone believe the Spanish were really going to ban him? I hope the UCI appeals to CAS, and that France and Italy ban him from racing within their borders. Douchecanoe...

To get your mind off the joke that European professional cycling has become, watch the video below...you'll say WTF again, and likely cock your head to the side like a Labrador. The kid obviously lives in The Matrix...



Now watch it again...

Peace...

RIP Marco

13 January 1970 - 14 February 2004

I've spent most of the day trying to figure out how to write a post about Elefantino, but couldn't decide how to assemble my thoughts. Does one call him a genius, or a fool? I lean toward genius, as genius has brilliant highs and shocking lows, and we all know that Marco swung from one to the other.
It's terribly unfortunate that, in an era in which EVERY rider of any quality had AvGas coursing through his veins, Pantani got popped and was affected so greatly by the detritus that surrounds a positive.
Was he troubled? Yes. Was he a doper? Yes. Was he a straight fucking baller when the road turned up? YES!
As I worked in The ManHole(tm) tonight, dis-assembling my Ridley, a poster of Marco from the 1998 Tour stared me dead in the face. He was wet, dirty and exhausted. The poster is a photo of him crossing the line @ Les Deux Alpes. Watch the video and see who he shelled like so many pecans, then form your opinion...



Pozzo di sonno Il Pirata...

3 years old...never a minute on training wheels...

First day on the 'pedal bike' for #2 son. Yeah, he's a straight baller!

Parenting advice...
If you have children, want them to ride a bike, and want to make it brutally simple for them to learn, buy a balance bike. Both of my progeny used a balance bike for about a year, then moved directly to a 'regular' bike. Neither spent so much as a moment on riding with training wheels. Both also began to ride their bikes before their 4th birthdays...

As for me...
Did 2.5 yesterday solo out thru Lex/Calhoun Counties. I wondered why I was rolling along at 35-40kph on the way out to Sandy Run with a sub-150 HR, then I turned around and headed home. STRUGGLED to maintain 30kph into the headwind...and paid full metal retail for the remainder of the day b/c of the effort.
The only thing the weatherman had correct yesterday was the temperature. He missed wind direction, and speed, by a W-I-D-E margin.
This morning, I went out with the group for the first time in eons, and it was quite enjoyable. We did a meandering loop around the Fort without much care or impetus. Another 2.5 hours on the road bike in the books. Good the see everyone, and glad Mrs. Der Kaiser has recovered...

Saturday's SuperPrestige CX race...last 2 laps...



Hope everyone had a good weekend and got to go outside and play...

Friday funnies

HA! And THIS is easily the funniest thing you'll see this weekend...

This guy has to be Jens Voigt's dad...
His Black Card is on the way...

Katie F'n Compton gets a contract. Just think how dominant she'll be with some actual support! Boggles the mind...

And like we all didn't know that this shit was coming. The Spanish weren't going to stick to their guns, especially when it involves the only rider from Espana that doesn't fall off his bike in a crosswind...or when riding over a painted line on the road...or when a small gnat hits them...

And I'd REALLY like to be a fly on the wall when PVP gets rolling. I'm betting he appreciates the paycheck, but secretly thinks Vaughters is a vag. Yeah, it's the same in Flemish...I looked it up.

And in sort-of-local news, let's all hope this guy gets a little more than the usual slap on the wrist for killing Army Doctor, Maj. Matthew Burke. The maximum penalty in these cases just isn't enough...

2 hours on the CX bike for the kid this morning. It's sunny and warm outside now, but it was peen shrinking chilly when I rolled out @ 8:45. I may actually break out the Ridley tomorrow. I haven't been on the road bike in...well, I can't remember at this point...probably a month or so.

Gonna be nice for the next week or so...get outside and play!

T-Minus

...12 days until surgery. It's a three-part affair that will, hopefully, alleviate the stomach/esophagus/throat issues I've suffered from for the past 2 years. As mentioned before, I'm having the TIF procedure, and they will also be fixing my hiatal hernia, as well as fracturing the problematic Schatzki's ring that has been hampering breathing, eating, sleeping...etc.

Thankfully, the WX looks like it will be pretty nice for the next week or so, ergo, I will be spending some quality time with my bicycles. As it stands, post-surgery, I will not be allowed to ride for a minimum of 7 days, and then only at a pedestrian pace for an undetermined time to follow. No matter, I'll gladly give up 3 or 4 weeks in order to solve the anatomic issue, and be well for the next 40 or so years!

During my convalescence, I figure I'll have time to devote to getting the house ready for a 'For Sale' sign. Spackling, caulking and painting shouldn't be too strenuous...shouldn't be...

Anyway...back on the horse tomorrow...

Tuesday's doping news

So Bertie Clentador had steak 4 nights during the Tour? JT and the boys have something to say to you.
Waiting with baited breath for Mr. 60%'s rebuttal. All the guys that booked out of Saxo, good job!

Ricco, fresh off his suspension for using CERA, get rushed to hospital in some sort of kidney failure. Evidently, he jacked his own blood, stored it in his HOME reefer for 25 days, put it back in, and had an issue? No shit? Here's a tip...after a week, pretty much EVERYTHING you put into the fridge goes bad.
Hell, I won't eat leftovers that are more than a day old, and this jackass transfused blood that was 25 days old? Red blood cells, if stored properly, last about 6 weeks. Platelets...5 days!
Lifetime ban? Coming right up...
Forrest Gump was right...

When will these guys figure out that you can't make a donkey into a thoroughbred? All you get is a faster jackass!

My two cents...

So, over @ DC, the latest post is concerning race radios. I really don't care if they use them or not. They're great for mechanical issues, and for safety, but does anyone really think that the top-flight guys use them for advice from the team car? I doubt that Cancellara needed someone to whisper in his ear when he attacked 45km from Roubaix last year.

As usual though, the conversation turned sideways when one poster added a laundry list of 'improvements' that could be made to pro cycling. Here are the 'solutions'...and my rebuttal...

- Disk brakes. Are we still in 1890?

Really? They would be wonderful in a mass, 25-man pileup. I’m sure no one would get sliced by a rotor. Nothing says love like a 6 inch blade of steel, spinning at 200+ rpm, filleting someone's achilles in the middle of a shunt. "How'd he bleed out?" "Oh, he took a a rotor to the throat..."

- Minimal Braking distances – some wheel/pad combinations are dangerous.

Huh? The UCI couldn’t scratch their ass with a handful of hooks. You’re going to let them dictate what brakes teams can ride? "Ve are sorry Monsieur, but you cannot ride ze Zipps avec ze cork pads. Zere is a chance of rain today..." Yeah, that'll fly...

- Frames rules that do not discriminate against “non standard” riders.

This one, I don’t understand…I don’t think the poster does either. WTF is a 'non-standard' rider? Is Lance 'non-standard' because he has one nut? Maybe he means that certain nameless riders, who fall off a lot, should be allowed to use training wheels. cough...Danielson...cough

- 2 Triangles frame rules – are we still in 1890?

You want the pros riding beam bikes? What is this 1990? The thought of it was offensive to the eye then, and continues to be offensive. The fact that Trek Y-Foil bikes are so sought after these days makes me wonder about humanity.

- Weight limit on components – not the package – a 800 gram carbon frame is not safe. The limit should be around the 1200grm mark with no ballast.

800g frames are fine. You think an extra pound of carbon is going to keep a frame from exploding when hitting a bollard @ 50kmh? Carbon frames don't 'splode on their own, or when subjected to direct sunlight.

- Respect their own rules on locations of sprints finishes.

HTFU! They’re pros. It’s what they’re paid for. Funny that Euro-dogs whinge about the location of a sprint finish, but a field of Cat 3 dudes will put each other in the hospital for a $50 prime.

- Clothing that has a minimal abrasion resistance in key areas.

HTFU! They're pros. It's what they're paid for. What's next, wearing DH armor? I guess we're going to stop the field @ 10k to go, and the UCI will hand out the correct protection to the riders. What about on technical descents? Full leathers and knee pucks for all!

- TT helmets with a safer inner shell (no hard tail).

TT helmets are all Snell and ANSI approved. Have been for a while. And let's face it, if you crash yourself during a ITT, you suck at bike handling. Sorry Cav...and triathletes...

- Brake lights.

Now that’s just dumb! What's next, requiring the peloton to shout "Braking", or "Slowing", like a century ride. Maybe they could set up tables every 20k or so to hand out cookies and Powerade too...

Like the title says, my two cents...

Oh, and here's Stage 1 of the ToQ...(short overview) Boonen attacked at @ 400m to go and held the break off...

Have a good Monday!

Euro CX and the ToQ prologue

Two great races...

ToQ prologue...interesting course...
Oh, and Cav is shit bike handler...

Fine Line

Like the Spinal Tap boys said, it's a fine line between clever and stupid...

Same with 35 degrees and rain, except the line is between hard and stupid. I may not be the fastest guy on the block, but am surely harder than most. For the last two days, however, the prospect of riding in 35 degree rain held no romance. I hate the trainer with the white hot power of 1000 suns, but sometimes it beats being wet, cold, dirty and miserable.
Yesterday, I rode the last 50km of 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege...
This morning, it's was the last 50km of 2010 Roubaix, including the 'chase' of Spartacus for the last 45km.


I need to head back down to The ManHole(tm) and mop up. There's an obscenely large, muddy puddle under the cross bike right now...


Hey Bertie, STFU! I'm more than willing to bet that you were lucky that Clen is all they found in your piss! Remember this day? Yeah, the day you beat the best TTers on the planet?
I remember my phone ringing about 7 seconds after Clentador crossed the line. It was Bond on the other end, and the exact word, not words, was "BULLSHIT!" No cursory greeting, just "BULLSHIT!" That's enough for me!

Yeah, we all know, Jens is a BAAAAD man!

If anyone is near Athens tomorrow, get to Jittery Joe's in Five Points, and take part in the Dirt Road World Championships of The World. Jered Gruber put the loop together, so it's probably a combo of great/epic/big fun, and after the last two day of rain, it may be more Belgian than Georgian! Take a towel...

Out...

Fight...

DiPietro cheap shots Cooke out of the crease...see if you can guess what happens next...



-Courtesy of Burt Hoovis




So I was scheduled for the TIF on the 15th, but the Rep for the pharmaceutical conglomerate cannot be there that day, so it's either gonna to be the 22nd or March 1st. I'm ready to get the shit over with and try to get on with my life...and free up some cash for more bike stuff...

A funny and some Porn

Yeah, it's sort of old, but funny nonetheless. @pedal_junky and I came up with this months ago!
Could be a bit of a marketing coup for Chick-fil-A...

Stybar's Czech champ Ridley...that he won the Worlds on last Sunday. No Di2 needed...


Boonen's EMX-7


Another solid CX ride this morning on very tired legs. And I think the Michelin Jets have run their course. Nothing like standing on the side of 12th St. changing a flat. Yep, a flat on the pavement. One tiny piece of wire went through and that was that.
Fortunately, Ebay is brilliant. 3 brand new Clement LAS file tread donuts are one the way to the house...$65 shipped! These are the same treads that Dugast and FMB strip off the clincher casing and glue onto their tub carcasses. If you noticed the white tubs that Nys rode a few times this winter, well, they were shod with Clement LAS tread.

Full Doc day tomorrow. Renick for some cracking and stretching in the morning, then to LexMed in the afternoon for a surgical consult, and to schedule the TIF. Good times...

Namaste...

Go buy something!

http://www.cafepress.com/Shutupandgoride

CX Worlds

Streams went to shit yesterday, so here are the last two laps, plus a little bit...

(bad DJ voice) And we're baaack....

Sorry, had to take Junior Management to school, then break out a quick 50km on the CX bike. Though I'd feel like crap, considering my back and legs are crunchy from climbing the extension ladder all weekend, but my quick easy spin turned into a 50km mash the pedals sort of affair. Maybe painting a house, and not eating tainted steak, is the secret to strong rides.

So NY Velocity posted an interview with Kid Rock, er...I mean, Floyd Landis. The interviewer? Paul Kimmage...
Yeah, I read it, and here's my synopsis...
Blah, blah, blah, dope, dope, dope, Lance, Lance, Lance...
Same shit, different day, week, month, year...literally. I just don't fucking care what either of these douches has to say...sorry...

Looks like Trek is scrambling to put together some sort of Specialized Roubaix-esque machine for Team Lay-Oh-Pard to use during the Spring Classics. From the photo in that article, it looks like they just called Hong-Fu, or one of the myriad other Chinese manufacturers and sourced a frame. Trek will probably just steal...excuse me...'liberate' a design from another company, as is their M.O.! Hope the steerer tubes are up to snuff...

Obree comes out. Good for him! Maybe this announcement will give Wiggins the courage to admit he's a dandy.

Enough of this...have a good Monday everyone!

Oh Bertie...

Why is it so difficult to just take the easy way?
Bertie said he'd done nothing, then blamed it on an asthmatic cow that had been chewing on medical waste.
Bertie said he would retire if sanctioned. Well, he pulled a John Kerry on that one.
Now, he says he will fight the positive and the sanction all the way to the CAS, since they have such a wonderful track record of rendering decisions that come down on the side of the athlete. The Spanish Federation, for all of their foibles, actually said that Bertie could get a LONGER sanction if he goes to the CAS.
Let's do the hard math here...
Old Fingerbang got caught, yet admitted nothing. He got a year. The time frame got pushed back to be retroactive to the date of the positive, so in reality, after the decision was rendered 48 hours ago, it really equates to a 6 month suspension.
My advice to AC?
Take the bitter pill! Keep your mouth shut. Do the six months. Continue to train. Come back in August, just in time for La Vuelta. Don't be a putz if you win. Smile sheepishly, say 'gracias', and walk away.
Of course, we're talking about a giant ego with the charisma of a ferret, so what I've written above is little more than a dream...

Oh, and the TdF should push hard and see if it's testes will descend far enough to exclude Saxo Bank and allow Geox to ride. Again, I'm dreaming here. This is the French we're talking about...

Okay, enough editorializing...
Time to kit up and go play in the sunshine! Same loop as yesterday plus a bit. Lexington County has decided to 'improve' my favorite patch of dirt, so it was junk yesterday...surprise, surprise! Seeing how I seem to be a glutton for punishment, I'm headed back out there this morning...

Happy Friday!

Breaking News

Bertie gets a year suspension for his Clen positive. Likely stripped of his Tour title as well...

Anyone want to meet me @ Five Guys for a celebratory burger tonight? What? Too soon?

That popping noise your heard was Riis' head exploding...

Humpy

The 'old' descent of the Kemmel. 20% down, cobbles and a hard right at the bottom. If it scared the pros bad enough to have it removed from the race, then it should scare you. The picture is brilliant. Jered Gruber is, in fact, the man!

And as we all know, I'm an average rider, at best, but I have a well above average love for bicycles as art. This frameset (596) makes me want to do inappropriate things to it. Just sexy...

me ride-
2 hours on the CX bike in 40 degree light rain yesterday. It was quite nice, though I was just flat. I think the days of going up Gervais to get home are waning as well. Construction has turned it into a one-lane fistfight. Some jerk-off in a non-descript sedan, with 22" wheels, did the usual hurry-to-the-lane-closure, only to buzz me, then swerve into traffic and get hit in the door by a F450 work truck. I waited for the CPD and gave my expert opinion as to the cause of the accident. Sedan driving dumbass got three tickets...yeeoouch, and I got a thank you from the CPD officer. My tax dollars at work, for once...

No ride today. Gonna be nice the next few days and Junior Mgmt. is going to the Lexington Branch office for the weekend, so I'll have time on the bike and time to prepare the house for a sign to go in the yard. If you know anyone who needs a '30s bungalow that's been completely re-done, lemme know! I'll give you a nice spiff...

It's Wednesday...after lunch, you're on the backside of the week!

You want Big Ring?

Phillippe Gilbert is so Big Ring that his small ring is brand new!

Do the news Lou!

-Stybar must feel like the prettiest girl at the dance! To that end, the owner of Telenet-Fidea is a schmuck. When QuickStep makes you an offer to buy your ENTIRE team, you name a number, and then retire once the 'i's are dotted and 't's are crossed. Especially considering a Czech billionaire is the one stroking the checks.
I have a feeling that Stybar will end up with much less $, and the Telenet deal will go away. Stop the swordfight gentlemen, it's bad for business!

-Vaughters seems to be making an effort to distance himself from all things USPS and Lance. Stick your head a little deeper in the sand JV...maybe folks will believe that you were the only clean guy on the LA Express!
Firing White was a little harsh, especially considering his success as a DS. Now he can just go work for GreenEDGE, which is probably what was going to happen anyway. JV is a bit more duplicitous than people believe...

-Katie F'n Compton goes horizon at Hoogerheide, and again, there's no video of it...
Look for Katie to wreck the WC race next weekend!
And it seems the Belgians at CX Worlds are about as cooperative as the Italians at Road Worlds.

-Stage 5 of the TdU was a crit/circuit and was BRUTAL! Rarely do you see the entire field lined out like that...

...and how about McEwen? That old dog can still hunt!

-And today's episode of 'As the Lance Turns' is canceled because, well, I just couldn't care any less about the whole thing! Want to bust a doper? Put Joe Papp's drug dealing ass in jail...

No ride today...the antibiotics I've been on for the past 10 days have effectively rendered me ineffectual. My stomach sounds like a cage fight is going on, which make levels of motivation very low. Don't want to be out in Sandy Run and have to make a stop in the pines...

Namaste...

TdU Stage 5

Poor Bobridge! Guy goes down in the corner and then gets run the F over!

2.5 hours in the cold sunshine this morning. Followed a little hidden doubletrack way out off Old State. After about 10 minutes of meandering thru the woods, it dumped me out in the Eastman Chemical plant railroad yard. The EPA should really head out there to poke around, because that place is just fouling the countryside.
Once out of the plant property, I rolled back down thru the dirt, up across West Cola, up Gervais and home.
Good ride on a nice day. Oh, and an open note to the big ass black dog that chased me for about 400m on Old State...F you and thank you. I needed the interval! It had to have been someone's hunting dog, as a black lab that lounges on the couch could never run that far that fast.

Have a good Saturday!

TdU Stage 4

And the final kilometers of Stage 3

Bling, Bling

Yeah, his nickname is 'Bling', and it seems he's got a little kick...

And on a personal note, it's amazing how light, quick and lively the road unit feels after weeks on end of schlepping around the CX bike with 32-35c knobbley tires. 2 hours passed quickly under wheels this morning, and the pace chosen was quite easy to maintain. Plus, there was a big, yellow orb in the sky that gave off bright light and warmth. It was nice to ride without getting wet and/or dirty.

Namaste...

Blah, blah, blah...

Yeah, I read the SI article. Nothing new was said...just a re-hash of 10 year old claims by people who have an axe to grind. I'm not going to run through to the accusations, nor the the fact that they can all be explained without too much research or effort.
And like I said on FB and Twitter earlier today, listening to the soft-headed, Ameri-centric pundits on CNN, ESPN, and the rest, is akin to listening to my 5 year old discuss physics with his 3 year old brother!

Nevermind the fact that NFL and MLB players are dopers of the worst kind, yet the 'reporters' fawn over them like they are the second coming of ___________ ! (insert the deity of your choice in the space provided)
Nevermind the fact that cyclists get tested more than ANY other athletes on the planet, and those tests are administered RIGHT NOW. No waiting, no advance warning! In both the MLB and the NFL, the testing bodies (not the USADA btw) call the teams and give them somewhere between 48 and 72 hours notice that they will be coming to their facilities. This advance warning is given so the teams can prepare a location within the facility for testing to be carried out. 2 to 3 day warning? I don't know exactly what it takes to clear one's system of PEDs, or other illegal drugs, but I do know it can be done within 72 hours! Yeah, I know this, as I have an acquaintance who works in the Philadelphia Eagles training facility.

The part if this that really pisses me off is that the American public receives these broadcasts in their homes, and swallows them down like they swallow mass quantities of fast food. The reports are one-sided and do not explain any intricacies that may exist, nor do they give the answers to the easy questions.
Then, Joe Six Pack, sitting in his mustard stained wife-beater, powers up his room temperature IQ, and jumps to a conclusion that's horribly skewed and jaded. "Lance is a cheating SOB!", he proclaims!
All the while, JSP continues to watch ESPN, and the aforementioned NFL superstars. You know, the guys who are 6'4" and weigh 250 pounds, but run like gazelles, have 6% body fat, and abuse their bodies by running into each other at full speed for 18 weeks of the season. Yeah, those guys are like that because they eat right and get lots of sleep...
If you believe that, here's another one...
I'm banging Megan Fox...daily and WELL!

I just do not care if LA doped. What's past is past...let it go...
Let's move on and be concerned with what's happening in cycling TODAY!

TdU Stg 2

Welcome to the season...please leave your pound of flesh with the coat check girl...

Edit:



Yeeoouch!

And this is just bad...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/carla-swart-killed-in-south-africa

She rode up the street @ Lees-McRae. Terrible stuff, but it proves the point that we, as cyclists, no matter what you think or believe in, must be absolutely aware of our surroundings!
As hard as it is to accept, the truck driver holds no fault in this one...
RIP Carla!

Pic post

Hmmm...Bond and GW on this thing for 2011 Masters Nationals? Sounds like the top step of the podium to me...

Jens says "Shut Up Camera!" (pic courtesy of Kristof Ramon) Check out his photos...pretty brilliant...

Rest day today. I actually had to do some work this morning to earn some money. Shocking, I know...
The custom MAX-tubed Hampsten I'm working on isn't gonna pay for itself.
Actually, if anyone needs a kidney, I'm open to offers. It's lightly used with some good miles left in it.

5 day stack starts tomorrow...can't wait! May actually throw a leg over the Ridley...

Namaste...

Sunday Muddy Sunday

That course made my pants tight! 32+kmh average speed? The way Pauwels took Albert deep into the corner like that, you'd think he's been watching Aussie Supercars on the satellite.



TdU got underway this morning. Well, it was this morning here, while it might have been Tuesday there. I can't get the time difference figured out. Nothing says LOVE like a 60 minute crit filled with Euro-Dogs to start the season. Oh, did I mention they averaged 48kmh? Yeah, you read that correctly. That's 30mph in old money!
And Liggett was calling them Leopard Trek, not Lay-Oh-Pard. I will say though, and this pains me a bit, the kits look nice on the bike.
Here's a link to their hotel rider for Le Tour...

As for me, I went out on the CX bike again...like that's any great surprise. Yesterday's wet and heavy dirt turned into wet and heavy thin mud. Shit was everywhere. I did scout a new ninja training ground that a cursory search of Google maps yielded. It would be great if not for the plethora of deer tracks and large caliber rifle shells laying about. It's really nice to stop and have a break naturel and notice that you're watering a pile of .30-06 casings. Seeing as I'm roughly the same size on the bike as a large buck moving through the woods, and we live in semi-rural SC, I got the hell out!
I finished up 2 more hours in the mud, returned home and lounged. The CX bike did get a much needed bath though. It's actually orange and black under the fine meringue of dried mud.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Some changes...

I like this Leppard jersey better...

They're making it hard...

So we all waited, with not-so-baited breath, for the whole Schleck superteam to be announced. When they announced last week, it came off a bit contrived. Now, these guys have the balls to send out to the press what amounts to a rock band tour rider.
Read it yourself HERE...
Really? REALLY? Lay-Oh-Pard? Lay-Oh-Pard sort of makes Nygaard look like a Re-Tard.
Thank goodness they got Mercedes as the car sponsor. Can you imagine if they'd gone the way of Team Sky, and gotten Jag Estates for team cars? Lay-Oh-Pard Trek presented by Jag-u-ahr. It would probably be enough to give Liggett a stroke.
In my heart of hearts, I hope the release is a tongue-in-cheek joke. If not, I'm waiting for the announcement that Nigel Tufnel will be riding for them.
I want to root for them, but as the title of this post states...

Sachs spouting off about the NAHBS. If you ordered a frame from him back in the 70s, you should be getting it soon...
Like I've said before, I'm a sucker for the art that is a properly built and sorted steel frame, but cannot fathom waiting 7 years for one. Here's a tip, STFU and pick up the torch...

2011 Team kits...in depth...

The WX has improved here, but there is still a small amount of ice lurking...waiting to reach up and snatch the bike from beneath you when you least expect it. Because of this threat, I chose to be the large sweaty rat on the small spinning wheel again this morning. 75' more of SST/tempo on the turbo while watching '10 Fleche-Wallone. Again, it felt sort of good to spin a gear hard and get a good sweat going. Wait...what? That sounded like I'm enjoying riding the trainer! WTF is happening here? Help meeeeeeee.......
That being said, I'm going outside tomorrow!

Peace...

My kind of ride

How Euro-dogs descend...



Kids to school, albeit delayed. Back on the bike...

Edit...



75' of SST on the turbo this morning...never caught Flecha though!

Strep throat be damned...

CR and I went out for a short spin in the snow/ice/slush/mud this morning. It wasn't as fun as riding in freshly fallen powder, but surely beat the hell out of riding the trainer. It also afforded me the opportunity to cough up some very attractive stuff once I got home.

The IRD Fire Cross tires work really well in the wet slop too!



Albert killed the field in Belgium last Sunday. Poor Nys...guy wracked with the flu, but still lines up and was somewhere around 6th when he dropped out. Win, quit, whatever...dude is nails!

Overview of Czech champs...Stybar went horizon, as expected...



Local Twitter legend @dwuori wrote a guest entry on Handlebar Mustache. Damn funny stuff...and more than likely a bit prophetic.

Tour down Under kicks off in about a week. Hopefully the weather will Oz a break, b/c they've been taking a Kershaw County ass-whipping lately. The 4 inches of snow and ice we got here suddenly doesn't seem so bad, eh?

A much needed visit to Renick is on tap for tomorrow morning...hopefully. The Snowpacolypse has made a mess of things around here...

Peace!

Khhhhaaaaaaannnnnnn!

4+ inches of snow and I am hamstrung with strep. I truly love riding in the snow...

Guess I'll just watch it out the window today...

A special thank you...

A special thank you goes out to my 5 year old. You've given me joy, smiles, laughter, solace...a full range of emotions...
Today though, what I'd like to really thank him for is the raging case of strep throat that I'm now battling. Felt like Superman yesterday...feel like Clark Kent's grandmother today.

What really makes this little bout with illness so, so special, is the fact that I had throat surgery last Monday. As you, dear reader, can imagine, the area located approximately between my chin and sternum feels fan-fucking-tastic right now!

I went to Doctor's Care (yeah, I know!) this morning and was seen by Dr. Hotty McBlonde Big Boobs. Yeah, nothing like looking and feeling puny while a 30 year old, newly minted Doc rubs her rack on your arm while listening to your breathing. Good morning Sunshine!

So instead of giving me a shot of Rocephin, as swallowing is, well, quite challenging right now, Tits McGee gave me a prescription for 875mg Amoxicillin. Imagine again, dear reader, a pill the size of the end of your thumb, from the first knuckle to the tip! The pills should have come with a giant straw, like they use to blow meds down the throats of horses.

Oh, and it's supposed to snow here tonight...

Happy 2011! It's been kickass thus far...

Not much lost

So I took 5 days off the bike due to my little throat/esophagus procedure. Yesterday was a struggle, at best. It seemed like every pedal rev was for naught. My normal two hour loop was interminable.
Same loop this morning, same (maybe stronger) wind, same everything...expect my performance. Sure, fighting the headwind was a big ball of suck, but it didn't feel like I was dragging a brake. Hell, when I hit Old State, I pushed and actually stayed on the rivet for the entire 15 minutes of dirt, even @ the bridge, where I neglected to see the 8" deep hole that I shellaced with the rear wheel. It had a bit of a wobble for the remainder of the ride. Fortunately, Uncle Shrews works Saturdays at CC now, so the issue(s) were quickly rectified. Remind me to go buy him a 6er of good beer...

Speaking of dirt, it looks like a 'Roubaix' style ride might be coming together in the coming weeks. Figure on 80-ish km, and 10 or so sections of dirt. Like the last ride, all will be easily traversed on a road bike. More to come...

Now, on to actual interesting stuff...

Stybar win Czech National champs

French and Belgian cross champs tomorrow morning (US)

Team 'our kit looks like Sky and Garmin' introduced yesterday. Scarves? Really? It makes one wonder how Vaughters will try to upstage Leopard @ the Garmin-Cervelo reveal. It'll probably look something like this... only with less chicks...

Circulus finds a permanent place to wreak havoc and cause injury. Wondering what the jump in PDW's health insurance premium is going to be? Oh, FWIW, PDW makes some cool shit too...

Anywho...get out and enjoy the ride...