Friday, September 30, 2005
Danish Donut
With great trepidation I cracked open, at lunch, the latest Cycle Sport edition featuring over 6,000 pages on Lance Armstrong, in 17 hardbound volumes. It could take weeks to get through, and that's not even counting the time I will need to recuperate from Lance overkill before I'm even ready to attempt it.
Still, I noticed one item that got me, um, "thinking:" a mention of how great it was that Ivan Basso didn't mail it in at the Tour of Denmark, his sponsor's domestic tour. My question is, did the Danish fans care? Or more to the point, why is CSC considered a Danish team at all?
Their best riders aren't Danish. Basso, Julich, Sastre, Arvesen, Zabriskie... only Jakob Piil is a notable Dane, placing him a distant second behind the Chicken, who rides for the National Team of Holland. The rest of the Danes are guys like the Sorensens, roster fillers who lend little more than the minimum number of "o"s with a slash through it, to qualify for tax breaks in Denmark.
Also, despite what was reported, their sponsor isn't Danish, it's the American Computer Sciences Corporation, whose website currently touts whatever obscure technology they make which helped track recent hurricanes Katrina and Rita. No doubt they must do some sort of business in Denmark, but I find it hard to believe that the Danish national tour is a point of pride at CSC headquarters in California.
OK, obviously Bjarne Riis, who owns the team through Riis Cycling, is Danish, but even he can't seem to stand Denmark, having moved to Tuscany ages ago. The CSCs ride Cervelos, which I think are from North America someplace; in any event Cervelo shares something in common with every other cycling frame or component you can name: they aren't Danish.
So in sum, the team's nationality is based on the watercarriers and Riis's birth certificate. This isn't very important, except to Danish fans and to the team's scheduling of its priorities. In fairness, those priorities start with France, then Italy, then maybe Denmark. But seriously, if you're Mike from Copenhagen, do you really identify with these guys? If Greg LeMond were found in the early 90s (before the rise of US Cycling) coaching a bunch of Europeans for a French Supermarket-sponsor, would I have cared about them? Right.
With great trepidation I cracked open, at lunch, the latest Cycle Sport edition featuring over 6,000 pages on Lance Armstrong, in 17 hardbound volumes. It could take weeks to get through, and that's not even counting the time I will need to recuperate from Lance overkill before I'm even ready to attempt it.
Still, I noticed one item that got me, um, "thinking:" a mention of how great it was that Ivan Basso didn't mail it in at the Tour of Denmark, his sponsor's domestic tour. My question is, did the Danish fans care? Or more to the point, why is CSC considered a Danish team at all?
Their best riders aren't Danish. Basso, Julich, Sastre, Arvesen, Zabriskie... only Jakob Piil is a notable Dane, placing him a distant second behind the Chicken, who rides for the National Team of Holland. The rest of the Danes are guys like the Sorensens, roster fillers who lend little more than the minimum number of "o"s with a slash through it, to qualify for tax breaks in Denmark.
Also, despite what was reported, their sponsor isn't Danish, it's the American Computer Sciences Corporation, whose website currently touts whatever obscure technology they make which helped track recent hurricanes Katrina and Rita. No doubt they must do some sort of business in Denmark, but I find it hard to believe that the Danish national tour is a point of pride at CSC headquarters in California.
OK, obviously Bjarne Riis, who owns the team through Riis Cycling, is Danish, but even he can't seem to stand Denmark, having moved to Tuscany ages ago. The CSCs ride Cervelos, which I think are from North America someplace; in any event Cervelo shares something in common with every other cycling frame or component you can name: they aren't Danish.
So in sum, the team's nationality is based on the watercarriers and Riis's birth certificate. This isn't very important, except to Danish fans and to the team's scheduling of its priorities. In fairness, those priorities start with France, then Italy, then maybe Denmark. But seriously, if you're Mike from Copenhagen, do you really identify with these guys? If Greg LeMond were found in the early 90s (before the rise of US Cycling) coaching a bunch of Europeans for a French Supermarket-sponsor, would I have cared about them? Right.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Moving On...
Let's face it, the cycling season is over. Yeah, I realize there are a couple "fall classics" left on the calendar, but they're kind of uninteresting, and DiLuca's overall lead is unassailable. So it's time to move on to important matters. Like giant squid.
Let's face it, the cycling season is over. Yeah, I realize there are a couple "fall classics" left on the calendar, but they're kind of uninteresting, and DiLuca's overall lead is unassailable. So it's time to move on to important matters. Like giant squid.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Touch the Stars
I for the life of me don't know why this is happening, but to our Massachusetts audience, here's a rather intriguing cut-and-paste from Cycling News:
Liberty riders at Wheelworks
On October 2, 2005, six members of the Spanish Liberty Seguros-Würth team, including Roberto Heras and Joseba Beloki, will be appearing at Belmont Wheelworks, MA, for a Conference/Reception. The majority of the store on Trapelo Road will be closed off from 2pm to 4pm to host the event, in which team video footage will be viewed. The Spanish pros will be ready to answer any questions the public might have, as an interpreter will be on hand.
The riders attending the event are: Roberto Heras (Winner of the 2005 Vuelta a España for an unprecedented fourth time), Joseba Beloki (Finished top three in overall standings of the Tour de France in 2000, 2001, and 2002), Marcos Serrano (Winner of Milan-Turin 2004 and stage 18 in the 2005 Tour de France), Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Ranked 9th in the 2004 Olympic time trial and wore the yellow jersey in the 2002 Tour de France), Alberto Contador (2005 Winner of the Semana Catalana and touted as the next Miguel Indurain) and Luis Leon Sanchez (Winner of three professional races in his rookie season of 2005, including the Jacob´s Creek Tour Down Under in Australia).
For more information, go to www.wheelworks.com/liberty_seguros.htm
I for the life of me don't know why this is happening, but to our Massachusetts audience, here's a rather intriguing cut-and-paste from Cycling News:
Liberty riders at Wheelworks
On October 2, 2005, six members of the Spanish Liberty Seguros-Würth team, including Roberto Heras and Joseba Beloki, will be appearing at Belmont Wheelworks, MA, for a Conference/Reception. The majority of the store on Trapelo Road will be closed off from 2pm to 4pm to host the event, in which team video footage will be viewed. The Spanish pros will be ready to answer any questions the public might have, as an interpreter will be on hand.
The riders attending the event are: Roberto Heras (Winner of the 2005 Vuelta a España for an unprecedented fourth time), Joseba Beloki (Finished top three in overall standings of the Tour de France in 2000, 2001, and 2002), Marcos Serrano (Winner of Milan-Turin 2004 and stage 18 in the 2005 Tour de France), Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Ranked 9th in the 2004 Olympic time trial and wore the yellow jersey in the 2002 Tour de France), Alberto Contador (2005 Winner of the Semana Catalana and touted as the next Miguel Indurain) and Luis Leon Sanchez (Winner of three professional races in his rookie season of 2005, including the Jacob´s Creek Tour Down Under in Australia).
For more information, go to www.wheelworks.com/liberty_seguros.htm
Friday, September 23, 2005
Worlds Predictions
OK, so who gets the nod? Methinks Boonen... not as motivated as Valverde, my second choice, so I may change my mind here. But I've picked Torpedo Tom for every other race, so why stop now? Anyway, I would discount McEwen and Petacchi; this race is going to have a lot of challenging moments, it isn't Zolder. Boonen is the top sprinter capable of toughing out a tricky parcours. Also, Zabel is too old. Bettini hasn't done much this year. Freire has cancer... in his ass. [OK, I watch South Park, I admit it.]
Dark horses: Pippo Pozzato, Maggie Backstedt, one of the Iranians. Also, don't discount the Rene Haselbacher combustion factor. Apparently that last turn is a doozy. Serious Italian, Spanish and Belgian money will be offered to one of the third-world guys to take Haselbacher out during one of the feed zones. If not, some also-ran with good bike-handling skills could be wearing rainbow come Sunday night.
OK, so who gets the nod? Methinks Boonen... not as motivated as Valverde, my second choice, so I may change my mind here. But I've picked Torpedo Tom for every other race, so why stop now? Anyway, I would discount McEwen and Petacchi; this race is going to have a lot of challenging moments, it isn't Zolder. Boonen is the top sprinter capable of toughing out a tricky parcours. Also, Zabel is too old. Bettini hasn't done much this year. Freire has cancer... in his ass. [OK, I watch South Park, I admit it.]
Dark horses: Pippo Pozzato, Maggie Backstedt, one of the Iranians. Also, don't discount the Rene Haselbacher combustion factor. Apparently that last turn is a doozy. Serious Italian, Spanish and Belgian money will be offered to one of the third-world guys to take Haselbacher out during one of the feed zones. If not, some also-ran with good bike-handling skills could be wearing rainbow come Sunday night.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
For Real?
So, I got an email this morning from Cycling.TV letting me know that they will be broadcasting the men's elite Worlds Road Race live on their broadband. As a serial optimist and the only person I've ever met who watched the Giro live on his computer, I have to wonder... is this real? It's almost too beautiful to be true, but they seem pretty serious. Still, this is an outfit which, however well intentioned, had spent most of the year pitching reruns of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Anyway, worth investigating.
For now, no more talk of Vueltas and bottom brackets... it's time to get ready for the Worlds! Of course, it would help if Cycling News could round up some start lists. I for one would love to know who's representing the US in tomorrow's elite TT, given the repeated success of US time trialers this year in the pro peloton. We should be gunning for a podium at least, provided someone can take out Michael Rich in the starthouse.
So, I got an email this morning from Cycling.TV letting me know that they will be broadcasting the men's elite Worlds Road Race live on their broadband. As a serial optimist and the only person I've ever met who watched the Giro live on his computer, I have to wonder... is this real? It's almost too beautiful to be true, but they seem pretty serious. Still, this is an outfit which, however well intentioned, had spent most of the year pitching reruns of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Anyway, worth investigating.
For now, no more talk of Vueltas and bottom brackets... it's time to get ready for the Worlds! Of course, it would help if Cycling News could round up some start lists. I for one would love to know who's representing the US in tomorrow's elite TT, given the repeated success of US time trialers this year in the pro peloton. We should be gunning for a podium at least, provided someone can take out Michael Rich in the starthouse.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Yaaay!! The Vuelta is Over!!
That's the only reaction I can muster to the third of the Big Three grand tours. And this year, I can say with some certainty, the Vuelta was truly #3.
I know I run some risk here of sounding like an uninformed crank, since this was the only GT that came with absolutely no meaningful US coverage. Hopefully this blog isn't too widely read (yet) in Europe. But seriously, was that a huge snore or what?? A comfortable Heras win comes with the obvious dimmer on competition, as now the organizers in Madrid have to contend with the same here-we-go-again malaise afflicting most of the Lance-era Tours. Add to that legitimate questions about how the race can be won so easily by a guy who was dropped on every bump in the road in July, and you're left with a thoroughly uninspiring race. But at least the last few Vuelta's had some drama, namely whether Heras could ride a time trial. This time around, a tailwind carried him completely out of danger. Yawn.
Admittedly, if Simoni had the same success in the Giro, we'd be just as tuned out by the lack of competition, methinks. But a) he didn't; and b) at least the Giro has climbs like the Stelvio and the Finestere that nobody can deny the significance of. With few exceptions, the Vuelta's climbs are too short, not steep enough, or within stages that are too short to guarantee our admiration. All that can keep it on par with the other GTs is fierce competition, and for some reason this year, after a few furiously contested Vueltas in recent times, that competition just melted away.
That's the only reaction I can muster to the third of the Big Three grand tours. And this year, I can say with some certainty, the Vuelta was truly #3.
I know I run some risk here of sounding like an uninformed crank, since this was the only GT that came with absolutely no meaningful US coverage. Hopefully this blog isn't too widely read (yet) in Europe. But seriously, was that a huge snore or what?? A comfortable Heras win comes with the obvious dimmer on competition, as now the organizers in Madrid have to contend with the same here-we-go-again malaise afflicting most of the Lance-era Tours. Add to that legitimate questions about how the race can be won so easily by a guy who was dropped on every bump in the road in July, and you're left with a thoroughly uninspiring race. But at least the last few Vuelta's had some drama, namely whether Heras could ride a time trial. This time around, a tailwind carried him completely out of danger. Yawn.
Admittedly, if Simoni had the same success in the Giro, we'd be just as tuned out by the lack of competition, methinks. But a) he didn't; and b) at least the Giro has climbs like the Stelvio and the Finestere that nobody can deny the significance of. With few exceptions, the Vuelta's climbs are too short, not steep enough, or within stages that are too short to guarantee our admiration. All that can keep it on par with the other GTs is fierce competition, and for some reason this year, after a few furiously contested Vueltas in recent times, that competition just melted away.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Meanwhile, Somewhere in Spain...
This is a wicked shoaht post... I'm drunk, traveling, stressed, it's late, and I still have a briefing paper to write before bed. But isn't it odd that nobody (OK, I) feels like talking about the Vuelta? For the past decade or so, readers of this site have unanimously cited the Vuelta for its drama, excitement and heroics. And this year... nuthin. My theory is that the Heras hangover is making this a lesser Lance-Tour syndrome, where the race looks repetitive, and at least the Tour has the benefit of an elite lineup, some good subplots, and a barrage of TV coverage. The Vuelta...? Nuthin.
Heras looks solid, apparently, and hopefully OLN will show some mercy and give us a brief video presentation to that effect. But I'm so uninterested and irritated with the Vuelta that I hope he blows up on the final flat TT. Cheers! Back next week, sorta.
This is a wicked shoaht post... I'm drunk, traveling, stressed, it's late, and I still have a briefing paper to write before bed. But isn't it odd that nobody (OK, I) feels like talking about the Vuelta? For the past decade or so, readers of this site have unanimously cited the Vuelta for its drama, excitement and heroics. And this year... nuthin. My theory is that the Heras hangover is making this a lesser Lance-Tour syndrome, where the race looks repetitive, and at least the Tour has the benefit of an elite lineup, some good subplots, and a barrage of TV coverage. The Vuelta...? Nuthin.
Heras looks solid, apparently, and hopefully OLN will show some mercy and give us a brief video presentation to that effect. But I'm so uninterested and irritated with the Vuelta that I hope he blows up on the final flat TT. Cheers! Back next week, sorta.
Friday, September 09, 2005
And with that...
... please welcome DP Assistant Manager Peter Van P. He's my backup when I'm away, as well as the site's technical expert. And my big brother.
... please welcome DP Assistant Manager Peter Van P. He's my backup when I'm away, as well as the site's technical expert. And my big brother.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Back in Town
After three weeks on the road, I return home to find nothing has happened, just one seven-time Tour winner threatening to come out of retirement as well as a few Petacchi sprints and a barnburner of a Vuelta, as usual, involving Roberto Heras, as usual. I've got nothing to add to the Lance saga, so in the coming days, look for this site to play catchup on the doings in Spain. And now, I must get a decent night's sleep.
After three weeks on the road, I return home to find nothing has happened, just one seven-time Tour winner threatening to come out of retirement as well as a few Petacchi sprints and a barnburner of a Vuelta, as usual, involving Roberto Heras, as usual. I've got nothing to add to the Lance saga, so in the coming days, look for this site to play catchup on the doings in Spain. And now, I must get a decent night's sleep.
