tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61730812011-04-21T13:40:54.857-07:00Digital Pelotonchrisfont9@yahoo.comChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comBlogger2771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1166734185062514452006-12-21T12:49:00.000-08:002006-12-21T12:49:45.083-08:00Podium Cafe! Podium Cafe!http://www.podiumcafe.comChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1144445689594853442006-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:002006-04-07T14:34:49.606-07:00Podium CafeCome on over to our new location:the Podium CafeChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1138608891471596382006-01-30T00:11:00.000-08:002006-01-30T00:15:56.866-08:00Moving Up!This is the 275th and last post at this site... we are moving to a fancy new location, with room for everyone to come along! In fact, think of Digital Peloton as merely the beginning. Don't ask me why, but hopefully in a month or two the answer will suggest itself. Anyway, with the name changed as well, we are now at:The Podium Cafe [www.podiumcafe.com]Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1138304002809372472006-01-26T11:27:00.000-08:002006-01-26T11:33:22.826-08:00Torpedo Tom for Liege?Boonen tells Cyclingnews.com today that he wants to win Milan-San Remo, Flanders, and Liege this season. There's no doubt he could win la Primavera, if Cipo can get up the Poggio, so can Boonen. Flanders -- the real question is whether there's a realistic chance of him losing. But... Liege? This is probably my favorite of all the Classics, for its constant grinding Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1138144838755768742006-01-24T15:12:00.000-08:002006-01-24T15:20:38.770-08:00Stage of the YearWe started a chat a while back about the best single day of 2005, and there was murmured assent to my choice of the penultimate stage of the Giro, over the Finestere to Sestriere. Well, much as I would love to take credit for this choice, apparently it wasn't hard to pick. Cycle Sport Mag, further distancing itself from Velo News like Richard Virenque jumping away from an Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1138064184273256592006-01-23T16:54:00.000-08:002006-01-23T16:56:24.296-08:00Good News!The Caisse d'Epargne/ Iles Ballears uniform is even uglier than my squad's!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137740591448843852006-01-19T22:41:00.000-08:002006-01-19T23:03:11.463-08:00Kelly & RocheNice little take on the two giants of Irish Cycling in the Kimmage book. Kelly and Roche always seemed like good guys, in completely opposite ways. And Kimmage, a guy who doesn't generally get along with others, and a mucker on the front lines in the mid-80s, has plenty of compliments for both. Apparently there was a lot of expected tension when Roche won the Tour... after all Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137557271036444192006-01-17T19:58:00.000-08:002006-01-17T20:07:51.053-08:00Man of All SeasonsRobbie McEwen's win in the Jacob's Creek Adelaide classic is not entirely unpredictable, but does at least raise some questions for your consideration. It's freakin January... and the guy is in winning form. Or is he?Somebody has to win these races, and the other top European pros are just as much under pressure to win in July, so maybe, just maybe, it's all relative. If Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137539053324907152006-01-17T14:47:00.000-08:002006-01-17T15:05:46.653-08:00A Rough RideYes, I could easily be referring to all of my attempts at training this month, but am instead talking about Paul Kimmage's homage to Cycling, which I've been devouring the last few days. If you're as old as me, you'll recall Kimmage as a scrappy rider who held his own in the peloton and made a name for himself. Irish riders were still something of a novelty when he hit the amateur Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137186251994943182006-01-13T12:59:00.000-08:002006-01-13T13:04:12.010-08:00King KellyAm reading Sam Abt's "Up the Road," and have just now learned that in 1984, Sean Kelly turned in a performance that is unimaginable even now, two decades later, and is only a tint of yellow removed from Cannibal level:2nd in San Remo2nd in FlandersWon Paris-RoubaixWon Liege-Bastogne-Liege4th in Tour de Suiss5th in Tour de FranceHe also won Paris-Nice, Crit International, and a total of Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137177140122422932006-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:002006-01-13T10:32:20.133-08:00Vuelta a CaliforniaNot a substantive post... we'll save that for February. Just a note: why should this race be called the Tour of California? Vuelta a California has ten times more style. Not to mention using two fewer languages.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137105987880673952006-01-12T14:45:00.000-08:002006-01-12T14:46:27.893-08:00Aussie ChampsSeems a bit odd to be talking about a race of real consequence, but here comes the Aussie road championships. I don't see O'Grady on the start list, but then I don't have time to peruse right now. Anyway, McEwen is wearing #1 for a reason.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1137051125323905062006-01-11T23:29:00.000-08:002006-01-11T23:32:05.333-08:00Sam AbtType that name in to a search on Amazon and see how many cool cycling books come up. His stuff isn't riveting, he can't write quite like >LA's War author Daniel Coyle, but Abt has been on the inside of pro cycling for a quarter century or so. I just scooped up several titles being remaindered by bookstores on the Amazon network, for less than a dollar (plus shipping). Now if only I Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136827970170627562006-01-09T09:29:00.000-08:002006-01-09T09:39:59.336-08:00Mr. Van PWas reading about Boonen last night -- and am now aware for the first time that Van Petegem gave himself to Tornado Tom in the Worlds by pulling his teammate and the rest of the Peloton back to the break in the last lap. Not that that's totally extraordinary; everyone involved tabbed Boonen as Belgium's best bet, including VanP. Just a really cool example of the interesting alliances Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136766398727734242006-01-08T16:18:00.000-08:002006-01-08T16:26:40.866-08:00Riders Vote for the RidersMan, I wish I could get the chance to tell LeBlanc and his ASO to piss off, which is essentially what the UCI told the grand tours sometime in the last few days. IMHO, the UCI is playing it perfectly -- no overheated rhetoric, no threats of a boycott, just a resounding rejection of the grand tours' efforts to destroy the Pro Tour. Last I checked, they were a union, so Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136500491642396502006-01-05T14:27:00.000-08:002006-01-05T14:34:51.656-08:00Upside Down UnderI'm probably not the first person to notice that things in Australia are a bit, um, askew. But I have to wonder, what is the effect on the top Aussie riders, who every year increase their impact on Europe, of having their national championship next week and national tour right after that? I guess if the Nats is a flat course, it won't affect the plans of the Evanses and GC Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136348758176002172006-01-03T20:23:00.000-08:002006-01-03T20:25:58.190-08:00Q&AI love RoadBikeReview.com, or more simply I love good cycling forums. So in looking for info as to whether carbon cranks were worth the considerably greater cost (for supposedly better stiffness and marginally less weight), I came across this review:All of this stiffness **** I'm calling BS on, though I'm not in any PERSONAL position to do so. All I'm saying is if Tom Boonen can't flex the shChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136320572773201462006-01-03T12:24:00.000-08:002006-01-03T12:36:12.823-08:00Daily MileageOK, I haven't committed to doing a daily rundown, but am contemplating some sort of thing. Input welcomed. Anyway, a few tidbits gleaned from the latest Velo News:* John Wilcockson writes about the pissing match btw the UCI and Grand Tours, barely masking his contempt for the latter. I still can't quite understand where there is some legitimate disagreement, besides the obvious Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136313576881011992006-01-03T10:38:00.000-08:002006-01-03T10:39:36.883-08:00[aside]BTW, I brought the Viner in for the frame swap yesterday. By tomorrow it will be restored to its original setup -- the record 9 -- except for a cannondale fork which matches pretty well. Still trying to decide how to dress up the Litespeed for primary racing... So, on what components is it worth spending the extra on Record, versus Chorus? It looks like our shop catalogue places ordersChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1136313492854490762006-01-03T10:35:00.000-08:002006-01-03T10:40:24.860-08:00Biting Off the NoseGot an email from my team reminding people that the iMax film of the 2003 Tour is playing at Seattle Center, featuring Jimmy Casper and Baden Cooke.Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather watch Tyler Hamilton with a needle hanging out of his arm than Jimmy Casper. Cookie's a good guy and all, but... Jimmy Casper??? Is Hamilton so tainted that the film couldn't contain any footage Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1135778838165533962005-12-28T06:04:00.000-08:002005-12-28T06:07:18.176-08:00Brilliant IdeaHeaded to Tucson for bike training this winter? Seems like a good place to stay is Cycling House. Not that I know anything about Cycling House. Or Tucson. But the concept of a place oriented solely toward us is off-the-charts cool.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1134157692109323352005-12-09T11:39:00.000-08:002005-12-09T11:48:12.126-08:00Grand Tours Screw Pro TourFor reasons I don't fully understand for lack of attention, the Grand Tours have pulled all of their races from the Pro Cycling Tour. This includes not only the Vuelta, Giro and Grand Boucle, but another 5 races run by these organizations. Sounds like a pissing match, probably over both payouts and who gets the slots. The result in 2006 will be that the 8 races Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133990853801096982005-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:002005-12-07T13:27:33.880-08:00I Love the Pro Tour!Cycle Sport starts off this month's edition with a pros-and-cons of the Pro Cycling tour. Although they list a number of complaints, about the points system, the chilling effect on non-PCT races, etc., their main complaint seems to be that the PCT failed to get the big names to race more.Well guess what? You can't make people race when it doesn't fit their program! Was the Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133807178007803392005-12-05T10:13:00.000-08:002005-12-05T10:26:18.020-08:00Here We Go... Giro!I haven't had time to dissect the course, really, but a couple items in today's CyclingNews begin the buildup -- namely, Basso's commitment to ride the Giro again and DiLuca's focus on it.Starting with Il Killer, it will be extremely interesting to see if he can make the leap to a grand tour GC contender, as today's announcement of his "focus on the Giro" statement suggests he Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133806134812093572005-12-05T10:07:00.000-08:002005-12-05T10:12:34.210-08:00Little ChickenHeh heh... Will he now have as much trouble as me scheduling training rides?Michael Rasmussen's girlfriend Cariza gave birth to a baby boy Milo on November 29 at 12:29, CET. Everything is fine with the mother and son. Rasmussen junior weighed 2.95 kg and was 49 centimetres long at birth.P.S. I suspect intuitively (i.e. without being able to make the conversion) that these numbers Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133749292110172952005-12-04T18:11:00.000-08:002005-12-04T18:21:32.123-08:00And The Nominees Are...Let's keep this end-of-the-year retrospective simple. I want to hear your nominee (singular) for rider of the year and race of the year. And make your case, please. Once we have three nominees, I'll make a separate post and put it to a vote.Rider of the Year: Boonen? Lance? George? Il Killer di Spoltore? Make your selection. I am a long way from figuring this one Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133565168358212942005-12-02T15:11:00.000-08:002005-12-02T15:14:21.810-08:00Calling All ProsDo any readers know any recent pro cyclists or recently retired pros? I am tempted to do some actual reporting, i.e. interviews, on the subject of doping enforcement, i.e. what exactly do WADA and others do to try to keep up with the dopers? Suggestions appreciated. Including if you know a guy who knows a guy.Contact me offline at chrisfont9@yahoo.com. Thanks, DP ManagementP.SChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133423388117303282005-11-30T23:41:00.000-08:002005-11-30T23:49:48.126-08:00Heras and Dopage, Cont'dJust back from yet another work trip... and I thought a couple items from the thoughtful chatter on the Heras post were worthy of pulling out for another post.* Lifetime bans: I don't agree with Sarah that we need lifetime bans. The guys getting two years are also getting a big-time stigma. Presumably even Virenque, the only one to come back from a ban and, um, succeed, Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133363778235452642005-11-30T07:16:00.000-08:002005-11-30T07:16:18.243-08:00Surly Drew's Old TIme Barbecue: Welcome to Surly Drew's!
Why is Drew so Surly?
Hey Chris, Isn't Drew going to be fun to hang around with when he's 70?Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133329206240901212005-11-29T21:20:00.000-08:002005-11-29T21:40:06.250-08:00Hedunnit!So what to make of the Heras scandal? This is the worst one in a while -- the last time a grand tour would-be winner got busted was Pantani at the 1999 Giro, the one that sent him spiraling into madness. Will Heras maintain his innocence like Pantani did? More to the point is Heras innocent?Even more to the point, why would Heras dope, assuming he did? He was already a three-time Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1133024363892581422005-11-26T08:59:00.000-08:002005-11-26T08:59:23.946-08:00RIP Jim Price
http://www.kusa.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=c9eb73a8-0abe-421a-01dc-ad1d2b8bef62&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf
A Denver area cyclist Jim Price was struck by a 17 year old motorist, that was text messaging while driving. Mr. Price, 63, died from his injuries. I had the pleasure of discussing cycling topics with Mr. Price on Cyclingforums.com wherePeter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132602475603248972005-11-21T11:46:00.000-08:002005-11-21T12:40:14.873-08:00Staying TunedLater today the lab in Spain holding Roberto Heras's B-sample from the Vuelta is expected to make its determination. Not the same as saying they will announce the determination, but with a panting European media standing by, there is a strong possibility we will learn something today. So go to Cyclingnews.com and set your browser to refresh every 30 seconds.Or check back here afterChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132508268037649052005-11-20T09:29:00.000-08:002005-11-21T01:13:16.976-08:00Quantity or Quality?No, this is not a column about blogging virtues. It's merely an effort to settle the ancient question: classics or Grand Tours?I must admit I was a little confounded in the top-5-all-time debate that unfolded in Petey's Fignon post. I haven't had much time lately to focus on the necessary considerations (namely, reading the cycling history books I've been stockpiling every Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132405393758572692005-11-19T05:03:00.000-08:002005-11-19T05:03:13.806-08:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS!
Digital Peloton founder, avid cyclist, devoted husband and father and my little brother, Chris F turns 40 today. Happy Birthday Chris and have an extra latte on me.Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132331112898568762005-11-18T08:25:00.000-08:002005-11-18T08:25:12.946-08:00Fignon, where does he rank?
I was tooling around on the 2006 Giro homepage and I happened to notice that in 1989 Laurent Fignon came within 9 seconds of the Tour/Giro Double. In 1984 he won the Tour and came in second in the Giro. If memory serves me correctly, I believe that year the winner (Francisco Moser) won the final time trial in a controversial fasion (a low flying Italian-TV Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132094407452264472005-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:002005-11-15T14:43:22.410-08:00I (Heart) the Giro!I don't have time to deconstruct this thoroughly right now, but my reaction to the Giro presentation is to give it a score of 10 (out of a possible 10). The route, in one fell swoop, accomplishes all of the following worthy goals:* punishes the girly men sprinter types (not that the Italian teams have guys like that);* vindicates the climbers;* shakes up the standards with Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1132024470969471822005-11-14T19:14:00.000-08:002005-11-14T19:14:31.036-08:00Stem Warning
In my neverending search for the ultimate bike equipment (good looks, solid, well built and light weight) I have noticed certain trends in the industry toward shaving grams wherever possible (nothing new, I know). This has involved the use of titanium hardware in load bearing components. Titanium bolts on my Campy derailleurs are fine, and holding a bottle cage with a ti Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1131986407467597072005-11-14T08:40:00.000-08:002005-11-14T08:40:07.520-08:00Giro d'Europe?
I was just taking a look at the preview of the 2006 Giro d'Italia and noticed that the first stage is taking place in Belgium. Now Italy looks like a pretty big country (I'm guessing it's somewher between Idaho (yes, of course you are Ralph), and California in size. It also has a couple pretty big mountain ranges and many miles of scenic coastlines and valleys. So physically Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1131490600303991782005-11-08T14:49:00.000-08:002005-11-08T14:56:40.313-08:00New USCF CategoritesAmateur racers will be interested to note that the USCF is making some interesting class distinctions in the peloton:"Moving forward, in addition to age-related categorization schemes, the USCF will recognize drivetrain differences in the domestic peloton. Separate classifications for indexed 9/10 speed and indexed 7/8 speed will be instituted. Racers using friction systems Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1131482120353795802005-11-08T12:32:00.000-08:002005-11-08T12:35:20.363-08:00Heras Non-Negative!Cycling News is reporting today that Roberto Heras has been suspended by Liberty Seguros for a non-negative sample from Stage 20 of the Vuelta. You might recall that Stage 20 was the final time trial, where Heras exceeded all expectations and sewed up his historic win. It's just a non-negative A-sample so far, with no details about the B-sample. So stay tuned.But if it's Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1130531849330560972005-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:002005-10-28T13:37:29.343-07:00The Terrorists Have Already WonFrom CyclingNews.com:"The UCI has banned cyclo-cross races from passing through beer tents, one of the hallowed traditions in many Belgian events. The decision was made on the grounds that it was unsafe, on the basis of remarks made by Richard Groenendaal last year about the difference in inside/outside temperatures and the danger of being hit by beer glasses. Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1130524924418168622005-10-28T11:33:00.000-07:002005-10-28T11:42:17.463-07:00Le Tour '06From the wires:"With five major mountain ascents -- including the Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Izoard, and Col du Galibier -- and three uphill finishes, the route is likely to favor the climbers."Huh? Since when is three mountain top finishes (including only one in the Pyrenees) a climbers' route? Also, there are two 50+ km ITTs (sadly, no TTT), so if you're going to win, I would guess Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1130256448427156642005-10-25T09:07:00.000-07:002005-10-25T09:07:28.523-07:00Rain...Rain...a welcome sight(?)
I know what your thinking. Mr. Van P has apparently lost it, right? Actually I have rediscovered my love for indoor training. Currently the satellite view of New England shows nothing but circular bands of rain pelting us, which has been the pattern all month. I had about a three hour window to ride outdoors last weekend and the upcoming weekend doesn't look Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1129858916443676292005-10-20T18:41:00.000-07:002005-10-20T18:47:19.546-07:00Corey HotlineLet's see what's in the news today...Hmmm..Canada stalls on trade pact.Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1129583208812293482005-10-17T14:06:00.000-07:002005-10-17T14:10:08.086-07:00Off season prepWith the cold weather officially here in New England, our racing bikes are getting ready for a nice winter break, letting us dust off the cross or b-bikes for the upcoming months. Here are some tips to make sure your A-bike is in showroom condition, once the warm dry days return.1. Clean frame and fork. This is a good time to clean the frame and fork of all the road grit that has Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1129394109569437582005-10-14T21:33:00.000-07:002005-10-15T09:36:18.780-07:00Happy Birthday Petey!Digital Peloton sends a birthday shout-out to big brother/co-site manager Petey, on this his 25th birthday. Or something like that. Happy birthday Petey!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1129226937677099512005-10-13T11:08:00.000-07:002005-10-13T11:10:51.086-07:00Damn!I didn't make the Discovery Channel roster again. Lord knows I tried...Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1129079933053043772005-10-11T18:18:00.000-07:002005-10-11T18:18:53.100-07:00Interbike 2005
I have been following cyclingnews' daily coverage of Interbike 2005 with mild amusment over the last couple weeks. As the pro cycling road season winds down, the industry tries to generate a little interest in the sport by offering a sneak peak of what's in store for the upcoming year in the bike manufacturing business. Some of the current trends are toward lighter frames (this Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1128872794958403132005-10-09T08:46:00.000-07:002005-10-09T08:46:38.143-07:00Erik the Great!
It pleases me to no end to see my favorite pro racer score his third victory in today's Paris-Tours race. Erik Zabel has always impressed me with his ability to win all year long. Sure he's lost some of the afterburners that have guided him to 6 green jersey's in the TDF, but the man still brings it after 13 years of many successes, some failures and unimaginable hard work. Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1128114579923733322005-09-30T13:51:00.000-07:002005-09-30T14:14:58.100-07:00Danish DonutWith 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127960240346752532005-09-28T19:17:00.000-07:002005-09-28T19:17:20.396-07:00It's Miller Time..!
No not that awful beer that turns average working shmucks into wife beating felons. Bode Miller. Bode Miller has been relatively dis-interested in the white circus for some time. Seriously the FIS board makes the UCF look like MENSA members. He is a man with enormous talents and one major unfulfilled goal, an Olympic Gold Medal. This year, I predict, he will be honing Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127931609119214762005-09-28T11:17:00.000-07:002005-09-28T11:20:09.126-07:00Moving 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.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127886775085147552005-09-27T22:51:00.000-07:002005-09-27T22:52:55.090-07:00Touch the StarsI 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 WheelworksOn 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127512220010534322005-09-23T14:39:00.000-07:002005-09-23T14:51:30.850-07:00Worlds PredictionsOK, 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127418648772158332005-09-22T12:50:00.000-07:002005-09-22T12:50:48.830-07:00World Championships?
The field for today's men's elite TT has raised some questions in my mind. Julich notwithstanding, were were the "worlds best" riders today? No Botero, Ullrich, Leipheimer, Basso, Zabriske, Gonzales or Bodrogi. Were they all resting up for Sunday's RR? Are the suffering from a Vuelta/Tour of Germany hangover? In my mind, that would be like Bode Miller skipping the SuperPeter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127321519430595312005-09-21T09:45:00.000-07:002005-09-21T09:51:59.436-07:00For 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, Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1127162988481019282005-09-19T13:34:00.000-07:002005-09-19T13:49:48.490-07:00Yaaay!! 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126975631679509082005-09-17T09:47:00.000-07:002005-09-17T09:47:13.776-07:00VENGA ROBERTO!!
Roberto Heras' performance today in the final ITT of the 2005 Vuelta has cemented his unprecedented 4th victory. By finishing in second place, a fraction of a second back, he has put a nice finishing touch on an otherwise uninspired season. The shy climber from Spain has come a long way from his 2002 performance where he dominated in the mountains but was steamrolled in the Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126824137759761112005-09-15T15:42:00.000-07:002005-09-15T15:42:17.816-07:00Campy V Shimano Chapter 8: Final Thoughts
To this point I have essentially broken down all the key components as designed by Campy and Shimano (Record and Dura Ace, being the primary focus). There are other parts worth noting as well. Headsets: Campy makes a threadless design as well as an integrated version that is used in Cannondale and many other frames. Campy Headsets are solid Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126798060372536762005-09-15T08:27:00.000-07:002005-09-15T09:03:00.920-07:00Campy V Shimano Chapter 7: WheelsPersonally I'm a factory wheelset guy. I have found that handbuilt wheels (Dura Ace or Record hubs on Open Pro's) are heavy, non aero and I find myself truing them up and breaking spokes, so I have decided to avoid any lengthy discussions on hubsets. Let's just say both Record and Dura Ace have excellent hubs that are serviceable, strong and light. I would prefer Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126756730860587052005-09-14T20:58:00.000-07:002005-09-15T06:25:36.946-07:00Campy V Shimano Chapter 6: The DrivetrainAllow me to take a moment to define this topic since I have already covered the cranksets and derailleurs. In this thread I will cover cassettes, chains and chainrings. Shimano entered the 10 speed market in 2004 with Dura Ace and expanded their line to include Ultegra in '05. Campy introduced 10 speed with Record in 2001 and currently offer 10 speed in Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126756212823243452005-09-14T20:44:00.000-07:002005-09-14T20:50:12.830-07:00Meanwhile, 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126731110663921702005-09-14T13:51:00.000-07:002005-09-14T13:53:20.000-07:00Campy V Shimano Chapter 5: DerailleursFunctionally both companies make derailleurs that perform in a similar fashion. Both offer a 10 speed system, both work flawlessly and both are meant to last. Shimano uses an aluminum alloy body and cage. Campy uses carbon cages and ti bolts. Ho hum. We'll call it a draw.Shimano 2Campy 2Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126665993932233772005-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:002005-09-13T19:46:33.986-07:00Campy V Shimano Chapter 4: The Brake/Shift Levers
Ok, here is where the argument begins for most devotees of the Italian and Japanese top Gruppos: Ergo vs. STI. Let's start with STI. Shimano's integrated shift-brake levers set the early standard for this genre which began a dozen years ago. STI, uses the brake lever to not only, well..brake, but it is also used to shift toward the larger Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126627358079154282005-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:002005-09-13T09:08:59.256-07:00Campy V Shimano Part 3: The Brake CalipersBoth companies use a standard side pull caliper brake with two distinct differences. Campy uses a single pivot rear brake and a dual pivot front. The reason for this is to place the most stopping power where it's needed the most, in the front. This works beautifully. I have found myself never "locking them up" no matter how quickly I need to come to a Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126538475431276442005-09-12T08:21:00.000-07:002005-09-13T13:26:04.696-07:00Campy V. Shimano: Chapter 2, the CranksetGiven the integration between the crank and bb, especially with Shimano, I won't exhaust this topic. Shimano's drive-side crank has the spindle built in and the non drive side crank arm clamps around the spindle. The entire set up is pretty stiff and the drive side can never come loose. There have been instances where the non-drive side crank arm has come Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126285880402182912005-09-09T10:10:00.000-07:002005-09-09T10:11:20.403-07:00And 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.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126281634280548662005-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:002005-09-09T10:09:43.550-07:00Campy V. Shimano: Chapter 1, The Bottom Bracket.Italian component giant, Campagnolo produces one of the most beautiful gruppo's in the world, Record. They have placed carbon fiber on most non-load-bearing parts, for light weight and asthetics. They have even placed carbon fiber in their bottom bracket housing which produces a traditional sealed bb that tips the scales at a mere 190 grams. My Peter Van Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11072302198095490034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1126154908401561082005-09-07T21:46:00.000-07:002005-09-07T21:48:28.406-07:00Back in TownAfter 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 Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1125023436285931762005-08-25T19:00:00.000-07:002005-08-25T19:30:36.293-07:00The Case Against the Case Against LanceOK, so I am biased... but I just watched the Larry King/Bob Costas interview with Lance, and have the following thoughts about L'Equipe's bombshell.* The least compelling argument Lance makes is that protocols were violated. He may well be right, and has a strong case to that effect, but protocols are process, not substance, and usually people resort to Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1124936202438891382005-08-24T19:11:00.000-07:002005-08-24T19:16:42.443-07:00DopesI feel obligated to say something about the new doping allegations. And what I have to say is, I have nothing to say.OK, not nothing. I can say that I haven't read anything that makes me think "gotcha!" and am as suspicious as any American cycling fan who's been listening to unfounded carping from seemingly every corner of France for seven years. Usually the proof offered has been Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1124819818146817792005-08-23T10:32:00.000-07:002005-08-23T10:56:58.200-07:00Deutschland NotesA few thoughts from vacation, where a stunning victory has awakened me from my blogging respite.* Levi Leipheimer's tidy victory in the Tour of Germany is a really terrific palmare for a guy who seems ideally suited to a race of this stature. By all accounts, the Deutschland Rundfahrt is one of the best national Tours short of the big three, and thanks to Ullrich, T-Mobile and Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1124131086371653642005-08-15T11:24:00.000-07:002005-08-15T11:38:06.376-07:00Best Names, Vuelta editionSure, there are substantive matters to report on, such as Constantino Zaballo's dramatic win in San Sebastian as well as the complete disappearance of the PCT overall contenders, or the start of the Tour of Germany with today's messy, middlin stage. Oh, and Congrats to Hoa-Noa! A cycling lifer gets a sweet deal with Davitamon, and hopefully Horner can now repurchase hisChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123886543231060152005-08-12T15:40:00.000-07:002005-08-12T15:42:23.240-07:00Full Vuelta Start List!!Don't worry, this is just a cut-and-paste job. I don't love blogging that much.Liberty Seguros (Sp): 1. Roberto Heras, 2. Dariusz Baranowski Pol), 3. Joseba Beloki, 4. Igor González de Galdeano, 5. Giampaolo Caruso (I), 6. Isidro Nozal, 7. Michele Scarponi (I), 8. Marcos Serrano, 9. Angel Vicioso. Reservas: Rene Andrle (Cze), Carlos Barrero, Jan Hruska (Cze) and Sergio Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123831133441469212005-08-12T00:07:00.000-07:002005-08-12T00:18:53.446-07:00San Sebastian PreviewPreviewing the post-Tour Classics is thankless blogging (you're welcome), partly from my own fatigue, but also the fatigue that has engulfed all of my usual sources of information. Cycling News hasn't said hardly a peep, besides running some wire lines about team lineups. But check out the Daily Peloton from my links bar... they've got the good espresso brewing in their Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123827593000408592005-08-11T23:01:00.000-07:002005-08-12T11:03:36.930-07:00I'm an Idiot, No. 163Some time ago, this space was employed to determine which countries offered the most to the sport of Cycling, on the theory that there was nobody else out there distilling this kind of information. Turns out, there is. The, um, Pro Cycling Tour. Apparently they are compiling points by national origin, as well as individuals and teams.Now, this isn't exactly the same Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123699131019811582005-08-10T11:31:00.000-07:002005-08-10T11:51:28.650-07:00Pop QuizName a 2005 Pro Tour stage race that hasn't been won by either an American rider or a U.S.-based team? OK, I can think of the Dauphinee and Giro/Rundfahrt, but that's about it. And don't go adding the Tour of BeNeLux to the list.According to his website, Bobby Julich scorched the field in the final TT to vault up into the overall win. It's hard to gauge the conditions with so little Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123618633279006192005-08-09T13:09:00.000-07:002005-08-09T13:20:12.610-07:00BeNeLux: Julich Poised?Meanwhile, the Pro Tour goes on, relentlessly. Tomorrow's concluding 24km time trial will determine the winner of the inaugural BeNeLux Tour, and since there are three dozen guys within spitting distance of the podium, the winner will be determined by the Race o' Truth. In the picture is Christian Vandevelde, recovering nicely from his Tour TTT mishap to take the Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123610501613297692005-08-09T10:07:00.000-07:002005-08-09T11:02:14.166-07:00My Alexandre Vinokourov Rant!"I like to attack." So sayeth Cycling's greatest Central Asian rider, Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov. This aggressive mentality netted him fifth in the Tour, primarily by placing the judges in the position of having to award him a questionable time bonus to reward him for his final day's efforts. It also earned him a certain notoriety as a key protagonist in an Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1123537966033486372005-08-08T14:05:00.000-07:002005-08-08T14:53:32.890-07:00National InterestI've expended a lot of hot air over the failures of certain cycling nations in the last several months, notably those surrounding the Pyrenees, as well as another perpetually threatened by the sea. Which begs the question, at least in the mind of one person, while gnawing on my federally un-subsidized pita sandwich... how would one rank the Cycling Nations right now? Since Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122684893891615162005-07-29T17:40:00.000-07:002005-07-29T17:54:53.896-07:00Friday Notes: Cyclassics Fever!!I'm getting close to the end of the list of TdF deconstructions, but first, in the category of the-show-must-go-on, live from Hamburg, the Pro Cycling Tour brings you the tenth annual HEW Cyclassics race. The race is significant in that it is the only one among the classics that has to include the word "classic" in its name to assure that cycling fans don't Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122679989620790532005-07-29T14:56:00.000-07:002005-07-29T17:14:23.946-07:00TdF 2005: It's a Wrap (thankfully)Just about any Cycling fan will happily acknowledge that the Tour is the event they wait for all year. Yes, the Classics are great, but they aren't televised live here, and even in Europe, each individual race comes and goes in a day. The Tour is three weeks of exquisite plots and subplots. It's also an even grander stage than the great Classics, with far Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122585470889273422005-07-28T14:15:00.000-07:002005-07-28T14:17:50.896-07:00BollywoodAhem... anyway, CyclingNews is reporting that tifosi-actor-uberhunk Matt Damon is prepping to play Lance in a dramatic film based on Lance's first autobiography, It's Not About the Bike. Begging the question, who is the world's top manufacturer of women's road bikes, and where can I buy their stock?Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122575029481528312005-07-28T10:46:00.000-07:002005-07-28T11:26:45.236-07:00Adios Amigo!And now we must say goodbye to our conquering hero. In my last post I pontificated on his Tour wins, in this one I want to cover the rest of the Lance territory.First, let me recap that I am not arguing he is the best rider ever; it would be preposterous to compare anyone's record to Merckx. My point is that he is as great as a rider can be in this era, where the spoils are divided Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122360408705804032005-07-27T14:45:00.000-07:002005-07-27T15:01:54.543-07:00Seventh StoryAt the risk of beating a dead horse, I want to defend Lance's record of seven victories vigorously as an incredible achievement in modern cycling. The principle argument against his achievement is that Lance only raced once a year. This is the favorite argument of people who know nothing about Cycling but still feel like complaining, or at least sticking their foot in their mouths.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122360201678617612005-07-25T23:32:00.000-07:002005-07-25T23:44:30.140-07:00BlogxhaustionThe last three weeks have been hell on Cycling bloggers, a grind not incomparable to the event we've been covering. There is a steep price to be paid, as I can attest: I have suffered estrangement from my family, terminal exhaustion, decreased productivity at work, slight dizziness, and loss of appetite. So in order to recover in time for my next peak, I offer the following Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122313305226087732005-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:002005-07-25T10:41:45.233-07:00Don't Forget About Meposted by PeteHere's a name for the '06 Tour, Tyler Hamilton. If he wins his appeal inSeptember (I know this is a big IF), where does he stand? In '03 he wasa broken collarbone away from the podium and last year he had a greatseason until he crashed in the Tour. Is he too old now? Has hissuspension caused him to lose his form? Would Phonak or any other teamre-instate him? If Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122302966216610362005-07-25T07:48:00.000-07:002005-07-25T07:49:26.223-07:00WithdrawalDon't worry, it's only 33 days til the Vuelta starts.And 6 days to the HEW Cyclassics!!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1122129343102691852005-07-23T07:28:00.000-07:002005-07-23T09:13:38.536-07:00Powering Up, One Last Time... LIVE!We're coming to you live this morning from the DP Pavilion where the satellite is beaming in the signal from the Tour. All the heads of state are on the course, and we can say a few things:1. The Chicken is just about cooked;2. Lance is flying; and3. But for Vino, this would be an American wipeout.The Chicken's crash was sad to see, and DP Official Spouse Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121980864999831992005-07-21T14:09:00.000-07:002005-07-21T14:21:05.006-07:00Three To GoElvis is about to leave the building... Lance's imminent retirement is about as hard to come to grips with as the Red Sox celebrating in Yankee Stadium last October. Sure, it happened, but it still doesn't fully register. Anyway, Lance is doing his best to have fun every day, driving yet another chase at the close of yet another seemingly innocuous stage that secretly had some Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121923267933390212005-07-20T22:11:00.000-07:002005-07-20T23:26:02.733-07:00When Maillot Jaunes Attack...!Lots of speculation today about why the Discovery Channel boys were seen hammering home on the final ascent and descent into Revel, with the popular choice being an order from Lance to put Floyd Landis into difficulty and cost him a couple spots on GC. If so, the strategy sorta worked, right? I mean, those 20 seconds Landis conceded were worth two spots on GC. AndChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121887514450790272005-07-20T12:09:00.000-07:002005-07-20T12:26:42.330-07:00Discovery WonderlandWell, we are officially through the looking glass now, right? First, the Disco boys win the Tour's toughest mountain stage by sending a sprinter up the road, then they employ a two-time Giro d'Italia champion to come around a legitimate sprinter for the victory in the flats today. In fairness, Paolo Savoldelli is not exactly your prototypical Pantani-style flyweight mountainChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121842291936625862005-07-19T23:39:00.000-07:002005-07-20T00:00:12.446-07:00TdF RoundupWith only five days remaining in Lance Armstrong's professional cycling career, we are drawing closer to that time when we offer our tearful farewell. But not today. Still, I was riding home from Portland today giving in to the talk radio temptation, where the Fox chumps were checking in on the Tour and offering their admiration of Lance. They also polled their listeners on whether Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121840140170924182005-07-19T22:37:00.000-07:002005-07-19T23:15:40.176-07:00Oregon ReportBy now many of you know that a rider, Charlie Christiansen, died in an amateur event last week in Portland, Oregon. Apparently this is the first death in an amateur race in some twenty years. It has been bothering me, and I'd assume a lot of other riders who didn't think that death was any more a part of racing than, say, getting struck by lightning. I've been debating writing Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121786966312657002005-07-19T08:11:00.000-07:002005-07-19T08:29:26.320-07:00TdF St. 15: Baby Gets BottleOscar Pereiro Sio (can someone explain the third name to me? I'm not from Spain) won today's stage by maintaining the aggressive form he showed Sunday, getting away with a few climbers before winning a three-man sprint in Pau. According to the live updates (I'm in an OLN-free hotel), he refused to take pulls in the last few KM, which is a winning tactic if not a Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121731141653816532005-07-18T16:56:00.000-07:002005-07-18T16:59:01.653-07:00Retraction of the Year!Last week I called Dario Cioni an as*hole for being caught doping a second time... but in fact it was Dario Frigo. An understandable mixup, I guess, although these guys aren't nobodies. And I never want to slap a doper label on the wrong guy. So apologies to the Cionis, and f*ck you Dario Frigo.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121730569976612272005-07-18T16:26:00.000-07:002005-07-18T16:49:29.983-07:00Rest Day RecapRough schedule this week, so I'll post when I can...* Yeah, Oscar Pereiro did more work, but I had no problem rooting for Hincapie in yesterday's closing meters when Georgie went around him for the most improbable mountain stage win in my memory. I defy you to name an instance where the Tour's hardest climbing stage was won by a guy who got on the podium in Paris-Roubaix in the Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121728178113151052005-07-18T15:58:00.000-07:002005-07-18T16:25:23.216-07:00Lance's BrainI was sent a chat about Lance that I found interesting. Since it wasn't intended for publication, I'll just paraphrase a bit. Basically, a few people were trying to diagnose Lance Armstrong's mental state from the rather candid look we get at him in Lance Amrstrong's War, Daniel Coyle's excellent book on the US pros working in Europe, primarily focusing on Lance, of course. AnywayChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121456077173424312005-07-15T11:56:00.000-07:002005-07-15T12:42:03.956-07:00Friday Fly-by* Very entertaining finish today. I watched it but thanks to stupid work I haven't been able to catch up on the post-race recriminations. Horner and Chavanel seemed to work together about as constructively as their respective governments currently do, and with about the same result (overcome by events). It struck me as kind of a rookie mistake, one Horner should be above. Would Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173081.post-1121367150086990222005-07-14T11:42:00.000-07:002005-07-14T11:54:18.993-07:00TdF on the Silver ScreenAcross the nation Saturday moviegoers will be treated to something far more dramatic than the usual Hollywood drivvel: Stage 14 of the Tour de France!! DP reader Amy Jane from NYC points us to the Bike Cafe website which gives the background, times and locations around the nation for watching the Tour on the Beeeg Screen. It'll cost you a sawbuck, but apparently the Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254673556934217892noreply@blogger.com