tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85009680373447045272024-03-13T20:26:20.207-07:00The CaliRado CyclistIt Never Gets Easier, You Just Type FasterCaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-67478512283235869062010-03-10T17:42:00.000-08:002010-12-22T08:48:10.707-08:00Cycling Cinema - Getting FlickedWhile suffering through the recent Academy Awards, it was impossible to overlook the fact that everyone has different tastes. It was also impossible to ignore my tendency to dislike most of the flavors on display. From the wardrobe choices to the actual Oscar winners, the entire event provided a broad spectrum of preferences for me to ridicule. Even though professional bike racing often leaves much to be desired from an organizational standpoint, at least it's not as foolish as Hollywood.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447195048793949682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S5hTCVGhRfI/AAAAAAAACMY/son4ZLhZaaA/s320/Oscar1.jpg" />It is no secret that I often make stupid movie references when writing about cycling - largely because I enjoy both subjects. However, while I almost always like bike racing, I have not liked an overwhelming majority of films viewed during the course of my lifetime. I don't really count anything that I saw during my youthful "Star Wars/Muppet Movie" phase so at this point, I would put my rate of pleasant movie watching at about 20% over the last 25 years. Not a good percentage.<br /><br />Not coincidentally, I haven't seen a single movie that was nominated for an Academy Award this year. And honestly, there is virtually nothing that could make me pay to watch 7 out of the 10 films up for the Oscar in 2010. When searching for entertainment, I have no desire to watch anything that will make me feel any emotions other than happiness, curiosity or excitement. Therefore, Precious and The Hurt Locker will certainly not be passing before my eyes anytime soon. I would much rather watch Enter the Dragon or Fletch for the hundredth time than put myself through five minutes of Mo'Nique screaming or people getting blown up in Afghanistan.<br /><br />While cycling may not get as much play as cheesy football films with Sandra Bullock or feel-good heart-warmers about abusive mother-daughter relationships, WWII killings, and creepy blue people, it is not for a lack of effort. Regardless of my recent frustration with Hollywood, there have been some solid cycling-related films in the past. And besides, as long as they keep letting Robin Williams into these award events, we will always be one moment away from an uncomfortable “bikesexual” joke or Lance Armstrong testicle reference in the mainstream media. Thanks, Mork. <div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 215px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447195060131886242" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S5hTC_VsdKI/AAAAAAAACMg/dokN-5027EM/s320/QS.jpg" />Obviously, Breaking Away and American Flyers are well known, and a few people may even think of Quicksilver as a cycling film, even though it is really more like an odd semi-Brat Pack kind of thing. I'm sort of down with the bike messenger scene (I did work in the Financial District of San Francisco after all, and watched them all hang out and smoke cigarettes at the corner of Market and Sansome as I rode to and from Marin...with gears) but for some reason I only remember Jami Gertz. The point is, there are a number of other less recognized elements of cycling in Hollywood history. In fact, although there have been a few memorable films dedicated to the sport, most of my favorite bike-related cinematic experiences have come from movies that covered different subjects.<br /><br />For example, I was 9 years-old when The Karate Kid came out in theatres, and the main thing I liked about Mr. Miyagi was that he fixed Daniel-san's bike after Billy Zabka and his crew pushed him down the hillside in Reseda. I can't remember when I actually saw KK for the first time but I know that scene endeared me to Miyagi far more than him making Daniel "paint the fence" and basically just fix up his house. Any jerk can come up with chores but it takes a pretty cool guy to fix up a busted BMX bike for an Italian kid he doesn't even know and then kick the snot out of a bunch of high school dudes in the middle of the night.<br /><br />On a side note, I was also always intrigued by Miyagi's willingness to let the pool turn into a swamp at the apartment building Daniel-san lived in. The guy had a full-on Japanese Tea Garden and a bunch of sweet cars at his own place but the apartment building he managed was a Katrina-level disaster. In retrospect, was Miyagi actually a slum lord or something? Regardless, I always respected him for sticking it to The Man (and John Kreese). Although The Man rarely hangs out in Reseda, CA.<br /><br />A year after The Karate Kid was released, another great movie came out that had some memorable bike scenes in it. Of course, that film was Better Off Dead, starring a very young John Cusack, Winchester from M.A.S.H., the fat kid from Head Of The Class, an awesome Zabka-esque bad guy named Stalin, and the always creepy Curtis Armstrong (Lance's cousin) as the always creepy <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/5816195_058530617e.jpg?v=0">Charles DeMar</a>. But even though skiing was the primary sport in the movie, one of the better recurring themes (aside from the AWESOME Asian dude that played the bad guy in Karate Kid II, who talks like Howard Cosell) was the bike riding paperboy who really wanted his two dollars. You know...sort of like a professional cyclist looking for a contract.<br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447195046067084210" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S5hTCK8Ym7I/AAAAAAAACMQ/-N2F1TwYCo0/s320/johnny14.jpg" /></div><div>Even though I never had a paper route as a kid, I always sympathized with the paperboy in Better Off Dead. I mean, come on, the guy is putting in the miles so give him his money. Sure, he has a tendency to chuck papers through garage door windows, but there was probably not a clear "Accuracy Clause" in his contract, and you can hardly blame him for accomplishing his job with energy and vigor. Besides, I always thought it would have been much easier for Lane or Mr. Meyer (aka Winchester) to just pay the kid a couple bucks and get him off their backs. Maybe if they tipped the little dude, he wouldn't keep flinging stuff through their windows?<br /><br />Anyway, I will always have a place for Breaking Away, American Flyers and all of the other documentaries and race videos in my vast media collection, but the less prominent role of cycling in numerous random movies should not be overlooked. Whether it's Elliott and his flying friends in E.T. or Ronald Miller riding over to mow Cindy Mancini's lawn in Can't Buy Me Love, the bicycle will always have a place in Hollywood. Whether that Lance movie ever gets made or not...<br />Wait, Precious is about a quest for the the Yellow Jersey and The Hurt Locker is another Paris-Roubaix documentary, right? Maybe I should just get Mr. Miyagi to true my wheels while I watch Rushmore again.<br /><div></div></div>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-456819887874368002010-02-22T12:34:00.001-08:002010-02-22T18:13:51.360-08:00Man, Oman...I'm Just SayingI often have visions of riding my bike through beautiful parts of the world. Places like Tuscany, Marin County, southern France and of course, the Middle East. Don’t get me wrong, I love lush hills and beautiful forests but nothing beats scorching hot, flat, windy terrain to really bring out the joy of riding a bicycle. Throw some hefty prize money in with the subtle scent of burning oil and you’ve got yourself a perfect location for a major professional bike race. Actually, make that two. Hello Tour of Qatar and Tour of Oman, thank you for your donations.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169332965430418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 216px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4LqrgYnVJI/AAAAAAAACL4/e6QXSLUgBhY/s320/qatar_01.jpg" border="0" />So…basically, someone at ASO must have sniffed out a few deep pockets in the desert, because now we have over two weeks of world class bike racing taking place in countries whose monarchs are desperately trying to figure out what to do when the oil runs out. Their strategy is to stimulate tourism but admittedly, there is a not-so-subtle irony to having countries that profit immensely from fossil fuels endorsing a sport and industry that actively promotes alternative forms of transportation. Beyond ASO’s connection to golf, tennis and motorsports, there seems to be little relevance for bicycling in the Middle East outside of Eddy Merckx’s endorsement and boatloads of cash.<br /><br />While this portion of the calendar may not be terribly exciting for many European and North American fans, it must be a pretty nice part of the year for the riders. In addition to awarding more than $12,000 to the overall winner of each event, both the Tour of Qatar and Tour of Oman offered over $20,000 for each stage and rolled out a heavily air-conditioned red carpet for the race caravan. When it comes to wealth and the desire to show it, few hosts are as accommodating as Qatar and Oman. As such, the races have been more exciting than anticipated, and the overall sentiment from the riders has been positive.<br /><br />However, I can’t help but wonder about the long-term effects of this model on cycling as a spectator sport, not to mention how it reflects the relationship between the UCI and ASO. The prize money for these events is certainly enticing but the other primary factor is that most of the “wild-card” teams are likely trying to secure favor with ASO so that they can participate in other events like Paris-Nice and the Tour de France. So basically, we have two weeks of racing in the desert with minimal spectators, lots of money, and a fleet of teams who are there in order to secure spots in later races. Again, I’m not sure how much this helps the sport in the long run.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169525227987442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4Lq2snlIfI/AAAAAAAACMI/STcvl8xruvg/s320/ToQ.jpg" border="0" /><br />So...just out of curiosity, I decided to do a little bit of research on Qatar and Oman. Courtesy of my good friend Wikipedia, the following tidbits may be interesting. But then again, considering that the source was Wikipedia, they also may or may not be correct. Regardless, I think there is some interesting food for thought about the countries who claim be ushering in the New Year for bike racing. History, hills and cultural significance be damned...<br /><br /><strong>Qatar: </strong><strong>Overview<img class="gl_bold" alt="Bold" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" border="0" /></strong><br /><strong><br /></strong>Qatar is an Arab emirate in the Middle East, occupying a small peninsula on the northeastern coast of the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south.<br /><br />Qatar is an oil- and gas-rich nation, with the third largest gas reserves and the highest <a title="GDP" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GDP">GDP</a> per capita in the world. An <a title="Absolute monarchy" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_monarchy">absolute monarchy</a>, Qatar has been ruled by the <a title="Al-Thani" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Thani">al-Thani</a> family since the mid-1800s and has since transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169331443050562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4LqratpqEI/AAAAAAAACLw/7reVTSb_wFQ/s320/Qatar.gif" border="0" /><br />During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Emir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.<br /><br />Since 1995, Emir <a title="Hamad bin Khalifa" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamad_bin_Khalifa">Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani</a> has ruled Qatar, seizing control of the country from his father <a title="Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalifa_bin_Hamad_Al_Thani">Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani</a> while the latter vacationed in Switzerland. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar has experienced a notable amount of sociopolitical liberalization, including the endorsement of women’s suffrage or right to vote, drafting a new constitution, and the launch of <a title="Al Jazeera" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera">Al Jazeera</a>, a leading English and Arabic news source which operates a website and satellite television news channel.<br /><br />The International Monetary Fund states that Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the world, followed by Liechtenstein. The World Factbook ranks Qatar at second, following Liechtenstein.<br /><br />Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.<br /><br /><strong>Government and Politics<br /></strong><br />Qatar has an emirate government type, based on Islamic and civil law codes. It is a discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented. Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; the country has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction.<br /><br /><strong>Economy<br /></strong><br />Qatar is sometimes referred to as the Saudi Arabia of natural gas. Qataris’ wealth and standard of living compare well with those of Western European states. With no income tax, Qatar, along with Bahrain, is one of the countries with the lowest tax rates in the world.<br /><br /><strong>Environmenta<img class="gl_bold" alt="Bold" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" border="0" />l Issues<br /></strong><br />Qatar has the highest per-capita carbon dioxide emissions, at 55.5 metric tons per person in 2005. This is almost double the next highest per-capita emitting country, Kuwait at 30.7 metric tons (2005) and three times that of the United States. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169517983722866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4Lq2RoabXI/AAAAAAAACMA/43gIGoyyurI/s320/stunt.jpg" border="0" />Qatar has had the highest per-capita carbon dioxide emissions for the past 18 years. These emissions are largely due to high rates of energy use include natural gas processing, water desalination and electricity production. Between 1995 and 2011 the electricity generating capacity of Qatar will have increased to six times the previous level. The fact that Qataris do not have to pay for either their water or electricity supplies is thought to contribute to their high rate of energy use. Despite being a desert state they are also one of the highest consumers of water per capita per day, using around 400 litres.<br /><br /><strong>Geography<br /></strong><br />The Qatari peninsula juts 100 miles (161 km) north into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia and is slightly smaller than the state of <a title="Massachusetts" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts">Massachusetts</a>, USA. Much of the country consists of a low, barren plain, covered with sand.<br /><br />The highest point in Qatar is Qurayn Abu al Bawl at 103 metres (340 ft) in the Jebel Dukhan.<br /><br /><strong>Population</strong><br /><br />Expatriates form the majority of Qatar’s residents, and the petrochemical industry has attracted people from all around the world. Most of the expatriates come from South Asia and from non-oil-rich Arab states. Because a large percentage of the expatriates are male, Qatar has a heavily skewed sex ratio, with 3.46 males per female.<br /><br />In July 2007, the country had a growing population of approximately 907,229 people, of whom approximately 350,000 were believed to be citizens. Qatari citizens follow the dominant Hanbali branch of Islam practiced in neighboring Saudi Arabia, therefore it is considered the culturally closest Persian Gulf state to Saudi Arabia.<br /><br />The majority of the estimated 800,000 non-citizens are individuals from South and South East Asian and Arab countries working on temporary employment contracts, in most cases without their accompanying family members. Most foreign workers and their families live near the major employment centers of Doha, Al Khor, Mesaieed, and Dukhan.<br /><br /><strong>Qatari Law</strong><br /><br />When contrasted with other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, for instance, Qatar has comparatively liberal laws, but is still not as liberal as some other Arab states of the Persian Gulf like UAE or Bahrain. Qatar is a civil law jurisdiction. However, <a title="Shari'a" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shari%27a">Shari’a</a> or Islamic law is applied to aspects of family law, inheritance and certain criminal acts. Women can legally drive in Qatar and there is a strong emphasis in equality and human rights brought by Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee. Qatar also has the largest fines in the world in terms of traffic violation as per the recent change in 2010.<br /><br />The country has undergone a period of liberalization and modernisation during the reign of the current Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who came to power in 1995. The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. However, the few bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels and clubs, much like in the UAE. Also like in the UAE, Muslims are banned from drinking alcohol. Expatriate residents in Qatar are eligible to receive liquor permits permitting them to purchase alcohol for personal use through Qatar Distribution Company, the only importer and retailer for alcohol in Qatar. Under Qatar’s Sharia, alcohol is illegal in public.<br /><br />In common with other Persian Gulf Arab countries, sponsorship laws exist in Qatar. These laws have been widely described as akin to modern-day slavery. The Sponsorship system (Kafeel or Kafala) exists throughout the GCC and means that a worker (not a tourist) may not enter the country without having a kafeel, cannot leave without the kafeel’s permission (an Exit Permit must first be awarded by the sponsor, or kafeel), and the sponsor has the right to ban the employee from entering Qatar within 2–5 years of his first departure. Many sponsors do not allow the transfer of one employee to another sponsor.<br /><br /><strong>Health Care<br /></strong><br />Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is the premier non-profit health care provider in Doha, Qatar. Established by the Emiri decree in 1979, HMC manages four highly specialised hospitals: Hamad General Hospital, Rumailah Hospital, Women’s Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital and the Primary Health Care Centres. These hospitals are quite sophisticated by the standards of the region, with most hosting advanced fMRI and other scanning machines. Most of them have many patients affected by Down syndrome and other mental illness caused by the high rate of <a title="Cousin marriage" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage">cousin marriage</a> in the country.<br /><br /><strong>Human Rights<br /></strong><br />Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; the most common offence was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse.<br /><br />According to the Trafficking in Persons Report by the US State Department, men and women who are lured into Qatar by promises of high wages are often forced into underpaid labor. The report states that Qatari laws against forced labour are rarely enforced and that labour laws often result in the detention of victims in deportation centres, pending the completion of legal proceedings. The report places Qatar at tier 3, as one of the countries that neither satisfies the minimum standards nor demonstrates significant efforts to come into compliance.<br /><br />The government maintains that it is setting the benchmark when it comes to human rights and treatment of labourers.<br /><br /><strong>International Rankings:<br /></strong><br />Institute for Economics and Peace<br /><a title="Global Peace Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index">Global Peace Index</a><br />16 out of 144<br /><a title="United Nations Development Programme" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Development_Programme">United Nations Development Programme</a><br /><a title="Human Development Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index">Human Development Index</a><br />33 out of 182<br /><a title="Transparency International" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_International">Transparency International</a><br /><a title="Corruption Perceptions Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index">Corruption Perceptions Index</a><br />22 out of 180<br /><a title="World Economic Forum" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forum">World Economic Forum</a><br /><a title="Global Competitiveness Report" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Competitiveness_Report">Global Competitiveness Report</a><br />22 out of 133<br /><br /><strong>Oman: Overview<br /></strong><br />Oman is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169322525247234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4Lqq5fexwI/AAAAAAAACLo/kViffvHWrQM/s320/omanflag.gif" border="0" />The Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman and Britain from 1962 to 1975. As the radical-leaning rebellion threatened to overthrow the Sultan’s rule in Dhofar and produced disorder in other parts of Oman, Sultan <a title="Said bin Taimur" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_bin_Taimur">Said bin Taimur</a> was deposed by his son <a title="Qaboos bin Said" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaboos_bin_Said">Qaboos bin Said</a>, who introduced major social reforms to deprive the rebellion of popular support and modernised the state’s administration. The rebellion ended with the intervention of Iranian Imperial ground forces and major offensives by the expanded Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces.<br /><br /><strong>Politics<br /></strong><br />Chief of state and government is the hereditary sultān, Qaboos bin Said Al Said who appoints a cabinet called the “Diwans” to assist him. In the early 1990s, the sultan instituted an elected advisory council, the Majlis ash-Shura, though few Omanis were eligible to vote. Universal suffrage for those over 21 was instituted on 4 October 2003. Over 190,000 people (74% of those registered) voted to elect the 84 seats. Two women were elected to seats. </p><p align="left">The country today has three women ministers Rawiyah bint Saud al Busaidiyah - Minister of Higher Education, Sharifa bint Khalfan al Yahya’eyah - Minister of Social Development and Rajiha bint Abdulamir bin Ali al Lawati - Minister of Tourism. There are no legal political parties nor, at present, any active opposition movement. As more and more young Omanis return from education abroad, it seems likely that the traditional, tribal-based political system will have to be adjusted. A State Consultative Council, established in 1981, consisted of 55 appointed representatives of government, the private sector, and regional interests.<br /><br /><strong>Labor<br /></strong><br />Omani law does not provide the right of union formation. The law forbids a strike for any reason. Collective bargaining is not permitted, however there exist labour-management committees in firms with more than 50 workers. These committees are not authorized to discuss conditions of employment, including hours and wages. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441169315584138242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S4Lqqfol3AI/AAAAAAAACLg/6Mt95S4sQCo/s320/christian-prudhomme-eddy-merckx-hamdoon-al-harthi-2010-1-14-8-14-12.jpg" border="0" /><br />The minimum working age is 13, but this provision is not enforced against the employment of children in family businesses or on family farms. The minimum wage for non-professional workers was $260 per month in 2002. However, many classes of workers (domestic servants, farmers, government employees) are not required to receive the minimum wage and the government is not consistent in its enforcement of the minimum wage law.<br /><br /><strong>International Rankings:<br /></strong><br />Institute for Economics and Peace<br /><a title="Global Peace Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index">Global Peace Index</a><br />21 out of 144<br /><a title="United Nations Development Programme" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Development_Programme">United Nations Development Programme</a><br /><a title="Human Development Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index">Human Development Index</a><br />56 out of 182<br /><a title="Transparency International" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_International">Transparency International</a><br /><a title="Corruption Perceptions Index" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index">Corruption Perceptions Index</a><br />39 out of 180<br /><a title="World Economic Forum" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forum">World Economic Forum</a><br /><a title="Global Competitiveness Report" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Competitiveness_Report">Global Competitiveness Report</a><br />41 out of 133<br /><br />Even though it is somewhat disconcerting to research these friends of ASO, there are obviously many other countries that are far less appealing than Qatar and Oman if you're looking to develop your sport. Or pad your bank account.<br /><br />So there you have it. Just a nice little background story for the last few weeks of professional bike racing. It’s always good to know some history…unless you’re getting paid to ignore it. D’oh.</p><p>Or is it Doha?</p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-24691312903394539512010-02-09T08:45:00.000-08:002010-02-09T14:08:50.238-08:00Suspended Disbelief - Reality SucksPerhaps the culprit is old age. It may also be a result of the economy. There is no question that Winter is at least partly to blame, and the sad end of Jersey Shore on MTV is certainly a factor. Whatever the combination of reasons, I've been a bit depressed lately.<br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436287867831135458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S3GTA1rXLOI/AAAAAAAACLI/W6dLhO78tsI/s320/cast-of-jersey-shore.jpg" border="0" />The Super Bowl was a nice distraction, and I was happy for New Orleans but the viewing experience ended up being bittersweet. The commercials almost ruined it for me. My expectations were pretty low to begin with (since I do not particularly enjoy talking babies or snack and beverage-related humor) but I was especially bummed out when Joe Montana somehow ended up on a Sketchers ad for those ridiculous-looking clubfoot sneakers. It was so bad that he didn't even show his face and only did a voice-over with his name on the screen but still. This is not something that the best quarterback of all time should have been doing. The 49ers would never have won four Super Bowls with a Sketchers-wearing QB, and you can be sure that Ronnie Lott would rather cut his whole arm off than do a commercial like that.<br /><br />It was also somewhat odd to see Lance Armstrong and various other people acting like Lance Armstrong in a Michelob Ultra commercial. I didn't mind the stunt-doubles and uber-extremeness of drinking low-calorie beer but I think that they officially killed any hope of coolness by using that freaking "Woo Hoo" song by Blur (Google "Woo Hoo Song"). That song actually makes me angry at this point. But strangely, it also makes me want to consume some crappy light beer while watching stupid movies starring Denise Richards and Drew Barrymore. Seriously though, that song came out in 1997...can we get some tunes from this century on the extreme playlist?<br /><br />Oh wait, I just remembered that the Halftime Show featured a band of 65 year old dudes, so...maybe 13 years isn’t that bad.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436288830376586066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S3GT43cFK1I/AAAAAAAACLY/BLcvEIX9_nM/s320/lance-armstrong-michelob.jpg" border="0" /><br />Anyway, it's not like I'm sitting in a dark room listening to Cure records or anything but I have been a bit gloomy lately, and am trying to locate the positive mojo that usually influences my demeanor. The problem is that the world is often a horribly depressing place, and it is sometimes quite difficult to remove oneself from the soul-crushing weight of reality on display in places like Haiti, the UCI, Iraq and Massachusetts.<br /><br />But the problem is not really reality. Reality and I have always had a somewhat contentious relationship anyway (I did grow up in Marin and Boulder...) so its influence on my mental state is debatable at best. Like many Americans, I will always have to shield myself from reality in order to avoid oppressive feelings of guilt for being so obscenely, ridiculously lucky. Again, reality is not the problem.<br /><br />The problem is that my relationship with professional athletics - the primary tool with which I have historically detached myself from reality - has been damaged to the point that I am now having trouble separating the sanctity of sports from the nasty truths of human nature and life on planet Earth. There is no escape anymore.<br /><br />The sports world is largely entertainment, but it is so much more. Professional athletics allow us a rare glimpse at a world which acknowledges concrete rules of play, with exceptionally qualified performers operating in a constantly shifting and unpredictable environment. Sure, there are always people who circumvent the rules but more than most, it is a world that overwhelmingly rewards those who deserve it.<br /><br />What makes sports even better is that we have access to highly quantifiable statistics of performance that confirm the value of professional worth and success. There are very few cases of nepotism in sports and no one simply inherits a career as an athlete. Regardless of circumstance, the sporting world does not tolerate notions of entitlement. Unless you are a football coach (which seems to be the only profession that appreciates Bush-level name recognition) there are very few opportunities to coast on the efforts of your relatives or the relative size of their bank accounts.<br /><br />For the most part, this is a great phenomenon but it can lead to some potential problems with how we, as a culture, view professional athletes as human beings. For example, just because some guy from a tough neighborhood can catch footballs exceptionally well and endorse a line of shoes does not mean that he is necessarily an excellent person off the field. But for some reason, our culture often views world-class athletes as better human beings, not just better physical specimens. Perhaps this is why we are so often disappointed by them.<br /><br />In reality, the gift of supreme athletic prowess is arguably more random and unfair than any inheritance or trust fund could ever be. Physical superiority in sports is far more rare and discriminating than any Good Old Boys Network or family business could ever be. After all, you can’t buy things like coordination, size and speed.<br /><br />All of these factors have likely contributed to my appreciation for cycling, a sport in which physical gifts and family finances are important but often trumped by determination, effort and sheer force of will. All things considered, bike racing favors those who have experienced adversity and possess the character to fight through suffering, not those who were conveniently born taller or wealthier than most.<br /><br />I learned early on that professional athletes and other celebrities are really just normal, flawed people who happen to have benefitted from a rare combination of luck and talent. There is no doubt that most of them are very good at what they do, and probably work very hard at certain times, but I have never been under the illusion that they are somehow better or happier than most of the more anonymous people I have met in my life. It seems that the only real difference lies in the fact that normal people don’t have a vicious pack of reporters and pundits destroying them in the national media whenever they happen to get in trouble. Such is the price of fame in 2010.<br /><br />The problem is that until recently, I have been able to remove the cold reality of normal life and human nature from my blind appreciation of professional sports. I used to be able to forget that my favorite baseball players were probably on steroids or that many of the players on my favorite football team were most likely not the kind of guys I would want my little sister to go on a date with. I knew these things from the start but at least I could suspend my criticism long enough to escape into the excitement of the competition for a few hours.<br /><br />I fear that I no longer have this luxury anymore, as professional sports continue to become just another tabloid media-covered minefield. Thankfully, I still believe that professional cycling has one of the highest ratios of “good guys” to “bad guys” but it’s been a long time since I thought everyone who could ride a bike fast was a decent person. With that said, I think I’d be pretty cool with my little sister dating a bike racer, especially considering my prior hope that she would hook up with a professional golfer. Yeah…not so keen on the golf guys anymore.<br /><br />In an effort to maintain this depressing theme, as well as the portrayal of cyclists as a pretty decent group of people to root for, please find the following 2009/2010 sports stories that have broken down the wall between the joy of entertainment and cruelty of life below. I have tried to limit these to one sentence because this stuff should not really be news to anyone at this point. </p><p><strong>Football </strong>- Chris Henry died after falling off the back of a pick-up truck being driven by his wife, with whom he was arguing at the time of the accident. </p><p><strong>Basketball</strong> - Gilbert Arenas was convicted of felony gun possession charges after displaying three firearms in the Washington Wizards locker room, then verbally challenging Javaris Crittenden, with whom he had gotten into an argument over gambling debts.<br /><br /><strong>Baseball</strong> - Mark McGwire finally admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his career, including the year that he broke the homerun records of Babe Ruth and Roger Maris.<br /><br /><strong>Tennis</strong> - Serena Williams was fined a record $83,500 for verbally assaulting a line official at the U.S. Open who later claimed that she feared for her life.<br /><br /><strong>Soccer</strong> – John Terry, captain of the English national team, has been accused of having an affair with the wife of a former friend and teammate.<br /><br /><strong>Golf</strong> - Tiger Woods got caught with his pants on the ground many, many times.<br /><br /><strong>Hockey</strong> – I can’t think of many scandalous hockey stories right now but I’m pretty sure there are toothless maniacs getting into trouble somewhere. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436288820157750498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 282px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S3GT4RXuHOI/AAAAAAAACLQ/1hdEqGtsVbY/s320/John-Edwards-President.jpg" border="0" />Yeesh. There are obviously many more examples of scandalous behavior among many other athletes in many other sports but again, this should not be a surprise to anyone. At least John Edwards and Charlie Sheen don’t play sports for a living. Woo Hoo!</p><p></p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-64546380149837775552010-01-26T10:33:00.000-08:002010-02-12T05:34:28.112-08:00Santos - Australian for Bike RacingBelieve it or not, the 2010 UCI professional road racing season began in Australia this past week at the Santos Tour Down Under. In mid-January. I don't know who this Santos guy is but he is obviously not a procrastinator. I mean...I like bike racing but this just seems really early for a season that culminates in late Fall. Shouldn't pro cyclists have a longer break than professional golfers? Oh wait...maybe that is not the best example.<br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431577437758544034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 285px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2DW5uOf2KI/AAAAAAAACK4/1y2WsJsRL6g/s320/TigerWoods_450x400.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Actually, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">TDU</span> has historically been an Aussie-centric event in which a bunch of Southern Hemispheric (is that a real term?) dudes battle for Outback Steakhouse stocks, kangaroo pelts and crocodile vests. It was dominated by Michael J. Dundee in the mid-eighties and then Stuart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">O'Grady</span> later on but has recently been shamed with victories by guys from Spain and Germany. While this cannot make Russell <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Crowe</span> very happy, somewhere near Walkabout Creek a young boy who has killed multiple large reptiles is dedicating his life to reclaiming the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TDU</span> crown. Watch out <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Greipel</span>.</div><br /><p>Strangely, even though Andre "Bavarian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Koko</span>" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Greipel</span> won the event in convincing fashion yet again, there was a lot of interesting activity from guys we are usually accustomed to seeing at the front in July during the Tour. With names like Armstrong, Evans, Sanchez, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Valv</span>.<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Piti</span> (oh wait, he wasn't allowed in the Tour) at the front and showing form, it was a more interesting race than I have seen in previous editions. </p><p>Unfortunately, we ended up seeing some of these guys in new kits that really should have been thought out a bit more in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">offseason</span>. I continue to be perplexed by the overwhelming redness of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">RadioShack</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">BMC</span> offerings, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Garmin</span> seems to have given up on being cool and again, I am really just horrified by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Footon</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Servetto</span> debacle. It's bad enough to rock flesh-toned <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">lycra</span> but these cats are also being forced to wear yellow helmets. I wonder if they are planning on just making them wear Hot Dog On A Stick uniforms for the Tour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">de</span> France. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431576957614708402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2DWdxjSVrI/AAAAAAAACKg/pb_ZJjkng68/s320/hot_dog_on_a_stick_girls.jpg" border="0" /><br />We'll get back to the visual aspects of the Tour Down Under shortly but it seems like we need to talk about Andre <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Greipel</span> a little bit first. For anyone who watched the coverage on Versus or any of the overhead shots on YouTube, it was clear that he was on a totally different level. I mean, even though he got caught out a couple of times, the guy was about 5mph faster than anyone else in the race. It was not close at all, despite what Team Sky would have you believe.<br /><br />On at least two occasions, The Gorilla came from over 10 riders back and basically made everyone look like kittens. In fact, I would argue that right now, he and Cavendish are the two fastest guys in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">peloton</span>. Barring injury, I predict they will win 15 Grand Tour stages between them this year, and I put their combined over/under for the season at 43.5 wins.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431576965949001154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 273px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2DWeQmVjcI/AAAAAAAACKo/e7RgpBDDDNI/s320/KokoKitty.jpg" border="0" /><br />But now we need to address <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Greipel's</span> nickname. I don't know how many Gorillas there are in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Deutschland</span> but it seems like kind of a weird association, despite the fact that he is a pretty big guy. However, the bigger issue is that I am having difficulty determining whether to refer to him as "The Gorilla" or just simply "Gorilla." In addition to being entirely irrelevant, this is really annoying to me as a writer...and fellow primate.<br /><br />Therefore, I will hereby refer to Andre <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Greipel</span> as "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Koko</span>" in honor of the smartest gorilla ever to be referenced in an episode of Seinfeld. I think <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Koko</span> is actually smarter than the chimpanzee that Kramer fought with (Bonus Question: What was the chimp's name? Answer below) at the zoo. Yeah, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Koko</span>...that Gorilla is alright. Besides, it was either that or "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Magilla</span>" or "Ronnie from the Jersey Shore" and "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Koko</span>" is just easier to explain. I would kind of like to see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Greipel</span> fight Ronnie though, and then Ina Yoko-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Teutenberg</span> can grapple with J-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Woww</span>. Then maybe Cavendish could throw down with The Situation?<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431576970474593426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2DWehdUnJI/AAAAAAAACKw/VX8Zcp6rzDM/s320/kokoshirt.jpg" border="0" /> </p><br /><p>Sticking with the highbrow <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">sophistication</span> of tabloid media, and understanding that my wife is currently caught up in the Red Carpet Season on the E! network, it follows that I am inclined to form my own Fashion Police for the bike racing world. And honestly, it's looking kind of grim in 2010 so far but there have been a couple of bright...well, er...less <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">embarrassing</span> spots that are worthy of note.</p><p>Two of the aforementioned bright spots could be seen on the feet of Lance Armstrong, who has finally made the leap to white shoes. Honestly, I thought he would have cured cancer before rocking white kicks and dishonestly, I would probably be almost as satisfied either way. Almost. I don't know if LA took <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2009/08/bikes-bloodsport-and-black-shoes-you.html">my earlier words</a> to heart and begged Nike to throw something hip together for him or not but regardless, it's good to see that he has finally come to the Dark...er, Light Side of the Shoe Force. Good grief, it's about time.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431576953125547410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2DWdg0_LZI/AAAAAAAACKY/rHGUDglUImc/s320/rshackwhite.jpg" border="0" /><br />Not so cool are the red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">RadioShack</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">tubetops</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">BMC</span> ladybug kits. Don't the team managers have any say in this process? I cannot imagine Johan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Bruyneel</span> or Jim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Ochowicz</span> advising their clothing sponsors to come up with embarrassing kits for their riders. And I am certain that <a href="http://www.discovergold.org/amgen/images/callout_tipsFromTheExpert.jpg">Mike Sayers</a> was not consulted prior to the authorization of that much fire engine red in the design.<br /><br />Having said that, I guess the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">BMC</span> kits are a little more exciting than their "<a href="http://www.bicycle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bmc_qatar.jpg">Weekend Warrior</a>" theme from the past few years. Seriously, they looked like Cat.3's last year. I like the squad and what they are doing but there has not been a more anonymous looking team in the professional ranks. And yes...I will heckle teams that are too <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">flamboyant</span> as well as those who are too plain. Come on, it's hard enough looking like a cyclist (tan lines, odd proportions etc) so the least we can do is minimize the damage from a wardrobe standpoint. Is that too much to ask?<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431602708351363522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S2Dt4qhVKcI/AAAAAAAACLA/kYxRm14Vx10/s320/kramer.jpg" border="0" /><br />Anyway, until next time...Barry and the other banana-throwing monkeys say Peace. And watch out for the ones that aren't throwing bananas. Seriously, Kramer was lucky it was only fruit. After all, Barry could have thrown a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Footon</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Servetto</span> kit at him.<br /><p></p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-42123229016506542982010-01-14T13:02:00.000-08:002010-01-14T18:03:26.291-08:002010 Pro Tour Team Preview: T-ZOkay, this is getting a little out of hand. First of all, the UCI website is making subtle changes but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">doesn</span>’t seem to be acknowledging my bigger arguments from Pro Tour Preview <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-pro-tour-team-preview-f.html">A-F</a> and <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-pro-tour-preview-g-s.html">G-S</a>. For the record, multiple teams do not have the proper sponsor names listed, and the rosters are lacking updated information as of January 14, 2010. For example, despite being the most talked-about rider in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">offseason</span>, apparently Bradley Wiggins is <a href="http://www.uciprotour.com/Modules/SUCI/TEAMS/TeamDetails.asp?id=NDA3MA&RefDate=01.01.2010&MenuId=MTU4MzI&LangId=1&BackLink=%2Ftemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI2%2Flayout%2Easp%3FMenuId%3DMTU4MzI%26LangId%3D1">not riding</a> for <a href="http://www.uciprotour.com/Modules/SUCI/TEAMS/TeamDetails.asp?id=OTk&RefDate=01.01.2010&MenuId=MTU4MzI&LangId=1&BackLink=%2Ftemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI2%2Flayout%2Easp%3FMenuId%3DMTU4MzI%26LangId%3D1">anyone</a> this year.<br /><br />And now, with the most recent UCI news <a href="http://www.uciprotour.com/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails.asp?id=NjcwMQ&MenuId=MTY5Mw&LangId=1&BackLink=%2FTemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI5%2Flayout%2Easp%3FMenuID%3DMTY5Mw%26LangId%3D1">update</a> (since the first UCI race starts in two days...in Australia) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Lampre</span> is basically just being embarrassed in public like a kid who <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">didn</span>’t get his homework in on time. I do not doubt that the paperwork was not properly completed (this is bike racing in Europe after all) but that does not change the fact that this stuff should have been addressed and finalized months ago. It is ridiculous for the UCI to have to hold their hands during the licensing process or make concessions to teams that cannot step up to their end of the organizational bargain.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426725638671416834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-aN2KDvgI/AAAAAAAACKI/dJeuZWBCeuI/s320/epic_fail.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>I know that this is just bike racing, and not global finance or high technology but it would be nice if there was more than a hint of professionalism within the top-tier of this sport. Perhaps the cycling world would be better off if slacking, disorganized and marginally qualified teams were punished for being so. But then I guess the UCI <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wouldn</span>’t get that big chunk of money for the Pro Tour license so…it makes sense that they are being lenient. It still makes everyone look bad though. Especially everyone wearing that <a href="http://images42.fotki.com/v1314/photos/1/1292031/6768317/rgoCopelandandBallanLampre2489-vi.jpg">ridiculous</a> pink and blue <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Lampre</span> kit.<br /><br />Finally, the UCI website has switched the Sky name around a few times but, as mentioned earlier, still does not have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wiggie</span> Smalls on the roster. They seem to be going back and forth between Team Sky and Sky Professional Cycling Team, with the latter being the most recent entry. But it was Team Sky when I started this thing, so I’m keeping them that way. Same with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Saxo</span> Bank, which is now listed as Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Saxo</span> Bank. Good grief, it would be nice if this stuff was worked out before mid-January.<br /><br />Now, from the Department of Redundancy Department, please find the "Team" teams listed below.<br /><br /><strong>• Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">HTC</span>-Columbia (USA)</strong><br /><br />Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">HTC</span>-Columbia was sadly misnamed Team Columbia-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">HTC</span> until very recently on the UCI website. However, I would like to give the UCI folks the benefit of the doubt and just hope that they are dyslexic instead of lazy. At this point, I would kind of like to see them get creative and put something like "Team THC-Colombia" up there, just to see if anyone notices. Now that would make for some great High Road jokes. If you can't have a sense of humor at the UCI headquarters...it's going to be pretty bumpy ride.<br /><br />As for Bob <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Stapleton's</span> crew, they basically got raided by Team Sky but were able to hang on to Mark Cavendish for at least one more year, which had to have been the only real goal this past <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">offseason</span>. As <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Wiggie</span> Smalls proved, contracts can be broken when Rupert F-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ing</span> Murdoch is paying for your lawyers, so it was good to see Cavendish stay loyal. It says a lot about the relationship between Captain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Cavman</span> and Big Money Bob, who I still think is one of the best owners in professional sports.</p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HLUIujGI/AAAAAAAACJ4/uYRH66ldUcA/s1600-h/Mark_Cavendish-gla_1443380i.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426704704458361954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HLUIujGI/AAAAAAAACJ4/uYRH66ldUcA/s320/Mark_Cavendish-gla_1443380i.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />As a result of the recent British Invasion and subsequent Pillaging, Team THC-Colombia (just checking if you're still paying attention) is noticeably thinner in the ranks than 2009. But the squad is still positioned to get some decent individual results and keep Cavendish where he needs to be in order to win another 20-30 races, as Andre <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Greipel</span> gets more and more frustrated by only winning 10-20.<br /><br />In addition to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">leadout</span> train, hopefully they will also help Cavendish think up some new finish line post-up moves. The "<a href="http://www.roadbikeaction.com/contentimages/KC_Cavendish_5_roadbikeaction.jpg">DZ Nuts</a>" salute in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Paso</span> Robles was pretty creative/obscene but I have a feeling that he is still kicking himself for fumbling with his glasses a little bit in the Tour. He could have popped a wheelie on the Champs <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Elysees</span> last year, so I am hoping that he starts upping the degree of difficulty somehow. Maybe take a foot out of the pedals like he did with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Cipo</span> in the Tour of California a few years ago. I still can't believe he did that, but somehow it adds to the legend in a strangely positive way. Far more positive than say...pointing at your junk in white shorts, for example.<br /><br />Besides <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Marky</span> Mark and his Funky Bunch sprints, it will be interesting to watch the progression of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Greipel</span> and Tony Martin in 2010. I'm still not sure what kind of rider Martin is or will be, but he has Rolf <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Aldag</span> in his corner and could give German cycling fans a bit of GC hope after some painful years. For some reason I feel better about watching him and <a href="http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/thumbnailfull/andre-greipel-wouter-weylandt-2009-9-1-12-42-3.jpg">The Gorilla</a> race than I ever did with Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Stoolmacher</span>.<br /><br /><strong>• Team Katusha (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">RUS</span>)</strong><br /><br />I must admit that I did a double-take when Cycle Sport listed Katusha as the top team in one-day races for 2009. I guess it makes sense, considering Sergei <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Ivanov's</span> win at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Amstel</span> Gold and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Pipo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Pozzato's</span> Springtime <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">wheelsucking</span> but the scientist in me wants to come up with a better formula. Not to be critical, but it seems like Quick Step taking both Flanders and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Roubaix</span>, as well as Sylvia <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Chavanel's</span> impressively consistent mediocrity, would have put them on top. I don't know, maybe I need to crunch the numbers a bit before I tick off any <a href="http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/DolphLungrenasIvanDrago%27IMustBreakYou%27.jpg">Russian dudes</a> (or Cycle Sport for that matter).<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HLJGym0I/AAAAAAAACJw/U_uJ2SHau0Q/s1600-h/robbie_mcewen_elbow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426704701497449282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HLJGym0I/AAAAAAAACJw/U_uJ2SHau0Q/s320/robbie_mcewen_elbow.jpg" border="0" /></a> In a perfect world, 2010 will mark the triumphant return of Robbie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">McEwen</span> as a sprinting threat against youngsters like Cavendish and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Farrar</span>. At the very least, I would like to see more head-butting and profanity in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">peloton</span>, and Robbie Mac is the best at that kind of stuff. When I mentioned how <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Saxo</span> Bank had some tough guys their team preview, I neglected to explain that Australians are actually in a separate class by themselves. Seriously, even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Cadel</span> Evans is kind of scary in a weird, unpredictable way but can you imagine having the King of Australian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Badassery</span> hollering at you?</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426774376113462786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0_GivRvXgI/AAAAAAAACKQ/pF-XBI2nj5Q/s320/rmac.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>There is no real frame of reference for this but for some reason, I have a recurring nightmare about Robbie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">McEwen</span> yelling at me and using weird Aussie words that I don't really understand…although I can infer that they are not complimentary. Trust me, it's a bad dream but somehow I feel tougher for having it.<br /><br /><strong>• Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Milram</span> (GER)</strong><br /><br />For the record, I have never been a fan of the team kits that actually try to portray something about the sponsor. For example, the old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Castorama</span> overalls (similar version worn <a href="http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderreport/files/2009/12/brochard94.jpg">here</a> by the one and only Laurent Brochard) were far more embarrassing for Laurent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Fignon</span> than his loss to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">LeMond</span> in the '89 Tour and despite their popularity and my appreciation for Danny Van <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Haute's</span> crew, the Jelly Belly kits have never been kind to my eye. Therefore, I just cannot imagine how the giant milk stains on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Milram</span> (a dairy company) jerseys were authorized in the first place, let alone repeated in 2010. In fact, I'm not even sure if they are milk stains or if they are trying to make the riders look like skinny blue Holstein cows. At least they don't have big white splotches on the shorts too. That would be REALLY bad.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HKxoTD4I/AAAAAAAACJo/5vjBT5qTU3c/s1600-h/milram.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426704695195537282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HKxoTD4I/AAAAAAAACJo/5vjBT5qTU3c/s320/milram.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Despite the jerseys, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Milram</span> is a decent squad that will get a number of medium-to-high quality top-5 finishes with guys like Gerald <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Ciolek</span> and Fabian "The Other Fabian" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Wegmann</span>. I will always think <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Wegmann</span> is cool because he won the final San Francisco Grand <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Prix</span>, which is my favorite event of all time. It really was a great race but I still can’t reconcile how Charles Dionne won 40% of the times it was held. Regardless, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Wegmann</span> could win something big someday and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Ciolek</span> will probably continue to have crazy head spasms which keep him from the top step. Seriously, watch him sprint with Cavendish and notice how one looks low and fast while the other looks like he may be having an epileptic seizure. It’s hard to look at sometimes.<br /><br />Anyway, I have been trying to think of a clever pun about crying over spilt milk or something in an effort to make my G-Pa and Dad proud but I can’t seem to conjure up anything fit for print. Sorry guys, I feel like I let the family down.<br /><br /><strong>• Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">RadioShack</span> (USA)</strong><br /><br />I really don’t know much about this team or any of its riders but I guess there are some guys who used to be on other teams, one dude who used to be an actor, and the director is a motivational book author from Belgium or something. I don’t know, it’s been hard to get much information on this organization or how they even managed to raise enough awareness and money to warrant a Pro Tour license. I mean…it’s not like they’re trying to cure cancer or something, right? </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426704687123693026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 311px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-HKTj0feI/AAAAAAAACJg/GzuRKYPdt10/s320/angry_on_the_phone.gif" border="0" /> Even though I can’t say much about Team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">RadioShack</span> (yet), I would like to take this opportunity to tell the primary sponsor that I still think it was messed up to charge me $36 for a new cell phone charger in 2005. That was wrong, and I will never forgive you for asking for my number and then ripping me off on the charger so that I could use my phone - which you then apparently wanted to call me on. It’s kind of funny in retrospect but I will always hold a grudge against The Shack for taking advantage of me like that. I literally felt dirty when I walked out of the strip mall.<br /><br />But with that said…thanks for sponsoring this poor little bike racing team full of starry-eyed, hopeful youngsters. Really, thank you. Dare I say it’s…<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Shacktastic</span>?<br /><br /><strong>• Team Sky (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">GBR</span>)</strong><br /><br />Team Sky is another team that seems to be having some trouble getting in the news and promoting itself lately. Either that or I have trouble understanding British people...or digesting anything from the Murdoch Empire other than The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Simpsons</span>. Actually, Arrested Development was great but Rupert’s henchmen put a premature end to that so…yeah, not too excited about Fox-related stuff on a few levels. I am aware that the News Corporation only has a 39% stake in British Sky Broadcasting but that is still a little too close to the Bill O’Reilly Zone for my conscience. Does this mean that Glenn Beck is going to start talking about bike racing? I need to stop thinking about this.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-Kv72nlkI/AAAAAAAACKA/010cNxveyaM/s1600-h/Cycling---Team-Sky-Press--001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426708632130000450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0-Kv72nlkI/AAAAAAAACKA/010cNxveyaM/s320/Cycling---Team-Sky-Press--001.jpg" border="0" /></a>In somewhat Imperialistic, cut-throat fashion, the new British team (that we’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">ve</span> known about for years) went about nabbing riders like Bradley Wiggins, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Edvald</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Boasson</span>-Hagen, Thomas <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Lovkvist</span>, and just about any other English speaking guys they could get their money-laden hands on. The Wiggins project was particularly awkward but actually made me think that bike racing is becoming a little more like a real professional sport, replete with contract disputes, lawyers and blatant lies in the media. Then again, that may not be as nice as it sounds.<br /><br />So…basically, Team Sky poached a number of big name riders from American teams and is rapidly embodying the somewhat fancy, pompous reputation developed by most of the British people I know. I’m not sure what it is about the Brits, but these guys are not making a ton of friends in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">peloton</span> and they haven’t even raced yet. Perhaps George <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Bluth</span> Sr. from Arrested Development was on to something when he warned Michael, “Sure, they’re polite and the men all sound gay, but they will rip your heart out, and their breath…”<br /><br />Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to see how Team Sky and all of the other Pro Tour squads (which <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Lampre</span> may join eventually) fare in 2010 because the season is just about to get underway in Australia at the Tour Down Under. I can’t think of many better places to kick off the rust and sweat through some new team clothing, although I hope nobody makes Robbie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">McEwen</span> or any of the other natives mad. Even the new World Champion (who is not riding for a Pro Tour team, in case you didn't hear my consternation the first time) has proven to be pretty tough. Like I said before, mess with Australians at your own risk. Just ask the management at Omega <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Pharma</span>-Lotto. D'oh.<br /></p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-58613801952250599752010-01-12T07:57:00.000-08:002010-01-13T08:13:19.168-08:002010 Pro Tour Team Preview: G-SPlease forgive the unavoidable delay since my last preview of <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-pro-tour-team-preview-f.html">Pro Tour teams A-F</a>. It seems that the graphic and disturbing nature of the new Footon-Servetto kit has caused the FCC to consider charging the team and the UCI with Cycling-Related Crimes Against Humanity, and now journalists who have referenced them publicly are being interrogated. I had three guys in suits and sunglasses banging on my door the other day, asking me if I knew anything about the new kit design, its possible effect on school children and general notions of public decency. They then confiscated my computer for nearly a week and I just now got it back. Strangely, all references of the team have been deleted from my hard drive. <div><div><div><div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425959336272622626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0zhRLQ-dCI/AAAAAAAACIw/cfbcXSUy3t8/s320/Footon.png" border="0" /><br /><div>In addition to the Footon-Servetto delay, I was planning on giving the UCI a chance to kick off the vacation dust and make some changes to its website. But...as of January 11, 2010, our leaders in Switzerland still have not gotten around to updating the Pro Tour pages to include Lampre-Fondital among the public list of licensed teams. Therefore, I guess they missed the bus, and Damiano "<a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2008/04/cunego-changes-nickname-to-fresh-prince.html">Fresh Prince</a>" Cunego will have to bear the brunt of the UCI giving me extra time to think of new Carlton and Jazzy Jeff jokes.</div><div><br />Please find the G-S teams listed below. Again, this content is based on the UCI website so it may or may not be accurate. And again, the T's are going to be ridiculous because of the inexplicable use of "Team" as a first name. Whatever.</div><br /><div></div></div><div></div><div>• <strong>Garmin-Slipstream (USA)</strong>* </div><div><br /></div><div>*Please note that the team is not yet recognized as Garmin-Transitions on the UCI website. Again...on January 11, 2010 the correct sponsor name is not listed. Sweet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, now that brooding Brit Bradley Wiggins (aka Wiggie Smalls) has followed the pounds to Team Sky (although you wouldn't know it from the UCI lists) the team will be able to focus on helping Americans Christian Vande Velde, Dave Zabriskie and Tom Danielson in stage races throughout the season. Additonally, the emergence of Irishman Dan Martin will give Jonathan Vaughters and Matt "<a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2009/08/bikes-bloodsport-and-black-shoes-you.html">Lt. Jonathan Kendrick</a>" White viable GC options in almost any kind of event throughout the year. In a strange way, I feel like each of these guys has a lot prove this year, either to confirm that they deserve the recognition or to finally make the leap to the next level. The effect of resident Mad Scientist Allen Lim's defection to RadioShack will also be interesting to watch as the season progresses.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425959322086667362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0zhQWax9GI/AAAAAAAACIg/UsHOBc0qkZE/s320/2009_paris-nice_christian_vande_velde_garmin_slipstream_wins_stage4.jpg" border="0" /><br />One of the biggest hurdles to success in 2010 will be trying to solve the Cavendish Conundrum for Tyler "Farrah Fawcett" Farrar in the sprints. I don't know if the big man from Washington will be able to close the gap to the Teen Wolf of Man but it would be nice if we finally got around to consistently pronouncing his name correctly. It's hard enough to finish second a hundred times in a season, let's at least make sure to get the guy's name right as we describe his frustrating near-misses. Okay Phil and Paul?</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, I see Team Sky's cherrypicking of Pro Tour talent as the best thing that could have happened to Garmin-Transitions in 2010. With the diminished Columbia train, not to mention the removal of Wiggie Smalls and his snotty aloofness (seriously, why call out Armstrong and tick off most of your primary competition in the off-season?), I see the Argyle Armada being a more focused crew who will be better prepared to fight with Cavendish and support VDV, DZ and Tommy D in the stage races. My hunch is that 2010 will be the most successful year in the history of this team. I would also like a job with them...but I swear that has nothing to do with my prediction.</div><p>• <strong>Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)</strong> </p><div>It sounds weird but...Liquigas is freaking stacked. I really don't know how else to say it. A quick glance at the roster shows names like Bennati, Chicchi, Kreuziger, Nibali, Pellizotti, and Basso, not to mention a bunch of other intensely greased up and cologned Italian dudes. I can't point to much hope for the Spring Classics (even though Quinziato stepped up last year) but Kermit the Frog's favorite team looks pretty decent in both the sprints and the GC for 2010. As Italian cycling slowly fades in to the past, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYp28tEAVvs">Gas Face</a> crew is keeping the torch lit for a little while. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the most intriguing component of the lime green gang is the established rivalry amongst Franco "Soul Glow" Pellizotti, Roman "Holiday" Kreuziger, Vincenzo "Nibbles" Nibali, and Ivan "The Terrible" Basso. As far as I can tell, none of these guys really like each other and they all seem to be equally good and flawed at the same time. It's like they stocked up on a bunch of cats who probably can't win a Grand Tour but will certainly be fighting each other for spots in the Top 10. I don't know if this is a strategic benefit or not but the drama in 2010 could be Astana-esque. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425959343914930354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0zhRnvC0LI/AAAAAAAACI4/oMRJ8XgvMxc/s320/liquigas.jpg" border="0" /><br />My only other thought is that they really, really need to do something about those kits. Enough is enough. It's time to leave the <a href="http://www.tapeworks.com/KAWASAKI%20Images/1989ZX7GreenStock.jpg">1989 Kawasaki </a>theme in the closet, where it belongs. With that many narcissistic Italians on the team, you would think they'd have switched to something a little cooler by now.<br /><div><br />• <strong>Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)</strong> </div><br /><div>Having lost Cadel Evans almost immediately after winning the World Championship, the Omega Pharma-Lotto team basically gets no reward for years of near-misses by the snippy Australian. Without placing blame on anyone, I wonder how many times in recent history a new World Champ has bolted for a team that, at least on the surface, is in an inferior league. BMC may be stronger than OP-Lotto on paper, but the fact remains that a Pro Tour team lost the rainbow jersey to a Pro Continental team that has virtually no guaranteed starts in the biggest Pro Tour events. One could argue that Evans' salary is probably less than the cost of entry into the Pro Tour, and yet his presence guarantees BMC entry into the best Pro Tour events. So...why are these other teams spending millions of dollars to get a UCI Pro Tour license again? Good grief, I think my head is going to explode.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425959331230333618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0zhQ4ezOrI/AAAAAAAACIo/u4ucqPYwGVQ/s320/2009_paris-roubaix_leif_hoste_johan_van_summeren.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Anyway, Leif Hoste will probably finish second in excrutiating fashion during some big races this Spring but at least he won't be crashing with Johan Van Summeren anymore. That's a good thing, I guess. Now he can just crash and lose on his own. </div><br /><div>Philippe Gilbert will probably continue to win late-season races while the rest of the field except Cunego and Sammy Sanchez are recovering from the Spring Classics, Giro and the Tour. I know it puts some pressure on, but seriously, why wouldn't you just target late-season events like the Vuelta and Lombardy with the understanding that half of the best guys in the world are basically on vacation or getting ready for the off-season? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like more guys target the Spring and Summer than the Fall. After numerous dismal starts, maybe Gilbert and Omega-Pharma Lotto are just good at playing the odds. It sure worked in 2009.</div><div></div><br /><div></div><div>• <strong>Quick Step (BEL) </strong></div><br /><div>Barring yet another cocaine bust, Quick Step seems like they are fading from the spotlight, not to mention the ranks of the power teams. With the exception of Tom Boonen, the biggest name on this team is the Patrick LeFevere (or Lefevre..or LeFavre) who is essentially a prototype of the typically arrogant and self-serving Belgian director. How many times has LeFevere been involved in disputes with riders over the last few years? Honestly, I don't even know...but I'm pretty sure it's more than any other Pro Tour figurehead. Sadly, it is turning out that Quick Step represents the old guard of Belgian "Goombah" mentality more than any other organization, and they had better hope the Spring turns out well or else it's going to be ugly in 2010.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425960664701740674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 211px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0ziegDKJoI/AAAAAAAACJQ/21Lz-q7-hUQ/s320/tbautobot.jpg" border="0" /><br />If I could bet my entire life savings on something, I would (maybe) put everything on the odds that Quick Step does NOT win either Flanders or Roubaix in 2010. After so many years of dominance, this feels like the year that it all falls apart for the historically successful Belgian team. Sorry Tomeke, but I can't envision good fortune for your team, let alone for anyone who wears socks that combine the World Championship stripes and the Autobot logo (see above photo). Seriously, that is totally unacceptable. You only missed the "Transformer's Are Cool" bus by about 20 years there Big Guy. Besides, everyone knows that the Decepticons were way better than the Autobots. Come on, <a href="http://www.yuanlei.com/transformers/autobots/gen1/big/bumblebee.jpg">Bumblebee</a> or <a href="http://www.carrentals.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/soundwave.jpg">Sound Wave</a>? No contest.</div><p>• <strong>Rabobank (NED)</strong> </p><p>Does anyone really root for Denis Menchov? Honestly, I don't know. Has there been anyone in the history of professional cycling who has won as many Grand Tours and gets less credit or publicity? Again, I can't think of anyone who has been more successful and less popular. Is it just a function of sucking in the Tour? Really? By results alone, he is one of the best riders in the last 20 years but you'd be hard pressed to get anyone to mention the guy's name in the same sentence as Pantani or Ullrich, or even Basso. Arguably, only Armstrong and Indurain have been more successful since 1990, so it must be the fact that he crashes so much, thus allowing slow, fat journalists to fool themsleves into thinking that he's not that good. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425960148734326114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0ziAd68NWI/AAAAAAAACJA/5LiSZ9_9JBk/s320/raboabnk.jpg" border="0" /><br />It would be nice to see Oscar Freire win something again but we really need to get Robert Gesink some help. He seems to be following the Menchov formula of being exceptionally strong but strangely prone to decking it at the worst possible time. It's not even like he crashes in groups or anything, he just flies off the road for no reason. I am beginning to wonder if the Rabobank team is cursed, after watching Rasmussen, Menchov, Horillo, Flecha and now Gensink flailing across the road and into the bushes so many times. I know that Flecha has gone to Sky but he was another example of a guy who just couldn't manage to stay on his Rabobank team bike. Maybe if they change their boring kits, they will have better luck. Wishful thinking...</div><br /><div>• <strong>Saxo Bank (DEN)<br /></strong><br />As usual, the Saxo Bank empire is built on the combined "Hard Man" foundation of Bjarne Riis, Jens Voigt and Fabian Cancellara. I always laugh when I think of bike racers fighting but honestly, are there three other dudes in the sport who you think could take The Bald Eagle, <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2007/02/jens-voigt-eats-pieces-of-st-like-you.html">Chuck Norris</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Cancellara">Tony Montana</a> in a street fight? I don't think so. But I would pay just about anything for the Pay Per View if someone wants to set up a tag-team match in the Octagon. </div><div><br /></div><div>This actually brings up another question: Is hitting the deck at 40 miles per hour more painful than getting punched in the face or kicked in the ribs? </div><div></div><div>Although I have never been punched in the face (yet) or kicked in the ribs (yet) I would have to assume that crashing on a bike is WAY worse. If some tatooed donkey clocks me in the jaw, I figure I fall down and curl up like a child while someone comes over, stops the fight and takes the other idiot off to jail for a few hours. But you can't take the easy way out in bike racing; bad things are going to happen if you crash at any speed and they are probably more gruesome and painful than taking a fist in the mouth. Therefore...I think Jens Voigt will beat up Kimbo Slice and will win the MMA title in a few months. Then he will win the Criterium International while wearing the championship belt around his waist...just to show that he can. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425960150665040898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0ziAlHQlAI/AAAAAAAACJI/saHkR19xXXc/s320/Tour_de_France_0580.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div>Interestingly, the Schleck Brothers (aka Schlecks N Effect) are going to probably get more media attention than anyone else on the team in 2010. For some reason, people think that Andy can beat Contador (which he can't) and that somehow the siblings are strengthened by each other (which they aren't). After all, if the 2009 stage to Ventoux was any example, there is nothing to be gained by Frank having anything more than a Lieutenant role in the GC of any Grand Tour. The bottom line is that unless they can do a "<a href="http://images.smh.com.au/2009/04/07/463808/face_off_lead_gallery__600x382-420x0.jpg">Face Off</a>" style surgery that allows Fabian Cancellara to time trial for Andy, the Saxo Bank crew will not get to the top step of the Tour any time soon. Sorry Luxembourg.<br /><p>With that said, Bjarne's Army will again challenge for the title of the best team in the world, after having given up that claim to Columbia and Astana for the past few years. Especially with recent news that Saxo Bank will be pulling its sponsorship at the end of 2010, you can bet that B. Riis will have everyone's feet firmly in the flames all year.</p><p>Stay tuned for the 2010 Pro Tour Preview: T-Z coming soon... </p><p></p></div></div>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-40215575417029456082010-01-05T10:07:00.001-08:002010-01-05T19:25:17.293-08:002010 Pro Tour Team Preview: A-FAs of January 5th 2010, the most recent Pro Tour team information on the UCI website is from late November 2009. Sweet. The website lists 17 Pro Tour teams although there has been news that Lampre was granted the 18th Pro Tour license. Unfortunately, the UCI apparently takes the entire month of December off, and has not bothered to post this information on their website. But that's okay, I'm sure this makes it easier for everyone to line up sponsors and funding when you don't even know which races you will be eligible for until January.<br /><br />Can you imagine if we didn't know which teams were going to be playing in the NFL, NBA or MLB just a few months before the season? Oh, the Giants are going to be a Minor League team this year? Really? I know cycling is a unique business and there must be some kind of rationale for such tardiness and ambiguity in the licensing process but I am consistently amazed by how shabby professional cycling looks in relation to other sports. Reading the UCI website is a rather fascinating, and oddly depressing endeavor.<br /><br />In spite of this unfortunate circumstance, I will attempt to provide a brief overview of the 17 Pro Tour teams listed on the UCI website as of early January 2010. It should be noted that the teams are listed alphabetically, although many of them actually have the term "Team" as the first name (Team Columbia-HTC, Team Milram, etc) so there will be an inordinate amount of "T" listings. Again, I am basing this off of published information from the UCI so don't blame me for the confusion. There will be further analysis upon completion of this list but this will have to do for the time being.<br /><br />Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 UCI Pro Tour Team Pre Preview:<br /><br /><br />• <strong>AG2R La Mondiale (FRA)</strong><br /><div><div><div><div><p>AG2R La Mondial 2009 is remembered for Rinaldo Nocentini’s run in the yellow jersey during the Tour de France, but they are also notorious for orchestrating one of the strangest mid-season kit changes in recent memory. Not really having any household names on their roster after the departure of Christophe Moreau, the French squad went about their pre-Tour business somewhat anonymously in a somewhat boring blue and white design. However, the team underwent a curious fashion transformation which somehow led to the inexplicable vision of the yellow jersey accompanied by brown cycling shorts. How this happened is still a mystery. A crazy French murder mystery. Brown shorts are better than white or yellow, but the whole thing just seemed awkward. Although strangely, I ended up thinking the splotchy white and blue jersey with the brown shorts was kind of cool. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423370499471531138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 269px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0OuvCpVXII/AAAAAAAACIY/ewJuLMk81U8/s320/nocentini1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p>Besides Nocentini and his Franco-Italian soul-patch, the squad is built around the Efemkin twins (I think Vladimir and Evgeni are the Russian names for Mary Kate and Ashley), the future of Nicholas Roche (and history of his father) and the ghost of Cyril Dessel’s yellow jersey from 2006. Sadly, the main thing I think of with Dessel is how many times his name was pronounced "Cereal" by the OLN announcers. We'll see if the brown shorts come back in 2010 because I'm not sure if I see another yellow jersey run in the near future. </p><p></p><p>• <strong>Astana (KAZ) </strong></p><p>What do you get when you combine the government of Kazakhstan, the best bike racer in the world, the worst Tour champion ever, and a sketchy <a href="http://caliradocyclist.blogspot.com/2007/07/vino-cold-blooded-super-freak.html">super-freak</a> nicknamed after wine? You get Astana 2010, that’s what. </p><p>The UCI Pro Tour website continues to recognize them by the same name but this Astana team is a shell of the 2009 version and sadly, continues to keep the horrible baby blue and yellow kits. The only significant difference is the inclusion of a few large red Specialized logos which look like stickers. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423370495831076242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0Ouu1FYbZI/AAAAAAAACIQ/k44t5IXaZO8/s320/ContadorAloneSmall.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p>Contador could probably finish on the podium of the Tour by himself but it will be interesting to see how he and Vinokourov share the load over the course of the year. Lance and Johan were going to leave and do their own thing anyway but they clearly realized that Astana is Vino’s team, the result being a severely weakened 2010 squad in almost every respect. The addition of Oscar Pereiro seems like a PR move, cashing in on his tainted Tour win yet again. Unless he crashes in spectacular fashion (yet again) I doubt he will be of much interest. He's like a guy who won the lottery but still needs to work. The motivation just isn't the same. It will be interesting to see if this attitude creeps into the rest of the team as well, especially Contador, who almost seemed ready to take 2010 off if Astana didn't come up with the dough. </p><p></p><p>• <strong>Caisse d’Epargne (ESP)</strong> </p><p>The Spanish team of Spanish riders won the 2009 Tour of Spain, which was good for them (but horribly bad for those who think that the Italian ban on Valverde should be enforced worldwide) and theoretically good for the country. I don't know though. Spain's reputation has not been enhanced by anything stained with Operacion Puerto blood and unfortunately, Caisse d'Epargne won the Vuelta with a guy who seems to be clearly involved. Unfortunately for cycling fans, he also happens to be really good and just won a Grand Tour while banned from racing in another country. This is not what the sport, or Spain's reputation for that matter, needs right now.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423370492262103346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0OuunyeOTI/AAAAAAAACII/fajoTduc6Ro/s320/leon.bmp" border="0" /><br />All Valverde issues aside, CdE does have other riders who deserve positive attention. Luis Leon-Spinks Sanchez is one of the sharpest and exciting young talents in the peloton and it will very interesting to see if he can continue his progression as a stage racer. After all, he is basically the only guy to beat Contador in the last few years with his victory in Paris-Nice. His tactical sense and time trialling are stronger than Valv.Piti's and he could be in a position to benefit from lying slightly off the main radar in a Grand Tour. </p><p>The signing of La Chien, Christophe Moreau was curious, but at the end of the day (and beginning of 2010) Valverde remains the gigantic elephant in the CdE bus. </p><p></p><p>• <strong>Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)</strong> </p><p>We knew Samuel Sanchez was good (2008 Olympic Champion - in case you couldn't tell from his gold-highlighted helmet and bike) but his performance in the 2009 Vuelta was quite impressive, and showed that he may be a Grand Tour contender as well. He just better hope that there are no more team time trials ever again because his stubbornly Basque team is stubbornly one of the most insignificant squads in the Pro Tour. I am beginning to think that their biggest contribution to most races is providing a nice splash of bright orange in Graham Watson photos. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423369823505922178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0OuHsekuII/AAAAAAAACH4/_l_MVIFt2Pk/s320/samu.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>After Landaluze tested positive, it is difficult to name many of the riders on Euskaltel-Euskadi. This is not because I don't know who they are, it's because their names are literally hard to pronounce. They are just a massive jumble of x's and t's and k's, with vowels in odd places (see Amets Txurruka, etc). He may not admit it but I am certain that this is Phil Liggett's least favorite team.<br /><br /></div><p></p><p>• <strong>Footon-Servetto (ESP)</strong> </p><p>Even though 2009 was a barren, meager year for Fuji-Servetto, at least they got another sponsor with an "F" name for 2010. That was pretty convenient, and I can't wait for my spellcheck to suggest calling them "Futon" throughout the season. That will be fun. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423370489603319746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0Ouud4kZ8I/AAAAAAAACIA/YrGJ-asNhbc/s320/cobo.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>After losing Juan Jose Cobo and his shinguards/socks to CdE, this team is pretty unremarkable. So unremarkable that I really can't think of anything significant they did last year or are likely to do this year. Personally, I will consider Footon-Servetto's season a success if they manage to be mentioned in North American cycling media more than five times the entire season.</p><p></p><p>• <strong>Française des Jeux (FRA)</strong> </p><p>The best thing that I can say about FdJ is that they are really loyal to their original jersey design. Other than having one of the most familiar kits in the sport, there is really not much else to say about this French team. Seriously, I really wish I had more to say about these guys but with the exception of Sandy Casar’s occasional stage win, there are very few big results to be seen. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423369815246835442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/S0OuHNtdDvI/AAAAAAAACHo/QpLHJKNKrgw/s320/nalini-francais-zoom.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div>While still maintaining their image as a French development team, two of the more intriguing riders are Wesley Sulzberger from Australia and Jussi Veikkanen from Finland. If nothing else, they have great names and are actually pretty decent finishers as well. I would really like to hear the name “Juicy” on the PA at a big event. Whenever you can get the title of a Notorious BIG song pronounced in your name, you are destined for good things. This is why I always thought that Yaroslav Popyvich should have changed his name to Big Popo, but that is another story.<br /><br />Stay tuned for more shortly...</div><div></div></div></div>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-69023008491840371182009-12-29T13:47:00.000-08:002009-12-29T17:43:02.332-08:002009 Road Season Recap - Good RiddanceAs far as I am concerned, 2009 was a truly lame year on almost every level. It may seem myopic to cast such judgment on the last 365 or so days of history but for me and almost everyone I ever speak with or listen to, this is a fairly common sentiment. For nearly everyone except Mark Cavendish and people who like vampires, the past year pretty much sucked and there seems to be a general sense of relief that the first decade of the 21st century (don't get started on the semantics of this statement, you know what I mean) is coming to a close. Besides, according to the Mayans, Nostradamus and the History Channel, we only have a few more years before it’s all over anyway so hopefully 2010 will make up for the last year of lameness. After all, it would be nice to enjoy the final years of human existence.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420801015676303746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SzqNzZl2eYI/AAAAAAAACHg/xtkY-gLD42A/s320/count_jersey.jpg" border="0" /><br />On that positive note, let’s look back on 2009 in a semi-chronological, semi-freestyle manner, since excessive research is certain to be excessively depressing. Here we go:<br /><br /><strong>January</strong>: The most historic event of the year (sorry Lance) takes place as Barack Obama is inaugurated President of the United States of America. Unfortunately, he inherits a rat’s nest of domestic and international problems that even exceeds Pat McQuaid taking over the UCI from Hein Verbruggen. Perhaps Barack and Pat should have a pint sometime and discuss how impossible their respective jobs are. Who would want those positions? I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.<br /><br /><strong>February</strong>: The fourth edition of the Tour of California takes place, marking the return of Lance Armstrong to the U.S. peloton after a few years of running around with Wooderson from Dazed and Confused. Alright, alright, alright. Despite having his bike stolen and hitting the deck a few times, LA proves that he is serious (duh) and helps Levi Leipheimer take his third consecutive victory in the Amgen ToC. Perhaps the most intriguing result is captured by Tom Peterson, the young American hopeful who hangs with LL and takes the stage win into Santa Cruz ahead of some big names. </p><p><strong>March</strong>: The European season begins in earnest with Paris-Nice and the beginning of the Armstrong-Contador rivalry on Twitter. Contador bonks and loses to Luis Leon-Spinks Sanchez which prompts LA to publicly heckle his own teammate and show the first sign of his true resentment toward the Spaniard. Go Team!<br /><br />Tirreno-Adriatico provides some early season sprints, climbs and TT’s as well as a podium of sketchiness in Scarponi, Garzelli and Kloden. Tyler Farrar manages to surprise a distracted Mark Cavendish and beats the Manxman to the line, thereby allowing the American media to fool itself into thinking he might do it again. Understandably, Cavendish holds a grudge and goes on to frustrate the American for the rest of the year.<br /><br />Milan-Sanremo is perhaps my favorite race, and the 2009 edition of the event confirms its reputation as a Classic. The biggest question is always who can get over the final climbs in good position for the finish although it seems that the sprinters have little difficulty handling them these days. This is again evidenced by Mark Cavendish having enough energy to burst from the pack in the closing meters to nip a courageous Heinrich Haussler in a photo finish after nearly 300 kilometers. If you listen closely, you can hear all of the other sprinters emitting a collective groan as they realize MC is only 23 years old.<br /><br /><strong>April</strong>: The Tour of Flanders is an amazingly complex and difficult race, which makes it somewhat odd that the 2009 edition plays out almost exactly the same as the prior year. Similar to 2008, everyone follows Tom Boonen and ends up watching Stijn Devolder ride away with the race. Good for Belgium, not so good for Filippo Pozzato, who confirms his status as Boonen’s Spring shadow.<br /><br />Norwegians are cool and Ghent-Wevelgem gives a glimpse at the future of Nordic bike racing goodness. Despite the truly bothersome phonetics of his name, Edvald Boasson Hagen is going to be a good one for the Classics and the sprints in years to come. He’s like a younger, Scandinavian Tom Boonen. The only thing that is unfortunate is his apparent ignorance of cycling history. And his haircut. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420801011124458642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SzqNzIom1JI/AAAAAAAACHY/pYMaYHF9OlA/s320/ebh.jpg" border="0" /><br />Later, in Paris-Roubaix Pozzato again plays the role of greasy-haired follower as Boonen rides steadily away from a bunch of people who can’t manage to stay on their bikes. Thor Hushovd is in a great position to get into the Roubaix velodrome with Boonen but decks it into the crowd as the Belgian rides away for his third win.<br /><br />In the hilly classics, a Russian guy with the most Russian name ever (Sergei Ivanov) wins Amstel Gold for a Russian team, an apparent cheater nicknamed after a cartoon character (Tin-Tin) wins Fleche-Wallone, and Andy Schleck rights the wrongs of the 2008 Liege-Bastogne-Liege with an impressive win in La Doyenne.<br /><br /><strong>May</strong>: The Giro d’Italia becomes a farce as Danilo DiLuca defies all rational thought and actually contends for the overall victory. Despite the semi-obvious ridiculousness of DiLuca and his drug-ridden performance, Denis Menchov proves too strong and too robotic to beat, securing his third Grand Tour victory ahead of names like Basso, Armstrong and Sastre. As usual, Menchov crashes in the final time trial, perhaps just to remind us that he is not a cyborg. One would think that robots would be better bike handlers.<br /><br /><strong>June</strong>: The Dauphine-Libere again proves to be a strange event as Alejandro Valverde wins for the second year in a row. Perhaps Valv.Piti is more motivated than his competitors since he is not allowed to race in Italy and is prohibited from competing in the upcoming Tour de France. Interestingly, Alberto Contador seems more than willing to let his compatriot take the victory, perhaps hinting that he will rely on Spanish support during the Tour.<br /><br />In Switzerland, Fabian Cancellara wins a Tour de Suisse that could not be more suited to his capabilities. Nevertheless, after a mediocre Spring campaign Fab-Can shows that he will be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.<br /><br /><strong>July</strong>: For anyone really paying attention, the Tour de France is a formality as Alberto Contador proves, yet again, that he is on another level. Despite media efforts to create competitive tension, the race is essentially over the moment Contador finishes the prologue in Monaco. Nobody is going to beat Cancellara for the first yellow jersey but the Spaniard is faster than Bradley Wiggins, Cadel Evans and a full 22 seconds in front of Armstrong after only 15 kilometers. No one can drop him (or even stay with him) in the mountains, and Contador goes on to win the final time trial as well, raising eyebrows and crushing dreams along the route around Lake Annecy.<br /><br />Understanding that Contador is going to win unless Lance is willing to stick a pump in his spokes, the remainder of the Tour is an open audition for the future 2nd and 3rd place finishers over the next few years of Spanish spider monkey-style dominance. Andy Schleck seems to be a contender in the mountains but will have to get a lot better in the TT’s while Wiggins holds his own on the climbs but will have to prove that he is truly deserving of recognition as a future contender to Contador’s throne. If anything, the 2009 Tour de France proves that AC is not quick to back down and may have as much inner fury as his pseudo-teammate from Texas. This is scary.<br /><br />Also scary is the fact that Mark Cavendish is virtually unbeatable in bunch sprints. Never before in my experience has someone dominated finishes the way that Columbia and Cavendish did in 2009. As such, the final stage on the Champs Elysees is the most impressive victory of the entire Tour, as George Hincapie crushes the run-in on a broken collarbone (almost single-handedly destroying the Garmin train) and sets up Mark Renshaw and Cavendish for the easiest and most convincing sprint finish I have ever seen. On the biggest stage possible.<br /><br /><strong>August</strong>: Despite many near-misses throughout the year, Tyler Farrar finally catches a bit of momentum with an impressive win at Vattenfalls and a near-sweep of the Eneco Tour. Unfortunately, very few people have ever heard of these races.<br /><br />Back in the States, Big George Hincapie uses his post-Tour, post-broken collarbone fitness to ride away with a third USPRO Championship in his hometown. After getting jobbed by Garmin-Slipstream during the Tour, Melanie’s husband gets a popular win in the Road Race as Dave Zabriskie saves face for the Argyle Armada and takes home yet another Captain America skinsuit in the Time Trial.<br /><br /><strong>September</strong>: Despite Pat McQuaid’s prayers and ongoing battles regarding Operacion Puerto, Alejandro Valverde actually rides an intelligent race and wins the Vuelta Espana. Cadel Evans suffers extremely bad luck and Tom Danielson continues to subject the world to flashes of brilliance followed by painful disappointment. As screwed up as it seems, very few people are surprised by any of this. On the positive side, Tyler Farrar, Ryder Hesjedal and David Millar all win stages for Garmin-Slipstream, continuing a solid late-season rush that they all wish would have happened a couple months earlier.<br /><br />In the Show Me State, Dave Zabriskie time trials his way to victory in the Tour of Missouri. Interestingly, the win is the first for DZ in a stage race and he is put under intense pressure for the final days of the event, despite the generally false assumption that Missouri is flat.<br /><br />The World Championships are held in Switzerland and Fabian Cancellara comes very close to pulling off a truly amazing TT/RR double-gold performance. After destroying everyone in the TT, Fab-Can seems to be the strongest in the Road Race but falls victim to a late attack by Cadel Evans who goes on to a solo victory. No one argues that Evans is not worthy of the win but I have to wonder if we will ever witness someone come that close to wearing both professional rainbow jerseys.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420801003588612370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SzqNysj68RI/AAAAAAAACHQ/CDt4BeqqKPs/s320/philippe_gilbert_lotto.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>October</strong>: Philippe Gilbert corners the market on late-season form and goes on a tear, winning four post-Worlds races in a row. The biggest win comes in the Giro di Lombardia as the Belgian shows his all-around skill by hanging with Sammy Sanchez on the final climb and descent before handling the Olympic champion in the final sprint. It remains to be seen whether Gilbert can keep his momentum through the offseason and challenge for some of the Spring Classics but if the final weeks of the 2009 season are any indication, he will be a confident challenger in 2010, despite his weird shoe design.<br /><br />All in all, 2009 was a pretty entertaining year in the cycling world. Sure, there were many things that I did not recall in this process and there are many reasons that the aforementioned events stuck out to me, good and bad. But at the end of the day (or year), bike racing continued to provide a welcome diversion from the mundanity of my existence and yet again confirmed my optimism for the upcoming season. I can only hope that 2010 turns out better than 2009 on every level. Especially for Chris Horner.</p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-22078634903936250352009-11-11T05:53:00.000-08:002009-11-11T08:13:47.753-08:00Veterans Day Discourse - The Price of CourageVeterans Day means many things to many people. Personally, it is a time to reflect on the horror of war and honor those who have died in battle. But mostly, it is an opportunity to be exceedingly grateful that I have never had a compelling reason to join the military. I am also quick to recognize how lucky I am to have even had a choice in the matter. Thankfully, the thought of being forced to war (a frightening reality in the U.S. until 1973) is utterly inconceivable and I am thoroughly appreciative of the ability to consciously, legally avoid situations where I am forced to kill or be killed.<br /><br />Since my generation has never had to worry about a draft, there has always been an assumption that one joins the military to either a) locate some financial assistance or a future career, or b) satisfy some kind of psychological urge for structure or violence. This is a generalization, of course, but also neatly sums up the core themes of Armed Forces advertising campaigns, so these opportunities must be appealing to someone. Without question, the decision is certainly a combination of various critical factors and there are obviously very complex reasons for signing your life away to Uncle Sam for a minimum of two years. Yet somehow I imagine that the best soldiers (at a time when enlistment is not mandatory) possess a healthy appreciation of (or at least a tolerance for) the latter elements.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402845250483350066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 297px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SvrDITt3ajI/AAAAAAAACG8/GtvXEPmrRr0/s320/pat-tillman-730221.jpg" border="0" /><br />For the record, I say all of this with a strong military presence in my family and deep respect for the security we enjoy courtesy of our Armed Forces. But beyond this appreciation of personal fortune and the sacrifice of others, I generally accomplish my patriotic duty for Veterans Day by watching football all week long and drinking domestic beer. I do this most Fall weeks anyway but recent military-themed NCAA and NFL programming over the past few days has forced me to come to a seemingly unpatriotic and unsettling conclusion: America killed Pat Tillman.<br /><br />For those familiar with Tillman’s story (and more importantly, with the extent to which he has been glorified by the media; especially NFL-related sports outlets), this statement may fall somewhere between mildly shocking to grossly offensive. In truth, even I am disturbed by the potentially inflammatory nature of a claim that, if misinterpreted, may seem to minimize the inherent value of a life taken in the line of duty. It should be clear that this is certianly not my intent. It just seems as if his legacy should be examined within a semi-objective cultural context that serves as more than a vehicle for Chris Berman's labored superlatives, a heavily-orchestrated soundtrack and Arizona Cardinal football highlights.<br /><br />Theoretically, Pat Tillman left a successful NFL career and sacrificed his life defending the United States of America. This is his lasting public legacy. But in reality he has (in the media-driven wake of his horrifyingly un-glorious death) become a depressingly simplified representation of a highly dangerous, uniquely American mix of arrogance, aggression, and tragedy. In reality, Pat Tillman, and most importantly his death as a result of being shot in the head three times by “alleged” friendly fire in Afghanistan, represents little more than a grim casualty of this country’s fundamental political, industrial, military and sporting ideology. Kill or be killed.<br /><br />In public, Pat Tillman’s legacy is recounted with words like “hero” and “warrior.” In private, by those who truly loved him and miss him, there are likely unheard cries of “victim” and “waste.” These are not angry, mean-spirited words. They are deeply, painfully sad words. To his family and his country, Tillman was a tragically willing manifestation of a culture that outwardly encourages personal sacrifice while comfortably judging the world through television sets in the safety of warm living rooms. His legacy is carved in stone among the largely irrelevant flag-waving, jersey-wearing masses but Marie Tillman is now a widow and his family has been forever devastated by his choice to fight in a war that he may have ultimately come to question.<br /><br />Pat Tillman was different than most people, and probably did not have much in common with many of those who now claim to idolize him. He was a man of extreme action and outward strength, whose life was brutally extinguished in an effort to embody values few possess, and which rarely exist in the real world. By representing an almost Hollywood-esque vision of patriotism (and perhaps, from a psychological perspective, subconsciously motivated by a personal desire for revenge as much as an active civic responsibility) Tillman consciously put his sworn obligation to care for his wife and family behind by volunteering for a starting position on the front lines of a lopsided war taking place halfway across the globe.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402845257145979858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SvrDIsiXE9I/AAAAAAAACHE/EvFi_S4rX7s/s320/tillmanphoto.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />In 2002, Pat Tillman turned down a contract offer from the Arizona Cardinals of $3.6 million over three years to enlist in the U.S. Army. This money would have secured the financial future of his wife and family, while still allowing significant room for charitable contributions to any number of military causes. A fraction of Tillman’s annual salary would have been able to enrich the lives of hundreds of families already affected by the war(s) in Afghanistan and Iraq. But instead of maximizing this potential good will, he chose to quit the NFL, leave his family and risk becoming yet another number in the growing death toll.<br /><br /><div>Again, it should be clearly reiterated that I have immense respect for Pat Tillman on many levels, both personal and professional. It is virtually impossible for me to take issue with someone who has, at least in principle, sacrificed his life for my country. While I may disagree with his perceived logic and decision-making in this particular instance, such differences of opinion are common among thoughtful human beings and certainly not indicative of a personal desire to damage his reputation in any way. For the record, my concern is with the cultural context of his death and how it has been portrayed and manipulated by the media. In fact, Tillman’s reputation (and what it says about America) is what I am most concerned with. </div><br /><div>Judging from standard media portrayals, Pat Tillman was the epitome of a contemporary hero, exemplifying the best “warrior” qualities of a football player, soldier and the All-American Man. However, I fear this description is misleading and potentially dangerous. One would hope that such a Man would place higher value on his potential contribution to family and society. Such a Man would ideally put these obligations above his own short-term personal motivations, no matter how noble they may have seemed to him at the time. Sadly, it is difficult to locate this mentality in the final act of Tillman’s life and subsequently, he has been reduced to a caricature of himself within much of the mainstream media. His legacy has now moved from that of a curiously tragic figure to a one-dimensional ultra-man who made the courageous, yet largely inexplicable choice to turn his back on millions of dollars in order to fight a war that ultimately, did not require his presence.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402845242847022130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SvrDH3ROTDI/AAAAAAAACG0/Q6WwswaQkIg/s320/11-27-07cardsstadium-002-e.jpg" border="0" /><br />The mysterious nature of Tillman's death and subsequent controversy regarding its details have only served to further distance his public story from whatever the original truth may have been. It seems that no one (including the U.S. Army and his family) knows exactly what led to Pat Tillman being shot three times in the head by a fellow American soldier and at this point, it is difficult to separate the gruesome reality from the glamorized "warrior" images that now serve as the only visual reminder of his life for the general public. Strikingly similar to football, the true violence and danger of war is often masked by a shining, heroic facade of valor and honor. Tillman may have honestly embodied these traits as he performed his duty on the football field and battle field but in reality, both endeavors likely favor those who are willing to sacrifice any such notions. Valor and honor cannot guarantee a safe return home.<br /><br /><div>By all accounts, Pat Tillman was a good man, a good football player, and a good soldier who actually had very intelligent, critical thoughts on the war effort. By nature, one would assume that he would probably be uncomfortable with the title of “Hero.” Instead, he would likely prefer to be remembered as a “Patriot” and seemed to exemplify this description in both thought and action, perhaps more than almost anyone I can recall in my lifetime. That was probably enough for him and it should be enough for us. Heroes only exist in myths and sadly, Pat Tillman’s life and death are very real. </div><div></div>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-76683879431518375652009-11-09T20:17:00.000-08:002009-11-09T21:03:14.708-08:00Conversation With The Devil In A Silver SubaruThe stretch of 4th Street leading south past the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine rises sharply but is fairly easy to ride up quickly without too much effort. Unfortunately, there is a stop sign at the intersection with Mapleton Avenue at the top of the hill that kills whatever momentum you have carried up the incline, and there are usually enough cars going up or down Sunshine Canyon to force an awkward “No, please, you go” scenario when you get there. That is, if you bother to stop at all.<br /><br />The silver Subaru revved unnervingly behind me as I began to accelerate through the intersection, grinding my previously perfect but now painful gear back up to speed. I knew from the sound of the engine that this car had just performed a “California Roll” through the stop sign and was quickly bearing down on me as I crossed over Mapleton Hill. Normally this is not a concern but the street was beginning to narrow and there were cars parked all along the right curb, cutting my lane by a full four feet almost immediately. This did not matter to the silver Subaru, who raced along side me going well over the speed limit, pushing me further to the right and forcing me to brake in order to avoid doing a Davis Phinney impersonation into the back of a Lexus SUV.<br /><br />I pulled back into the street and watched as the silver Subaru accelerated toward a large truck that was heading up to one of the many remodeling and construction projects on Mapleton Hill. For a moment I was certain that there would be a head-on collision, likely resulting in various unpleasant injuries and an even more unpleasant 911 call by yours truly. But honestly, a darker part of me kind of wanted to see the Subaru taste a little instant karma (as well as the bumper of a fully-loaded Toyota Tacoma).<br /><br />The trucker laid heavily on the horn and finally managed to curb-check it enough to allow the silver Subaru to squeeze through without damage, but it was incredibly close. The truck stopped and a bearded man began leaning his head out of the window as I passed, both of us shaking our heads in mutual disgust. I could not make out the details of the driver’s comments but I am confident that they were not suitable for children.<br /><br />The silver Subaru took a right turn at the bottom of the hill and I casually followed its path into the condominium parking lot at the end of the street. Usually I do not follow aggressive drivers (and certainly do not recommend it) but for some reason I felt a need to let this person know that he or she was probably not meeting the standard mental health requirements for Colorado driving privileges. Or at the very least, I wanted to ask why he or she chose to drive in such a manner when they only lived a few blocks away. I didn’t expect a positive reaction but I was wearing a helmet and had easy access to a bike pump if things got really out of hand.<br /><br />When the forty-fifty-ish woman with a man’s haircut and sandals got out of the silver Subaru, she acted like nothing had happened. When she noticed me pulling up to the car she shockingly exclaimed, “Can you believe that truck honked at me? He almost hit me!”<br /><br />I almost fell down in amazement but managed to circle back around and compose myself before responding, “Well, usually people honk when they are about to get hit, not when they are doing the hitting. I think that was actually your fault back there.”<br /><br />She finished pulling her yoga mat out of the car and began to say something stupid when I interrupted her and stated in a firm yet unemotional tone, “You nearly hit me after blowing through the stop sign on Mapleton and then drove into oncoming traffic and nearly hit that truck. Just so you could get home from yoga class three seconds sooner? YOU are the problem and you are a menace.”<br /><br />After those words came (semi-involuntarily) out of my mouth, I realized that last part may have been a bit excessive and it seemed to trigger a weird reaction in the manly-coiffed silver Subaru driver. She stuttered for a moment, shaking angrily in her stupid yoga clothes that would be inappropriate for a woman half her age and then blurted out, “I don’t have time for this right now.”<br /><br />The mannish yoga wench stormed across the parking lot like a spoiled eight year-old brat and then suddenly (and rather humorously) realized that she had not locked her car. I watched for a moment as she turned back toward me, looked at her keys, then turned back around and walked away. She was apparently willing to leave whatever stupid valuables she may have had in the silver Subaru unprotected in order to avoid speaking to me again. But I didn’t really have anything else to say anyway, so it was probably better for both of us that she ran home like a little girl with Tom Brokaw’s haircut. Besides, her yoga mat was a better weapon than my bike pump.<br /><br />If I were a meaner person (like her) I would have done something unpleasant to the exterior of her car after she ran away like a flexible, elitist coward. If I were really messed up I probably would have ripped out her stereo. But I’m the kind of guy who feels bad about yelling at stupid drivers, so I just rode away silently and lit her condo on fire later that night.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-25255593911460969982009-10-05T08:16:00.000-07:002009-10-05T10:57:53.238-07:00Interbike Images: Pro StyleOne of the cooler things about Interbike is the prominent display of many sweet Professional bikes that have been ridden in the biggest events in the world. As soon as you walk into the lobby of the event you are greeted by a couple of Grand Tour rigs right off the bat.<br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoR-cE824I/AAAAAAAACF0/LopJUromJcc/s1600-h/IBPRO_Menchov.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389139668488739714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoR-cE824I/AAAAAAAACF0/LopJUromJcc/s320/IBPRO_Menchov.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div>Now, Denis Menchov is a great rider, and it's easy to forget that he has three Grand Tour victories to his name. But for some reason, it's easier to remember that he hits the deck more than any other big name rider I can think of. He crashes going uphill, in time trials, on descents...it's really quite remarkable. I looked for scratches and blood (or chicken feathers) but couldn't find any evidence. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389138432438917394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoQ2fbtWRI/AAAAAAAACFk/45rUOTjGZIQ/s320/IBPRO_Thor.JPG" border="0" /> </div><div></div><div>I mentioned in an earlier post that I was somewhat fascinated by Thor's green Zipp wheelset. Here is a photo of why. For some reason, I think they are the coolest wheels but the bike itself is really sweet across the board. Black and green Cervelo with Speedplays and Zipps? Yeah, sign me up. Green is for the money. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoR-IBFWOI/AAAAAAAACFs/tL-2UWkv5xU/s1600-h/IBPRO_ShimanoPro.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389139663103809762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoR-IBFWOI/AAAAAAAACFs/tL-2UWkv5xU/s320/IBPRO_ShimanoPro.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Here is a lineup of rigs from Shimano's Pro Tour teams. The emergence of SRAM into the road market has been amazing but Shimano still brings some phenomenal product to the table. However, the coolest thing in this photo is the Cav-Custom green cockpit on the Scott in the foreground. The least cool thing is the pair of orange knickers that the dude on the right is wearing.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389135975583471410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOne7uVzI/AAAAAAAACDs/F14TMhiWViU/s320/IBPRO_CavCockpit.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>Here is another shot of the green cockpit from PRO. Notice how bulky and gigantic the stem is, as well as the slightly odd tape job on the bars. Not sure if that was to show more of the graphics or what, but that tape seems a little wide to my eye and would bother my hands on the tops. I think this setup was designed by Bishop Don Magic Juan.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389139670267833314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoR-itHq-I/AAAAAAAACF8/wLpBGsOooWk/s320/IBPRO_VittJerseys.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><div>As you can already tell, many companies make significant efforts to display their Pro affiliations. In a sport where equiment really does count, this is important to both customers and marketing managers alike. Vittoria couldn't really show a bunch of worn-out tires so they displayed signed jerseys from the teams that they sponsor. However, they may have been the signatures of the employees at their factory for all I know...I doubt anyone really checked the authenticity. <div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoP29ZrwyI/AAAAAAAACFU/YG4o17eRL0U/s1600-h/IBPRO_VittJerseys2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137340971860770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoP29ZrwyI/AAAAAAAACFU/YG4o17eRL0U/s320/IBPRO_VittJerseys2.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Here is another wall of jerseys from Vittoria. I think I would probably have put the Garmin and Lampre jerseys above the Rock Racing one. But that's just me. And someone should have thought some more about having the Cervelo guys sign the jersey in black ink. Oh well. </div><div><br /></div><div><div></div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoP1z90PsI/AAAAAAAACE8/y3YGg1osv4w/s1600-h/IBPRO_Schleck.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137321259187906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoP1z90PsI/AAAAAAAACE8/y3YGg1osv4w/s320/IBPRO_Schleck.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>The SRAM booth had a nice display of bikes from the Tour which was understandable, considering they swept the podium with Astana and Saxo Bank. Here is Andy Schleck's rig, which looks almost exactly like his brother Frank's...just a little better.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPk3kFzBI/AAAAAAAACE0/A5u_aDfq3Jk/s1600-h/IBPRO_LATT.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137030167251986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPk3kFzBI/AAAAAAAACE0/A5u_aDfq3Jk/s320/IBPRO_LATT.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>This is actually the TT bike that Lance used in the Tour of California. I'm not sure if it was the one that was stolen in Sacramento but at least it didn't have hundreds of dead butterflies pasted all over it. I have a significant appreciation for and understanding of artwork of many kinds but I am still having a hard time reconciling Lance's use of "pickled shark artist" Damien Hirst's grotesque <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1201914/Damien-Hirst-accused-horrific-barbarity-bicycle-covered-dead-butterfly-wings.html">butterfly paint job</a> on his Champs Elysees bike at the Tour. There are plenty of great artists out there who do not have to resort to a sickening misappropriation of Nature's beauty in order to make a name for themselves. Regardless of whether he used his own "bred" butterflies, if one animal was killed to serve this pathetically arrogant purpose, it was not worth it. Terrible decision all around. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPkUC2b8I/AAAAAAAACEs/1zB3jdF9mYY/s1600-h/IBPRO_Contador.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137020632592322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPkUC2b8I/AAAAAAAACEs/1zB3jdF9mYY/s320/IBPRO_Contador.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Contador's bike however, was a very nice example of class and complex graphic work. I like this bike a lot and thought it was neat that they incorporated the three Grand Tour hash-marks on the seat-tube, which have been pink, gold and yellow on his other bikes. Similar to Thor's Cervelo, this is just a really fast-looking, classy machine that pays homage to the event while still looking like it means business. Awesome wheel graphics too. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPkCz8rDI/AAAAAAAACEk/DuVpnPJEXaE/s1600-h/IBPRO_Cancellara.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137016006683698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPkCz8rDI/AAAAAAAACEk/DuVpnPJEXaE/s320/IBPRO_Cancellara.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>The fastest bike in the world? Probably. Cancellara's TT bike looks like a nasty tempered, two-wheeled version of Knight Rider. This bike hates it's life...getting mauled by some gigantic Swiss freak of nature who makes 400 watts seems like a rest period. Carbon and alloy can only take so much stress and strain. I predict this bike will commit suicide to end the misery. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPjwdUSRI/AAAAAAAACEc/kiKOZ-x7EOE/s1600-h/IBPRO_NameP.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137011079923986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPjwdUSRI/AAAAAAAACEc/kiKOZ-x7EOE/s320/IBPRO_NameP.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>I am still waiting for the lab tests to come back but my prediction is that the name tag on Franco Pellizotti's bike was worn off as a result of the toxic effect of Jheri-Curl juice. As we all know from experience, there is a lot of sweat that drips onto the top tube during a race. So it makes sense that a high dose of extremely concentrated hair products would destroy the stickers and paint job just behind the headtube of Franco "Soul Glow" Pellizotti.<br /><div><div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPQu2bUeI/AAAAAAAACEE/gKCs46CAEvA/s1600-h/IBPRO_TdFDot.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389136684230857186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPQu2bUeI/AAAAAAAACEE/gKCs46CAEvA/s320/IBPRO_TdFDot.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>As much as I will continue to heckle Soul Glow Pellizotti (BTW - what ever happened with the whole racism deal at the Tour?) for his blonde soul patch and Side Show Bob hairdo, I cannot argue with the fact that he has had a great season. Although, with the advent of colored shorts in bike racing, I am no longer certain that winning the polka-dot jersey is an honor or just an opportunity to look like a freaking clown. I guess it's both really. But Jalabert never looked like a clown, Herrera never looked like a clown. So why have Michael Rasmussen, Soul Glow and almost everyone else recently looked like idiots when they lead the mountains classification? Colored shorts...that's why. And stupid hairdos.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPQf_3DnI/AAAAAAAACD8/G4gb7puxaPQ/s1600-h/IBPRO_Polka.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389136680243891826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoPQf_3DnI/AAAAAAAACD8/G4gb7puxaPQ/s320/IBPRO_Polka.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Anyway, in an effort to support the industry I will admit that the polka-dot bike is rad. Polka-dot shorts are criminal, but this Cannondale is pretty sweet. You see a ton of Donkeys out there who try to rock the King of the Mountains kit but nobody has the real-deal polka-dot bike to go with it. That is legit. Not like the 275lb cat I see at the Tour of California every year in full Rabobank polka gear on a mountain bike.<br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389137342046550850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoP3BZ6O0I/AAAAAAAACFc/H4YXe9U-QdE/s320/IBPRO_WiggsBont.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>Besides the personalized bikes, another really cool Pro feature are custom shoes. I think these are Bradley Wiggins' track shoes but since the Brits basically own every Velodrome event these days, they could belong to someone else. But I'm pretty sure they were made for Wiggie Smalls. The Bont shoe display was like a rainbow of shiny leather and carbon but these lace-up kicks were the most eye-catching. I hate laces though. I wish I could wear velcro shoes all the time. Does Roos make a wingtip model?<br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOmhuhRkI/AAAAAAAACDk/DFXFUIi-Qfo/s1600-h/IBPRO_CavSeatcluster.JPG"></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389135946310437106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOlx4fSPI/AAAAAAAACDU/d8cwEbXoY98/s320/IBPRO_CavSpitFire.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>Now THIS bike is really what it's all about. Personally, I have always been drawn to Scott's paint schemes from a graphic perspective but this custom job for Mark Cavendish is just about as sweet as it can get. Taking the theme from the old Spitfire fighter planes, this thing just literally oozed Fastness through the display case. The sharp silver, black, white and yellow highlights have a slightly matted look that enhances the tough appearance. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOmYreFnI/AAAAAAAACDc/ERRHzXeus0k/s1600-h/IBPRO_CavLogo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389135956724815474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOmYreFnI/AAAAAAAACDc/ERRHzXeus0k/s320/IBPRO_CavLogo.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div><div></div><div><div>But the coolest details of all are the painted lady on the headtube and markings on the toptube to represent each of Cav's six stage wins. This photo shows the graphics of rivets and sheet metal panels as well, which enhance the sensation that this bike is truly unique. There are a lot of cool paint jobs out there but this rig actually looks like it was made differently and is a great modern take on a classic theme. I am usually not fond of War references in sports but this bike won my prize for Best Pro Bike at the show. There was a Colnago and a Serotta that get my DREAM bike award but Cav's Scott Spitfire was super fly. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOlkBWteI/AAAAAAAACDM/B8ZGMYwQTrg/s1600-h/BelgiumMud.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389135942589527522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoOlkBWteI/AAAAAAAACDM/B8ZGMYwQTrg/s320/BelgiumMud.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>As we move from Road to Cross Season, I though this would be a nice way to end the 2009 Pro Bike section. This may be a really sweet bike but since it's Cross...who can tell? Colorado mud does not make my bike look like this...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389141144500915314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SsoTUWprTHI/AAAAAAAACGE/5gyXqg2ekd8/s320/HPIM1783.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>Where else is mud revered and respected like this? Only Interbike...</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-36558260275001957832009-09-30T01:43:00.001-07:002009-10-01T20:42:08.422-07:00The Real Interbike - Part Three: Attack Of The Bike ClonesRegardless of any formal training or specialized credentials, I consider myself something of a Scientist. Not traditional, lab coat and Bunsen Burner science mind you, but more of the psycho-social, holier-than-thou kind of science that usually involves a healthy dose of self-indulgent over-analysis, qualified speculation and inactionable conclusions. Perhaps it is for this reason that my degree from the University of Colorado has the initials B.A. and not B.S. on it. Although one could argue that a Bachelor of Arts degree merely reflects the ability to make B.S. an art form. And I am determined to put that diploma to good use.<br /><br />So it makes sense that Interbike, for me, rapidly devolved from a Bicycle Industry trade show into a Bicycle Industry freak show of sorts, a global bike-culture circus of one-upmanship and false posturing for me to document, recount and ultimately ridicule. Just like a good scientist should.<br /><br />Perhaps viewing Interbike attendees as a Species is more accurate, if not, at the very least a little more sympathetic. This perspective then makes it easy to break down various sub-species according to the kind of bikes they ride or if they even ride at all. Further analysis of physical features such as hairstyle (both head and leg, male and female), visible tattoos/piercings and wardrobe can then be cross-referenced with a linguistic database of words like "sick" "chamois" and "resistance" to create a complete taxonomic map of Interbike attendees. With some additional funding from the National Science Foundation and Trek Bikes, it is my assertion that this data can then be used to create a formula to accurately predict behavior patterns in this population during at least 85% of normal daily activities. But I'm getting ahead of myself...<br /><br />The point is that the Bicycle Industry, as much as any other I can think of, contains people that really look like they are in the Bicycle Industry. For better or worse. There are a number of individuals (usually with titles like Vice President of Something or Whatnot Director) who looked like they could have been in another industry (and probably have been at some point) but with the exception of many similarly logoed shirts, the crowd at Interbike tends to look like the crowd at the Solvang Time Trial in the Tour of California. Only slightly younger and less well-dressed.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good thing. I was never able to wear shorts and running shoes when I worked Laser Industry trade shows and am admittedly bitter that I was grilled on technical specs by physicists and engineers, not bearded bike shop managers from Vermont named Grizz. Again, the fact that wearing a suit and tie at Interbike would be the equivalent of wearing cut-off jeans to Photonics West is not a bad thing at all. Although I am certainly not advocating cut-offs, but that is kind of missing the point. It's the freedom to wear them that makes the bike industry cooler than most...albeit, more prone to otherwise-inexcusable wardrobe choices and guys with strange nicknames.<br /><br />One of the things that I have noticed about Interbike and cycling culture in general, is that there is often very little visible difference between the best athletes in the world and some random, relatively fit person with shaved legs, colorful athletic shoes and a Lance Armstrong wristband. To the untrained eye, it must seem like there are at least 20,000 professional cyclists in Boulder alone. But the interesting thing is that most of the professional cyclists at Interbike (at least the Road and Mountain riders - BMX is a whole different beast) actually seem to dress the most normally, often in a manner that shows no signs of aforementioned casual bike-wear conformity seen on so many non-pros. But ironically, by dressing so normally they almost stand out more. It is an interesting phenomenon.<br /><br />As I mentioned earlier, the BMX scene is a very unique sub-species in the Biker Kingdom. Possessing the most youth appeal and highest ratio of ink and metal-to-skin at Interbike, the BMX Zone was pretty cool to walk through at a brisk pace. Even though I started riding similar bikes at a young age, the haunting memory of having my Predator stolen from out in front of Der Weinerschnitzel in 1986 was just too much for me to handle. Especially with so much caffeine, guarana and B-Vitamins coursing through my veins, causing horrible flashbacks of corn dogs, root beer and that sickeningly empty bike rack at the corner of Camino Alto and East Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley.<br /><br />BMX has changed a lot since back then though. I thought I was badass when I would ride on my pegs and get more than 6 inches of air on any jump. Now guys are doing flippity-flips, tumbly-twists and other stuff that could be considered far more athletically challenging than riding up or down a hill quickly. It's too bad they all look like felonious thugs wearing shirts that are too small, pants that are too big and hats that look like they will blow off when the air conditioning kicks on. I actually thought a lot of the bikes and equipment were pretty cool but sadly, the collar on my shirt and plaid on my slacks made me feel uncomfortable in the BMX Zone and I had to hastily retreat to the safety of the Media Room for a cup of coffee and some stale pretzels.<br /><br />The Media Pavillion at Interbike is basically a big room in the middle of the show floor with glass walls, a bunch of lunch tables and so many chairs that it's impossible to walk through without banging your shins repeatedly. There is another stage room where televised interviews take place but the main draw for most of the writers is the snacks. Every so often someone re-stocks the coffee and if you are incredibly lucky you can actually get a bagel or a cookie to nibble on. There were rumors of brownies and fruit but I never saw them and think the whole story may have been exaggerated for the sake of a few gullible and hungry journalists. With no brownies or cookies, I was left to sit alone at a table in the middle of the room, staring out through the clear walls at the Interbike population - taking notes, laughing to myself and furiously adding data to my taxonomic ranking of the Biker Species as I finished off the remaining coffee and pretzels.<br /><br />Check Back for The Real Interbike - Part Four: It's A Small Interbike WorldCaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-22239603250594957612009-09-29T20:37:00.001-07:002009-10-01T20:25:37.533-07:00The Real Interbike - Part Two: The Best Little Bike House In VegasAs I entered the exhibition hall, momentarily paralyzed by the neon lights and smell of new Lycra, I experienced my first flashback of the trip. In my professional life so far, I have somehow managed to find myself at no fewer than eight trade shows, each passing quickly through my mind as I sternly pretended to look at the exhibitor list. These past experiences have varied greatly, depending on vital factors associated with the particular industry, organizational affiliation and, perhaps most importantly, the location of the event. However, none of the aforementioned conditions holds a candle to the importance of whether you experience the show as an Exhibitor or Attendee. It's almost like the difference between being a Prostitute or a Pimp. Or so I've heard...<br /><br />Considering that this is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Las</span> Vegas, it is understandable that one would be so desensitized by the billboard-scale public nudity and fleets of Hooker Trading Card Distributors on every street corner that he or she is either unwilling or unable to identify the similarities between what is going on out in the streets and what is taking place in the air-conditioned rat maze of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Interbike</span>. Sadly, this psychological avoidance is understandable, since the majority of people in the bike industry are exploited even more heinously than those within the other, slightly less-dysfunctional profession. But the health and benefits packages are strikingly similar.<br /><br />Seriously though, this is a town where you can never really be sure if that late-twenties to mid-thirties woman in the mini skirt being paraded around on the arm of the strutting 50-70 year-old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">schlub</span> in the Tommy Bahama shirt is really his wife or girlfriend or simply a short-term business associate, and there is an unavoidable synergy to the whole <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Trade Show</span>/Flesh Trade relationship. The fact that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Las</span> Vegas proudly boasts a devotion to both excess and the almighty dollar bill acts like lighter fluid sprayed on a stagnant barbecue, exciting the flames of greed and moral sacrifice beneath the Big Burger of Capitalism. Because of this, there really is no better backdrop for an Industry <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">trade show</span> than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Las</span> Vegas, although it is unlikely that these observations will ever make the pages of your favorite bicycle-related media outlet or marketing campaign. "Come to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Interbike</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Las</span> Vegas! Where obscene greed and unsolicited exhibitionism are not only accepted, they're encouraged!"<br /><br />At this point, it should be acknowledged that I am using this inflammatory analogy in specific reference to the relationship between the Exhibitors (Manufacturers and Suppliers of Goods and Services) and Retailers (Resellers of Goods and Services), since these groups comprise the majority of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Interbike</span> participants. Operating somewhere on the fringe are the Media and a handful of Pros and Personalities, doing everything from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">on-site</span> product reviews and interviews to networking with sponsors and signing autographs. Or just kind of walking around, taking pictures of cool things and occasionally talking to people, like I did for hours on end each day.<br /><br />Strangely, I have had a full media credential for two years running and have still yet to perform any of the aforementioned activities in a formal capacity while I was there. It seems that anything truly important should be followed up on after the show, so the extent of my on-site analysis was a reckless pillaging of various weakly-monitored booths containing a plethora of substances promising to elevate energy levels. Unfortunately, the lack of a predetermined scientific hypothesis and properly qualified control group will probably render my experiment/overdose unfit for academic publishing but there may be some use within the fields of Chemical Toxicology or Clinical Psychology, depending on the severity of my current laundry-list of post-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Interbike</span>, free sample-induced health concerns.<br /><br />Regardless, it should be recognized that there are two primary goals for most of the people and companies attending <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Interbike</span>, depending on which side of the so-called Pimp and Ho/Retailer and Supplier Fence you happen to fall on. Understandably, these are often complicated relationships, fraught with potential conflicts of interest and guarded communication. Especially in the bicycle industry. Being dangerously juiced up on Sport Beans and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">GoFast</span> only exacerbates the tension.<br /><br />On one side, the Exhibitors go out of their way to make themselves look as superficially attractive as possible, slathering a thick layer of makeup on blemishes in recent product offerings and hoping no one notices the nasty scars and burn marks they have likely accumulated over a lifetime in the business. It's not exactly the Red Light District in Amsterdam but there is certainly a come-hither vibe emanating from many of the booths. After a while I would just refuse to make eye contact with anyone, for fear that they would ask me if I wanted to hear about their latest product line or whether I was looking for a good time.<br /><br />You see, the Exhibitor's best hope is to align themselves with competent and proactive Retailers, aggressive and reliable business people who will pursue new business while providing a certain level of protection and support when things get a little freaky. The best ones will even step in when some customer needs to get slapped around a little bit, but this is not as common as it once was. It is also important for the Retailers to determine the suitability of a certain Exibitor's Product for his or her market. For example, the big names like Specialized and Oakley know that they appeal to a large audience and can command a premium. But there are always those weirdos and fetishists who are into freaky stuff and like certain features, proportions, colors or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">recumbents</span>. The Retailer must know the desires of the customer and have the necessary inventory in stock.<br /><br />While the Exhibitor controls the Product, it is the Retailer who assumes the position of power in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Interbike</span> relationship. As a result, there is a noticeable stench of desperation permeating the Sands Expo, the byproduct of hundreds of businesses realizing that their success or failure is largely dictated by Retailers who may or may not ever consider using their product and may or may not have multiple facial piercings and a neck tattoo. Apparently these features guarantee that you are fit to represent the industry to the general public and are the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Interbike</span> equivalent of leather and denim at a Hells Angels rally.<br /><br />Just as it is difficult to determine if the blonde in the high heels is a wife or an escort, it is nearly impossible to tell if the guy in the ripped jeans and greasy t-shirt is the store owner or some guy who snuck in the service entrance. It has been said that Las Vegas is not all that it seems on the surface, so it makes perfect sense that the same can also be said for Interbike. But after some more thought, all these flashing lights and tight clothing really do remind me of the Red Light District, only with carbon fiber and chrome as the bait. Perhaps there is more truth on the surface than we were told.<br /><p>Check back for The Real <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Interbike</span> - Part Three: Attack Of The Bike Clones</p>CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-72212371362935392762009-09-28T09:19:00.001-07:002009-09-29T07:45:06.760-07:00The Real Interbike - Part One: Where It's AtOn the surface, Interbike is the biggest bicycle industry trade show in North America. But beneath this glamorous exterior, it is a bubbling cauldron of gratuitous bike porn, blatant posing and institutionalized class discrimination...among other significantly less-distasteful things. I understand that this may sound a bit heavy to the casual observer (considering that it really is a very pleasant and well-run affair) but after reading numerous safe/bland descriptions of the event recently, this seems like an opportune time to provide an in-depth look at what The Show is really like. However, it should probably be noted from the outset of this personal account that the consumption of a near-fatal mixture of energy drinks, gels, bars, chews and beans over the course of my 48-hour Interbike experience has left me in a hyper-paranoid, borderline-psychotic state from which I may never fully recover. As in all tales, both fact and fiction, there is usually some truth to all sides of the story.<br /><br />Let me explain...<br /><br />I arrived in Las Vegas at approximately 9am on Thursday, after a whopping three hours of restless sleep. Since the Divine Airline Math Network (D.A.M.N.) determined that it was somehow cheaper for me to fly through Phoenix first, this meant a 2:45am wake up call in order to get to Denver for my flight. There is something unnerving about drinking coffee at three o'clock in the morning but I knew it was better to start warming up the system early since it was sure to be a marathon/death march of epic proportions in Vegas. I couldn't check in to my suite at the Bellagio (or was it a Standard room at Bally's?) until much later in the day so the plan was to catch a shuttle to the Venetian and head over to Interbike at the Sands Expo immediately upon my arrival. Certainly not ideal, but that was the plan.<br /><br />The sensations of arriving and departing any big city are unique but McCarran Airport in Las Vegas probably has a wider spectrum of energy and hygiene between "coming" and "going" than any place I can think of. The people coming in look like they are getting ready for the best time of their lives and the ones going out either look like the worst rejects from the Real World or undercover junkies and coke-dealers from a lost Miami Vice episode. There is a tangible excitement among the recent arrivals - usually an inexplicable assortment of people from all over the world who curiously decided that spending their money and time in Sin City was a good idea - which inevitably rubs off on you somehow, even if, like me, you are already anxiously awaiting a return to the sanity of home before you even get off the plane. As for the people leaving...honestly, I'd rather spend the night in a graveyard on Halloween than a departing gate at McCarran Airport on any Sunday of the year. Grim is not a strong enough term.<br /><br />Strangely, even though I have voluntarily traveled to Las Vegas on multiple occasions, I still can't help but wonder what possesses most human beings to actually want to fly there. At least I had work* as an excuse this time, and therefore avoided most of the unpleasant internal arguments over situational morals, ethics and economics which have tended to plague my voluntary visits. Sadly though, possessing a conscience is clearly a detriment to fully enjoying any Vegas experience, regardless of circumstance. <span style="font-size:85%;">*Definitions of "work" may vary. </span><br /><br />So after dodging multiple limping Del Boca Vista Retirement Community refugees in matching sweat suits and trying desperately to rationalize the fact that I had recently overheard TWO separate conversations about fake tanning products (including an impressively detailed comparison of application procedures and unwanted side effects) I finally made it through the terminal and into the brisk 90-degree heat of mid-morning in the desert. Apparently there was some kind of contest going on in town where being tan was a huge concern but unfortunately, I was unable to identify a particular skill or talent among those discussing it. Other than being really, really tan of course. Keep in mind that I came in on a flight from Phoenix.<br /><br />After identifying the proper shuttle, it was a pretty quick jump to the Venetian. The best part of the ride from the airport to the Strip is that it passes numerous super-cheesy billboards for an array of humorously outdated acts, providing ample opportunity for jokes about Donny and Marie Osmond or seemingly anyone who may have been on TV between 1978 and 1984. Donny and Marie are the easiest though. Apparently, what happened in Vegas (30 years ago), stayed in Vegas (and plays 5 shows a week at the Flamingo).<br /><br />It was almost 10:30 when I finally got to the Sands Expo, seemingly located within the bowels of the still-impressive Venetian Hotel. Entering the main doors of the Venetian, it takes about 15 minutes of snaking through the noise and lights of the casino floor to get to the show area. Thankfully, there are signs hanging from the ceiling with arrows pointing to various places of interest within the maze. Not so thankfully, they are placed in such a manner that you almost inevitably end up running into a cocktail waitress, drunk guy in a tank top or elderly person holding the equivalent of their next Social Security check in a giant plastic cup of quarters as you are trying to read which way to go. If you are very lucky, you can make it through the labyrinth without being cursed at or assaulted (much) and will hopefully manage to avoid being run over by someone recklessly driving one of the 150cc Rascal Power Chairs that the hotels seem to give out to anyone who asks - regardless of any apparent handicap other than inebriation. You could easily lose an Achilles Tendon or blow an ACL from one of those things.<br /><br />For the record, later in this very trip I witnessed an old man knock another less-old man all the way to the ground with his Power Chair as he sped down one of the faux-cobbled streets at the Paris Hotel. He hit this poor pedestrian so hard his rear wheels nearly came off the ground and then he just took off like he had merely grazed a curb or something. But even as the victim was cursing and picking himself up off the ground after being struck in a blatant hit-and-run Rascal violation, everyone just kept going about their business like it was totally normal. I wanted to help the guy out but I was eating a $10 crepe and didn't feel like picking up all of the coins that he spilled out of his giant plastic cup after getting drilled. Vegas is freaking crazy.<br /><br />Anyway, I knew I was in the right place when I saw Tyler Hamilton standing in the hallway outside the main entrance, smiling and pleasant as always. Various other "industry" acquaintances began to appear and suddenly the sloppy, glitzy buzz from the casino dropped down to the slightly less-sloppy, slightly less-glitzy vibe of Interbike. A quick trip to bag-check and the media room for my pass and I was ready to go. Or so I thought.<br /><br />Immediately outside the showroom doors was a display of Pro bikes from Thor Hushovd and Denis Menchov which halted my progress even before I entered. I'm always curious about how people set up their bikes and Interbike is a cool opportunity to see some race-ridden rigs up close, so I stood there for a few minutes checking out the little details that set these machines apart from most. Then, after admiring Thor's green-highlighted Zipp wheelset for one last time, I showed my media pass to the clearly unimpressed security guard, pulled open the door, and anxiously stepped into the two-wheeled madness of Interbike 2009.<br /><br />Check back for The Real Interbike - Part Two: The Best Little Bike House In VegasCaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-26011227953045882452009-08-30T22:42:00.000-07:002009-08-31T11:36:17.797-07:00Reading Between The Headlines - August EditionSince the Vuelta a Espana and September have apparently snuck up on us while we weren’t looking, now is probably a good time to clear up a few headline stories that surfaced after the Tour ended last week. Er, I mean last month. Did anyone see where August went? Donde esta August? Anyway…let's look at some events that transpired over the last month.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tour of Utah – Bikes, Bibles and Ball </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“What awful things are written all over that man’s shorts? I can’t bear to look at his ‘area’ long enough to read it. Is that team sponsored by Satan?”</span> – Overheard every single day at the Tour of Utah during Mancebo’s jersey presentation.<br /><br />So…Paco Mancebo of the Rocky Road Racing biking club won the Tour of Utah and I’m sure the Mormon population could not have been happier to watch him accept the leader’s jersey everyday in his horrible <a href="http://www.velonews.com/photo/96825">faux-graffiti kit</a>. I guess Rock has enough coin to make 10 different colored kits but can’t manage to get everyone the same kind of helmet or bike. So NOT Pro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SptstFwbHbI/AAAAAAAACC8/C0K4IZWsP4c/s1600-h/utah-plate-bgbooty-8009454.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SptstFwbHbI/AAAAAAAACC8/C0K4IZWsP4c/s320/utah-plate-bgbooty-8009454.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376010102092012978" border="0" /></a>Speaking of which…Michael Ball went to Brigham Young Fashion School, right? You can always tell a good member of the Church of Latter Day Saints by the way they handle <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/02/michael_ball_recession_ive_got_1.html">interviews like this</a>. This guy is totally solid, I swear.<br /><br />On the flip side, it was cool to see Alex Howes continue to prove that he has the goods to excel at the next level; even though the old “<a href="http://www.velonews.com/article/96984/howes-scores-win-in-utah-mancebo-keeps-leader-s-jersey">take a spectator’s hot dog and attack</a>” move is just about the oldest trick in the book. I mean, how many times did we see Anquetil, Merckx or LeMond take the old “hot dog hand up” and go on to destroy the competition? I thought everyone knew that trick by now and was amazed the field fell for it yet again during the Tour of Utah. Suckers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Alejandro Valverde vs. Tom Danielson vs. Logic and Reason at the Tour de Burgos</span><br /><br />In yet another case of horrible, never-ending frustration courtesy of Operacion Puerto and the UCI, some cheesy Spanish guy who has been banned from racing in Italy (but is somehow still able to compete everywhere else?) managed to dislodge Tom Danielson of Garmin-Slipstream from the lead of the Tour de Burgos on the final stage. And critical fans of the sport took yet another carbon fiber-toed kick to our collective chamois.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sptss-DMcpI/AAAAAAAACC0/c9CkYiE5wSg/s1600-h/tdf13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sptss-DMcpI/AAAAAAAACC0/c9CkYiE5wSg/s320/tdf13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376010100023259794" border="0" /></a><br />Sadly, professional cycling is never going to get rid of its soiled reputation as long as there are regional bans and shady guys like Valverde and DiLuca who keep managing to slip through the net time and time again, only to be proven guilty in the long run. One can only assume that Valv.Piti will be banned by the UCI eventually and the fact that he can still influence races and even <a href="http://velonews.com/article/97078/valverde-leads-caisse-d-epargne-for-vuelta">challenge for a Grand Tour</a> is absolutely maddening. I rarely wish bad things for people, but I wouldn’t mind it too much if Valverde had some bad filet-o-pescado somewhere over the next few weeks in the Vuelta.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Garmin-Slipstream Wins! Gramin-Slipstream Wins!</span><br /><br />In less depressing argyle-related news Tyler Farrar is rapidly laying claim to the title of Best Road Sprinter Not Named Mark Cavendish. Having recently won the <a href="http://www.velonews.com/article/96697/">Vattenfalls Cyclassics</a> and a three-pack of stages in the Eneco Tour, Farrar will hopefully win his first Grand Tour stage somewhere in Spain and solidify his position as the best American sprinter since Davis Phinney.<br /><br />On a side note, if all goes well Farrar will have completed all three Grand Tours in 2009; which is pretty impressive even if you ignore his handful of podiums and near-misses so far. Adding a stage win would be the icing on the cake of a great year. Great enough that we’ll give him a Mulligan for that weird spider-looking earring.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Texas Invades Colorado, Takes Jersey</span><br /><br />Some guy named Lance Something or Other apparently moved to Aspen a few minutes ago and is now winning State Mountain Bike Championships and defiling the record books of historic local events. However, anger over this invasion among the cycling community has been diminished by the presence of a sign on the Texan’s bike that reads: Now Accepting Applications For <a href="http://www.holtzecompanies.com/images/RADIO%20SHACK%20-%20MORNINGSIDE%201968.jpg">Employment</a>.<br /><br />Understanding this, most people can probably look the other way on the Leadville 100 record simply because that event is pretty ridiculous anyway. But to have a guy who is outspokenly Texan come in here and take home the Colorado State Champion jersey is just depressing for everyone outside of your neighborhood Radio Shack. Reports that the Texan has stitched a Lone Star patch on the jersey and coated it in barbecue sauce have not been confirmed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SptssWXv0CI/AAAAAAAACCs/MpG31jKo31c/s1600-h/political-pictures-george-bush-rolling-thunder-bicycle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SptssWXv0CI/AAAAAAAACCs/MpG31jKo31c/s320/political-pictures-george-bush-rolling-thunder-bicycle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376010089372045346" border="0" /></a><br />The only solace we locals can take is in the fact that people recognize the Colorado State Championship as an impressive accomplishment and it would probably be tough to brag to Matthew McConaughey and Ben Stiller about a Texas State Cross Country Championship. I mean, we all know that the only trails down there are on George W. Bush’s ranch and the denim sleeveless jersey they give out to the winner just doesn’t go with yellow at all.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">USPRO Championships – Déjà Vu All Over Again, and Again, and Again</span><br /><br />USPRO Time Trial Podium: David Zabriskie, Tom Zirbel, Scott Zwizanski, <a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/106215/56014618pk1.jpg">Billy Zabka</a>, <a href="http://snarkerati.com/tv-news/files/2009/07/daphne_zuniga_melrose_place.jpg">Daphne Zuniga</a>, <a href="http://section59.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/don-zimmer.jpg">Don Zimmer</a>, Zig Ziglar, ZZ Top, Zsa Zsa Gabor<br /><br />I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this is the first time in history that three guys with “Z” names have ever been on a national championship time trial podium together. That is craZy. Seriously, the odds are astronomical. “X” would probably be the only letter with less chance of sweeping the podium.<br /><br />But the real question is whether or not Zabriskie was able to say, “DZ Nuts” when responding to every question during the post-race press conference. For example:<br /><br />Journalist: “What propelled you to victory today?”<br /><br />Zabriskie: “DZ Nuts.”<br /><br />Journalist: “Who did you think were your biggest competitors before the start?”<br /><br />Zabriskie: “DZ Nuts.”<br /><br />Journalist: “What can we expect to see on your National Championship skinsuit?<br /><br />You get the picture. Hours of fun with that one.<br /><br />USPRO Road Race Podium: George Hincapie, Andy Bajadali, Jeff Louder<br /><br />After recovering from a broken collarbone at the Tour, George Hincapie reclaimed the Stars and Stripes jersey for the third time as a professional. After the whole fiasco with Garmin and Astana in France, it is cool to see Melanie’s husband get a little redemption by scoring the USPRO Champs jersey. It would be even cooler to see the Stars and Stripes crossing the line first at the Roubaix velodrome in 2010.<br /><br />Crazier things have happened. Like having three guys with “Z” names on the TT podium, for instance. You never know.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-10853316101708083952009-08-25T20:46:00.000-07:002010-01-20T13:46:32.507-08:00Bikes, Bloodsport and Black Shoes - You Can't Handle the TruthSadly, it’s been nearly a month since the Tour de France ended and I still find myself habitually channel surfing over to Versus (aka The Mensa Channel). Most of the time I find enlightening programs that showcase noble endeavors such as a) Kicking and punching human beings inside of a cage, b) Shooting and killing unsuspecting wildlife, or c) Hooking, torturing and possibly killing marine creatures while wearing a trucker hat and speaking with a Southern accent. Good wholesome fun for the entire family.<br /><br />But on the flip side (I am going to try to start using that phrase more) Versus did just show the Tour of Ireland which was cool and they have been kind enough to broadcast the Track & Field World Championships as well as daily re-runs of Bloodsport. Opportunities to view any of these spectacles are always appreciated. Especially Bloodsport.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpS2gLkPPwI/AAAAAAAACCk/Owcw05zcl7c/s1600-h/bloodsport%281%29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374120919336697602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 246px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpS2gLkPPwI/AAAAAAAACCk/Owcw05zcl7c/s320/bloodsport%281%29.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We will get to the Tour de France and some other topics shortly but in the meantime, I must confess that Bloodsport remains one of my favorite films. It may not be a cinematic masterpiece but it is highly re-watchable and actually gets funnier every time I see it. The fact that Forest Whitaker was a supporting actor to Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport and went on to win an Oscar for playing Idi Amin always blows me away. Do you think JCVD called him when he won Best Actor? Did Chong-Li need to wear a Bro or a Manssiere? Why did JCVD have a perm in the beginning of the movie? Were we really supposed to believe that Jean-Claude Van Damme was in the U.S. Army? Was it a Belgian Army exchange program or something? And whatever happened to the blonde reporter that JCVD hooked up with? So many questions…<br /><br />During one of my last viewings I also couldn’t help but notice how much the musical score of the training scene in Bloodsport sounds like the beginning of “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits. It’s crazy. I kept waiting for Mark Knopfler to bust in on the guitar as Jean-Claude Van Damme was having his legs ripped off on Shidoshi’s torture rope machine. Since when does being able to do the splits confirm that you are ready to fight in the Kumite? It’s like the producers just asked JCVD what kind of weird things he could do and wrote “can do the splits on chairs and stuff” into the script. Perhaps they overestimated his “can fight as if temporarily blinded” skills though. That final fight scene has not aged well.<br /><br />For the record, I know it’s strange that I cannot stand watching real-life fighting, hunting or fishing on television yet three of my favorite movies are Bloodsport, Predator and Jaws. Go figure. I guess I just prefer my death and violence in fictional form – and apparently starring heavily accented European men. Or Richard Dreyfuss.<br /><br />Anyway, it seems like enough time has passed that we can now look back on the Tour de France and determine what really went down in the Grand Boucle. For instance…<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Code Red aka Garmin-gate aka You Can’t Handle The Truth</span><br /><br />Sticking with the movie theme for a moment, I am happy to say that I am re-writing the screenplay to A Few Good Men but will be changing the venue from the Marine Corps to the Tour de France. Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress as there is still some confusion about the actual events. As it stands now, the popular character choices are as follows:<br /><br />Pfc. William Santiago (the guy who had the Code Red ordered on him) will be played by George Hincapie.<br /><br />Lance Cpl. Harold Dawson (the guy who was ordered to execute the Code Red order) will be played by David Zabriskie.<br /><br />Pfc. Louden Downey (the other guy who followed the Code Red order) will be played by Danny Pate.<br /><br />Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (the guy who passed Dawson the Code Red order) will be played by Matt White.<br /><br />Lt. Col. Matthew Markinson (the guy who wanted Santiago transferred) will be played Jonathan Vaughters.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpSytMlLxqI/AAAAAAAACCU/vDTP16_iZBw/s1600-h/Jack+Nicholson+Men.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374116744900888226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpSytMlLxqI/AAAAAAAACCU/vDTP16_iZBw/s320/Jack+Nicholson+Men.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson, the guy who ordered the Code Red) will be played by Matt Johnson.<br /><br />It remains to be seen what actually happened on the road during Stage 14 so the actors could change but this seems about right from the evidence out there now. I still can’t figure out how Tom Cruise and Demi Moore fit in there though. And I should definitely try to get Melanie Hincapie involved somehow…<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Cruel Shoes aka Black Shoe Sheep aka Weekend Warriors</span><br /><br />Okay, can we all just come to an agreement that black cycling shoes have no place in the Tour de France anymore? Unless I am mistaken, there were only three riders in the 2009 Tour who regularly wear black shoes: Yaroslav Popovych, David Millar and Lance Armstrong. I see tons of black cycling shoes (often accompanied by neon jerseys and helmet mirrors) on the roads of Boulder every weekend but they just seem awkward in the European pro peloton these days.<br /><br />Armstrong wears black socks all the time, which makes it seem like he’s wearing thermal booties but at least it looks consistent. Millar seems to go back and forth with his socks but the black shoes certainly make him look British (if that makes any sense). And Popo almost always goes with the white sock/black shoe combo, perhaps as an homage to the old Russian national teams…or Cosmo Kramer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpSysvia9-I/AAAAAAAACCM/stPUH9Cetd0/s1600-h/black-trousers-white-socks-ben-beltman-istockphoto.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374116737104672738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 212px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SpSysvia9-I/AAAAAAAACCM/stPUH9Cetd0/s320/black-trousers-white-socks-ben-beltman-istockphoto.jpg" border="0" /></a>Regardless, after watching roughly 500 hours of Tour coverage during July I realized that, with the exception of the aforementioned cases, there were only white, silver/grey, red and yellow shoes in the event this year. Understanding that Mavic is responsible for all of the yellow ones, this truly makes Popovych, Millar and Armstrong black sheep. Come on guys, it’s 2009…let’s get with the program.<br /><br />It’s funny that 99% of Europeans always wear black casual shoes but white cycling shoes are pretty much the ultimate Euro statement. I’m also curious how black cycling and soccer shoes gradually gave way to the rainbow of colors we see on the road and pitch today. They must have had the technology to make different colors for a while so there had to have been some influential athletes who made them acceptable to wear for the rest of the public. Kind of like Michael Jordan rocking baggy shorts or making it cool for balding guys to shave their heads.<br /><br />Looking back, I recall white shoes becoming popular in the late 1980’s when Andy Hampsten won the Giro in his white Lakes and then Delgado led the way for Time to outfit entire teams with their sweet looking white, grey and red kicks. I still think the second-generation Time model was probably the coolest looking cycling shoe ever. Or should I say…of all Time.<br /><br />Sorry…I will recount more of the 2009 Tour someTime. I need to go to Time out.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-86992557602606095832009-07-15T22:03:00.000-07:002009-07-16T06:23:48.205-07:00TdF 2009 - Green is for the Money. Gold is for the Honeys.After winning his fourth stage of the 2009 Tour de France and reclaiming the Green Jersey in the Points Classification, Columbia-HTC rider Mark Cavendish has announced that he would like to be known as “Bishop Magic Mark” from this point on.<br /><br />During the press conference following Stage 11, the sprinter from the Isle of Man asked the media to address him by the new title and name at all times. He then paused and conceded that it would also be acceptable to simply call him “Bishop” if you are “really in a hurry.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61fRyXhvI/AAAAAAAACCE/nl3l0Phc6CY/s1600-h/The_Don.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61fRyXhvI/AAAAAAAACCE/nl3l0Phc6CY/s320/The_Don.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358920155572700914" border="0" /></a>Most in attendance seemed unsure of what to make of the statement at first but after a few minutes, a curious journalist slowly began to ask some questions regarding the origin of his newfound personality. <br /><br />“My new name and title are all because of the one and only Archbishop Don Magic Juan, a man without whom I could not have pimped all these stages and raised my game to level of a true player,” Cavendish stated matter-of-factly to the confused crowd.<br /><br />Following a few seconds of awkward silence while he adjusted his green glasses, green hat, green kit and green shoes, he continued to explain.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61fB-miMI/AAAAAAAACB8/bcC3rWoi02U/s1600-h/snoop_3.sized.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61fB-miMI/AAAAAAAACB8/bcC3rWoi02U/s320/snoop_3.sized.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358920151329048770" border="0" /></a><br />“After my disappointment at the Olympics last year and missing out on the Green Jersey because of it, I was searching for guidance. I needed a life coach and a spiritual advisor. But most importantly, I wanted someone who could understand just how much I like the color green. Obviously, it didn’t take a genius to realize that Archbishop Don Magic Juan was the best person to educate me on the true nature of the game.”<br /><br />The brave journalist then asked who Archbishop Don Magic Juan was and quickly received an angry glare from the Columbia-THC rider. Taking a step back from the podium, Cavendish took a long drink of Cristal’s new recovery drink from his jewel-encrusted water bottle and composed himself before responding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61e8flJWI/AAAAAAAACB0/cLFlkhc92PU/s1600-h/ImageAskTheBishop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61e8flJWI/AAAAAAAACB0/cLFlkhc92PU/s320/ImageAskTheBishop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358920149856757090" border="0" /></a>“Look…we all know that pimpin’ ain’t easy, and neither is sprinting in the Tour de France. But ever since Rolf Aldag and Bob Stapleton started making us listen to their hip-hop mixes with lots of Big Daddy Kane and Ice-T songs on the bus, I figured that pimpin’ was probably harder. So naturally, I went to see the Archbishop Don Magic Juan at the Player’s Ball and the rest is history.”<br /><br />“You see, most people don’t know that Archbishop Don Magic Juan is actually a huge cycling fan and a really good rider. He’s got a super-fly custom-made Eddy Merckx that is actually covered in emeralds and gold. He and Eddy have been friends since the 60’s. And we all know how that worked out for the Cannibal…and he didn’t even take the full nickname,” explained the rider formerly known as the Manx Missile and Cav.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61evkqhoI/AAAAAAAACBs/6JCmVfF9Dhw/s1600-h/vegas-sun-lights-don-juan-revised-web-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/Sl61evkqhoI/AAAAAAAACBs/6JCmVfF9Dhw/s320/vegas-sun-lights-don-juan-revised-web-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358920146388420226" border="0" /></a>“So basically, since he’s the Archbishop that means that I have to stick with just Bishop for now. Even though a lot of people mistakenly call him Bishop and not the more accurate Archbishop, I recognize that I still have a lot to learn about how to keep my pimp hand strong and make sure the player haters don’t salt my game. I am not worthy of the Archbishop status and my name is not Don, so I couldn't use that either. But both of us are still Magic though, for the record.”<br /><br />The room of journalists still seemed somewhat confused as another reporter stood up and asked about the most valuable lesson Cavendish had learned from Archbishop Don Magic Juan.<br /><br />“That’s easy,” exclaimed the leader of the Tour de France Points Classification with a laugh, clearly showing his newly acquired grill of gold teeth and pointing to his completely green outfit.<br /><br />“Green is for the money! Gold is for the honeys!”<br /><br />He then put his hands in the air, dropped the podium microphone to the ground with a thud that echoed through the silent press room and proceeded to walk off the stage without another word.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-62956508234327746932009-07-13T22:07:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:30:53.763-07:00Tour Def Rants - Week 1Is it just me…or is Astana kind of like Def Jam Records? Think about it, they’ve got Johan Bruyneel as the mastermind of the organization, just like a Belgian Russell Simmons. Then there’s Ekimov dropping the science like Rick Rubin, only in the team car instead of an NYU dorm room.<br /><br />Obviously, Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador are like Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys; two contrasting styles battling for the top step while operating on the same team/label and vying for the favor of Johan Simmons/Russell Bruyneel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxz3-i8I/AAAAAAAACBk/1UCEdAw3z_Q/s1600-h/beasties.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxz3-i8I/AAAAAAAACBk/1UCEdAw3z_Q/s320/beasties.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358178303611931586" border="0" /></a><br />Like the Beasties in their younger days, Alberto is a bit rebellious and prone to bursts of immaturity at this point in his career but you can tell that there is some deep talent that will likely age gracefully and successfully. I’m not sure if Contador will end up organizing Tibetan relief bike races or marrying Diane Court from Say Anything…but again, like the Beasties, this guy can pretty much do whatever he wants so you never know.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“You gotta fight, for your right to the Yellow Jersey.”</span><br /><br />Then there is Lance as Run-DMC, a lock for the Hall of Fame but still tries maybe a bit too hard to play the tough guy. But despite the hardcore image, they also both effectively catapulted their genre/sport into the mainstream U.S. consciousness. Interestingly, Run-DMC had the help of Adidas and Aerosmith, whereas LA got his name out there by associations with Nike and Sheryl Crow. Coincidence?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“Now me and my Nikes do the illest things, we like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings.”</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxixb87I/AAAAAAAACBc/HvmBlm_JZtQ/s1600-h/ll_cool_j.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxixb87I/AAAAAAAACBc/HvmBlm_JZtQ/s320/ll_cool_j.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358178299021095858" border="0" /></a><br />Next up you’ve got Levi Leipheimer, who is clearly LL Cool J, right? I mean, the physical similarities are obvious enough but replace the “J” with “Heimer” and they may as well be twins. I don’t know if Levi will carve out an acting career that includes WB sitcoms and movies like Rollerball…but I can see him listening to “I Need Love” as he reads all of the predictions about LA and Contador.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“When I’m alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall, and in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call.” </span><br /><br />I can’t decide if Kloden is more like EPMD or Slick Rick. Both were pretty solid but a little inconsistent and plagued by some external drama. I guess it all depends on the final verdict in his doping case. If he ends up getting caught out, he’ll definitely be more like Slick Rick. Or the Public Enemy of Germany.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> “Flava Kloden got problems of his own.”</span><br /><br />Okay, I think we’ve worn that one out enough so let’s look at some fun Tour de France nicknames that riders would have if they were rappers or a band:<br /><br />Bradley Wiggins – <span style="font-style: italic;">Wiggie Smalls</span><br /><br />Fabian Cancellara – <span style="font-style: italic;">Swissy Elliot</span><br /><br />Mark Cavendish and Columbia-THC – <span style="font-style: italic;">Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch Sprint Train</span><br /><br />Cadel Evans – <span style="font-style: italic;">No Faith Evans</span><br /><br />Luis Leon Sanchez – <span style="font-style: italic;">Kings of Leon Sanchez</span><br /><br />Frank and Andy Schleck – <span style="font-style: italic;">Schlecks-n-Effect</span><br /><br />Thor Hushovd – <span style="font-style: italic;">Bjork</span> ?<br /><br />Sorry Thor, I couldn’t think of anything good there. We’ll see if we can come up with something better by Paris.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxR53G8I/AAAAAAAACBU/vmlFEsCSUOc/s1600-h/psycho_shot5l.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 156px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/SlwSxR53G8I/AAAAAAAACBU/vmlFEsCSUOc/s320/psycho_shot5l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358178294493027266" border="0" /></a><br />As a final note on the Tour so far (you know…because the repetition of media coverage and the fact that the race has really only just begun) it should be noted that Alberto Contador is kind of beginning to remind me of Norman Bates from Psycho. There is a little bit of a physical resemblance but it’s mainly just the sense that there is some serious stuff bubbling under the schoolboy façade.<br /><br />In fact, I have likened his climbing style to that of a “crazed spider monkey” in the past, but perhaps he is a little more like Norman at the Bates Motel. Ideally, his seething internal aggression and psychotic desire to slaughter people will make for some good racing...and no unfortunate accidents in the shower.<br /><br />He’s not rooming with his Mother, is he?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“Psycho Killer. Qu'est-ce que c'est?" ("What is it?")</span> – Talking Heads<br /><br />I don't know what it is yet...but it should be an interesting road to Paris.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-66649403014312224062009-07-04T06:49:00.000-07:002009-07-04T06:51:36.905-07:00For the RecordPre-Tour de France Predictions:<br /><br />Stage 1 - A. Contador or Jens Voigt<br /><br />G.C. - (1) A. Contador, (2) C. Sastre, (3) L. Leipheimer<br /><br />Mountains - A. Schleck<br /><br />Points - M. Cavendish<br /><br />TV Watching - MeCaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-60526998163998593132009-06-11T20:08:00.000-07:002009-06-11T20:14:39.598-07:00Soul Stiffness<p><span class="sense_content"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Soul</span>: the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life. It is an abstract immaterial property of being. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stiffness</span>: the resistance of an elastic body to deformation by an applied force. It is an extensive material property of being. </p>Please Go Here For The New-Look Mumbo Jumbo on Bikes, Life, Culture and General Whatnot:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stiffsoul.blogspot.com/">www.stiffsoul.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />There will be more. Yes, there will be more.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-42352690456828048992009-03-26T07:55:00.000-07:002009-03-30T14:49:54.555-07:00A Tale of Two Clavicles - Part OneDoctor Van Nostrand (I have absolutely no idea what his name really was) said it probably wasn’t the truck that broke my collarbones. No, they were actually snapped by the force of getting slammed into the pavement from atop my bicycle after getting hit. My left knee and calf took the brunt of the initial impact so the Chevy Suburban was really only responsible for the first part. The ground took care of the rest.<br /><br />By making an on-coming left turn directly into my path, the Mother (who had two children in the backseat) left me with two unpleasant choices:<br /><br />1) Brake and slam into the right side of the vehicle at about 27mph.<br /><br />2) Accelerate in front of her and hopefully just get clipped from the left.<br /><br />Clearly, neither of the above decisions lend themselves to positive outcomes but the latter also entertains the very real possibility of getting run over. Which is pretty much the last thing you want. Especially by a Chevy Suburban.<br /><br />Regardless, I chose the higher Risk/Reward option. It sounds cliché but time nearly came to a standstill before the impact. It was literally like a movie or one of those car commercials where everything slows down right before the BANG!!<br /><br />The scene took place in late afternoon on the day before Thanksgiving in 1989 as I was heading back down E. Blithedale from a great ride up on Mt. Tam. Anxious to get home and have dinner, I was making good time and very nearly keeping pace with traffic on the slight descent toward Boyle Park. Then, just up the road from the tennis courts, everything shifted into super-slow motion as I instantly realized that some very, very bad things were about to take place and there was nothing I could do about it. Dinner was probably going to have to wait.<br /><br />At first I thought I could accelerate enough to get by cleanly but the Mother got across pretty quick and hit me nearly dead center with her license plate. The bumper connected about mid-shin and the outside of my left knee actually broke a hole in the grill. Then physics took over and the entire right side of my body became one with the intersection of East Blithedale and Walnut, distributing hundreds of pounds of force into the unforgiving pavement. I guess my jersey and shorts provided some cushioning but basically just disintegrated into my skin along with the gravel and grime from Walnut Avenue.<br /><br />Needless to say, my spindly little 14 year-old clavicles could not possibly withstand this sequence of events and instantly snapped in half on both sides. Amazingly, I got right back on my feet and began hopping up and down in the street as if I had stubbed my toe, trying desperately to comprehend what had just happened. It did not take long to realize that there had been some pretty hefty damage but at first I thought my right wrist and left knee were the worst off. As the adrenaline began to fade, it seemed like every part of my body hurt.<br /><br />Finally sitting down in the grass in front of the hair salon on the corner, it became clear that there was more wrong with me than I could accurately diagnose. The big lump in my right collarbone was disconcerting, as was the blood gushing from my left leg and right arm.<br /><br />At least a half dozen people either witnessed or heard the accident and soon there were ladies from the hair salon and other random gawkers milling around asking me if I was okay. I do not recall my exact response but I’m pretty sure it involved an expletive and the word “Ambulance.”<br /><br />To Be Continued…CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-30210503834084981542009-02-26T17:57:00.000-08:002009-02-27T08:27:58.743-08:00AToC Stage 8 - Running Diary vs VSHey Race Fans. Since most of you are probably going through a similar bit of post-AToC depression, please enjoy the following running diary from the VS coverage of Stage 8 from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido. This may be a bit free form and not exactly tense-specific in any way, so bear with me if I jump around a bit. I was traveling on Sunday and have read race reports but haven’t actually seen the coverage of this stage. Here we go:<br /><br />- The shirts that Columbia made for the crew at VS are pretty lame. I know they make some good gear but don’t really understand why they put the TV guys in fishing shirts. Are those denim? Yeesh.<br /><br />- What is the Over/Under on how many throat lozenges have been consumed by Liggett, Sherwen and Hummer this past week? With the way the veins were popping out of their necks during the pre-race chit-chat, you’d think these guys would be mute by now. I guess that’s what separates the Pros.<br /><br />- Okay, Cozza and J-Mac go off immediately. Between Frischkorn and Cozza, I think I’ve seen Garmin do this 50 times in the last couple of years. The flag drop attack is not exactly the best way to win but it sure gets things moving. Not sure how many friends it wins you though.<br /><br />- Good break with J-Mac, BJM, A-Schleck, Barredo and a few others. My favorite thing so far – Phil calling Barredo “Burrito.” Awesome. I still think about Barredo’s histrionics after getting dominated by Burghardt in the Tour last year. And I laugh and laugh.<br /><br />- Bob Roll interviews VDV: Christian is actually a pretty funny guy and it’s good to see him being more relaxed and casual with the media. Although I guess it is probably easier to be mellow when you’re being interviewed by Bobke. Bad news about Svein dropping out, hopefully he will recover well and handle the Euro spring without any nagging injuries. Meatball is totally getting some face time behind VDV. Good job Mike. Hope you can parlay that into some action with the ladies.<br /><br />- Commercials: Ugh, I really dislike the repetitive and feeble commercials during this coverage. What I do think is funny though, is this whole Uriah Faber WEC deal. The only reason I know this dudes name is because I have seen him fight a few times right before VS covers a bike race. He’s from NorCal, pretty much kills everyone in like 15 seconds and is actually the first cage fighter that I had seen with a TV commercial for some energy drink. But then the very next commercial is for the WEC coverage on VS and shows multiple angles of him getting absolutely cold-cocked and losing his title. Oops. Bad timing on that one Uriah. I still get a little sick every time I see that knockout. He looked like Mancebo in Stage 6.<br /><br />- Bob Roll interviews Levi: I’m not sure but…I think LL may have hit the bong in the bus during the pre-race meeting/clam-bake. I have NEVER seen such a mellow, happy and glazed look on this guy before. Perhaps he really is NorCal to the core. Does he live in Santa Rosa or Humboldt? Jokes about crashing, Band of Brothers comments, glasses askew, perma-smile on the face, maybe growing a soul-patch…what flavor was that energy bar/brownie? Afternoon Delight?<br /><br />- Mt. Palomar: This is a pretty wicked climb and it is not being made any easier by the presence of hundreds of idiots running alongside the riders. A dork with no peripheral vision in a beer bottle outfit, knobs in Speedo’s and helmets and just plain morons who want to get on TV were all out if full force on Palomar. I am embarrassed that these Donkey’s are out on the road and absolutely dread the time when one of them causes an accident. David Zabriskie was the only rider who I have heard mention how stupid some of the “runners” were and how sketchy they seemed as they fell down and tripped over each other up the mountain.<br /><br />Here’s the thing – I’m a lover not a fighter. But…I swear, it should be totally fine for respectful spectators to “interfere” with all of these Jerks who interfere with the race. You can take that how you want it but a real fan, a real connoisseur of the sport, would not disrespect the racers by trespassing on their field of play. It sickens me that these fools are glorified by the television and photo coverage of the race. They should be arrested. And run over by the race caravan. There, I said it.<br /><br />After personally watching Overcompensating Antler Boy nearly lobotomize dozens of people as he rode around downtown Solvang and seeing Big Hair and Ass Fan run right across the road in front of the riders on the Ballard Canyon climb – I officially call these fools out. They are giving American fans a bad name and are obviously more concerned with their own “CLOWN CELEBRITY” status than the race itself. For these CLOWNS to actually get suits made up (Antler guy is even so blatantly self-interested that he put a VS logo on his heinous skinsuit…how cheap and cheesy is that?) means that they actually consider themselves part of the race. Hey Dip Stick, YOU’RE NOT PART OF THE RACE!!!! THE RACERS ARE THE RACE!!!! YOU ARE A SELFISH CLOWN…GET OFF THE ROAD!!!!<br /><br />- Back to the race: It looks like Enrique Gutierrez is back. I know his nickname was “The Buffalo” but being a Colorado alum, that always seemed like a negative association for my beloved mascot. Therefore, I think I will call him “Giro-doper I hardly knew #6.” Tim Johnson marks the move for OUCH and seems to be feeling the form after ending his cyclocross season a bit early to train for the road. The field is stringing out now but still staying together. It seems like they are wary of this climb and probably anticipating some fireworks in the last two or three miles of the grade.<br /><br />- Still not really sure about the yellow Mavic kicks yet. Cool for cross, maybe not so much on the road. Sorry guys, they make white ones right?<br /><br />- Has anyone commented on the “DEAD” written across the junk of the Rock Racing kits yet? I know it actually says “ROCKS NOT DEAD” but as Paco Mancebo displayed on Stage 1, it just looks like they have DEAD written on the chamois. That’s kind of harsh.<br /><br />- Bob Roll interviews Lance: LA is cracking jokes, he really does seem pretty mellow. There is still a very deliberate and focused tone but I have been impressed with how much he seems to be enjoying the experience. Regardless of what you think of the man and his legacy, it’s always pleasant to see people that just like riding and racing their bikes. And Lance certainly seems to fall into that category. Cycling is fun and at the very least, LA is making it seem like an enjoyable and worthwhile endeavor. Nothing wrong with that. Especially if you work for Trek.<br /><br />- VDV is taking it up a notch on the front of the rapidly dwindling peloton. These cats are not messing around anymore, as VDV seems to be laboring more than he was in the Alps and Pyrenees in July.<br /><br />- Off goes Oscar Sevilla on what appears to be a ninja-bike. Maybe he’s trying to shed his baby-face image by rocking what appears to be Rick James’ hairdo underneath his helmet but unfortunately, it kind of just makes him look like one of the Mary Jane Girls. Sorry buddy, I’m just trying to help.<br /><br />- Here comes Floyd with Voigt, Gesink, etc. Arrgh, some idiot just pushed Floyd and it seemed like he just gave up after that. Landis does not seem like the kind of guy that would appreciate that. That is really unfortunate. It would have been rad if Jens got off and went Chuck Norris on that guy. He kind of veered off so I got a little excited that there would be a roundhouse kick involved somehow. No such luck. This time.<br /><br />- Andy Schleck is working hard in the break but kind of dancing around a little. Now Frank Schleck is going off the front of the peloton with JV, Gesink and Tom Danielson. It could get a little crazy if Saxo-Bank ends up with four guys ahead of the field with Levi isolated. You have to think that Astana is playing it cool since it’s still so early but…Bjarne seems to be applying his patented late-race Hail Mary tactics again.<br /><br />- In other news: Dave Zabriskie is on LL like it’s nothing. I’ve always thought DZ should be able to climb with the best of them but just hasn’t been able to show it for some reason. Michael Rogers just took a MASSIVE pull to bring the GC guys back to the first chase group. Mick and DZ are looking super strong this year.<br /><br />- Oh My Goodness. Some guy was just running along holding his infant child out like a musette bag. I really hope he gets arrested for child abuse. That was way worse than Michael Jackson a few years back. I swear, this is the reason I really fear for the future of our planet.<br /><br />- Good to see Tommy D. in the front group. He’s been pretty visible in Boulder recently and seems to be finding a good comfort zone after a few frustrating years. Hopefully it comes together again for both him and Garmin-Slipstream.<br /><br />- Jens Voigt presented by Chuck Norris looks like he’s in a prize fight with his new Specialized bicycle. I feel sorry for the carbon fiber when Jens starts rocking and throwing uppercuts with the quadriceps. Now there is some mental defective in green speedos running in front of Voigt. Oh how I wish there could be an official Time Out called for fighting like in hockey. The riders could even take off their gloves and then scrap. Actually, I’ve seen some funny YouTube clips with Bobby J and some other pugilists that may make me reconsider that.<br /><br />- The main group goes over the summit of Mt. Palomar about a minute or so back. All the necessary names are present.<br /><br />- Uh Oh, Michael Ball in the House: Humble? Not about being arrogant? A different time now? About business? He still has the Bentley though. I just hope the success in California gets guys like Baldwin and Creed paid for the rest of their contracts.<br /><br />- The little Rock feature seemed to focus on Tyler more than M. Ball. Hamilton is still very popular and as polite and gracious as ever, signing autographs and posing for photos with fans. He actually seemed to be among the more visible of the “Big” name riders in the event.<br /><br />- Commercials: Okay, how did I miss the investment potential for pharmaceutical male enhancement products? I could have retired by now if the frequency of advertising is any indication of cash flow. I feel like I need to take a shower after some of those innuendos.<br /><br />- Apparently Bob Roll is doing product placement pieces now. I’m not sure how the manufacturers got VS to go along with that but okay. I wonder how much those little pieces were worth?<br /><br />- Glenn Chadwick is off the front again and has really stepped up for this race. He was in the break all day on Stage 5 as well. It seemed like he just kind of fell away from the other guys down Palomar. I know he’s a Kiwi but he must know this descent.<br /><br />- Paul Sherwen is now explaining how a stage race works. Duh…you mean it’s overall time? Der…what’s the green shirt for? Do they do stuff like that on the European coverage? Or do they just expect that if you’re watching, you pretty much know what is going on? I really hope that little production piece on the basics of a stage race helped some people out. Because I think it made a little bit of my brain explode and it better have been worth it.<br /><br />- Here is the final climb up Cole Grade. Nibali is drilling it in his Liquigas/Kermit the Frog costume. Oh no, idiot Sumo wrestlers running next to the riders. This is out of hand. And another fool carrying his kid while running alongside the peloton. Since when did that become an option?<br /><br />- Schleck is really digging now but Nibali is hanging in there as they begin to hit the rollers. Astana is all over the front of the field as Armstrong seems to be regulating the tempo. Chadwick is caught and has a bite to eat as he falls through the group.<br /><br />- Oh dear. It seems that VS has found some of the old graphics from the Coors Classic in order to demonstrate how drafting works. Nice. I could be wrong, but that looked like a cartoon or something. Did one of the viewers win a contest to get that on TV? Or one of the producers kids? That was amazing. Oh, so that’s why they ride in a line like that?<br /><br />- Schleck seems to be the stronger of the two and is now gesturing for Nibali to pull through. The Italian takes a sucker pull but at least fakes it on the front for a few seconds. It seems like someone other than Astana would have had to start working to bring Schleck and Nibali back because the Kazakh crew had no reason to reel them both all the way in.<br /><br />- Hummer just gave a strange shout out Bill Walton. Okay. I remember an old picture of Walton when he was with the Blazers and he had a bike with a foot-long head tube. Seriously, the guy is like 7 feet tall. I think Hummer wants Lakers tickets from Luke.<br /><br />- The final descent before a finish is always hectic but this one could be fun to watch. Nibali almost nibbled the tailpipe of the moto there for a second. I wonder if Schleck ever thinks about his Superman impression at the Tour de Suisse last year? These guys are flying.<br /><br />- There is an interesting mix of riders and teams in the front chase group of about 25. In a display of small guy power, Oscar Sevilla and Trent Lowe take pulls ahead of Gutierrez. There just aren’t enough guys from a motivated team in this final group.<br /><br />- Now it seems like Schleck is sitting on Nibali for the final kilometers. The Luxembourger makes a jump in the final straight and that’s it. Hincapie edges Sutherland for third at 39 seconds back.<br /><br />- Phew. It’s over. Levi wins again over DZ and Michael Rogers. Done, done and done.<br /><br />- Apparently there were over 2 million spectators at the Amgen Tour of California. I am happy to say that I was one of them for a few days but must admit that it is certainly much more comfortable from the couch. As always, the VS coverage makes me scratch my head every once in a while but still proves to be the best that we have in the U.S. so I am grateful for its presence.<br /><br />- Now if we could just do something about those shirts…CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-23575841128204001722009-02-23T13:10:00.000-08:002009-02-24T09:08:59.739-08:00AToC Stage 7 - Through Rose Bowl Colored GlassesUnderstanding that the Rose Bowl has played host to events such as the Super Bowl and World Cup, I really didn't think that it would be too crazy at the finish of Stage 7. Needless to say, I was wrong. It wasn't just a little crazy, it was completely Gary Busey-level insane.<br /><br />In a scene that could be described as somewhat "Lollapalooza-esque" the final five circuits around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena provided a wonderful spectrum of demographic representation not usually seen at bicycle races in North America. The cultural melting pot that is LA was certainly on display and EVERYONE was psyched to be there, even though a number of the spectators didn't really seem to realize that it was a bike race and not a football game.<br /><br />For those who are familiar with bike racing in the US, it is generally acknowledged that while the sport is comprised of "mostly" open-minded and accepting individuals, it is sadly deficient in terms of socio-economic and cultural diversity. There are certainly many unique examples around the country but for the most part, bike racing has not exactly transcended the boundaries of white-collar spectatorship and participation in the States. Hopefully events like the Amgen Tour of California will help make the sport more representative of our population as a whole.<br /><br />As for the race itself, the final circuits provided an opportunity to see just how much time a team like Astana can take back on a breakaway over the last 30k. The day-long break, which contained names like Hincapie, Vande Velde, Baldwin, Roulston, Weening and Schleck was likely more concerned with the stage win than gaining time but still, they weren't exactly lolly-gagging. Frank Schleck put in a pretty good solo dig but it ended up being a group of three that got away at the very end with Nocentini barely edging Roulston and a fading Weening. Meanwhile, the Astana crew pulled back about five minutes and kept LL comfortably in the lead.<br /><br />Although it didn't get much attention, the effort of Horner in particular was impressive as he was suffering from road rash and a nasty bang to the knee but still rotated with Chechu and the rest at 30+ for the final circuits. Similarly, it was inspiring to watch how hard Tom Zirbel, Svein Tuft and Trent Lowe were working behind the field after having crashed earlier in the stage. The three riders throttled themselves through ripped lycra and blood with no hope of catching back on, exemplifying the toughness and stubborness of elite bike racers. I just hope they could hear the crowd support as they finished, since that was likely the only bright spot to their day.<br /><br />I also hope that the examples of personal character, fortitude and effort on display were appreciated by all the fans in Pasadena. The metaphor of life that is bike racing has the power to transcend most social and cultural barriers and perhaps...the world is a better place due to the sport. Or perhaps I am viewing the world through Rose Bowl colored glasses.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-20282294539390717592009-02-21T22:03:00.000-08:002009-02-21T22:05:49.971-08:00AToC Stage 6 - Levi's TrifectaIf Solvang, California were a food, it would be a sweet, jelly-filled Danish pastry. If it were a bike race, it would be the Amgen Tour of California. And if I were more creative I would be able to come up with a better way to start this post.<br /><br />Anyway, I love this freaky little town and think that the TT in Solvang may be the single coolest event in North American bike racing. The day’s temperatures flirted with the mid-70’s and the Califosi (does that count as a new word?) were out in full force, turning the town and beautiful 15 mile course into an virtual amusement park of bike racing goodness.<br /><br />Having attended the event for the third year now, it is clear that attendance was significantly higher in 2009 than previous editions, to the point that spectators were packed 10 deep along portions of the course and jammed the expo area like sardines. Even along the more remote stretches of road outside of town there was rarely more than a few hundred meters between bunches of people clanging cowbells and cheering the racers.<br /><br />As for the racing itself, LL Cool Heimer proved that he is the sole owner of this stage and anyone who wants to steal it from him will probably have to take up residence in the Central Coast in order to uncover his secrets on this TT course. David Zabriskie came as close as anyone has to accomplishing the feat but still ended up 8 seconds shy of the three-time winner. Saxo Bank’s big Scandanavian Gustav Larsson took the third step of the podium and continues to prove that he is one to watch in big races against the clock.<br /><br />Michael Rogers put up a respectable performance but at one point it was announced that his first split was a full two minutes ahead of Zabriskie. Now…for those familiar with bike racing (or physics) it was pretty clear that there was no possible way that any human being could go two minutes faster that DZ over 7.5 miles but that did not stop a number of people from going crazy in the crowd. Thankfully Big Dave Towle came to the rescue and brought some sanity back to the event by stating that Rogers would have to be flirting with the sound barrier in order for the split to be correct. Needless to say, the time check was not right and I politely informed some people standing near me that it’s not really possible to go 40mph for that long. Sorry Mick, not this time.<br /><br />On a final note, through the much-appreciated goodwill of MissingSaddle and the Jelly Belly team, I was able to accompany Danny Van Haute in the infamous bean-colored Lexus as we followed Stage 5’s Most Courageous rider Matthew Crane along the TT. I will document this experience in greater written and photographic detail shortly but suffice to say, it was pretty rad and I am quite thankful for the hospitality. I first met Van Haute as a 15 year-old junior racer back in the day but I never anticipated kicking it in the car with him during the biggest race in the country. Who knew? Stay tuned for more on that soon.<br /><br />Stage 7 into Pasadena has the potential to be a bit tricky but I anticipate another bunch finish with Captain Cavman taking yet another scalp ahead of Thor and Tom. Rose Bowl here we come.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500968037344704527.post-50828718649077202072009-02-20T17:17:00.000-08:002009-02-20T18:17:12.472-08:00AToC Stage 4 & 5 - Captain CavmanOkay, it is officially “normal” at the Tour of California now. After days of rain, crashes and breakaways the sun has returned and Mark Cavendish is racking up stage wins. With a second victory in as many days Captain Cavman made his boss proud as he took the “hometown” honors just up the road from Bob Stapleton’s house.<br /><br />While the stage played out basically as expected, a breakaway of six riders did their best to mess up the formula and stayed away for most of the day. Matthew Crane took the Most Courageous jersey back to the Jelly Belly bus for his efforts in the break and got some solid publicity for the Bean Team. As the longest-running sponsor in North American racing, it’s great to see the return on investment for the NorCal company and Director Danny Van Haute.<br /><br />It was also great to see that there was far less carnage on the roads of California than we have seen over the last few days. After the likes of Kirchen, Freire and Nydam were hauled off in ambulances yesterday, the field stayed more upright in Stage 5 and enjoyed near-perfect conditions for most of the race. It’s been a pretty hectic event for the medical staff up to this point so hopefully Stage 5 bodes well for the remainder of the ToC.<br /><br />Viewing the finish in person, it was clear that Captain Cavman and his Columbia crew were not going to be denied. What was not clear upon viewing a replay of the finale, was whether MC the Hammer was pointing to the team logos on his kit…or well…something else as he crossed the finish line. Maybe his arms were tired or something but all I know is that the hands were pointing pretty low in relation to the Columbia-High Road logos. Not sure about gesturing at your junk for a post-up victory salute but I guess when you win as much as the Teen Wolf of bike racing, you can assume a little creative license.<br /><br />Again, despite the weird victory salute, team owner Bob Stapleton was very pleased after the race. I had a chance to chat briefly with The Man as we walked to the press conference and the moral of the story is that he is quite possibly the coolest owner in all of professional sports. As evidence of this, he actually held Cavendish’s bike and stayed for the duration of the comments almost sheepishly in the back of the room, graciously accepting congratulations and deflecting praise upon his team.<br /><br />This may not seem like a big deal at first but can you imagine the owner of an MLB team shagging fly balls or assisting the players in any way other than signing their checks? But Stapleton really seems to care about his riders and never seems to come off like a multi-millionaire owner of a professional sport team. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with him on a number of occasions now and he is always exceedingly polite and friendly. So much so that I am almost willing to forgive him for going with the white shorts this year. Almost.<br /><br />Anyway, now we head to Solvang where the forecast predicts 72 degrees and plenty of sunshine. The conditions will be perfect for Levi to keep his unblemished record on the spectacular course through the Santa Ynez valley and virtually lock up the overall. And again, tasty Danish pastries will be consumed by yours truly. I can’t wait.CaliRado Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02228453234910383998noreply@blogger.com1