Aug 15th 2005Race Reports
I realize that in past weeks I have been, perhaps, a little critical of Aspen Cycling Club races. I apologize, not for my criticisms, but for the one-sidedness of my analysis. So before I begin this report, here are a few good things about Aspen Cycling Club racing:
Aug 15th 2005News
No word yet on how Todd Yezefski faired at his post-Track Nats criterium at Manhattan Beach. It’s possible he DNF’d, DNS’d or was DQ’d, or even that he was one of the “unknown” riders that popped up toward the end of the Pro/1 field. No matter how bad it went, though, I’m pretty sure it could have been worse.
Oh, and while were on the topic of former Dartmouth riders, for some reason VeloNews thinks this is newsworthy for their “Cycling in the News” section. Maybe I should start sending them Aspen Cycling Club town series results, as well.
Aug 15th 2005News
Despite having a totally sweet name like “Bram Tankink,” Bram Tankink has ungone his share of misfortune (scroll way down) earlier this season. Even after driving the long break in today’s first stage of the Tour of Germany, and then dropping the rest break over a small rise with 16k to go, “The Tank” lost traction in a rain-soaked corner, and almost missed out on the stage win. But everything came out in the wash for the Quick-Step Dutchman,l who now sits over 3 minutes ahead of race favorites Jan Ullrich and Bobby Julich.
Aug 14th 2005News
Yes, more Spaniards on the move. They’re all the rage these days. Ag2r, after signing Mancebo, has not plunked not one, but two more Iberians onto the roster: José Luis Arrieta and David Navas, both of Illes Balears, which coincedentally, is also Mancebo’s current team. No word yet on how IB plans to fill in the gap, but the squad has been notorious in the past for importing Russians (Karpets, Menchov, etc).
Aug 13th 2005News
Perhaps one of the reasons Americans as a whole are largely unaware of professional cycling is that they are largely unaware of exactly what constitutes doping. From this article at ESPN:
In the report, Shortt said that he does not believe that steroids enhance performance. He said he provided steroids to about half of the one- to two-dozen NFL players he treated, and that most of the players received human growth hormone.
Aug 13th 2005News
Big day for Saunier Duval-Prodir. Constantino Zaballa, a bald little man with a fine set of legs, secured the Classica San Sebastian for the boys in the yellow, the teams second win in as many years, while teammate Joaquin Rodrigues won the small group sprint for second. The reward? Fame, some cash, and above all, a Txapela; a traditonal hat of the region, questionable in its practicality both as headgear and as a fashion statement.
Aug 12th 2005News
After weeks of “maybes,” “probablys” and “almost definatelys,” Alexandro Valverde is now officially out of the 2005 Vuelta. The cause: tendonitis contracted at the 2005 Tour de France. Our Advice: as much as it pains us to say it, turn lower gears. Fortune’s wheel seems to be spinning more favorably for another Spanish talent, 2003 World Champ Igor Astarloa, who’s rumored be joining current Barloworld co-sponsor Valsir in a move to Lampre next season. As El Diario Vasco reports, Astarloa rode for Lampre team boss Giuseppe Martinelli earlier in his career, which gives the rumor the reak of a dirty, European, insider’s deal. Add to this the fact that the Basque has very tight links with Valsir, a comapny that is based in Brescia, Italy, which happens to be where Martinelli lives, and it seems almost inevitable.
Aug 11th 2005News
It’s been a busy year for whatever kind of doctor it is that gives you surgery to relieve saddle sores. First World Champ Oscar Freire, and now Giro champ and TdF stage winner Paolo Savodelli. “I will be operated on to remove an annoying cyst. I believe my season at the highest level is over,” il Falco reported to Eurosport today. As a result, George Hincapie, who’s shown good climbing legs so far this year will lead Disco’s charge at this weekend’s Classica San Sebastian.
Aug 10th 2005Rant
I’m not especially prone to misfortune. In the past, I may have attributed some long losing streaks to curses, and it seems to start raining pretty much every time I get off work, but these instances of bad luck aren’t anything outside the realm of probability. Back before last fall, I didn’t believe the Red Sox were cursed, and I still don’t think the Cubs are. There’s 30 teams in the major leagues (though there haven’t always been, but there didn’t used to be play-offs, either), so with a perfectly even distribution, since the first Series in 1903, each team should have won between 3 and 4 times by now. The Red Sox have 5 titles. Doesn’t seem too cursed to me.
Aug 10th 2005News
Who brought you the news that Oscar Friere’s 2005 season was officially over, before world bicycle news leader CyclingNews? Oh yes, it was lowly Cyclocosm. Totally sweet. Meanwhile, in actual news, Bobby Julich absolutely put it to the Benelux Tour field into today’s final TT, opening up a void of 37 seconds over second-place finisher Leif Hoste of Discovery Channel to win the stage and the GC. Rik Verbrugghe, meanwhile, after leading the race for all but two stages, came utterly to bits, losing almost 2 minutes over the 26k course, and dropping to 5th in the overall.
