The cycling world learned of the retirement of two former Grand Tour winners this week: Pavel Tonkov and Angel Casero (scroll down). The problem was, though, only one of them (scroll down) is actually quitting the sport. Pavel Tonkov really is retiring, after a dream career that saw him escape Soviet Russa, marry a podium girl, win the 1996 Giro and give the whole world the ole’ va fangul, which is Jersey Italian for va faire en culo which is, uh, best left in Italian. Another former Giro winner, Gilberto Simoni is currently in contract talks with the Italian branch of Miramax for a remake of an American comedy classic, under the working title “There’s Something about Gibo,” as now Saunier Duval becomes today the third team in as many days to be linked the diminuative Italian.
Why do I expect the Interbike stories to stop? I mean, how can you follow-up “Vegas, baby, Vegas” with stuffy, dreary rainy old London?
(though Jon Favreau did follow up the sensational Swingers with a very lukewarm Made…). Anyway, here’s a whole bunch more Interbike stories, and a single feature from the London Bike Show. Actually, rather than close on that stale “pip-pip,” here’s a preview of Red Bull’s upcoming Road Rage event. It’s like descending in the Tour de France, but without all those pesky Basques. Jan Ullrich need not apply.
Oh, and this just in, another team is now after Simoni. I’m just waiting for Brett Favre to show up.
So, what’s the big deal about marrying a podium girl?
Oh, come on, dude. A cyclist marrying a podium girl is like a rockstar marrying a model, or a quarterback marrying a cheerleader, or some rich, blazer-wearing FFV aristocrat marrying a stately southern belle. It’s just, like, a prototypical step toward living happily ever after.