OLN Sucks, VeloNews is Weak, Petacchi Still Cruising

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve just been a little down lately. Fortunately, I know exactly how to cheer myself up. When OLN sends out a press release that announces a series of hour-long tape-delay recaps, and calls it “cycling coverage,” the Journal of Competitive Cycling owes it to the sport to express some consternation. At the very least, they could have taken a look to OLN’s webpage, which hasn’t been updated since last July, and then expressed skepticism regarding the network’s commitment keep cycling “an important part of OLN programming.” But no; when a channel that covers bike racing the way Cartoon Network covers jai alai sends you a press release, you don’t so much as raise an eyebrow. Grow some balls, already. It’s just pathetic; a million hits a month and the only thing you can seem to stand up to is me. Oh, and if you’re one of those Uncle Tom Cycling Fans, who reads this and says “Shut up, boy; we should count our blessings there’s cycling coverage at all,” it’s a damn good thing your attitude’s a recent American phenomenon – we’d still be working double shifts for 6¢/hour, being bled dry by the Stamp Act, and kissing QE2’s pinky ring.

Now that I’m rolling, I’d also like to take issue with this story about Sea Otter fueling the local economy. Though 99.5% of American cycling fans don’t live in Monterrey, CA I’m sure they’re still very interested in how a single bike event effects the local economy there. And it’s really good press for Sea Otter – it almost looks like a link the event organizers could pass on to NorCal businesses while looking for sponsors! And, look, it got first billing, so you don’t have scroll down to find it! That wouldn’t have anything to do with the Sea Otter Advertizement down in the lower left corner there, would it? Ugh. I’m sorry, folks, I’m like a broken record; at least I got them to reconsider their choice of verb after yesterday’s post. And that, actually, makes a nice segue into results. Aside from Petacchi’s second straight vic over Boonen, Alessandro Ballan of Lampre won the Trofeo Laiguelia yesterday, foiling the favorites by powering his break clear and then taking the 6-up dash for the line.