So, nothing against Tom Boonen, but his second win of the Tour was probably the least significant development in the cycling world today. I suppose the best place to begin relating the latest developments is last night, when the Danish Cycling Federation officially dumped Michael Rasmussen (who just happens to be leading the biggest race…
Month: July 2007
2007 Working Man's Stage Race – Race Report
So I’m gonna try to be upbeat, because this was a pretty fun event, but I didn’t get my workout in today and that makes me grumpy. Working Man’s “stage race” is a three day event, held over consecutive evenings on the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border. I think a more clever name would be “Criterium Regionál”…
Tour de France '07 – Hunter Starts RSA Account, Moreau Lost in the Mistral
Man, how I love the mainstream press: flat day = boring day, right guys? I suppose it’s ok that they apply the same logic (car starts = car is fine) to auto maintenance, but I really draw the line at fact checking. This BBC story states incorrectly that Patrick Sinkewitz tested positive during the ’07…
Tour de France '07 – A Scripted Riding Rest Day
Stage 10 – long and hilly enough to dissuade tired sprinters and teams, easy enough that the GC men can coast. So a rest day in all but name; punctuated, as these stages tend to be, by a French victory, and overshadowed, as these stages also tend to be, by a doping story. This had…
Tour de France '07 – Soler Solos, Vino' Sours
See? What’d I tell you – never trust a Directeur Sportif. Vino’s healed up my foot. If by “healed up”, you mean about to collapse to the tune of three and a half minutes behind a wild-card breakaway. Even the support of a dedicated Borat impersonator couldn’t get Vino’ over the top with the leaders….
Tour de France '07 – First Rest Day and Still No GC Picture
You know what’s ironic? That I was finally able to watch both Stage 7 and Stage 8 this weekend, but not to find the time I needed to post on either of them. There was a lot of that going around this weekend – not quite irony always, but something close. For example, Slate rejected…
Tour de France '07 – Boonen Wins, Dopers Lose
You know why cycling has a doping problem? Because the French fans can’t make up their minds. Go fast, you’re a doper. Turn in something other than an inhuman performance, you’re a slacker. Such passive-aggressiveness. No wonder they get into (and then lose) so many wars. At least the rest of the world seems has…
Tour de France '07 – Chablis Stage Bad for Vino'
Another new day, another unique finish, and another unquantifiable sensation that this is shaping up to be one heck of a Tour. Stage 5 (which stared in Chablis) wrapped up with an uphill kick coming off a Cat 3 descent, that still managed a staggering 49mph burst at the line. Even in 53×11, that’s 130rpm,…
Tour de France '07 – Hushovd Takes First "Normal" Stage
Finally! A normal sprint stage, won by a sprinter, animated by a decent break, carried out at a reasonable pace, and taking place entirely on French soil. It’s like were in the first week of the Tour de France, or something. Still looking forward to getting a peep at this one, just so I can…
Tour de France '07 – Cancellara and a Clean-Looking Race
I may never have been madder to be stuck at work than I was today – and lets keep in mind I had to try and piece together the 2003 race while listening to the old streaming OLN voice feed. I mean, yes, the yellow jersey occasionally wins flat stages, and short-effort TT guys do…