I had initially planned to write this earlier, since yesterday’s group sprint outcome was almost a sure thing, but I take nothing for granted with this Giro. It’s a strange situation the race finds itself in now. Arroyo’s defense of the maglia rosa has been both spirited and intelligent, and the Spaniard, if he does…
Month: May 2010
Foreigners At The Giro: An Uphill Battle
Sure, every national tour wants to see home-grown talent on the top of the podium. But I don’t think any other country tries as Italy to make that desire a reality. An example: the chairs provided to Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso at the post-race show after today’s stage. Basso is clearly sitting on a…
Dial-a-Denial, And Why The Game Might Be Up
No public figure in recent memory has been more well-managed under scrutiny than Lance Armstrong. Sure, hero status gives him a leg up, but there’s real brilliance in how his inner circle handles accusations; on every battlefield he’s fought, Armstrong has always made the issue his accusers, and not their accusations. I’ve compiled a fun…
Time Gap Theory: So Far, So Good
So before the chaos in Stage 11 of this year’s Giro (here are some new rider interviews on it), I posited that time gaps in the General Classification have a direct, predictable impact on the racing action. Specifically, I claimed that there was a “sweet spot” where 1-2 minute GC gaps would reduce nervousness while…
Meanwhile, Back In Italy
Lest I fall short of my own impeccable standards, I must discuss the Giro at least once today. And there is, frankly, still a lot to talk about. Specifically, yesterday’s GC reshuffling. The finger-pointing began as soon as the riders crossed the line. This is the juncture where I’d normally poke fun at Cadel Evans…
Too Little, Too Late
You’ve probably heard by now that Floyd Landis has confessed. Sadly, There isn’t a whole lot of data in the Landis emails. Floyd doesn’t really say anything that people haven’t been saying for years in late-night IM conversations and court depositions. I was hoping at least to get a photo of the vaunted refrigerated motorcycle…
Five Years Ago Today
Five years ago today I wrote my first real post on this blog during my lunch break, at Dos Gringos Burritos in scenic Carbondale, CO, in the shadow of Mount Sopris (at left). I believe Ute City Cycles, the shop I worked for at the time, has since moved to Aspen. Quite an anniversary gift…
Pascal the Mechanic
We’re all familiar with Chris Anker Sorenson’s fantastic pain management skills. But when you’re 1.5km from the top of a mountain-top finish in a Grand Tour, and Xabier Tondo has just been let off the leash to run you down, even he needs a little extra help. That’s when SaxoBank calls in Pascal: “On the…
A Stage For the Grandkids
Pippo Pozzato gets a new nickname after today’s stage: Cassandra. He predicted the action pretty much to the letter (Evans winning, Sastre, Basso losing time) but was unable to do anything about it himself—possibly, some have suggested, because the weather was too grim. At any rate, the nickname is certainly inline with scope of the…
Maybe All Grand Tours Should Start in the Netherlands
So for those of you scoring at home, that’s two consecutive Grand Tour starts in the Netherlands, and two consecutive Grand Tours marked by huge crowds, active racing, and scenes of epic carnage in the early going. If the pattern continues, this year’s TdF depart in Rotterdam might just be that rapturous moment in which…