I am not a happy camper. Cyclingnews was sold last night, to an evil publishing conglomerate – an evil publishing conglomerate that already owns, among 150 or so other publications, ProCycling, Cycling Plus, MBUK and What Mountain Bike. Since the Podium Cafe seems to have taken the mature, cautious response to this development, I’ll spend…
Author: cosmo
More Jaksche, Curse of the National Champ Jersey?
I know I said I was done talking about doping yesterday, but Cyclingnews’ additional coverage on Jaksche is just too good. The specificity with which he calls out Walter Godefroot has apparently convinced Astana to jettison him – after the Tour, that is. So if you’re a Tour de France rider, you’ve gotta sign the…
The '07 Tour: Dope Stories to Date
Long weekend, missed some stuff, most of it involves drugs, so I’m just gonna get it all out of the way now. Despite his recent suspension, Milram has named Alessandro Petacchi to their TdF team. Some call it a vote of confidence from the squad, but since a verdict on Ale-Jet’s apparently over-zealous inhaler usage…
2007 Fitchburg-Longsjo Race Report – Stage 4 Criterium
I overslept. I’ve never really overslept on race day before, but let me tell you, it throws everything off. Even after coffee (I’ve been drinking a bit of that lately), you’re groggy, just a step or two off. By the time I arrive at the racecourse, the rest of the team is already in kits,…
2007 Fitchburg-Longsjo Race Report – Stage 3 Road Race
So I’ve been feeling kind of fat this whole Fitchburg weekend, and I realized why on the ride to the race this morning. Even on my easiest days of training, I get in more saddle time than I’ve had in two days of this race. Heck, just the ride to work takes up more time…
2007 Fitchburg-Longsjo Race Report – Stage 2 Circuit Race
So one for the “The Universe hates Cosmo” file today. Drive into the start with no worries (other than the massive calzone I foolishly ate all of the night before), and rode up (helmet on) to staging to sign in. Immediately I get yelled at to get off my bike at the staging tent. Keep…
2007 Fitchburg-Longsjo Race Report – Stage 1 TT
The last time I did Fitchburg was back in 2005, and man, was it a high-strung race. People cussing, shoving at the start lines, knocking each other around on course. Granted, today was a TT, but I’d have to say the overall scene was far more laid back. Lots of guys in the Cat 3…
Kessler Suspended, Petacchi Out? Barloworld In.
On the ride to work today, I hatched this theory that maybe the “men in black” weren’t really Astana like everyone’s been saying. Maybe they were Caisses d’Epargne, a squad that tends wear black kits, and has had a few scrutinized riders. Well, looks like it’s back to the drawing board for me. Matthias Kessler…
Nothing Makes Sense
Arrrg! Shimano, why? First Cannondale and now you? You beat SunTour in the 80’s by pouring millions into engineering and research. You were so awesome when you came out with the 10 speed Dura-Ace in ’03 and said “our research shows aluminum cranks are better”. Now you let idiot mechanics say “Nowadays everybody wants to…
The Hay is in the Barn
So, now that Vlad Karpets has locked down his second stage race win of the year at the Tour de Suisse, the blogosphere breathes a sigh of relief. No more posturing, no more shadowboxing – just the Tour. Sure, there’s the Eindhoven TTT and some fancy jersey giveaways, but for the contenders, the hay is…