Car:Driver::Barrel:Fish. Not being mistaken for this guy is reason enough to minimize your time behind the wheel: Short Schrift: My Secret Shame Ah, the old “cyclists are ruffians” argument. What color was that pot again? If it were possible to cheat the rules on the road in a car the way it is on a…
Who's Stupider: Pro Cyclists or NFL Players?
It’s a question I’ve turned over many a time in my head. To an American, it seems like a gimme for lunks in shoulder pads. American football players are universally acknowledged as big, dumb sacks of meat, while most cyclists this side of the pond are skinny, smooth-legged oddballs with the means to buy three-thousand…
2008 Paris-Roubaix – Tornado Tom Roars Again
Ah…now that’s what I was waiting for. Tom Boonen comes through with the big win (30 meters clear in a sprint!) just to remind you that he’s still the greatest classics rider of his generation. It’s hard to pick a more elite group to come into the line with, too: the 06′ Roubaix winner and…
Freire Wins '08 Wevelgem, Cyclingews' Decay Continues
Not sure how many of you were up on yesterday’s comment thread, but to jackhammer the point through the floor, today’s Cyclingnews post not once, but twice misnames Juan Antonio Flecha as the 2008 Flanders runner-up. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if the race hadn’t been four days ago. Jeff Jones, where are…
Wevelgem Eve with Roubaix Looming
Man, is there a close layover between Ghent Wevelgem and the Ronde or what? I feel like it’s hardly enough time to walk after Flanders, let alone take on a few more bucketloads of Belgian cobblestones. It makes the relative lack of respect Wevelgem gets all the more inexplicable. But once Cipo’ wins a race,…
Tour of Flanders 2008 – A Study in Intimidation
I’ve always admired Stijn Devolder’s penchant for attacking. He’s been a massively important protagonist for years in one-day races, and despite what John Wilcockson says, he’s been in contention for a classic win at least once before. And while claims that he’s a Tour contender still seem a bit unwarranted, winning the Ronde in the…
Carnage Looms at Flanders, Fans Grin Gleefully
Well, two days to go until the Ronde and I’m already sick of Flanders…PSYCH! Velonews drops some coin on a Graham Watson photo history and details Leif Hoste’s plans not to be second again. Note to the Belgian – self-calling that you won’t be second on the cobblestones in April is historically not a good…
Three Days of Pain, Ramp up to Ronde Continue
We’re barely through the second of 3.5 stages, and already The Pain has taken a toll – Leif Hoste’s well on his way to another unhappy Ronde, to go with his flag-in-spokes from ’03 and leave-stronger-teammate-behind-before-losing sprint from ’06. It’s all fun and games for Tom Boonen, of course; he seems awfully relaxed for a…
It's not an April Fool's Post, Folks.
Well, it ain’t the Tour de France, but as per my prediction, Sylvain Chavanel certianly is on a tear. While Dwaars door Vlaanderen has turned out its fair share of oddball winners (Frederik Veuchelen, anyone?) Brabantse Pijl has been the personal property of thrice-over world champ Oscar Freire for quite some time. We’ll see the…
2008 Milan-Sanremo
In response to Velonews’ pre-race question “sprint or break”, the answer is “no”. Drawing obvious comparisons to last year’s staggering TdF stage win at Compeigne, Fabian Cancellara once again turned savvy, raw power and a confusing race situation into a glorious breakaway win. While TT riders can be notoriously poor performers in tense, tactical race…