You might think that going missing like I did the past few days would leave me out in the cold on a few news stories. But you’d be wrong. Menchov wins Vuelta? Yeah, didn’t see that coming three weeks ago. Oh, and the Landis verdict? I mean, USADA has never lost a case – Tom…
Bennati Wins, Valverde Waits, McEwen and Moreau Go Home
Sorry for the impromptu haitus, but I’ve been working on nailing down a better “real” job. That means lots of web searching, resume and cover letter writing, driving, interviewing, and general sweet talking. It’s time-consuming, repetitive, low reward-to-effort ratio work – not unlike competitive cycling, one might say. But man, is it ever sweet when…
Rain in Spain, Decent Weather at the Other Two-Bajillion Concurrently Running Top-Level Bicycle Racing Events
The pre-Worlds exodus has begun, and, it would appear, not a day too soon. Continuing its atrocious photo coverage of this year’s Vuelta, Cyclingnews has no photospread of watery carnage; it does, however, have some heinously under-edited picture captions. Where’s that press release, again? The one where CN says the sale to Future will have…
Diaries and Manly Drama
Diaries, diaries, diaries! With this level of rider contribution and feedback, you’d think the peloton had been overrun with 14-year-old girls. And if the diaries didn’t give you that impression, the headlines certainly might. But don’t try to pin Carlos Sastre down on that sort of preadolescent intruige; a Cyclingnews rest-day feature paints him as…
A Whiny Rest Day, Stupid Tech, Britain, Poland and…Missouri?
Note to Carlos Sastre – you know that finishing salute you do? Consider trying it on the days you don’t win. I have it from good sources that you always carry the pacifiers with you, so next time the urge strikes to complain about “secret pacts”, just pop one in, ok? You’ve been a professional…
Poland Rained Out, Tour of Britan, Vuelta
God, sometimes this blog thing is too easy: didja hear the one about the Polish bike race? No, seriously, they held a bike race in Poland, but then it rained really, really hard. So they let everyone go off and risk breaking their necks, and then neutralized the results. Safety first! And in a way,…
Menchov Retakes Gold, Valverde Still in Limbo
Was I right on the money last week or what? I told you Oscar Pereiro was a poor bet for the overall – and now, he’s out of the race. Not only that, but I said Pereiro’s teammate Efimkin was a more-or-less legitimate contender – and now he’s in second, with the blessing of his…
Zabel Wins, Freire Still Hot, More Stupid Dope News
Anyone else out there noticing how this year’s Vuelta photography looks like ass? Even though it would explain Allen Davis’s finish line confusion, I can’t imagine the heat coming off the Spanish tarmac was throwing up that much distortion. You know what I think it is? Radiation from Oscar Freire. After his third win in…
More Frustrations and Vuelta/Worlds
Why must I be surrounded by frickin’ idiots? Aren’t Italians and Spaniards swarthy enough by nature that they need not be photographed in such Hadean shade? Ugh. And Oscar, I realize the Vuelta seems to change the colors of its leaders’ kits every year, but just try and find something in maroon to match that…
Back From the Brink
Ok – I admit, I was down the past couple days. Down lower than Andreas Kloden or even Tommy D. No, I didn’t get hit by a car, or crash out of the Vuelta. I’d just been feeling low. I mean, here I am, drawing closer to 26 than 25, and all the times it…