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FreshyK has a new piece up ~

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read it … all ye who

would be there

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one day..

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here’s a quote from his latest VsNewz dispatch …

Cente and I chatted about our kids, life in Spain and racing. During our four hours on the front we had somehow developed a bond in that we were both committed to the same goal and had worked together to get to that point; he had given me food during the race when I was out, and in the front we had somewhat nursed each other like teammates to reach our goal. We chatted about riding on the front and he told me how he enjoyed it, how it was his job, he was hired to do and did it because Valverde trusted him and respected that he would give everything for the team.

He told me the new younger generation didn’t understand what it was to ride for a leader and that they all thought they would make the final, none wanted to ride on the front, or do the domestique’s work—and few respected it. He said he was always the first to put up his hand for the job although he has a palmares better than most.

The television audience might only see Cente on the front for the first hours of the race but he is known in the peloton universally, for his strength on the front and for making everybody scrap for some draft as he pedals convincingly up front.

In a quantity over quality society where most dream to be an overnight superstar, a flash in the pan American Idol, hard work has been devalued. A few nights ago, I finished watching the Beatles musical movie “Across the Universe,” and there was a great quote from the protagonist, Jude. The dialogue at the dinner table unfolds between three people:

“What you do defines who you are.”

“No, no Uncle Teddy. Who you are defines what you do, right Jude?” Maxwell replies.

“Surely, it is not what you do, but the way that you do it.”

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i’m just sayin’ … what a mighty fine individual that be.

I’ve no idea if it’s a guy i’d dance on bar tops with, but still ~ my kind of bike rider.

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The hurdle cycling has in drawing American interest … is that it’s a sport born out of empathy.  As we don our superfan hats ~ we FEEL the ride our heroes put in.  We know the pain, we see the discipline needed, the patience, the choices each day, each moment to pedal on …

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When cyclists talk about ‘brand loyalty’ ~ what they’re referring to is …

Michael Barry rides for High Road.

I didn’t know that until i googled his ass for pics.

I know who Michael Barry is, and will well past when ‘high road’ disappears

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that’s cycling

Check out today’s Cyclingnews {{LINK}} headlines …

High-Road moves from Germany to the US (SLO-town, no less!) …

Basso courted by Barloworld (2nd tier euro-team) …

Riders complain about midnight drug testing …

Swiss cycling hurting for money …

TourdayFrance won’t pay out last year’s prize monies until drug tests resolved by UCI …

Astana still shit-listed for Giro (maybe they should move to the US?) …

Vannoppen busted for … DUI, too?

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I think it’s worthwhile to remember that the highest amounts of cash started coming into the sport right around the same time (it’s rumored) that the real performance enhancing drugs started moving themselves into riders’ veins and coating chamoises.

Before the influx of real money into euro-cycling, cyclists used drugs like amphetamines, cocaine, and maybe some horse-shot action. It was doping, clear and simple.

But, once money started rolling into the sport in a more corporate, TV-revenue oriented sort of way … the horizons expanded to include all those tales of EPO and HGH and specialty steroids and whatever else they’ve dreamt up since then.

It was a bubble created just like junk bonds and high-tech stocks. Cycling after Lemond took off in a direction that invested a lot of money into a sport that didn’t have the infrastructure to handle it. The cash was fought for like meat tossed into a hungry pack of street dogs. They fought and snarled at each other, made alliances and burned matches … all to get themselves a piece of action that the Post-Lemond Cycling Bubble created.

And now it’s time to burst that bastard.

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The headlines in the CN link above hint at financial problems for cycling in Europe. And that is the ONLY real incentive for killing off drugs in our sport … money.

We have to make it profitable for teams to compete clean. And we have to make it cool for riders to race clean …

but hey, i’m not spouting holier than thou crap here. I’m not saying life is a blanket of mormons smothering anything fun or mischevious. Hell no! Go out there and party a bit, Vannoppen. But, try to do it in moderation. Snort some coke, smoke a doobie, have your foo-foo euro-martini drinks … or whatever belgie party boys suck down.

Party all you want, but don’t make them ENHANCERS, ferchrissakes. I’m not someone who wants all to walk a straight and pure line … that’s just not my style. But, I do espouse personal responsibility and the decision to act honorably.

Acting honorably means lining up to the start line knowing that you’ve put yourself on an equal playing field with your competitors. It’s that clear, honest look in a rider’s eyes that makes all the difference in this sport. As fans, we all respond to it. We hunger for it. We reward those who have it.

We were hooked when we thought Lance had that look. That clear, determined, hungry look in the eyes. And we thought it of Hamilton and Landis. And we still hope for it, i suppose.

So, let’s take some money out of the sport … or, lets FORCE these people to move away from enhancin’ … and more towards partyin.

We’re only here for a short time, folks. Let’s enjoy it and do it right.
~m

VsNewz’s Andy Hood has a {{LINK}} good article about the carnage in Qatar.

check it out.

Pretty cool to read BMC’s Sayer’s account of the mayhem ~

“My response was, ‘My God!’” said Mike Sayers (BMC), speaking of the high average speeds. “The first hour was 57kph and it never came down from that. It was totally frustrating trying to stay with the front group. I was on my limit. I’m a pretty good wind rider in the United States, but this is another level.”

le’ ouch.
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from VeloNews ~

Cipollini is expected to train with the team and formally return to competition at next month’s Tour of California, though it’s unknown how much racing he might actually commit to. Earlier this week, it was reported that Cipollini owed more than $1 million in back taxes to Italian authorities, perhaps giving him an extra incentive to earn a paycheck again as a professional racer. There were no details of how much the Italian sprinter would be paid. {{LINK}}

This is so awesome.

The awesome-ness of this is overwhelming.

my life is complete.

now i can quit cycling and take up folk-singing.

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yay.