Hellingen

You may not know the translation of this Flemish word, but you have felt it. "painful hills". Everyone has a couple in their lives, even if they are not as popular as the climbs of Flanders.

Weekend race predicitions -call me Unibet Jr

Criterium International? Hard to bet against CSC who have won 4 years in a row, so maybe it's time for someone besides Fabian to win? Slipstream have some heavy hitters with Millar,Backstedt, and Dave Z. This would be a good chance for DZ? Otherwise maybe the luck of Skil Shimano's Clément Lhotellerie continue? Valverde had better show something.
I call the final podium as Julich,Dave Z, and Jens Voigt.
E3 Prijs? Might be too early for the big guns to show too much or make to big and effort but Weylandt, Hoste, and Pozzatto are my call for the podium. If Flecha has a strong showing it could signal is readiness to snatch a classic victory in the coming weeks! Boonen has won this race 4 years in a row (what symmetry to CSC at the CI-no wonder every year feels more like Groundhog day), but his luck has not been so strong.
Just like Boonen has owned the E3, Oscar Freire has owned the Brabantse Pijl. If he is still carrying some form from San Remo he is a likely candidate. Bettini will here with the non Belgian sections of the Quickstep team, but may not be good for much. Cofidis will put the recent winner Chavanel as well as Nick Nuyens. Will riders who race both days have more or less of a chance(Flecha,Ballan,etc) I will go with Nuyens, Visconti, and Freire as the top three.

Oh and PS Rock Racing gets all in your face with an Oscar Sevilla win in San Dimas??? Damn. 2 stages left there. Toyota United look ready to strike with 3 in the top ten.

Lord of the Thighs Competition

It seemed that Fabian C had taken over the lord of the thighs competition from retired Quadzilla Andrea Tafi, but Scotland's own Chris Hoy looks to be challenging here. Those are some pistons!
Also check out the crazy carbon handlbars. Track racing is always a wierd intersection of tradition(toe straps for example) and cutting edge -think Look track frames or anything the Aussie teamrides. It makes for some good times staring at photos.
Already some big upsets with 3 days left to go.
Nice

Not even running Shimano explains this...

Either Francisco Ventoso has T-Rex arms or there is a mechanic going to get yelled at for not tightening those bolts on the stem. Look at the angle of the shifters and then look at the angle of the bar ends. Then compare that to Sammy Sanchez behind him.

Ironic or Enabling?

I don't think you have to be Alanis Morissette to find this ironic. I was on the bicycling magazine website-utilizing the one useful thing*** on there-the calorie counter when I stumbled on an article about CoEnzymeQ. Interesting, then I notice they have google ads for the enzyme at the bottom of the page-excellent marketing. Then I notice there is an ad that says "exhausted all the time?" for a site called HGH facts.
Wow that is funny, I thought cycling and doping didn't mix. No wonder it was so easy for Rodney Harrison to get his HGH on. I doubt the Bicycling editors look to closely at their banner ads, but they might want to start.



** I will wait for a guest rant from a certain cycling buddy in regards to the quality of bicycling magazine and speak no more of its very useful top ten lists.... Brad get busy!

Lucky 13 days til Tour of Flanders and other cycling news

Where do you start with Fabian? Look at that picture, what's that in the distance? Only some of the best riders in the peleton. This man is a beast and I would be nervous about Roubaix if I was a certain Tornado Tomke..... If you don't drop him, it's only a matter of time til he rides you off his wheel 19K (roubaix), final K (TDF), or last few K (MSR). When was the last time the world TT Champ won so many cool races?
Where's Waldo? How about where's Valverde? Last place in Cholet Pay Loire??? I guess he wasn't quite up to Paris-Nice or Castille Y Leon(that race doesn't really matter to Spanish Pros of fans....) He must be gunning for the Rasmussen/Vino honorary Man in Black award.

The continuing saga of Astana once again has them bringing a Tour quality squad to every race they can get invited to and beating on the teams with bigger goals.
Lots of racing to watch with Castille Y Leon, and a whole grip of Northern races -Dwars door Vlaanderen, GP Waregam, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, and Criterium International.

13 Days til Flanders
16 Days til Gent Whevelgam
20 Days til Paris Roubaix

Cannot wait