A couple of old photos.

This photo is from a trip I took to the Worlds in 2003. Hamilton Ontario. Pretty rad. Stayed in the same hotel as the Italians. Saw them out training when i was heading into the city from the airport.
Not a great year for the drug free end of the sport Astorloa beat Bettini, Valverde, and PVP. Either way Igor's last minute attack was impressive to bad the WC title seemed to end his career faster than you can say Roman Vainsteins.... ITT was won by David Millar. I remember standing on the same corner where I took this picture of Boogerd and thinking that Millar was a lock of the TT. He rode by looking skinnier and faster and more fluid than any of the competition. About an hour later as I was walking to my hotel, I saw Millar pedal up to his hotel all alone. Still on his TT bike with a union jack draped over him. Pretty surreal. Especially considering where he ended up and how he describes this time in interviews. For a world champ, he looked pretty lost and alone.
But about this photo, Boogerd was not my favorite Dutchman. I was always more of a Dekker man. Dekker fit the hard working puncher mold of a Jalabert or a Zabel. Boogerd was a great bike racer, but he seemed to crumble after the TDF potential winner label got pined on him.
Regardless, this photo was taken on a corner before the 1st climb, about one K after the start. I saw Didi-the devil dude chilling here a lot. Points to anyone who can ID any other riders. I thought the German rider was Hondo, but it isn't. In retrospect, this was a dopers paradise.
I had a chance to take a picture of Riis talking on his phone,but was too scared. That dude does not look super friendly.... And I wasn't feeling to confident with my paper box camera.
If you take the time to check the results for juniors and U23 you will see a lot of yoru present day favorites...

This photo was taken the year before in NYC. 2002 NY City Championship. Post Tour so Lance was the main attraction. Went down to check this out. ">Results let you know it was a fast crit. My lasting contirbution to cycling lore, is this blurry picture of Lance.
So that wraps up a rainy Saturday night. Good thing I cleaned out my desk and found these.....

bike racing starts soon

Are you going to be the hammer or the nail? I think I will be down with O.T.B.....

Leatherface Stormy Petrel

Frankie Stubbs is like the uncle I never had, but wish I did. Just saw them live on some weird off shoot of a Canadian tour. Last time I saw them was about 11 years ago in Boston-if the "99" on my fake Leatherface soccer jersey is correct.
They had a new record for sale, and while it isn't Mush or Cherry Knowle or whatever your personal watershed Leatherface album is, it is pretty damn good. Just like your favorite uncle, you know what to expect but there are some surprises. Even if he has gotten mellower with age, you still love to see him and find out what he has been up to. The insights are still pointed. He still has the dance moves and live he added a lot more of his classic gruff edge to the new songs.
Big Ugly Fish is the label in the UK. No Idea is putting it out in the states.
Starts off with soon to be Leatherface mixtape staples like "god is dead","my worlds end" "another dance",and "never say goodbye". Couple of more maudlin slow jams, but overall if you don't smile and get stoked when you hear that voice and those guitars, you aren't really a leatherface fan.
Get stoked.
Official Info here.

Montepaschi Strada Bianche

Awesome race. Lame video comp post



some fan cam footage form last year

It is amazing that this has gone from a retro grouch event to a real race in only a few years. For example 08 dudes on 3 speeds