Oddities in OZ

So Rock Racing sends a five man squad to the Jayco Bay Classic. The team includes Bahati? Who I guess gets his place back due to Dominguez,Walker, and Cooke bailing. I hope they got round trip tickets in advance! Walker let his legs due the talking today notching up a win for Fuji-Servietto. Cervelo Test Team got a win the other day withs Gerrans so the new kids on the block will be working hard for invitations to bigger races.
Baden Cooke also shed some unkind light on the Rock Situation. From a 2 year deal to six months? Here to stay! Not so much. But Cooke had to be fooling himself, if he thought Rock was going to be in Europe this year-especially the Giro? Come on.
The Belgian xmas cross attack continues. Good coverage at both Molly Cameron and the Embrocation blog. Embro has some videos up. I may be showing my age, but it is amazing that 10 years ago, you would be waiting a month sometimes to hear race result or read stories, but now you can see video recorded a day or two ago. Pretty rad. Cyclocross mag has a couple racers doing reports as well.
You can even read about and see Groenendaal pulling a major stick and move on Steve Hunter here

Albert shows he don't need no stinking spleen to win. Damn.
I have been having some trouble with the Euro high sock over the leg warmers look that most pros seem to be rocking. Maybe its the white socks/black warmers thing, but this doesn't look very pro to me.

Only in New England

Why is a ride in 20 degree weather better than a ride in the mid 30s? Everything is still pretty frozen at 20, so you spend less time after the ride cleaning your bike.
Call me Mr.Brightside.




When did Jerry A shave his head and start singing for Killing Time? or is that Fat Joe on a rock and roll trip?

Random Cycling Observations

So from these photos, Pozzatto gets the new aero Ridley, but what is Steegmans riding? Maybe it was a late night, but Pozzatto looks pretty haggard.
In other new teams, Cervelo-Test Team looks like they may have put together a better classics team, than a team to support Sastre. They have Hushovd,Hammond, and Klier. Plus Haussler, Hunt, and Pauwels. Regardless they grabbed the first win of the year in Australia. Maybe they can have a breakout season with their young guns a la Slipstream?


Oddball shot, Rabo are switching to Giant bikes next year, but this looks like they tried to cover up the Colnago markings with Rabo stickers....

Treborn finally gets a US champ skinsuit
Summerhill races with bare legs, while Duggan opts for shoe covers?

early b wheely wheely

This mega photo came to my attention last week and is clearly a top cycling record. In addition to the song "Wheely Wheely", Early B has another song called "Bicycle Bicycle" and yet another called "Pedal Pusher". In classic Jamaican music industry fashion, he found an untapped genre and ran it into the ground. Song snippets here. Full song here. Clearly Early was on point. Mid 80s Dancehall Style. So far it does not appear that he is related to Steady B.
Nice Wikipedia factoid, he got the nickname "early" cause he always arrived early at dances!
Tragically (and too close to home), he was killed by a stray bullet at a Jah Love show in Dorchester in 1994.
As seen here, Early had a knack for good album photos.

best cycling moments of 08

1. Cancellara (Eroica, Milan San Remo, Tirreno, Bronze in Olympic RR, Gold in TT). Able to attack at will and win as well. Wants to win all the monuments...Is Flanders next on the list?


2. Planes de Corones time trial. Finally an epic Giro stage works out...

3. Boonen's acceleration at Roubaix. That was sick.

4.Devolders attack and win at Flanders

4. First week of tour-so much better than the usual prologue/sprint/sprint/sprint.
5. Sastre wins the tour. Attack on Alpe D'Huez!. Finally Sastre gets the win.
6. Voigt on the tourmelat. CSC in general at the tour
7. Spain dominates Olympics. Finally Sanchez gets a big win.
8.Ballan gets the win at the Worlds! Forza Italia!
9.Slipstream TTT in the Giro, Vandevelde in the Tour, Maaskant in Roubaix. Lots of high points for them.
10. Cavendish. He may look like a monkey, but man can he sprint.



low points
1.Ricco turns out to be a fucking scummy drug bag (ditto for Piepoli,Schumacher, Kohl, and the rest)
2.Bettini denied at Olympics. Bad season for him in general.
3.Spain blows it at the Worlds. Valverde is about as dependable as Hincapie.



I am sure I will think of a few more, but those stand the test of time. A memorable year for sure.

Flanders 08. Fan Cams Rule

Carnage

Bike Life Round Up

I love cycling for many reasons, but super obsessive posts about keeping your feet warm and wearing multiple plastic bags and socks are high on my list.

I remember Max Schaaf towing Gonz on a motorcyle, but didn't realize he was this deep in the game. Will these fit on the hyphy bars on my fixed gear?


Xmas is over, but for the man who has everything, why not "bike to work" pants with hidden reflectors and "mud flaps"??? Mud flaps? How about a fender. It is a thin line between clever and stupid.

Random Roubaix footage with a very unique Flemish Country song....


Jonathan Page may be an asshole, but I doubt he is a doper. Regardless missing a control is going to fuck his life up.


37 and raining on Saturday and 55 and dry the next. This is December?