TOC predictions

GC looks like a showdown between CSC and Astana. Despite CSC having an overall stronger team, the edge goes to Astana who have a lot to prove and maybe not too many other races to do it in. CSC and Quickstep have strong teams, but maybe with more guys building for the classics (O'Grady, Cancellara,Boonen,Bettini, etc)
Teams High Road and Slipstream also have a lot to prove or live up to. Edge goes to Slipstream who have the stronger team.
Rare appearance by Oscar Friere which is cool. Always a threat to snatch a stage or two.
Rock Racing have purged Hamilton,Sevilla, and Botero from the list leaving them 5 on the starting line. Much suck to have been past over for one of the big three right about now. Not much support for Pena,Creed, or Rodriguez. With a cloud over LeoGrande, will they even start five? No hope of a early circuit Hamiton crash anymore.
With all the Grand Tour drama, doping drama, and Rock racing drama this should be a race set for some fireworks and Astana are going to have to work hard to keep it under control.
Overall Podium Leipheimer, Zabriskie, Jason McCartney. How is that for a longshot?

08s biggest cycling questions

1. Kemmelberg? Due to a horrific crash, race directors opt to reverse the direction of travel up rather than down. This is such an epic piece of cycling territory. Better to have it backwards than removed, but I say it should stay as is.
2. Koppenberg back in Flanders. Always makes for some epic footage to watch on the trainer, but not truly decisive. Will it be this year?
3.Het Volk. Don't know why but this is one of may favorite races. Weather can play a big role. Who will take out this early season semi-classic?
4. Will CSC dominate Roubaix again or can the Belgian battle back? Will it rain? It has been dry for a few years now, maybe a wet one is in order. Despite his total lack of tactical sense, I have missed Hincapie's face in the race. And can Backstedt recovery from his broken collarbone to contest Roubaix? Slipstream have a lot riding on him
5. Will Soler and his unique (aka ugly, gangly, simian, whatever) style on the bike reappear to animate the mountains of the TDF?
6.Grand tours in general. What other teams will be snubbed?
7. Can Ricco have a breakout season?
8.Will The three "grand tours for Astana" be of California, Georgia, and Spain?
9.How fast will Tyler Hamilton crash out of the TOC?
10. Is DiLuca's combative appearance in early season sprints an attempt to prime him for a Milan San Remo win to get revenge against those that banned him?

Great Winter Moments

1.Grabbing you water bottle and getting a mouthful of road salt.
2.Realizing the 2nd bottle is frozen
3.Blowing an endless number of snot rockets that hit your jacket, hands, tights, etc.
4.Putting on the same jacket,gloves, and tights that you forgot to wash...again.
5.Dodging new potholes that seem to appear and multipy overnite. Test that memory and see how many you can remember.
6.Spending all most as much time cleaning your bike as riding it.
7.Wondering if this is really cross training?
8.Dreaming about post ride hot drink and food.
9.Realizing that all of the above and frozen toes are better than another hour on the trainer.

Big Night

You know you have a problem, if a big Friday night includes reading Het Volk online to get the full results of Etoiles De Besegges to see how VDB is doing(not good at 24 minutes back). Wim Van Huffel is a solid minute forty ahead of Huub Duyn.
Christopehe Moreau has got to be wondering why he didn't retire as he slugs it out 7 minutes back. Would he be at this race if he was still on a Pro-Tour team? There was also a good photo set of training on the Koppenberg which is back in the Tour of Flanders this year.
A quick jump and you can stumble around the Gazetta del Sport online as well. Where we discover that left to his own devices, Basso will apparently ride a Pinarello. Babelfish helps to up the comedic factor of any article with it's translations. Maybe that's what makes Bettini sound so crazy. The Gazzetta page also has some daily race video which is a cool feature.
Party On

HTFU Part 2

Maybe it's the sharks or the hole in the Ozone layer, but the Aussies seem to continoulsy up the ante on the hardman stakes. From Nathan O'Neil and Stuey O'Grady's broken necks and backs to this. Anna Meares crashed in the World Track Keirin Finals-getting a dislocated shoulder and fracture vertabrea in the process plus some ligament damage. Long time rehab. Does she shut it down? No, it's an Olympic year so she gets on her trainer and figures this out. She just started walking unassisted and she is already training? She has to get helped onto the bike! Contemplate how soft you are in comparision!
So everyone out there whining about being on the trainer (aka me), harden the fuck up and get it done.
Check out more on Anne here
In related news it is no surprise that Magnus Backstedt is back on the trainer. Can't let a little operation and a broken collarbone slow you down when Roubaix is only 6 weeks away. Hope he can be ready. Watching him pull the bunch in Flanders 06 was unreal. He just powered a group like it was a training ride.
One guy who could use a dose of HTFU is noted radio pseudo-conservative pervert Jay Severin. His moans of agony about Mitt dropping out of the race yesterday could stand a solid dose of Harden the Fuck Up. The only thing better than Mitt dropping out was waiting for Severin to cry about it.

Bettini-isms

Maybe you are still under the sway of the poetics of Phil and Paul, but for my money Bettini is the master linguist.
Two recent verbal's have me anxiously awaiting his next volley of vocab.
1."This winter I exaggerated a little bit and found myself nine kilograms over my inform weight," noted Bettini to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It was almost double body fat [59 to 68kg, 7 to 13% body fat - ed.]. However, when it is a party, it is a party."
I too exaggerate my weight in the winter. I also misunderestmate it. But remember no matter what, "when it is a party, it IS a party"!!! take that Borat.

2."I am sure that you, like me, will be seduced by the technical qualities and feel the passion that only this exclusive and extraordinary cycling shoe can offer." This nugget comes from the ad for his new limited Sidi Ergo2s-an overload of color that is sure to go with something in your wardrobe. Get a gold helmet and some gold bartape and you are ready to roll. White tape is so last year...... Maybe Paolo can write ad copy for Rapha if this cycling thing doens't pan out.

As the season is early, I hope to make Bettini-isms a continuing feature.

Best named rider -competition heats up!

When last updated Hubb Duyn, was on the way to replacing Wim Van Huffel as my favorite rider name, but scanning todays results from the super challenge series in South Africa has them both in trouble. None other than MTN Cycling Team's Waylon Woodcock is now in the lead!.
But seriously, some Liquigas and Milram are mixing it up with Barlaworld down in the RSA so Waylon's 2 top ten finishes are impressive.

Etoile de Besseges kicks off today. Another early season race that I have a soft spot for. Slipstream will be battling it out during this one for the next 5 days. Nice to have some results to start looking