Anybody interested in watching the TdF Pologue at Building on Bond (Bond and Pacific) this Saturday?

I'm planning on rolling out there after the CP race. I've cleared it with the owner. He's way into these sorts of things so we can make a habit of watching early morning cycling events there if we choose to.

I can make it Vlad

I may stop by and throw back a beer and coffee combo.

Oh and btw, from my connection at NBC apparently they're airing stages 7 & 8 on NBC live

http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/sports/versus/pressreleases?pr=contents/press-releases/2012/06/21/nbcsportsgroups1340290632711.xml#.T-oNl8Grk9c.gmail

Sadly no John Tesh piano solos like 1980's CBS

I'll definitely be needing a coffee right about then.....

A little john tesh background music...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjZt3kleCb8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZMkZN-PGCo

What time?  Might be able to squeeze it in before work...

So the stage will run from 8am until 11:10am. I'll be at BoB as well. After the stage I'm throwing a BBQ in PP around 1pm-ish. I invited some of you through facebook but I'm extending this to everyone. There'll be some stuff to throw on the grill but feel free to pick up some more if u wish. same for alcohol.

"alcohol is prohibited in all parks"

http://www.nycgovparks.org/about/faq

yes, a law selectively enforced by bloomberg & his minions.  wine is fine if you're attending the symphony or the opera in central park.  it's "cultured."  they don't seem to have the same indulgent attitude if you crack open a cold beer on a hot summer Saturday.  

it is more of an open container issue. So if you're going to bring something put it in a nondescript container, and don't drink from bottles or cans but cups. (and stay away from the obvious red Solo cups).

ok, this is an EtOH free party hehe, alcohol shall not be divulged. don't bring any if you don't want to.

Sounds awesome.  I'll see you guys there if I wake up.

By the by, the cyclone (the rollercoaster, not the baseball team) is celebrating yet another milestone, so for the first 85minutes that it's open, you can ride the cyclone for 25 cents, as it was when it opened 85 years ago.

The last time I rode the Cyclone, I busted my knee on the upadded back of the seat in front of me and couldn't ride my bike properly for 6 months!

It's not worth 25 cents.

plus, it's too scary for me not to have brakes.

I'm going to swing by B.o.B. after some laps in PP. See you there.

ZOMG!!!

Is this the place for general TdF chatter?

For a guy who reportedly is refusing to claim leadership of the team, I'm not sure he's deserving of Horner love:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/horner-helps-schleck-avoid-losing-time-in-seraing

This just in, the UCI says Eddy Merckx' hands never sweat and his junk never slipped, so no grippy handlebar tape:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/gallery-time-trial-bikes-at-the-tours-opening-prologue

Good GOD!  Today is a perfect example of why I love Cancellara so much.  Like WDC said he was more thrilled with "how" he raced as opposed to whether he won, I know a lot of people criticize Cancellara for dragging people around, but damn, if he doesn't go balls-out and suffer to create a spectacle and at least TRY to f'n win the race.  I have Sagan on my fantasy team, but he just wheel sucked and then celebrated like a dummy (I know, it was his first TdF win, but still). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON46SLDiqNA

are there time bonuses this year for stage wins?

No time bonuses as far as I know. Some of the sprinters aren't happy about that because it makes it more difficult, if not impossible to get the yellow jersey from Cancellera. I think the only mistake Cancellera made in the finale was wasting time flicking his elbow and waving Sagan through. History shows, that the yellow jersey dude, racing for time, has to keep his head down and not expect to win the stage when he's got someone glued to his wheel. In the end, would he have been able to hold onto a 3 second gap? Probably, I think. Of course, in post race interviews, it was clear, he really wanted a shot at the stage win, hence the frantic and unsuccessful wave-throughs. But after the first time he swerved hard from side to side and Sagan didn't come through, I think he should have just forgotten about the stage and gone for a few more seconds.

But, great finale. The last 15k of this stage were crazy with the crashes and the nervousness. The attacks. Good stuff. Impressive that Cancellera held of Boassen Wagen Haagen Schmaggen Daaz too.

Question for the Queen's Subjects on our club.

Is there a reason Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin insist on pronouncing Tyler Farrar's last name, "Farah" as in Farrah Fawcett?

I mean, this is not a potato, po-TAH-to thing, it's more like an aluminum aly-luminum thing, but even more confusing to me.

@Marc

Remember Phil and Paul are each 900 years old, it is a marvel either of them pronounce his name at all. 

Methuselah lived 900 years

Methuselah lived 900 years

Who calls that livin'

When no gal will give in

To no man what's 900 years

I thought they spoke rock language back then.

http://youtu.be/dnLqLHWDg5E

Remember when riders complained about having to wear helmets because of the heat? Now it seems that Cavendish, Farrar and others are sporting helmets with their vents all covered up. I guess aerodynamics trumps ventilation on these flattish stages. I'll be interested to see if everyone goes full vents open as the roads tilt up in days and weeks to come.

I couldve sworn they were wearing this.

http://www.giro.com/us_en/products/men/road/urban/reverb.html

Hey, this was my first helmet (really!). Except mine was red and I put yellow tape around the perimeter to make it distinctive.

http://www.bhsi.org/images/bailen.jpg

Voelkler will be out of the Tour soon, his knee is acting out again (reported on L'Equipe).