(ahem) may I have your attention please?

We may have a new candidate for "Gymkata"... behold the Mighty Norwegian YAAAAH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vC8gJ0_9o4M#!

Safe yet to talk about Flanders?

SUCKED. No Muur....No Cancellara. Lame.

yeah

i have to agree

kind of a big ol snore

there was never any doubt that Booner wouldn't douche those two Eye-tals

super bummer for Fabs

in his absence, other hardmen (Gilbert, Hushovd) better step the fuck up or i am switching back to dressage

It's crazy watching the videos of feed zones. You'd think that PROS would have found a better way, but it seems side-arming bottles as hard as possible at ground level, only to have them bounce back into the roadway is the disposal method of choice (maybe chuck/lob them over into the spectators, who would love a souvenir?). The only thing I can think of is that this is a active projectile "take someone out" strategy (I know, you risk taking out your own teammates, so it makes no sense). Craig Lewis was talking about this in last year Giro. How it never ceases to amaze him how "pros" just throw bottles into the wheels of other riders. What a lame way to break a collarbone.

I actually thought the race had many interesting moments.

When the pack was altogether on a wide smoothly paved road, some dude attacks the jogger's lane. Sagan throws a mini-hissy-fit because HE drops a bottle in the feedzone.

Johann Van "exactly when did I go from Paris Roubaix winner to second fiddle to some dude named Sep" Summeren.

Watching Old-man-Hincapie ride about 50 riders back all day, while P&P talk about how he's going to break records for number of races finished (surely they'll be something more interesting to say about the most boring interview in cycling this year?).

Wonder, when super-team Radioshack had 3 guys in the first chase group, why they couldn't be bothered to lead the chase.

Really though Ballan's attack on the Kwaremont was first class, watching Boonen get gapped ever so slightly on the final climb, all good stuff and worth the price of admission.

I think the organiser runs the risk of making the course too hard, such that the riders get too concerned about blowing before the end that they all take it easier than they otherwise might (we've seen this happen in the stages of Grand tours with super-steep climbs).
Or maybe the riders worried about it just this first year and next year they'll know they can race harder. Time will tell.

I actually thought there was race-craft knowledge to glean from the event - that maybe I wouldn't have noticed if all I was watching was a peloton glued to Fab's wheel.

Such as:
a) having TOO many riders from one team in the break can be a bad thing.
b) Never count out someone with a better sprint pedigree even if they look tired
c) whatever it takes - dig deep and hold the wheel - you will recover
d) riding an easier gear to recover - works well after 240K

In fact there were quite a few tips to learn from Pozzato in the last 3K.

e) he should have gone from further out - right after Boonen pulled back Ballan's second attack.
OR
f) he should have been in front Boonen and jumped first from behind Ballan. Boonen was faster - but he would need to make up the gap and a full bike length to win (and he only won by a bike length).

Of course it's all easy for me to say - I was riding easy on the rollers and watching the race.

One thing I will add about Pozzato is that his he has ASTOUNDING bike handling skills: he was following Langeveld when he crashed.

Go to 55 secs in the following clip to see what I mean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfrpayiqlGg

As unwise as this off-piste tactic by Langeveld may seem, from my little experience racing in Europe, such maneuvers are commonplace.

I can't believe Langeveld got away with only a collarbone from that.

Rough.

Hey dudes

my parents are coming into town and I'm looking for a bike so I can take my old man on a ride

He rides a M, or 56 or so (he's a tad under 6ft tall)

Anybody got a loaner for me for a few days? Of course I'll buy you a new one or pay for repairs if he, you know, gets hit by a cab or some NYC bullshit like that.

I've got you covered. 56 cm cross bike with (or without) slicks.

Jeff o. This has your name all over it.

http://rapha.cmail4.com/t/ViewEmail/y/FF029E9237964881

An update for NEW PRODUCTS!?!?!!........In....PERSON!!!!!!??? I am so there!!!

lol

jeff is a dandy

i thought you were quitting cycling?

what are you gonna do with all that sweet sweet Rapha accoutrement?

aint no one gonna fit in it with all that orangutan-specific post-purchase tailoring!

I dont have to "race" to prance around 9W in full rapha attire, going slow to the muffin shop (Bunberry, the close one, not Runcible) and back. That's what I'm talking about.

Posted By: josephmuellerJeff o. This has your name all over it.

http://rapha.cmail4.com/t/ViewEmail/y/FF029E9237964881

You know what says cycling lifestyle to me: a place that sells as a snack a $5 Toast with whipped lard, and pork rinds.
http://www.cannibalnyc.com.php5-1.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/menus

Now that I look in to the Rapha ride more I think I am going to ride up to central park at 6am to do some laps with them. Anyone else want to come? They are going to go get coffee at 7 but I'll keep riding easy till 8.

Thursday morning at 6am? I might, if I expectorate all this sinus funk. Maybe they'll hand out free Rapha schwag?!?! I need a pink waterbottle and musette.

Posted By: Jeff OwensThursday morning at 6am? I might, if I expectorate all this sinus funk. Maybe they'll hand out free Rapha schwag?!?! I need a pink waterbottle and musette.

and maybe a baselayers?! I kinda want to meet Roger Hammond

I am SO there... let's wear the most mismatched outfits possible and turn handlebars upside down... does anyone have a pink Ironman Centurion they can lend me? Optional: wheel reflectors, bar mounted radio, yellow Oakley Factory Pilots, Speedo, disk wheel. What else?

Artisinal baguettes and glue on waxed mustaches.

Yeah, if we look horrid, maybe they'll feel sorry for us and give us sweet, succulent, Rapha-ness.

I'm planning on building up my Cervelo like that dude in Prospect that creeps around slowly on the black S2 with tons of lights, looking like the Close Encounters spaceship and the boom box on his handlebars. That guy rewlz.

I'll try to dig up my early 90's Subaru Montgomery Jersey. It's on par with the Spring Series leader jersey, as far as looking like Elmer Fudd's vomit. This is it, but you can't quite see how bad it is from this angle:

Take along a pipng hot cup of Kopi Luwak as well. (See wikipedia description below.)

Kopi Luwak, also known as caphe cut chon (fox-dung coffee) in Vietnam and kape alamid in the Philippines, is coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten and partially digested by the Asian Palm Civet, then harvested from its fecal matter.[3][4] The civets digest the flesh of the coffee cherries but pass the beans inside, leaving their stomach enzymes to go to work on the beans, which adds to the coffee's prized aroma and flavor.[3] Only around 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of civet coffee make it to the market each year, and 1 pound (0.45 kg) can cost up to $600 in some parts of the world and about $100 a cup in others.[5]

Sounds good guys see you then.

I'll be the one with the compression socks and down tube shifters. Jeff going to have to cancel on going to the bar Wed night becasue I have to cut off the sleeves on my jersey for Thurs am.

@neilx: can I borrow your areo helmet for the group ride?

Civit cats are what people were getting SARS from back in 2007. Great to know poop-coffee was a possible disease vector for this.

Yes to both...2 lbs of Weasel Crap Coffee and one Aero helmet coming right up!

I'll file all these Rapha cracks in the same place as "John Malcolmson was a world class track racer down under." I still have no idea what's real and what's just goofing around.

Here's what I know to be true. John Malcolmson is from New Zealand. John Malcolmson crushed the cat 5s last year, and is well on his way in the 3/4s this year too. Rapha sells expensive retro-styled clothing. Rapha sponsors a CRCA sub-team that is unremarkable at best.

Sweet. Joe, 5:30am @ hipster highroad bridge?

I also have this beauty tucked away somewhere (great colors, although not as many as the Subaru, and a GREAT American beer by a christian conservative company):

Jeff,
I had that jersey. Butt-ugly but incredibly comfortable. had to retire it after it was damaged in a crash. Then again, I have some great ones to pull out, like the pink/blue with yellow-to-pink fade jacket from Nico/Tonissteiner. It clashes with the light blue Mercury tights I have. I can don them and my factory pilots, and maybe ride my ancient steel specialized fixed-gear with bmx pedals, though maybe I should pull out the yellow mavic shoes to finish the ensemble.

I might ahve to go on this Thursday ride after all.

Posted By: John MalcolmsonI am SO there... let's wear the most mismatched outfits possible and turn handlebars upside down... does anyone have a pink Ironman Centurion they can lend me? Optional: wheel reflectors, bar mounted radio, yellow Oakley Factory Pilots, Speedo, disk wheel. What else?

and a primal jersey

http://www.g-peopleland.com/ALIEN-NATION_02.gif