KRUSHING THE TOUR: Stage 16

Johan Museeuw would have guys like Wiggins for breakfast.

Pessimist and Negative.
I have been accused of being a pessimist and negative when it comes to cycling today. I prefer the term "jaded," but yeah, I'm hard on the sport these days, and yes, I long for a time when cyclists had a little more... panache. Today I saw what's still great about the sport and what's killing it.


The Stage.
The race for the stage into Bagnères-de-Luchon today was simply amazing. It was a real cycling race, a true slugfest between guys who were depleted and drained. The contenders? Thomas Voeckler, Jens Voigt, Chris Anker Sørensen and Alexander Vinokourov. The average age right there is about 64. Old school, stubborn hard men, in the vein of Johan Museeuw, Ludo Dierckxsens, and, well and Alexander Vinokourov. That Gorka Izaguirre, and Brice Feillu also fought in there gives me a little bit of hope for the sport. For the sport, yeah, but for the Tour? If today had been a one day race it would have been one for the ages, but it wasn't. It was a stage in a rather uneventful Tour de France.


The GC "Battle"
While the real cyclists were in an all-out war up in the front of the race, the "favorites" (whose favorites? They aren't my favorite anything) were back there sitting on each other's wheel. It got SO boring that Cadel Evans actually fell asleep. That's why he started to yo-yo in and out of the bunch; the dude could hardly keep his eyes open.
Ok, so the fact is that Evans lost time today, because he obviously isn't in great form, not because he was attacked, or put in any kind of difficulty. Nibali did try. Twice. For a total of 36 seconds of excitement. UK Postal (™Gage+DeSoto Industries) has been so dominant during this Tour that it has chocked the beauty out of it.


To Hell with the Tour!
Pretty much every year, around this time, I decide that the Tour is too commercial and pretty for me and that the Classics is where it's at. But every spring I watch an awesome Giro, get all excited and BAM!! I get hit with the Tour de Prance™reality stick.


Tomorrow?
I give up on the GC. I officially do not care what Wiggins or Nibali do. Especially since they won't do anything. So, all I care about now is the race for the stage, and tomorrow should be a good one! Can't wait!

Should be an awesome stage. Let's just hope the cameras don't spend too much time on Wiggo.

Podcast Episode 43: Team Sky & Hamsters

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Jens Voigt Road ID commercial

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KRUSHING THE TOUR: Stage 10

The Tour will cross the Col de la Croix de Fer tomorrow after 93kms of racing.

Finally. The real Tour begins.
The Tour went over its first HC climb today (Col de Grand Colombier), and for the first time in this year's race, I was really excited. Was I excited because Liquigas played a really good strategy sending Sagan up the road and later helping Nibali on the descent off the Gran Colombier? A little. Was I excited because Richie Porte and Boasson Hagen are two of the the best domestiques Wiggins could have asked for? A little. Was I excited because Van Den Broeck went up the front and tighten the screws 4 or 5 times? A little. However, the reason I was really excited was that RadioShack refused to wear the stupid yellow helmets as leaders in the team classification. Good for you RadioShack-Nissan!

The Youngens.
Remember last year's quest for the White Jersey? Uran, Taaramae, Rolland, Coppel, Jeannesson... All with a good chance, all fighting for it. And remember this year's Giro? Uran, Henao, Brambilla, Caruso, Ulissi...
This year Tejay and Taaramae's battle looks to be getting pretty exciting, too. Thibaut Pinot, in third right now, could provide another contender if the two leaders have a bad day. Not to jinx anyone here, but both of those guys have had bad days already, so anything could happen.

The Not-So Youngens.
I'm sure Jens told his legs to shut up more than once today. The German rode a gutsy stage, only to come in third, after Voeckler and Scarponi.
Today's battle between old man Voigt (40) and old man Voeckler (33), was actually the battle between two of the hardest and most stubborn men riding a bike professionally these days. It was amazing.

"Shut up, legs!"

Sad, But True.
Sorry for that lame Metallica reference. I guess it can't be the Tour without cops and suspensions and arrests and other dopping related shenanigans. Remy DiGregorio of Cofidis was forced to retire from the race because of some shit he did or didn't do while in Astana. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Tony Martin also left the race along with Lampre's Matthew Lloyd. That brings the total of retirees to 23. The worst affected teams are:
- 4 Euskaltel-Euskadi
- 3 Garmin-Sharp
- 3 Movistar
- 2 Lampre-ISD
- 2 Rabobank
- 2 Argos-Shimano


What's Next?
Well, the Cols of la Madeline, la Croix de Fer (I call this one the Col de Motorhead, since it translates to the Pass of the Iron Cross), Mollard and La Toussuire. Should be another exciting one, epecially with the mountain-top finish.
Let's hope for continued attempts by Liquigas and Lotto, and, if we are lucky, BMC. Tomorrow is the last chance to attack before we go back to medium mountain and back to flat stages.

Col de la Madeline will open the festivities tomorrow.

PODCAST EPISODE 11 - SPTEMBER 24, 2010

IT'S OFFICIAL! One more year of Jens!!

Episode 13 available on iTunes now.

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2010 Vuelta a España final podium:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Ezequiel Mosquera
3. Peter Velits




2010 Tour de l'Avenir final podium:
1. Nairo Quntana
2. Andrew Talansky
3. Jarlinson Pantano

John Degenkolb of Germany. Remember that name.

Video on Cycling Inquisition blog of the welcome party Quintana got upon his return to Colombia after winning the Tour de l'Avenir.

Cipollini, a friend of the show, disapproves of Bettini's choices for the Italian Team for the WC. We disapprove of his choice of clothing. Always.

Ben King, the new U.S. National champ. Too bad he's heading to RadioShit.